- Jan 16 Godert Alexander Gerard Philip, Baron van der Capellen, becomes Governor-General of Dutch East Indies
Event of Interest
Jan 25 University of Virginia chartered by Commonwealth of Virginia, with Thomas Jefferson one of its founders
Thomas Jefferson
Event of Interest
Jan 28 Sir Stamford Raffles lands in Singapore
Stamford Raffles
- Feb 6 Stamford Raffles founds Singapore as a British trading port
Historic Discovery
Feb 19 British explorer William Smith discovers the South Shetland Islands, and claims them in the name of King George III
George III
- Feb 22 The Adams–Onís Treaty between Spain and the United States is signed, ceding Florida to the US and defining the boundary between the US and New Spain
- Mar 2 Territory of Arkansas organized
- Mar 2 US passed its 1st immigration law
- Apr 2 1st successful agricultural journal ("American Farmer") first publishes
- Apr 26 Odd Fellows Lodge forms
- May 22 1st steam propelled vessel to cross Atlantic (Savannah leaves Ga)
- Jun 12 Dutch colonial troops driven out of Palembang, Sumatra
- Jun 20 320 ton Savannah becomes 1st steamship to cross any ocean (Atlantic)
Historic Publication
Jun 23 First editions of "The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent." by Washington Irving released, featuring story "Rip Van Winkle"
Washington Irving
- Jul 3 1st savings bank in US (Bank of Savings in NYC) opens its doors
Event of Interest
Jul 4 William Herschel makes last telescopic observation of 1819 comet
William Herschel
Event of Interest
Jul 16 Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen sets sail to explore Antarctica for Tsar Alexander I
- Aug 2 1st parachute jump in US by Frenchman Louis-Charles Guille over Jersey City
- Aug 6 Norwich University is founded in Vermont as the first private military school in the United States
- Aug 7 Battle of Boyacá; Bolívar defeats Spanish in Colombia
- Aug 16 Peterloo Massacre, Manchester, England: cavalry charges demonstrators, 15 people killed and 400–700 injured
- Aug 17 The Church Missionary Society establishes New Zealand's second mission station at Kerikeri
- Aug 25 Paris Salon opens with Théodore Géricault’s painting "Raft of the Medusa" causing a sensation
- Sep 6 Thomas Blanchard patents lathe
- Sep 17 First whaling ship arrives in Hawaii
- Oct 23 1st ship sails through the Erie Canal from Rome, New York to Utica, New York
- Nov 4 Māori Chiefs Hongi Hika and Rewa sell 13,000 acres (5260 hectares) at Kerikeri to the Church Missionary Society for 48 felling axes, New Zealand
- Dec 14 Alabama admitted to Union as 22nd state
- Dec 17 Congress of Angostura establishes Colombia's independence from Spain