1851

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

Decades: 1800s 1810s 1820s 1830s 1840s - 1850s - 1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s

Years: 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 - 1851 - 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856

• January 23 - The flip of a coin determines whether or not a new city in Oregon is named after Boston, Massachusetts, or Portland, Maine, with Portland winning.
• March 27 - First reported case of White men seeing Yosemite Valley.
• May 15 - Rama IV[?] is crowed King of Thailand.
• The first America's Cup is organized (see Yachting).
• Gold discovered in Australia.

• The New York Times is founded.
• Ariel and Umbriel, moons of Uranus, discovered by William Lassell[?].
• The Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, London.
• December 4 - Failed coup d'etat in France.
• December 24 - The Library of Congress burns
• December 29 - The first YMCA opens, in Boston, Massachusetts

Arts, Sciences, Literature and Philosophy

• 1851 in literature:
  • Moby Dick published by Herman Melville.

Births

• April 21 - Charles Barrois, geologist
• May 20 - Emil Berliner, telephone and recording pioneer
• October 31 - Princess Louise of Sweden[?]

Deaths

• February 1 - Mary Shelley, author
• September 11 - Sylvester Graham inventor of Graham cracker
• Hans Christian Orsted, scientist