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The United States Library of Congress is founded -
The second census of the United States is conducted. The total population of the USA was 5,308,483 and the center of its population was 18 miles west of Baltimore, Maryland. -
Thomas Jefferson is elected as the 3rd president of the United States in a vote of the House of Representatives after tying Aaron Burr, his Vice President, in the electoral college with 73 electors due to a flaw in the original vote for two system, which would be corrected in the 12th Amendment to the Constitution. -
President Thomas Jefferson doubles the size of the United States of America with his purchase of the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon's France, thus paving way for the western expansion that would mark the entire history of the 19th century from Missouri to the Pacific Coast. The price of the purchase included bonds of $11,250,000 and $3,750,000 in payments to United States citizens with claims against France. -
Ordered by Thomas Jefferson to map the Northwest United States, Lewis and Clark begin their expedition from St. Louis and Camp Dubois. The journey begins with navigation of the Missouri River. -
At the battle of Tippecanoe, Indian warriors under the command of Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa, known as the Prophet, are defeated by William Henry Harrison, the governor of Indiana. -
- The United States of America admits its 20th state, Mississippi.
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The Missouri Compromise bill, sponsored by Henry Clay, passes in the United States Congress. This legislation allows slavery in the Missouri territory, but not in any other location west of the Mississippi River that was north of 36 degrees 30 minutes latitude, the current southern line of the state of Missouri. The state of Missouri would be admitted to the Union, under this compromise, on August 10, 1821. -
Group of Texas settlers make first attempt to secede from Mexico in the Fredonian Republic. Republic of Fredonia lasts one month, causes Mexican government to curb immigration from U.S. to region and increased dissatisfaction that leads to eventual Texas Revolution. -
The patent for the first United States electronic motor is awarded to Thomas Davenport. Davenport would use it in 1840 to print the first newspaper by electricity. -
The Republic of California declares independence from Mexico. Four days later, the bear flag of the Republic of California is raised at Sonoma.It would only last for twenty-five days, that Republic of California, before they would join up with the expanding United States. -
The first woman doctor in the United States, Elizabeth Blackwell, is granted her degree by the Medical Institute of Geneva, New York. -
George Westinghouse invents and patents the air brake for railroad trains and organizes a company to produce them. Westinghouse would go on to patent four hundred inventions and found sixty companies, including Westinghouse Electric Company. -
John D. Rockefeller and Henry Morrison Flagler established the Standard Oil Company of Ohio, dissolving their old firm and capitalizing the new firm with one million dollars over ten thousand shares. John D. Rockefeller received 2,667 shares; silent partner Stephen P. Harkness 1,334; brother William Rockefeller 1,333, Henry Flagler 1,333, Samuel Andrews 1,333, Oliver Burr Jennings 1,000, and Rockefeller, Andrews and Flagler, the former firm, 1,000 shares. -
American Telephone and Telegraph (ATT) is incorporated in New York City as a subsidiary of American Bell Telephone Company. -
The General Electric Company is formed, merging the Edison General Electric Company with the Thomson-Houston Company. -
The United States Congress approves the use of voting machines in federal elections.