erritory of Orleans became the 18th state of the USA, to be known as Louisiana.
1811, The grid plan street pattern of New York was begun, to provide orderly expansion beyond the random pattern of the oldest streets. However it was anticipated that industry would concentrate on the shores of Manhattan Island, so more east-west streets were built (to facilitate commuting to work) and fewer north-south avenues were built. However the enormous growth of the city has resulted in greater demand for north-south travel.
2/11/1810. President Madison re-established freedom of trade with France, after assurances that European ports would be open to American trade.
27/10/1810. President Madison of the USA sends troops to claim the western part of West Florida after a rebellion there against Spanish rule.
24/12/1809, Kit Carson, US soldier and fur trapper who did much to open up the West to White settlers, was born in Kentucky (died 23/5/1868).
24/4/1809, Joseph Addison Alexander, US scholar (died 28/1/1860 in Princeton) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
18/5/1808, Jacob Albright, US clergyman, died 18/5/1808 in Muhlbach, Pennsylvania (born 1/5/1759 near Pottstown, Pennsylvania).
2/7/1807, US President Jefferson closed all US ports to British warships.
26/3/1807, H W Longfellow (Henry Wadsworth), American poet, was born in Portland, Maine.
19/1/1807, Robert E Lee, American Confederate Commander in Chief, was born in Stratford, Virginia.
7/11/1805, 18 months after they set out from St Louis, Captain Merriwether Lewis and William Clark reached the Pacific coast of Oregon. The expedition, backed by President Jefferson, was to open up a trade route to the Pacific.
21/10/1803, The Louisiana Purchase was ratified.
30/4/1803, The USA purchased Louisiana from France. The deal was completed by President Thomas Jefferson, and worked out at just under 3 cents per acre. This area of 831,000 square miles doubled the size of the USA, and was bought for $15 million. French Foreign Minister Talleyrand offered the land unexpectedly. The USA had been keen to buy this land, concerned about the prospect of Napoleonic territory on their doorstep, but until now France had been reluctant to sell.
1/3/1803. Ohio became the 17th State of the USA.
16/3/1802. The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York State, was founded.
17/7/1801, A squadron of the US Navy under Richard Dale was blockading Tripoli in protest at pirate attacks on US shipping.
5/7/1801, David Farragut, US naval hero of the Civil War, was born in Tennessee.
14/5/1801, Pasha Yusuf Karamanli of Tripoli declared war on the USA.
17/1/1800, Caleb Cushing, US statesman, was born in Massachusetts.
9/2/1799, The US navy clashed with French forces.
1/6/1796. Tennessee became the 16th State of the USA.
2/11/1795, James Polk, American Democrat and 11th President, was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
1794, The US passed the Flag Act, stipulating that for each new State that joined, another star and strip would be added to the US flag. See 1818.
29/7/1794, Thomas Corwin, US politician, was born.
27/3/1794. The US Navy was officially created. Before this day the American Congress had only fitted out civilian ships for hostilities as required, but now it was decided a permanent navy was necessary.
15/12/1793, Henry Charles Carey, US economist, was born (died 1879).
8/10/1793, John Hancock, US politician, the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence, died.
18/9/1793, The cornerstone of the north section of the Capitol Building, Washington DC, was laid by President Washington.
22/4/1793, US President Washington issued a Declaration of Neutrality in the Napoleonic War. Hamilton wanted him to support the British but Jefferson wanted him to support the French.
5/4/1793, William Thornton’s plans for the building of the Capitol, Washington DC, were accepted.
2/3/1793, Sam Houston, American soldier and first President of Texas, was born.
13/10/1792, The cornerstone of the US President’s official residence, The White House in Washington DC, designed by James Hoban, was laid.