Events
American Colonization
Society foundedImportation of slaves
to United States bannedNew York constructs
first penitentiaryAmerican Society for
the Promotion of
Temperance foundedJames Fenimore Cooper
published "The Last
of the Mohicans"American Antislavery
Society foundedHorace Mann becomes first
secretary of Massachusetts
Board of EducationJoseph Smith publishes
the "Book of Mormon"William Lloyd Garrison
begins publishing
the "Liberator"Liberty Party
formedMormon leader
Joseph Smith killedFrederick Douglass
publishes autobiographyMormons
found Salt
Lake CityWomen's rights
convention held
at Seneca Falls,
New YorkNathaniel Hawthorne
publishes "The
Scarlet Letter"Herman Melville
publishes
"Moby Dick"Harriet Beecher
Stowe publishes
"Uncle Tom's Cabin"Henry David Thoreau
publishes "Walden"Walt Whitman
publishes "Leaves
of Grass"Calhoun's South
Carolina Exposition and
Protest outlines
nullification doctrineAndrew Jackson
inauguratedWebster and
Hayne debateIndian Removal Act passed,
beginning the expulsion of
Native Americans from
Southeast until 1838Anti-Mason party
established.Democrats hold first
national party convention.Jackson vetoes bill
to recharter Bank of
the United StatesJackson reelected
presidentNullification crisis
erupts, lasting
until 1833Roger Taney succeeds
Marshall as chief justice
of the Supreme Court.Seminole
War beginsSeminole
War endsJackson issues
"specie circular"Martin Van Buren
elected presidentCommercial panic and
depression begins,
lasting until 1842Whigs hold their
first national
conventionWilliam Henry Harrison
elected presidentCommercial panic and
depression endsIndependent Treasury
Act passedHarrison diesJohn Tyler
becomes
presidentDorr Rebellion
hastens reform
in Rhode IslandWebster-Ashburton
Treaty signedLowell establishes textile mill
at Waltham, MassachusettsErie Canal begins
construction, not
completed until
1825Erie Canal is
completedBaltimore and Ohio
becomes first American
railroad to begin operationsMajor immigration from
southern (Catholic) Ireland
begins for the decadeFirst national craft
unions founded
during this decadeCholera
plagueWomen workers at
Lowell mills stage strikeNative American Association
begins efforts to restrict
immigrationOberlin becomes first
American coeducational
collegeMassachusetts Supreme
Court, in Commonwealth
v. Hunt, declares unions
and strikes legal.Samuel F. B. Morse
sends first
telegraph messageIrish potato famine begins, spurring
major emigration to AmericaNative American Party formed
to combat immigrationFemale Labor Reform Association
established at Lowell.Rotary press invented,
making possible rapid
printing of newspapersGermans begin to
emigrate to AmericaNativists form Supreme
Order of the Star-Spangled
Banner to oppose
immigrationAmerican Party
(Know- Nothings)
formedEnglish market for cotton
textiles boosts prices and
causes explosion in cotton
production in the Southwest
during the decadeDenmark Vesey
thwarted in plans
for slave rebellion
in Charleston.Nat Turner slave
rebellion breaks
out in VirginiaJohn Randolph of
Roanoke frees
400 slavesCotton prices
plummetRises in cotton prices
spurs production boomTexas declares
independence
from MexicoJames K. Polk
elected presidentTexas admitted to UnionOregon boundary
dispute settledUnited States declares
war on MexicoGold discovered in Sacramento
Valley, California, sparking gold rushTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
settles Mexican WarCompromise of
1850 enactedCalifornia admitted
to UnionFranklin Pierce
elected presidentKansas-Nebraska
Act passedRepublican
Party formsViolence breaks out
in "Bleeding Kansas,"
lasting one yearJames Buchanan
elected presidentSupreme Court hands
down Dred Scott decisionLincoln and
Douglas debatePro-slavery Lecompton constitution
defeated by popular referendum
in KansasJohn Brown raids
Harpers FerryDemocratic
Party splitsLincoln elected
president
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