President:
Pres: James K. Polk
Pres: David Rice Atchison (one day)
Pres: Zachary Taylor inaugurated
General
- Culture: Astor Place Riot marks class division in entertainment between low and high entertainment
Harriet Tubman escapes slavery, helps with Underground Railroad
Elizabeth Blackwell becomes first woman doctor in W Hemisphere
- Fashion: Amelia Jenks Bloomer in US introduces namesake clothing
- Land: Taylor proposes allowing Deseret into the Union to offset Texas
- Politics: Due to inauguration day falling on Sunday and Zachary Taylor refusing to take office that day, Senate president pro-tem David Rice Atchison is
president for one day, most of which he slept throughdue to overexerting at inaugural party the night before - never took Oath of Office
- Technology: William Hunt in US invents safety pen
- Transportation: Overland stage begins
East
- General: Hurricane sweeps Eastern US from New York to New England
Midwest
South
West and Pacific
- California: Height of gold rush
Constitution drawn up and petition to join Union as free state
- Oregon Territory: 49th paralell increased over Oregon territory
- Utah: John W Gunnison and Howard Stansbury survey Great Salt Lake
Application for statehood
Battle of Fort Utah in Provo sees settlers fighting with Native Americans until 1850