References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2008 June 28.

1845 January 10 Poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning begin corresponding. [1] January 23 Francesco Ruggi composer, dies at age 77. [1] Uniform US election day for President and Vice President authorized. [1] January 29 Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" first published (New York City New York). [1] February 15 William Parsons, Earl of Rosse, first uses 72" (183 cm) reflector. [1] February 20 Pavel Ivanovich Dulgorukov composer, dies at age 57. [1] March 1 President Tyler signs a resolution annexing the Republic of Texas. [1] March 3 First US law overriding a Presidential veto (John Tyler's). [1] US Congress authorizes ocean mail contracts for foreign mail delivery. [1] Florida becomes 27th state. [1] March 4 James K Polk inaugrated as 11th President of the United States. In his inaugural address, Polk states that the US claim to "the country of the Oregon" is "clear and unquestionable". [1] [66.19] March 5 US Congress appropriates $30,000 to ship camels to western US. [1] March 11 Agronomist John Chapman [Johnny Appleseed] dies in Allen County, Indiana, USA. [1] (1847 [5]) British citizen Henry Jones invents self-raising flour. [5] (March 17 [1]) March 14 -5.3 degrees F (-20.7 degrees C) in Groningen. [1] March 17 Rubber band patented by Stephen Perry of London. [1] March 19 George Augustus Kollmann composer, dies at age 56. [1] March 22 Franz Joseph Volkert composer, dies at age 67. [1] March 26 Joseph Francis, New York City, New York, patents a corrugated sheet-iron lifeboat. [1] Patent awarded for adhesive medicated plaster, precusor of bandaid. [1] March 28 Mexico drops diplomatic relations with US. [1] April 2 H L Fizeau and J Leon Foucault take first photo of Sun. [1] April 10 More than 1,000 buildings damaged by fire in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. [1] April 12 Henry M baron the Kock officer/politician, dies at age 65. [1] April 18 Nicholas T the Saussure Swiss chemist/botany, dies at age 77. [1] April 25 Thomas Duncan painter, dies. [1] April 29 Macon B Allen and Robert Morris Jr, first blacks to open law practice. [1] May 2 August Pauly German writer (Real Encyclopedia), dies at age 48. [1] Domingo Sarmiento publishes "Civilización y Barbarie". [1] May 3 First black lawyer (Macon B Allen) admitted to the bar (Massachusetts). [1] Fire kills 1,600 in popular theater in Canton China. [1] May 11 Karoly Filtsch composer, dies at age 14. [1] May 12 August Wilhelm Schlegel German poet/interpreter/critic, dies at age 77. [1] May 14 Utrecht-Arnhem Railway opens. [1] May 15 Samuel I Wiselius Dutch lawyer/businessman/writer, dies at age 76. [1] May 17 Rubber band patents. [1] May 19 Maria EJ Versfelt mistress of General Moreau/marshal Ney, dies at age 68. [1] May 20 First legislative assembly convenes in Hawaii. [1] May 28 Fire in Québec Canada, 1,500 houses destroyed. [1] June 1 Homing pigeon completes 11,000 km trip (Namibia-London) in 55 days. [1] June 12 George Abernethy becomes first governor of Oregon Country. [1] July 4 Texas Congress votes for annexation to US. [1] Thoreau moves into his shack on Walden Pond. [1] July 14 First postmasters' provisional stamps issued, New York City. [1] July 16 New York Yacht Club holds its first regatta. [1] August 28 Scientific American magazine publishes its first issue. [5] October 10 The Naval School (now called US Naval Academy) opens at Annapolis. [1] October 13 Texas ratifies a state constitution. [1] October 19 Wagner's opera Tannhäuser performed for first time. [1] October 20 The opera "Tannhäuser" is produced (Dresden). [1] November 4 First nationally observed uniform election day in US. [1] November 15 The opera "Maritana" is produced (London). [1] December 2 Johannes Simon Mayr composer, dies at age 82. [1] December 27 Ether first used in childbirth in US, Jefferson Georgia. [1] December 29 Texas admitted as the 28th state. [1] 1846 January 1 Yucatan declares