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US / Start of the Seminole War
The start of the Seminole War between American and the Seminole Tribe. This war was fought over Florida which was the Native American’s land. It ended with America pushing the entire Seminole Tribe west. -
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Transcendentalism
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Literature / Ralph Waldo Anderson, "Nature"
Ralph Waldo Anderson published his famous 98 page essay titled, “Nature.” Anderson explores different ideals about both life, religion, and the universe. Instead of writing as a philosopher, he reflects about his own life experiences to draw a conclusion. He concludes that nature is everything that is not the person, and that God is within nature. He plays with the idea that God is the universe, but concludes that God is everywhere in the universe. -
US / The Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo. This was a 13 day battle where a Texas town withstood the Mexican army of Santa Anna. For 13 days the villagers defended against the army until one morning they were overwhelmed by the Santa Anna army. This war symbolizes to the Texans a fight against impossible odds and a heroic sacrifice for freedom. -
International / Queen Victoria became queen of England
William IV, the king of Great Britain, died of a heart attack, making Queen Victoria ascend the throne. As the leader of Great Britain, Queen Victoria lasted for 63 years and seven months, and this time is known as the Victorian era. During the Victorian era, there was industrial, cultural, political, and military change within the United Kingdom, and is exemplified by a large expansion of the British Empire. -
International / Independence of Lower Canada
On February 28, Robert Nelson, the leader of the Patriotes, proclaimed the independence of Lower Canada. Today, this location is Québec. Dr. Robert Nelson played a major role in the 1838 revolt, and the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Lower Canada was read on November 4. -
International / First Opium War
On November 4, The First Opium War began between China and Great Britain. This war would go on to end in 1842, with a treaty that ceded the Hong Kong Island to the British and an increase in the number of treaty ports where the British could trade. -
Literature / Edgar Allan Poe became editor of Graham's Magazine
Edgar Allan Poe became the editor of Graham’s Magazine when it was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Poe officially joined the staff of a magazine called Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine in May 1839, and then in 1841, it merged with The Casket to become Graham’s Magazine. This magazine was especially popular for Poe’s harsh critical reviews. -
US / Oregon Trail founded
This year the Oregon Trail was created. Since the trailed went from Independence Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon it promoted the Westward Expansion. This ultimately increased the amount of travelers westward. -
US / First Wagon Train
A wagon train of 1,000 settlers and 1,000 cattle started their journey down the Oregon Trail. This was known as the "Great Emigration" It took the group five months to complete the 2,000 mile long journey. -
Literature / Margaret Fuller, "Women in the Nineteenth Century"
Margaret Fuller published her book, “Women in the Nineteenth Century”. At first the work was heavily criticized for its progressive ideas of women and gender equality, but became very important later in the feminist movement. -
Literature / Edgar Allan Poe, "The Raven"
Edgar Allan Poe published his poem “The Raven” in the New York Evening Mirror. This poem gained immediate attention and was reprinted in many other magazines and journals soon after it was published. “The Raven” has become a very well known work of literature, and is known as an American classic today. -
US / The Mexican American War begins
The Mexican American War begins. This war resulted in America gaining California and New Mexico from Mexico. Also the border between Texas and Mexico was established to be the Rio Grande river. -
International / British won First Sikh War
On February 9, The British won the First Sikh War in India. The First Sikh War was fought between the Sikh Empire and the East India Company between 1845 and 1846. It resulted in the annexation of Kashmir. -
International / Britain repealed Corn Laws
On May 26, Britain repealed the Corn Laws, partially in response to the Irish famine and the need to lower the price of bread. The Corn Laws were measures enforced in the United Kingdom between 1815 and 1846, which imposed restrictions and tariffs on imported grain. -
International / Liberia became first Independent Republic
On August 24, Liberia became the first independent republic under a constitutional government in Africa. Joseph Jenkins Roberts was elected the first Black American president for the Republic of Liberia, serving until 1856. In 1872 he was elected again to serve as Liberia's seventh president. -
Literature / Frederick Douglass founded The North Star
