Historical Events in 1849
- Jan 13 Vancouver Island granted to Hudson's Bay Company
- Jan 23 Elizabeth Blackwell becomes 1st woman in the US to earn a medical degree
- Jan 23 US Patent granted for an envelope-making machine to Jesse K. Park and Cornelius S. Watson
- Jan 31 Corn Laws abolished in Britain
- Feb 4 University of Wisconsin begins in 1 room with 20 students
- Feb 8 New Roman Republic established in Italy
- Feb 9 Roman Republic declared in Rome replacing following flight of Pope Pius IX
- Feb 14 In New York City, James Knox Polk becomes first serving US President to have his photograph taken (by Matthew Brady).
- Feb 18 1st regular steamboat service to California starts (or 02/28)
- Feb 28 1st boat load of gold rush prospectors arrives in San Francisco from the east coast
More Historical Events
Did You Know?
The first air raid in history; Austria launches pilotless balloons against the Italian city of Venice
On August 22, 1849
Famous People in 1849
Charles Dickens
NovelistGiuseppe Verdi
Composer
World Leaders in 1849
John Russell
British Prime MinisterZachary Taylor
12th US President and General
Would You Believe?
The execution of Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky by firing squad is called off at the last second
On December 22, 1849
Famous Weddings in 1849
- May 29 Bacteriologist Louis Pasteur (26) weds secretary Marie Laurent (23) in Strasbourg, France
- Jul 26 Prime Minister of Canada John Abbott (28) weds Mary Bethune at bride's parents home
Famous Divorces in 1849
- Mar 28 Dutch princess Marianne & Prince Albert of Prussia separate
1849 in Articles and Photos
Oldest Photo of a Serving US President
James K. Polk, in a restored 1849 daguerrotype that is the oldest image of a serving American president
February 14, 1849Chopin: The Day the Music Died
The brief life of Chopin, one of music’s earliest superstars, ended on this day when the sickly composer fell victim to tuberculosis. He was just 39.
October 17, 1849Bowled Over by William and Harry
The royal princes are the latest celebrities to favour headgear that was introduced on this day
December 17, 1849