-
Census
SECOND CENSUS: U.S. population totals 5.3 million, including one million
African Americans, of whom 900,000 are enslaved. -
Capital
Federal capital moves from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. -
Virginia Laws
Virginia bans gathering of slaves at sunset for religious worship. -
Period: to
Historical Events
Historical Events in the Romanticism period. -
Jefferson/Burr
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr (Demo-cratic-Republican) defeat John Adams and Charles Pinckney (Federalist). -
WAR
Tripoli declares war on U.S.; Jefferson sends naval ships to Mediterranean Sea. -
Tie
Jefferson-Burr tie forces election into House of Representatives (since candidates were not nominated separately for president and vice-president); Jefferson is elected in 36 ballots. -
congress
Alien and Sedition Acts are allowed to expire by Congress. -
Louis and Clark
Louis and Clark expedition begins in St. Louis, Missouri. -
Louisiana
LOUISIANA TERRITORY is purchased from France for $15 million. -
constitutionality
Supreme Court declares its right to review constitutionality of acts of Congress -
Ohio
Ohio enters Union as 17th state. -
Jefferson/Clinton
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: Jefferson is re-elected
president and George Clinton elected vice president. -
12th Amendment
Twelfth Amendment is ratified, providing for separate
election of president and vice president. -
WAR end
Barbary War with Tripoli ends after U.S. troops capture Darna. -
Lewis and Clark end
Lewis and Clark expedition ends with successful return to St. Louis. -
random
Zebulon Pike discovers mountain later known as Pike’s Peak (CO).
N. Webster publishes Compendious Dictionary of the English Language. -
Embargo Act
Congress passes Embargo Act in response to British and French
interference with U.S. trade. -
Slaves
Importation of African slaves is banned by Congress. -
Madison/Clinton
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: James Madison and George Clinton
are elected president and vice president (Democratic-Republican). -
Census
THIRD CENSUS: U.S. population totals 7.2 million, including 1.4 million African Americans, of whom 1.2 million are enslaved. -
WAR
WAR OF 1812 begins as U.S. declares war on Great Britain over issues of borders, trade, freedom of the seas, and the rights of neutrals. Indians under Tecumseh fight on British side. -
Madison/Gerry
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: James Madison and Elbridge Gerry are elected president and vice president (Democratic-Republican). -
Louisiana
Louisiana enters Union as 18th state. -
Battle
U.S. defeats British at the Battle of the Thames (in which
Tecumseh is killed). British burn Buffalo, New York. -
BURN
British burn Washington, DC, including the White House. -
WAR end
WAR ENDS with signing of Treaty of Ghent. -
Last Battle
British are defeated at the Battle of New Orleans (two weeks after Treaty of Ghent is signed). -
Monroe/Tompkins
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: James Monroe and Daniel Tompkins are elected president and vice-president (Democratic-Republican). -
Tariff
Congress passes the first tariff that is intended to protect U.S. industry rather than raise revenue. -
Indiana
Indiana enters Union as 19th state. -
Mississippi
Mississippi enters Union as 20th state. -
Illinois
Illinois enters Union as 21st state. -
Alabama
Alabama enters union as 22nd state. -
implied power
Supreme Court upholds right of federal government to charter a national bank, thus affirming that
it holds “implied powers” beyond those stated in the Constitution -
Florida
U.S. acquires Florida from Spain by treaty -
Census
FOURTH CENSUS: U.S. population totals 10 million, including 1.7 million African Americans, of whom 1.5 million are enslaved. -
Missouri Compromise
MISSOURI COMPROMISE is passed by Congress. Maine is admitted as a free state (23rd) and
Missouri as a slave state (24th). Slavery is banned in Louisiana Territory north of 36°30′. -
texas
First American settlers (300 families) arrive in Texas. -
high school
First public high school opens in Boston. -
cotton mills
Cotton mills with women workers begin production in Lowell, Mass. -
Monroe Doctrine
MONROE DOCTRINE announced: U.S. warns Europe not to interfere in Western Hemisphere
affairs and proclaims intention to remain uninvolved in European wars. -
Calhoun
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: None of the four candidates receives majority of electoral
votes; John Calhoun is elected vice president (Democratic-Republican). -
Adams
John Quincy Adams (Natl. Rep.) is elected president by House of Rep. -
Adams & Jefferson
John Adams & Thomas Jefferson die on July 4, the 50th anniversary of the
Declaration of Independence. -
Califonia
California becomes a Mexican province. -
Jackson/Calhoun
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: Democratic Party is established; Andrew Jackson is elected as
first Democratic president; John Calhoun is re-elected vice president (Democratic-Republican). -
"Tariff of Abominations"
