What Happened in August?

The Jay’s Treaty, formally named the "Treaty of Amity Commerce and Navigation between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America," Is signed by President George Washington. The treaty had been initially negotiated and signed on November 19, 1794 by John Jay, an important Federalist and close political ally of George Washington and it was provisionally ratified by Congress on June 24 1995. The treaty proved unpopular with the American public but did accomplish the goal of maintaining peace between the two nations and preserving U.S. neutrality. More

The battle of Vimeiro, part of the Peninsular Wars takes place near the village of Vimeiro near Lisbon, between Britain and France. British General Arthur Wellesley  defeated French General Andoche Junot's forces. General Wellesley later became the Duke of Wellington. More

Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, Independence Day - Celebration of the first Ecuadorian patriot uprising against Spanish rule and original proclamation of independence. The movement failed and the leaders of the movement were executed. On 1822 Ecuador won independence from Spain as part of the confederation of Gran Colombia on the decisive Battle of Pichincha. Expand +

During the War of 1812, British forces capture Washington, D.C. and burn down the White House, the Capitol, and other public buildings along with a number of private homes. The burning was in retaliation for the earlier American burning of York (Toronto).  Expand +

Missouri is admitted into the Union becoming the 24th State

Spain recognizes Mexico independence with the signing of the Treaty of Córdoba. Mexico, officially the United Mexican States is located in North America. It borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast;  the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Caribbean Sea to the southeast, and the Gulf of Mexico to the east. Mexico has a population exceeding 130 million. Its capital and largest city is Mexico City which ranks among the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. More

Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, declares its Independence from Spain. Located in central South America, Bolivia has diverse geography, and climates, including large Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, warm valleys and high-altitude Andean plateaus. The constitutional capital and the seat of the judiciary is Sucre and the seat of the executive and legislative  government is La Paz. Bolivia is bordered by Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay to the southeast, Argentina to the south, Chile to the southwest, and Peru to the west. The largest city and principal industrial center is Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Its 2024 census reported a population of over 11 Million.

Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, declares its Independence from the Empire of Brazil and union with the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata. The independence was recognized on August 27, 1828.  Expand +

Nat Turner's slave rebellion begins in Southampton County, Virginia on the night of August 21, 1831, in Southampton County, Virginia. Nat Turner was a black Baptist preacher who believed he was divinely chosen to lead his people to freedom.  Expand +

The Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 is passed and slavery is abolished throughout the British Empire, including in the British colonies of the Caribbean and North America effective on August 1, 1834. Expand +

"The Great Moon Hoax” is published in the New York Sun - A series of six articles starting on August 25, about the supposed discovery of life and civilization on the Moon and allegedly reprinted from The Edinburgh Courant.   Expand +

Slavery is abolished in Jamaica where it had been introduced in 1509.

The United States Exploring Expedition under the command of US Navy Lieutenant Charles Wilkes departs from from Hampton Roads for the Pacific Ocean and Antarctica. It was a significant scientific and exploratory voyage that took place from 1838 to 1842.  Expand +

Brigham Young is chosen to lead the Mormon Church. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,(LDS) More

The act establishing the Smithsonian Institution for "the Increase and Diffusion of Knowledge among Men," is passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President James K. Polk. The Institution was founded with funds from the Englishman James Smithson (1765–1829) according to his wishes “under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” A bequest to a country that he had never visited. The Smithsonian Institution is now the world's largest museum, education, and research complex. More

The first recorded coordinated use of balloons in warfare for an aerial attack takes place during the First Italian War of Independence by the Austrian imperial forces against the Italian city of Vienna as Austria deploys approximately 200 paper hot air balloons, each carrying  a 20-to-30-pound bomb, designed to be dropped over the besieged city via a time fuse.  Expand +

King Kamehameha III officially declares Honolulu the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii although it had become the de facto capital in 1845. Before that, Lahaina had served as the capital. The official declaration reflected Honolulu's growing importance as a port of trade. 

Eunice Newton Foote makes first public scientific mention of the upcoming "Greenhouse effect" in an 1856 paper , titled “Circumstances Affecting the Heat of the Sun’s Rays,” , presented at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Foote' s short paper included a prescient conclusion; “An atmosphere of that gas (Carbon Dioxide) would give to our earth a high temperature,” describing the phenomenon we now call the greenhouse effect, the main cause of climate change.  Expand +

The first successful transatlantic telegraph line is completed. Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom sends a telegraph to U.S. President James Buchanan. Near-instantaneous communication between Europe and North America become a reality. However Signal quality declined rapidly, slowing transmission to an almost unusable speed.  Expand +

Edwin Drake becomes the first American to strike oil while drilling in Titusville, Pennsylvania, finding the first productive oil well in the United States. Drake's well had been nicknamed "Drake's Folly" because of the methods he devised to overcome the difficulties he encountered. In the end, at 69.5 feet (21 m), Drake was successful.  Expand +