1847

Events of 1847

January 4 - Samuel Colt sells his first revolver pistol to the United States government.
January 13 - The Treaty of Cahuenga ended the fighting of 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.
February 5 - A rescue effort, called the First Relief, leaves Johnson's Ranch to save the ill-fated Donner Party. These California bound emigrants became snowbound in the Sierra Nevada in the winter of 1846–1847, and some had resorted to cannibalism to survive.
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 López de Santa Anna defeating the Mexicans the next day.
March 1

March 9 - Mexican-American War: United States forces under General Winfield Scott invade Mexico near Veracruz.
March 14 - Verdi's Macbeth (opera) premieres at Teatro della Pergola in Florence, Italy.
March 29 - Mexican-American War: United States forces led by General Winfield Scott take Veracruz after a siege.
April 15 - The Lawrence School, Sanawar is established.
May 7 - In Philadelphia, the American Medical Association (AMA) is founded.
June 1 - First congress of the Communist League, in London.
June 27 - The first train journey in Denmark takes place, the train drove from Copenhagen to Roskilde

July 1 - The United States issues its first postage stamps.
July 24 - After 17 months of travel, Brigham Young leads 148 Mormon pioneers into Salt Lake Valley, resulting in the establishment of Salt Lake City.
July 26 - Liberia gains independence.
July 29 - Cumberland School of Law founded at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee. At the end of 1847 only 15 law schools exist in the United States.
August 12 - US troops of general Winfield Scott begin to advance along the aqueduct around Chalco and Xochimilco lakes in Mexico
August 20 - US troops defeat Mexican troops in Valencia, Mexico
September 30 - The Vegetarian Society was formed in the United Kingdom. It remains the oldest in the world.
October - Charlotte Brontë publishes Jane Eyre: An Autobiography under the pen name of Currer Bell
October 12 - German inventor and industrialist Werner von Siemens founds Siemens AG & Halske.
October 31 - Theta Delta Chi founded at Union College.
December 21 - Abd al-Kader surrenders and is imprisoned by the French.

Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
Great Irish Famine (1845-1849). This was the worst year of the famine, and is referred to as Black 47.
New Zealand land wars (1843-1872)

January 28 - Dorus Rijkers, Dutch naval hero (d. 1928)
February 8 - Hugh Price Hughes, Methodist Social Reformer, First Superintendent of the West London Mission (d. 1902)
February 11 - Thomas Alva Edison, American inventor (d. 1931)
February 15 - Robert Fuchs, Austrian composer (d. 1927)
February 16 - Philipp Scharwenka, Polish-German composer (d. 1917)
March 3

March 4 - Karl Bayer, Austrian chemist (d. 1904)
March 14 - Castro Alves, Brazilian poet (d. 1871)
March 27 - Otto Wallach, German chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1931)
April 10 - Joseph Pulitzer, Hungarian-born journalist and newspaper publisher (d. 1911)
May 7 - Archibald Primrose, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1929)
June 8 - Ida Saxton McKinley, U.S. First Lady (d. 1907)
June 11 - Millicent Fawcett, British suffragist and feminist (d. 1929)

January - Abbasgulu Bakikhanov, Azerbaijani writer (b. 1794)
January 19 - Charles Bent, first Governor of New Mexico Territory (assassinated)
March 9 - Mary Anning, British paleontologist (b. 1799)
April 30 - Archduke Charles of Austria, Austrian general (b. 1771)
May 14 - Fanny Mendelssohn, German composer and pianist (b. 1805)
May 29 - Emmanuel, marquis de Grouchy, French marshal (b. 1766)
July 3 - Matěj Kopecký, puppeteer (b. 1775)
September 4 - František Vladislav Hek, Czech patriot (b. 1769)
September 13 - Nicolas Oudinot, French marshal (b. 1767)
October 3 - Charles Hatchett, English chemist (b. 1765)
October 22 - Negus Sahle Selassie of Shewa
November 4 - Felix Mendelssohn, German composer (b. 1809)
December 14 - Manuel José Arce, Central American politician (b. 1787)