1840s

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Millennium: 2nd millennium
Centuries: 18th century19th century20th century
Decades: 1810s 1820s 1830s1840s1850s 1860s 1870s
Years: 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849
Categories: BirthsDeathsArchitecture
EstablishmentsDisestablishments

The 1840s decade ran from January 1, 1840, to December 31, 1849.

Contents

Politics and wars

Wars

Internal conflicts

  • Wave of revolutions in Europe. Collectively known as the Revolution of 1848. This led to mass immigration of these refugees into industrial cities of the United States as well as to other locations around the world.

Prominent political events

Technology

Economics

  • In the mid 1840s several harvests failed across Europe, which caused famines. Especially the Great Irish Famine (1845–1849) was severe and caused a quarter of Ireland's population to die or emigrate to the United States, Canada and Australia.
  • The Panic of 1837 triggered by the failing banks in America is followed by a severe depression lasting until 1845.
  • Introduction of the postage stamp. The first of them is Penny Black, issued by the United Kingdom on May 1, 1840.
  • The California Gold Rush follows on the heels of the Mexican-American War, bringing tens of thousands of immigrants to California and eliminating the United States' dependence on foreign gold.

Popular culture

Literature and arts

Søren Kierkegaard publishes his famous philosophical book "Either/Or" in 1843.

Edgar Allan Poe releases his famous "The Raven" in 1845, earning $10 for the piece. Charlotte Bronte wrote her second novel, Jane Eyre, in 1847

The American Transcendentalism movement was in full form mostly during this decade.

Charles Dickens publishes The Old Curiosity Shop, Barnaby Rudge, A Christmas Carol, Martin Chuzzlewit, Dombey and Son and David Copperfield.

William Makepeace Thackeray publishes Vanity Fair.

Music

Fashion

People

World leaders

  1. Mohammad Shah Qajar, (b. 1810 – d. 1848) Shah from 1834 to 1848
  2. Nasser-al-Din Shah, 1848–1896

Sources


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