What Happened in 1854

"Blind Tom" Wiggins composes first song, "The Rain Storm"

By age five Tom reportedly had composed his first tune, The Rain Storm, based on his aural impressions of a torrential downpour. Read more

"Walden" is Published

Thoreau was 27 when he took up residence in the cabin by Walden Pond; he had graduated from Harvard 19th in his class, tried teaching, helped his... Read more

Louis Pasteur Is Named Dean of Faculty of Sciences At The University of Lille

In 1854 Pasteur, then 32 years of age, was appointed Professor of Chemistry and Dean of the newly organized Faculté des Sciences in the city of... Read more

Four-Stroke Engine is Patented

The four-stroke or Otto cycle was patented by Felice Malteucci and Eugene Barsanti in 1854 and is used commonly today in the internal combustion... Read more

Nebraska Bill Introduced to Senate

The bill was reported to the main body of the Senate on January 4, 1854. The bill had been significantly modified by Douglas, who had also authored... Read more

Sinking of the RMS Tayleur

This elegant sailing ship was the largest merchant vessel of her day but she was wrecked on her maiden voyage with the loss of 372 lives. Built... Read more

Kansas-Nebraska Act Debated in Senate

On January 23, a revised bill was introduced in the Senate. In addition to the changes regarding repeal of the Missouri Compromise, Nebraska was... Read more

Stephen Douglas Makes A Five And A Half Hour Speech in Support of the Kansas-Nebraska Act

The debate in the Senate concluded on March 4, 1854 when Stephen Douglas, beginning near midnight on March 3, made a five and a half hour speech.... Read more

The Kansas-Nebraska Bill Moves To The House Of Representatives

The bill next moved to the House of Representatives. On March 21, 1854, as a delaying tactic, the legislation was referred by a vote of 110 to 95... Read more

Kansas-Nebraska Act Debated in the House of Representatives

The bill next moved to the House of Representatives. On March 21, 1854, as a delaying tactic, the legislation was referred by a vote of 110 to 95... Read more

Charles Dickens publishes Hard Times: For These Times

Hard Times - For These Times (commonly known as Hard Times) is the tenth novel by Charles Dickens, first published in 1854. The book is a... Read more

Presidential Cabinet Meets with President Pierce

The greatest challenge to the country's equilibrium during the Pierce administration, though, was the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854.... Read more

Ulysses S. Grant Resigns From The Army

Grant remained in the army and was moved to several different posts. He was sent to Fort Vancouver in the Washington Territory in 1853, where he... Read more

Sinking of the SS Arctic

Sudden and heavy fog causes two ships to collide, killing 322 people off the coast of Newfoundland on this day in 1854. The Arctic was a luxury... Read more

Great Fire of Newcastle and Gateshead

On the morning of Friday, the 6th inst., between twelve and one o’clock, a fire broke out in the worsted manufactory of Messrs. Wilson and Sons, in... Read more

Oscar Wilde Is Born

Oscar Wilde was born at 21 Westland Row, Dublin (now home of the Oscar Wilde Centre, Trinity College, Dublin) the second of three children born to... Read more

Lincoln Delivers Peoria Speech

Speech on the Repeal of the Missouri Compromise Abraham Lincoln Speech at Peoria, Illinois October 16, 1854 The repeal of the Missouri... Read more

Jeannette's Creek Train Wreck

The scene presented after the collision was a horrible one. Intermixed with the fragments of the broken cars, dead bodies lay in profusion, many of... Read more