“Tariff of Abominations” is passed by Congress to intense hostility from Southern states. -
Slavery
Slavery is abolished in Mexico. -
Spoils
Andrew Jackson introduces spoils system into national politics -
Census
FIFTH CENSUS: U.S. population totals 13 million, including 2.3 million
African Americans, of whom 2 million are enslaved. -
Indian Removal
INDIAN REMOVAL BILL is passed by Congress to forcibly resettle
southeastern Indian tribes to territory west of the Mississippi River. -
Nat Rebellion
NAT TURNER’S REBELLION (Virginia): about 60 white people killed. Turner is executed. -
Nullification
South Carolina passes Ordinance of Nullification to void the tariff acts of 1828 and 1832. -
Jackson/Buren
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: Jackson is re-elected president
and Martin Van Buren elected vice president (Democratic). -
bank WAR
Jackson’s “Bank War” begins when he orders funds withdrawn from the
National Bank and deposited into “pet” state banks. -
Force Bill
Force Bill is passed by Congress, giving Jackson power to use the military
to enforce tariff laws. -
Slavery
Slavery is abolished in the British Empire. -
Texas
TEXAS REVOLUTION begins when Mexico rejects Texans’ petition for statehood; -
gag rule
Gag rule is passed by Congress to prevent abolitionist petitions from being considered. -
texas
Texas declares independence from Mexico; siege of the Alamo. -
arkansas
Arkansas enters Union as 25th state. -
Buren/Johnson
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: Martin Van Buren (Dem.) is elected president. Richard Johnson
(Dem.) is elected vice president by the Senate since no candidate received an electoral majority. -
Michigan
Michigan enters Union as 26th state. -
trail of tears
“TRAIL OF TEARS”: Cherokees are forcibly removed from Georgia to Indian
Territory in present-day Oklahoma. -
underground railroad
Routes later known as Underground Railroad begin to be established -
school
First “normal” school opens with a teacher training program (Mass.). -
Census
SIXTH CENSUS: U.S. population totals 17 million, including
3 million African Americans, of whom 2.5 million are enslaved. -
Harrison/Tyler
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: William Henry Harrison and
John Tyler are elected president and vice president (Whig Party). -
Tyler
Harrison dies after one month in office; John Tyler becomes president. -
capture slaves
Supreme Court rules that state laws prohibiting the capture and return of
fugitive slaves are unconstitutional -
10 hour work day
Massachusetts enacts ten-hour work day for children under 12. -
telegraph
Morse sends first telegraph message (from Baltimore to Washington, DC):
“What hath God wrought!” -
Florida
Florida enters Union as 27th state -
texas
Texas enters Union as 28th state -
irish
Irish potato famine begins; 1.5 million Irish emigrate to U.S. in the next decade. -
Mexican WAR
MEXICAN WAR begins; Congress declares war after Mexican troops
attack U.S. troops in disputed territory north of the Rio Grande. -
Iowa
Iowa enters Union as 29th state. -
Battle
U.S. forces defeat Mexican army at Veracruz and Mexico City -
Mexican WAR ends
MEXICAN WAR ends officially by treaty. -
GOLD
California Gold Rush begins -
Wisconsin
Wisconsin enters Union as 30th state. -
Taylor/Filmore
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: Zachary Taylor and Millard Filmore elected president and
vice president (Whig Party). -
Census
SEVENTH CENSUS: U.S. population totals 23.2 million, including 3.5 million
African Americans, of whom 3 million are enslaved. -
compromise
COMPROMISE OF 1850 allows residents of New Mexico and Utah territories
to permit or ban slavery -
California
admits California as a free state (31st) -
Fillmore
President Taylor dies; Millard Fillmore becomes president -
Pierce/King
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: Franklin Pierce and William King are elected
president and vice president (Democratic Party). -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT passed by Congress, repealing the Missouri
Compromise and allowing Kansas and Nebraska settlers to decide status of
slavery in the territories. -
Bleeding Kansas
“BLEEDING KANSAS”: Intense local warfare erupts between pro- and anti-slavery settlers. -
Buchanan/Breckenridge
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: James Buchanan and John Breckenridge are elected president
and vice president (Democratic Party). -
dred scott decision
DRED SCOTT DECISION: Supreme Court holds that Congress has no power
to regulate slavery in the territories, that African Americans are not citizens, and
that residence in free territory does not confer freedom on enslaved persons. -
Minnesota
Minnesota enters Union as 32nd state. -
Oregon
Oregon enters Union as 33rd state. -
Census
SIXTH CENSUS: U.S. population totals 31
million, African Americans, of whom 4 million are enslaved. -
Lincoln/Hamlin
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin are elected president
and vice president (Republican). -
South Carolina
South Carolina secedes from the Union, the first state to do so.