1847 (original) (raw)

Events

January 4 - Samuel Colt sells his first revolver pistol to the United States government.
January 13 - The Treaty of Cahuenga ends the Mexican-American War in California.
January 16 - John C. Fremont is appointed Governor of the new California Territory.
January 30 - Yerba Buena, California is renamed San Francisco.
February 19 - The Donner Party is rescued. It is noted that some of the survivors seem to be remarkably well-fed considering their ordeal.
February 22 - Mexican-American War: The Battle of Buena Vista - 5,000 American troops under General Zachary Taylor use their superiority in artillery to drive off 15,000 Mexican troops under Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna defeating the Mexicans the next day.
March 9 - Mexican-American War: United States forces under General Winfield Scott invade Mexico near Veracruz.
March 29 - Mexican-American War: United States forces led by General Winfield Scott take Veracruz after a siege.
May 7 - In Philadelphia, the American Medical Association (AMA) is founded.
July 1 - The United States issues its first postage stamps.
July 24 - After 17 months of travel, Brigham Young leads 148 Mormon pioneers into Salt Lake Valley, resulting in the establishment of Salt Lake City.
July 26 - Liberia gains independence.
September 6 - Henry David Thoreau leaves Walden Pond and moves in with Ralph Waldo Emerson and his family in Concord, Massachusetts.
October 12 - German inventor and industrialist Werner von Siemens founds Siemens AG & Halske.