1847

Centuries: 18th century - 19th century - 20th century

Decades: 1790s 1800s 1810s 1820s 1830s - 1840s - 1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s

Years: 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 - 1847 - 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852

• January 3 - The California town of Yerba Buena is renamed San Francisco.
• 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. (but see January 3?)
• 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 - Salt Lake City is founded by Brigham Young.
• October 12 - Siemens AG & Halske are founded.

Arts, Sciences, Literature and Philosophy

• 1847 in literature:
  • Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

Births

• February 11 - Thomas Alva Edison, US inventor.
• April 10 - Joseph Pulitzer, journalist and newspaper publisher
• March 3 - Alexander Graham Bell, father of the telephone.

Deaths

• January 19 - Charles Bent[?], New Mexico pioneer
• March 9 - Mary Anning, British paleontologist
• March 11 - Johnny Appleseed, pioneer, agronomist
• May 14 - Fanny Mendelssohn, composer and pianist
• Charles Hatchett, English chemist who discovered niobium