Events in History in 1818

  • Jan 1 Official reopening of the White House

Book releaseHistoric Publication

Jan 1 Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus" is published anonymously by the small London publishing house of Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones

Frankenstein Author Mary Shelley
Frankenstein Author
Mary Shelley

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Jan 2 Lord Byron completes "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" (4th canto)

Romantic Poet Lord Byron
Romantic Poet
Lord Byron
  • Jan 2 The British Institution of Civil Engineers is founded.
  • Jan 21 Keats writes his poem "On a Lock of Milton's Hair"

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Jan 30 John Keats composes his sonnet "When I Have Fears"

Romantic Poet John Keats
Romantic Poet
John Keats
  • Feb 5 Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte ascends to the thrones of Sweden and Norway
  • Feb 7 1st successful US educational magazine "Academician" begins (NYC)
  • Feb 12 Chile gains independence from Spain

Victory in battleVictory in Battle

Mar 16 Second Battle of Cancha Rayada - Spanish forces defeat Chileans under José de San Martín

Revolutionary Leader José de San Martín
Revolutionary Leader
José de San Martín
  • Mar 18 US Congress approves 1st pensions for government service
  • Apr 4 Congress decides on the US flag: 13 red & white stripes & 20 stars
  • Apr 5 In the Battle of Maipú, Chile's independence movement - led by Bernardo O'Higgins and José de San Martín - win a decisive victory over Spain, leaving 2,000 Spaniards and 1,000 Chilean patriots dead.

Victory in battleVictory in Battle

Apr 7 General Andrew Jackson conquers St Marks, Florida from Seminole indians

US President & General Andrew Jackson
US President & General
Andrew Jackson
  • Apr 14 US Medical Corps forms
  • Apr 16 Senate ratifies Rush-Bagot amendment (unarmed US-Canada border)

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Apr 20 Napoleon Bonaparte bids emotional farewell to his old guard at Palace of Fontainebleau

French Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte
French Emperor
Napoléon Bonaparte
  • Apr 21 Franz Grillparzer's "Sappho" premieres in Vienna

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Apr 28 US President James Monroe proclaims naval disarmament on Great Lakes and Lake Champlain

5th US President James Monroe
5th US President
James Monroe
  • May 4 Netherlands & Britain sign treaty against illegal slave handling
  • May 24 General Andrew Jackson captures Pensacola, Florida
  • May 28 1st steam vessel to sail Great Lakes launched
  • Jun 3 Maratha Wars between British and Maratha Confederacy in India ends
  • Jul 11 English poet John Keats writes "In the Cottage Where Burns is Born", "Lines Written in the Highlands", and "Gadfly"
  • Sep 7 Carl III of Sweden-Norway is crowned king of Norway, in Trondheim
  • Sep 23 Border demarcation markers for Moresnet formally installed.
  • Sep 30 Congress of Aken: Russia, Austria, Prussia, France & England
  • Oct 9 Congress of Aken returns to France from Libya
  • Oct 19 US Government and Chickasaw Indians sign a treaty
  • Oct 20 49th parallel forms as border between US & Canada
  • Oct 20 US & Britain agree to joint control of Oregon country
  • Nov 21 Russia's Tsar Alexander I petitions for a Jewish state in Palestine
  • Dec 3 Illinois becomes 21st state USA (Admission day)
  • Dec 25 1st known Christmas carol ("Silent Night, Holy Night" - "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht) sung (Austria)
  • Dec 25 Handel's Messiah, premieres in the US in Boston