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The U. S. capital is moved from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C
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September. James Callender makes the accusation that Thomas Jefferson has "for many years past kept, as his concubine, one of his own slaves," Sally Hemings. It is published in the Richmond Recorder that month, and the story is soon picked up by Federalist presses around the country. Callender, a Republican, has previously been an avid investigator of Federalist scandals. In 1798, Jefferson had helped pay for the publication of Callender's pamphlet The Prospect Before Us
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Louisiana territory sold to the United States for $ 15 million by France.
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The expedition led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark departs, moving up the Missouri River.
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Alexander Hamilton dies after being shot the previous day by Vice President Aaron Burr in a duel at Weehawken, New Jersey.
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Aaron Burr is captured near New Orleans. He escapes but is recaptured and imprisoned. In April, Burr is charged with treason and tried in Richmond in a federal circuit court presided over by John Marshall.* Burr is acquitted. Later, with other charges pending, Burr escapes to England.
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The British warship Leopard attacks the American ship Chesapeake off the Virginia coast because its captain refused to allow the British to board and search for deserters. Three American seamen are killed and eighteen wounded as the British force a boarding and remove four alleged deserters. After learning of the attack on June 25, Jefferson calls an emergency cabinet meeting.
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War of 1812 with Britain.
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Alabama admitted as slave state, bringing the number of slave states and free states to equal numbers.
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Mexico becomes a republic – outlaws slavery
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New York illegalize slavery
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Texas declares independence from Mexico
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Depression begins with "Panic of 1837"
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Oregon admitted as State
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South Carolina Secedes
