Jan 1 Britain takes Mosquito Coast from Nicaragua Jan 3 Joseph Jenkins Roberts is sworn in as the first President of the independent African Republic of Liberia. Jan 8 Austrian soldiers kill 10 students, Pavia Jan 9 1st commercial bank in San Francisco established Jan 9 People's uprising in Palermo, Sicily Jan 12 Palermo rising against the Bourbon Kingdom of the Two Sicilies takes place in Sicily California Gold Rush Jan 24 James Marshall finds gold in Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California A special stamp was issued in 1999, marking 150 years since the California Gold Rush Jan 28 King of Naples grants his subjects a constitution Jan 29 Sicily accepts new Constitution (choose parliament/freedom of press) 1847 Historical Events by Year 1849