independence from México. [1] January 10 Etienne P de Senancour French writer (De l'Amour), dies at age 75. [1] January 21 First edition of Charles Dickens' "Daily News". [1] January 28 Battle of Allwal, Brits beat Sikhs in Punjab (India). [1] February 3 Joseph Weigl Austria composer/conductor (Waisenhaus), dies at age 79. [1] February 4 Mormons leave Nauvoo Missouri for settlement in the west. [1] February 5 "Oregon Spectator" is first newspaper to be published on the West Coast. [1] February 9 Henry Gally Knight architect/writer, dies. [1] February 10 Beginning of Mormon march to west US. [1] British defeat Sikhs in battle of Sobraon, India. [1] February 14 Cornelis F van Maanen Dutch supreme court justice, dies at age 76. [1] February 16 Battle of Sobraon ends first Sikh War in India. [1] February 18 Giovanni Liverati composer, dies at age 73. [1] February 19 Texas state government formally installed in Austin. [1] February 20 British occupy Sikh citadel of Lahore. [1] February 21 First US woman telegrapher, Sarah G Bagley, Lowell Massachusetts. [1] February 22 Carolus Antonius Fodor composer, dies at age 77. [1] Nikoli A Poveloi Russian writer/publisher, dies at age 49. [1] February 23 Polish revolutionaries march on Cracow, but are defeated. [1] March 6 Nikoli A Poveloi Russian writer/publisher, dies at age 49. [1] March 13 Friedrich Hebbel's "Maria Magdalena" premieres in Königsberg. [1] March 17 Friedrich W Bessel German astronomer (Bessel Functions), dies at age 61. [1] April 16 Domenico Dragonetti composer, dies at age 83. [1] May 1 Ida Pfeiffer (48) begins trip around world. [1] May 3 Mexican army surrounds fort in Texas. [1] May 4 US state of Michigan ends death penalty. [1] May 8 First major battle of Mexican War fought at Palo Alto Texas. [1] Giacomo Cordella composer, dies at age 59. [1] May 9 Battle of Resaca de la Palma-US sends México back to Rio Grande. [1] May 13 US declares war on México, two months after fighting begins. [1] May 17 Saxophone is patents by Antoine Joseph Sax. [1] May 18 US troops attack Rio Grande occupying Matamoros. [1] May 21 First steamship arrives in Hawaii. [1] May 24 General Zachary Taylor captures Monterrey in Mexican War. [1] June 10 Robert Thomson obtains an English patent on a rubber tire. [1] June 14 California (Bear Flag) Republic proclaimed in Sonoma. [1] June 15 Oregon Treaty signed, setting US-British boundary at 49 degrees N. [1] July 7 US annexs California. [1] July 9 Captain Montgomery claims Yerba Buena (San Francisco) for US. [1] July 21 Mormons found first English settlement in California (San Joaquin Valley). [1] August 5 Oregon country divided between US and Britain at 49th parallel. [1] August 10 US Congress charters the "nation's attic," the Smithsonian Institution. [1] August 14 Henry David Thoreau jailed for tax resistance. [1] August 17 US takes Los Angeles. [1] August 18 General Stephen W Kearney's US forces captures Santa Fe, NM. [1] August 22 US annexes New Mexico. [1] August 26 W A Bartlett appointed first US mayor of Yerba Buena (San Francisco). [1] September 10 Elias Howe patents the sewing machine. [1] September 19 Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning elopes. [1] September 23 Johann Gottfried Galle and Heinrich d'Arrest find Neptune. [1] September 30 Anesthetic ether used for first time (Dr Wm Morton extracts a tooth). [1] October 10 Neptune's moon Triton discovered by William Lassell. [1] October 15 Dr William Thomas Green Morton first public use of ether. [1] October 16 Dentist William T Morton demonstrated the effectiveness of ether. [1] December 5 C F Schoenbein obtains patent for cellulose nitrate explosive. [1] December 6 The opera "La Damnation de Faust" is produced (Paris). [1] December 8 Hector Berlioz's "La Damnation de Faust" premieres. [1] December 28 Iowa becomes 29th state. [1] 1847 January 1 Michigan is first state to abolish capital punishment. [1] Netherlands Haarlem's Current newspaper starts publishing. [1] January 3 California town of Yerba Buena renamed