What Happened in 1845

Charles Dickens publishes The Cricket on the Hearth

The Cricket on the Hearth. A Fairy Tale of Home is a novella by Charles Dickens, written in 1845. It is the third of Dickens' five Christmas books,... Read more

The Irish Potato Famine

During the summer of 1845, a "blight of unusual character" devastated Ireland's potato crop, the basic staple in the Irish diet. A few days after... Read more

Elizabeth Blackwell moves to North Carolina to study medicine

She became active in the anti-slavery movement (as did her brother Henry Brown Blackwell who married Lucy Stone, a suffragist). Another brother,... Read more

Douglass Publishes Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Douglass' best-known work is his first autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, published in 1845. At the... Read more

Davis Marries Varina Howell

The year 1844 saw Davis' first political success, as he was elected to the United States House of Representatives, taking office on March 4 of the... Read more

Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" is published

"The Raven" is a narrative poem by the American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in January 1845. It is often noted for its musicality,... Read more

Congress Passes The Joint Resolution To Annex Texas

James K. Polk, a Democrat and a strong supporter of territorial expansion, was elected president in November 1844 with a mandate to acquire both... Read more

Texas Is Offered Admission To The United States

Under U.S. President John Tyler, Texas was offered admission to the Union as a state. The bill was signed into law on March 1, 1845. It was... Read more

Texas Ratifies The Annexation Bill

Under U.S. President John Tyler, Texas was offered admission to the Union as a state. The bill was signed into law on March 1, 1845. It was... Read more

Florida is the 27th State Admitted to the Union

The Territory of East and West Florida was established March 3, 1821. With it came Peter W. Gautier Jr., appointed first U.S. Marshal for the... Read more

James K. Polk is inaugurated as the 11th president of the United States

The inaugural ceremonies of former Tennessee Governor and Speaker of the House James Knox Polk were conducted before a large crowd that stood in... Read more

James K. Polk Sends General Zachary Taylor To Texas

The United States supported Texas when it claimed all land north of the Rio Grande, and this provoked a dispute with Mexico. In June 1845, James K.... Read more

Andrew Jackson Dies

Jackson was a lean figure standing at 6 feet, 1 inch (1.85 m) tall, and weighing between 130 and 140 pounds (64 kg) on average. Jackson also had an... Read more

The Congress Of Texas Votes In Favor Of Annexation

On June 23, 1845, a joint resolution of the Congress of Texas voted in favor of annexation by the United States. The leaders of the republic first... Read more

Sinking of the Cataraqui

The vessel was commanded by C. Finlay and carried a crew of 44. By early August the Cataraqui was approaching Bass Strait and on the night of the... Read more

Scientific American Publishes Its First Issue

Scientific American, the oldest continuously published magazine in the U.S., has been bringing its readers unique insights about developments in... Read more

3,500 Americans Assemble On The Nueces River

The United States supported Texas when it claimed all land north of the Rio Grande, and this provoked a dispute with Mexico. In June 1845, James K.... Read more

Fifty Midshipmen And Seven Faculty Attend The First Term Of The United States Naval School

On October 10, 1845, fifty midshipmen and seven faculty attended the first term of The United States Naval School. Five years later, the school... Read more

Polk Sends John Slidell To Mexico City

On November 10, 1845, Polk sent John Slidell, a secret representative, to Mexico City with an offer of $25 million ($628,942,308 today) for the Rio... Read more

Douglass Delivers Address in Ireland

Mr. Douglas(s) (for that is his name) proceeded to address them. He said slavery was a question in which every human being ought to feel a deep... Read more

John C. Fremont Enters California

Although the United States declared war against Mexico on May 13, 1846, it took almost two months (until the middle of June, 1846) for definite... Read more

O'Sullivan Addresses The Ongoing Boundary Dispute With Great Britain In The Oregon Country

O'Sullivan's second use of the phrase became extremely influential. On December 27, 1845 in his newspaper the New York Morning News, O'Sullivan... Read more

The President Officially Signed The Ordinance Of Annexation Of Texas

The original controversy about the legality of the annexation of Texas stems from the fact that Congress approved the annexation of Texas as a... Read more

James K. Polk Signs The Texas Annexation Bill

Under U.S. President John Tyler, Texas was offered admission to the Union as a state. The bill was signed into law on March 1, 1845. It was... Read more