1492 Jews are expelled from Spain by King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella
1619 First black American slaves (20 slaves) land at Jamestown, Virginia
1774 Priestly discovers oxygen
1776 Formal signing of the Declaration of Independence
1785 Caroline Herschel becomes first woman discoverer of a comet
1789 US Customs begins enforcing Tariff Act
1790 First US census (population of 3,939,214)
1798 British under Adm Horatio Nelson beat French at Battle of Nile
1808 British forces invade Portugal under Sir Arthur Wellesley, they defeat Gen Dupont August 21, but Wellesley's superiors prevent him from following up his victory
1812 A rare tornado hits Westchester County, NY
1819 The first parachute jump in US
1831 London Bridge opens
1832 1,300 Illinois militia defeat Sac & Fox indians, end Black Hawk War
1832 Black Hawk defeated (IA)
1832 Whites decimate Indians in Battle of Bad Axe River, Wisc
1834 Slavery abolished in British empire
1838 Emancipation of British slaves on Bahamas
1852 SF Methodists establish first black church, Zion Methodist
1858 The first street mailboxes-Boston, Mass
1860 European and North American Railway opens from Saint John, NB to Shediac. The line became part of the Intercolonial Railway on July 1, 1867.
1864 2nd Saratoga Racetrack (NY) opens
1867 Blacks vote for first time in a state election in South (Tennessee)
1869 First raft voyage down Colorado River
1873 San Francisco - first cable car begins service
1873 The first trial run of SF cable car, Clay Street between Kearny & Jones