San Francisco. [1] January 9 First San Francisco newspaper published (California Star). [1] January 11 Caroline von Wolzogen [von Lengefeld] German author, dies at age 83. [1] January 14 Conspiracy in New Mexico against US. [1] Governor Bent five others in US occupation, killed by revolt in New Mexico. [1] January 15 First Swedish magazine in US, Skandinavia, published in New York City, New York. [1] January 22 Georges-Julien Sieber composer, dies at age 71. [1] January 24 1,500 New Mexican Indians and Mexicans defeated by US Colonel Price. [1] January 30 Yerba Buena renamed San Francisco. [1] February 4 First US telegraph company established in Maryland. [1] February 17 William Collins landscape painter, dies. [1] February 23 Battle of Buena Vista, México; Zachary Taylor defeats Mexican army. [1] February 25 State University of Iowa is approved. [1] February 28 US defeats México in battle of Sacramento. [1] March 1 Michigan becomes first English-speaking jurisdiction to abolish the death penalty (except for treason against the state). [1] March 3 Post Office Department authorized to issue postage stamps. [1] March 7 US General Scott occupies Vera Cruz Mexico. [1] March 10 First money minted in Hawaii. [1] March 17 Dmitri Shostakovich's opera "Macbeth" is produced (Florence). [1] March 18 First Dutch public telegram. [1] March 21 Antonio López de Santa Anna becomes President (9th time) of Mexico. [118.61] March 25 Pope Pius IX encyclical "On aid for Ireland". [1] March 28 Mariano Rodriguiz de Ledesma composer, dies at age 67. [1] March 29 12,000 US troops capture Vera Cruz, Mexico. [1] Auguste De Polignac premier France, dies at age 66. [1] April 2 Antonio López de Santa Anna resigns (9th time) as President of Mexico. [118.61] April 14 Persia and Osmaanse sign second Treaty of Erzurum. [1] April 23 Erik Gustaf Geijer composer, dies at age 64. [1] April 28 George B Vashon becomes first black to enter New York State Bar. [1] April 30 Charles archduke of Austria/Governor-General (Austria-Netherlands), dies. [1] May 2 Sabbath famine. [1] May 4 New York State creates a Board of Commissioners of Emigration. [1] May 5 American Medical Association organized (Philadelphia). [1] May 7 American Medical Association organizes (Philadelphia). [1] May 8 Robert Thompson patents rubber tire. [1] May 14 Fanny Cacilia Mendelssohn Hensel composer, dies at age 41. [1] May 16 Kaspar Ett German organist/composer, dies at age 59. [1] May 20 Antonio López de Santa Anna becomes President (10th time) of Mexico. [118.61] Mary Lamb writer, dies. [1] May 31 Rotterdam-Hague Railway opens. [1] June 14 Bunson invents a gas burner. Lab teachers celebrate worldwide. [1] June 22 Doughnut created. [1] July 1 First US postage stamps go on sale, 5-cent Franklin and 10-cent Washington, New York City. [1] Amateur astronomer M Hencke discovers second asteroid Hebe. [1] K L Hencke discovers asteroid #6 Hebe. [1] July 2 Envelope bearing the first US 10-cent stamps, still exists today. [1] July 10 Urbain J.J. Leverrier and John Couch Adams, codiscoverers of Neptune. [1] July 24 Rotary-type printing press patented by Richard March Hoe, New York City. [1] July 26 Liberia declares independence from American Colonization Society. [1] September 10 First theater opens in Hawaii. [1] September 14 US troops under General Scott enter Mexico City. [1] September 15 Antonio López de Santa Anna resigns (10th time) as President of Mexico. [118.61] October 1 Maria Mitchell discovers a non-naked-eye comet. [1] October 20 Little William Nelman poisons his grandpa. [1] November 21 Steamer "Phoenix" is lost on Lake Michigan, kills 200. [1] November 25 The opera "Marta" is produced (Vienna). [1] November 29 Indians kill Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, 11 settle in Walla Walla Ore. [1] December 3 Frederick Douglass publishes first issue of his newspaper "North Star". [1] December 11 Moritz Grave von Strachwitz German poet, dies at age 25. [1] December 29 William Crotch composer, dies at age 72. [1]