Edgar Allan Poe 1840's By melaniea Period: Jan 1, 1840 to Dec 31, 1849 1840's Jul 4, 1840 Independent Treasury Act is signed into law Apr 1, 1841 Poe becomes editor of Graham's Magazine May 1, 1842 Poe leaves editorship of Graham's Magazine Jan 31, 1843 Poe and Cottrell Clarke sign an agreement for a new magazine called The Stylus Jun 1, 1843 Poe's 'The Gold Bug' wins $100 prize from the Dollar Newspaper Nov 21, 1843 Poe delivers the first of his lectures on American Poetry in Philadelphia May 24, 1844 Telegraph first used Aug 1, 1844 Publication of Mesmeric Revelation No original manuscripts or fragments known to exist. Dec 4, 1844 James Polk elected president Jan 29, 1845 The Raven is published in the New York Evening Mirror Mar 3, 1845 Florida becomes a state Dec 29, 1845 Texas becomes a state May 11, 1846 U.S. Congress delcares the U.S. at war with Mexico Jun 6, 1846 Treaty with Great Britain expands Oregon Territory Jun 14, 1846 In California, U.S. settlers proclaim the independent Republic of California Aug 15, 1846 U.S. annexation of New Mexico Dec 28, 1846 Iowa becomes a state Jan 30, 1847 Poe's wife, Virginia, dies in Fordham, New York from tuberculosis Jan 24, 1848 James Marshall discovers gold near Sutter's Fort, California May 29, 1848 Wisconsin becomes a state Jul 20, 1848 Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton organize first American women's rights convention in Seneca Falls Jan 20, 1849 Zachary Taylor inaugurated as president Feb 28, 1849 First gold-seekers arrive in San Francisco Mar 17, 1849 Publication of Hop Frog Oct 7, 1849 Poe dies in Baltimore in the Washington University Hospital