Frederick Douglass founded The North Star, an abolitionist newspaper, published in Rochester, New York. This was one of the most influential African American antislavery publications of the pre-Civil War era. Its motto was “Right is of no sex -- Truth is of no color -- God is the Father of us all, and we are brethren.” Unfortunately the newspaper was financially unstable, and even after numerous attempts to preserve its publication, he was forced to merge it with the Liberty Party Paper. In 1851 -
US / California Gold Rush
During this year the California Gold Rush started. This discovery of gold within California promoted the westward expansion even more. Over 300,000 people moved to California to be a part of the gold rush. -
Literature / Edgar Allan Poe, "Annabel Lee"
Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “Annabel Lee” was published, just two days after his death. This poem followed a similar theme to many of his other poems, the death of a woman he loved. This was the last complete poem ever composed by Edgar Allan Poe. -
Literature / Emily Dickinson Poems
Emily Dickinson wrote upwards of 8000 poems during her lifetime, but only eight were published during her lifetime. Dickinson was not thought to be the publisher of her poems because she mainly did not want any of her poems to be read by strangers. The poems were all published anonymously in different Newspapers. The first of these to be published was “Magnum bonum, harem scarem.” This was a Valentine letter, which was published in the Amherst College Inquirer. -
Emily Dickinson, “Magnum bonum, harum scarum”
“Magnum bonum, harum scarum” was a valentines letter published in 1850 to the Amherst College Indicator. -
Literature / Henry David Thoreau, "Walden"
Henry David Thoreau’s Walden was published for the first time. This book simply describes Thoreau’s year alone in the woods, where he explores his life and religion. Thoreau lived in the woods, so that he would have both quiet place to write and also as a spiritual type retreat, where he would be able to explore deeper into his soul and the universe. After living at Walden Pond, Thoreau drew the conclusion that it was possible to live a life with purpose opposed to just living by reacting to oth -
Emily Dickinson, "A Valentine"
“Sic transit gloria mundi” was titled “A Valentine” and published in 1852 to the Springfield Daily Republican. -
Literature / Frederick Douglass, "The Meaning of Fourth of July for the Negro"
Frederick Douglass gave his famous Fourth of July Speech, “The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro.” In this speech, Douglass stated “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.” Douglass continued to push for the abolition of slavery, as he felt it inappropriate for him to speak about the Fourth of July, since his brothers were not free. -
US / Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed. This acts repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and allowed Kansas and Nebraska to pick between being a slave or free soil state. -
International / Treaty of Kanagawa
On March 31, Japan and the United States signed the Treaty of Kanagawa after four American warships appeared in Tokyo Bay. The treaty established diplomatic and trade relations and broke Japan’s isolation from the outside world. -
International / Treaty of Paris
On March 30th, Great Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire, Sardinia, and Russia signed the Treaty of Paris to end the Crimean War. The Crimean War occurred from October 1853 to February 1856. -
International / Gold Discovered in Melbourne
Gold was discovered near Melbourne, Australia. The population of Victoria province doubled in one year, in large part from British migration. -
Literature / Provisional Constitution and Ordinances for the People of the United States
Abolitionist John Brown published his “Provisional Constitution and Ordinances for the People of the United States.” In this, John Brown rewrites the Constitution to account for the slavery that is currently taking place, and he writes about how they have started a war against the civics. After he published this book, he launched his attack on Harper’s Ferry. -
International / Big Ben was completed
The famous Big Ben was completed in London in 1858, functioning as a world famous clock tower. The tower holds the second largest four-faced chiming clock in the world to this day. -
Emily Dickinson, "Mrs- with a rose"
“Nobody knows this little rose” was titled to “Mrs- with a rose" and published in 1858. -
US / The Pony Express
The Pony Express was founded. It was known as the fastest mailing system of the time. It delivered mail from Missouri to California in a record time of 10 days. The method consisted of horses carrying mail as fast as they can from one station to the next. At these stations the rider would switch to another horse. These new well rested horses would make it possible to ride as fast as possible. -
US / Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the United States of America on November 8. He was known for preserving the Union during the Civil War as well as freeing slaves. He would later be assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. -
US / South Carolina seceded from the Union
On December 20, South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union. This led to 10 more states seceding from the Union and ultimately starting the Civil war in 1861.
