- January 29
- Sicily accepts new Constitution (choose parliament/freedom of press). [1]
- February 2
- Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends US-Mexican War; US acquires 500,000 square miles of land: Texas, California, New Mexico, and Arizona for $15 million. [1] [549.56] [845] [1021.982]
- John Henry Newman founds the first Oratory in the English-speaking world when he establishes the Birmingham Oratory at 'Maryvale', Old Oscott, England. [845]
- February 17
- Toscane gets liberal Constitution. [1]
- February 24
- Louis Philippe, King of the French, abdicates after days of revolution in France. [1] [845]
- February 26
- The Communist Party Manifesto, written by Karl Marx, is published in London, England, in German. This becomes the blueprint for world revolutionary Communism. [1] [55.43] (February 21 [845])
- February 29
- Neufchatel declares independence of Switzerland. [1]
- March 4
- Sardinia-Piemonte gets new Constitution. [1]
- March 15
- The start of the Hungarian Revolution. [845]
- March 20
- King Louis I of Bayern abdicates to marry dancer Lola Montez. [1]
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- March 22
- Republic of San Marco comes into existence in Venice. [845]
- March 24
- The First Schleswig War begins, a military conflict in southern Denmark and northern Germany rooted in the Schleswig-Holstein Question, contesting the issue of who should control the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. [845]
- State of siege proclaimed in Amsterdam. [1]
- March 27
- John Parker Paynard originates medicated adhesive plaster. [1]
- March 29
- Niagara Falls stops flowing for 30 hours due to an ice jam. [1]
- April 6
- Jews of Prussia granted equality. [1]
- April 8
- Battle at Xaquixaguana, Peru: Pedro de la Gasca beats Gonzalo Pizarro. [1]
- First battle at Gioto: Sardinia-Piemonte beats Austrians. [1]
- April 11
- Hungary becomes constitutional monarchy under king Ferdinand of Austria. [1]
- April 29
- Pope Pius IX publishes an allocution announcing his refusal to support Piedmont-Sardinia in its war with Austria and dispelling hopes that he might serve as ruler of a pan-Italian republic. [845]
- May 6
- Otto Tank ends slavery in Suriname colony. [1]
- May 7
- Prussians stop insurrection in Varsovia. [1]
- May 15
- Radicals invade the French Chamber of deputies. [845]
- May 18
- The first German National Assembly (Nationalversammlung) opens in Frankfurt, Germany. [845]
- May 19
- The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ending the Mexican-American War, is ratified by the Mexican government. [845]
- May 29
- Battle at Curtazone: Austrians beat Sardinia-Piemonte. [1]
- Wisconsin is admitted as the 30th U.S. state. [1] [845]
- May 30
- William G Young patents ice cream freezer. [1]
- Second battle at Gioto: Sardinia-Piemonte beats Austrians. [1]
- June 17
- The Austrian army bombards Prague and crushes a working class revolt. [845]
- June 22
- The French government dissolves the national workshops in Paris, giving the workers the choice of joining the army or going to workshops in the provinces. [845]
- July 26
- Matale Rebellion against British rule in Sri Lanka. [845]
- July 29
- A nationalist revolt in County Tipperary, Ireland against British rule is put-down by a government police force. [845]
- August 17
- Yucatán officially unites with Mexico. [845]
- August 19
- The New York Herald newspaper breaks the news to the East Coast of the United States that there is a gold rush in California. [5] [845]
- August 24
- The U.S. barque Ocean Monarch is burnt out off the Great Orme, North Wales, with the loss of 178, chiefly emigrants. [845]
- September 10
- Gold dust price in San Francisco is set at $16 per ounce. [436.28]
- September 12
- The Swiss Federal Constitution, patterned on the US Constitution, enters into force, creating a federal republic and one of the first modern democratic states in Europe. [845]
- October 28
- In Catalonia, Spain, the Barcelona to Mataró railroad route (the first to be constructed in the Iberian Peninsula) is inaugurated. [845]
- November 3
- A greatly revised Dutch constitution is proclaimed. [845]
- November 4
- France ratifies a new constitution. The Second Republic of France is set up, ending the state of temporary government. [845]
- November 7
- Zachary Taylor (Whig party) of Louisiana defeats Democrat Lewis Cass of Michigan in the first US presidential election held in every state on the same day. [845]
- December 2
- Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicates in favor of his nephew, Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia. [1] [845]
- December 5
- US President James Polk confirms to Congress the discovery of gold in California. [1] [456.107] [547.38] [676.36]
- December 10
- Prince Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte is elected first president of the French Second Republic. [845]
- December 18
- Punta Arenas, the first major settlement in the Strait of Magellan, is founded. [845]
- December 20
- Slavery is abolished in Réunion. [845]
- President Bonaparte takes his Oath of Office in front of the French National Assembly. [845]
1849
- January 13
- Vancouver Island is granted to Hudson's Bay Co. [1]
- January 23
- Patent granted for an envelope-making machine. [1]
- January 31
- Corn Laws abolished in Britain. [1]
- February 9
- Roman Republic is declared. [1]
- March 4
- US has no President, as James Polk's term ended on a Sunday, Zachary Taylor couldn't be sworn-in, Senator David Atchison (president pro tem) term ended March third. [1]
- Zachary Taylor takes office as 12th President of the USA. [1] [573.82]
- March 17
- Willem II Frederik GL, King of Netherlands (1840-49), dies at age 56. [1] [626.221]
- March 23
- Battle of Novara (King Charles Albert versus Italian republic). [1]
- March 27
- Joseph Couch patents steam-powered percussion rock drill. [1]
- March 29
- Britain formally annexs Punjab after defeat of Sikhs in India. [1]
- April 10
- Safety pin is patented by Walter Hunt (New York City, New York); sold rights for $100. [1]
- April 13
- Hungarian Republic is proclaimed. [1]
- May 3
- May Uprising of pro-democracy protesters in Dresden, Saxony. Revolt put down after six days of street battles. [1397.18]
- May 12
- Willem Alexander PFL crowned King Willem III in Amsterdam. [1]
- May 25
- Andreas Michiels, Dutch Military Governor of West Sumatra, dies in battle at age 52. [1]
- June 5
- Denmark becomes a constitutional monarchy. [1]
- June 12
- Gas mask patented by Lewis Haslett, in Louisville, Kentucky. [1]
- August 9
- Hungarian Republic is crushed by Austria and Russia. [1]
- August 22
- Austria launches the first air raid in history: Pilotless balloons against the Italian city of Venice. [5]
- October 16
- British seize Tigre Island in Gulf of Fonseca from Honduras. [1]
- December 18
- William Bond obtains first photograph of Moon through a telescope. [1]
- December 28
- M Jolly-Bellin discovers dry-cleaning, he accidentally upset lamp containing turpentine and oil on his clothing and sees cleaning effect. [1]
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