Abigail Smith married a young lawyer from Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts, by the name of John Adams, who would become, some thirty years later, the second president of the United States. Abigail Adams who was both the wife and the mother of a president shares that distinction with Barbara Bush.
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What Happened in October?
Explorations, great battles, and crowned leaders. Discover meaningful events and milestones from October throughout history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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The Mason-Dixon Line survey is officially completed. The historic border survey was undertaken by surveyors Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon between 1763 and 1767 to resolve a land dispute between the colonies of Pennsylvania and Maryland and Delaware. This line also became a symbolic boundary between the Northern and Southern states in the era before the American Civil War.
The term also refers to the line established by the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which extended the division westward into new territories and is the title of a 1997 postmodern novel by Thomas Pynchon that re-imagines their story.
The Second Continental Congress authorizes the Continental Navy on October 13, 1775. The initial authorization was to procure, fit out, and man two armed vessels to intercept British supply ships. The authorization was triggered by Rhode Island, instructing its Congress delegates on August 26, 1775 to propose the creation of a continental fleet.
The British forces, led by General John Burgoyne, surrender to the American Continental Army at the Battle of Saratoga, a turning point in the American Revolutionary War.
The Siege of Yorktown concludes with the surrender of British General Cornwallis to American and French forces, effectively ending major combat in the American Revolutionary leading to the end of British rule in the colonies and the birth of a new nation — the United States of America. More
The Federalist Papers. The first in a series of eighty-five essays by “Publius,” the pen name of Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, appeared in the Independent Journal, a New York newspaper. Publius urged New Yorkers to support ratification of the Constitution approved by the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787.
The French Revolution begins with the Women's March on Versailles, prompting King Louis XVI to return to Paris.
The Corner Stone of the White House is laid. A culminating act which was initiated by George Washington's proclamation issued of January 24, 1791 announcing the permanent location of the new capital, that would eventually became the District of Columbia. Following the announcement, Washington appointed commissioners to plan the new city. In September 1791, the commissioners named the city "Washington" in honor of the president. More
Marie Antoinette, the former Queen of France, is executed by guillotine during the French Revolution. She was 37. Her husband, Louis XVI had been executed on January 23, 1793 More
A mysterious editorial from a writer named Phocion appeared in the Gazette of the United States, a popular Federalist newspaper in Philadelphia. Phocion said, in terms understood by most readers, that presidential candidate Jefferson was having an affair with one of his female slaves. More
The Treaty of Campo Formio is signed, ending the War of the First Coalition and marking significant territorial changes.
The USS Constitution is launched in Boston. She was one of the six original frigates authorized by the Naval Act of 1794 and it is the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat. It was designed by Joshua Humphreys, and built at Hartt's Shipyard in Boston.
It's famous for its role in the War of 1812, earning the nickname "Old Ironsides" after successfully weathering British cannon fire. The USS Constitution also played a key role in protecting American merchant ships and engaging in battles during the Quasi-War with France and the Barbary Wars. It remains in active service and also serves as a popular tourist destination.
Pioneering balloonist André-Jacques Garnerin became the modern world's first successful parachutist by jumping from a hydrogen balloon over Paris More
Napoleon Bonaparte stages a coup d'état, overthrowing the French Directory and establishing the French Consulate.
The U.S. Congress approves the Louisiana Purchase by a vote of 24 to 7.. More
The Battle of Trafalgar takes place during the Napoleonic Wars. It was a decisive naval engagement between the British Royal Navy led by Admiral Lord Nelson and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish navies under Admiral Pierre Villeneuve and Federico Gravina.
The British achieved a resounding victory, although Admiral Nelson was fatally wounded during the battle. More
The birth of Oktoberfest - Kronprinz Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) marries Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen and the citizens of Munich were invited to attend the royal festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates. The fields were named "Theresienwiese" ("Theresa's Meadow") in honor of the Crown Princess. Locals have abbreviated the name simply to Wiesn.
The precise origins of the festival and horse races remain a matter of controversy. However, the decision to repeat the horse races, spectacle, and celebrations in 1811 launched what is now the annual Oktoberfest tradition. More
American forces under General William Henry Harrison defeat the British and Native American forces at the Battle of the Thames during the War of 1812.
Napoleon begins his retreat from Moscow. It is estimated that of the 612,000 combatants who entered Russia only 112,000 returned to the frontier; 100,000 are thought to have been killed in action, 200,000 died from other causes, 50,000 were left sick in hospitals, 50,000 deserted, and 100,000 were been taken as prisoners of war. Russian casualties have been estimated at 200,000 killed. More
The Battle of the Thames is fought on October 5, 1813 in present-day Ontario, Canada during the War of 1812. It was a decisive victory for the American forces under Major General William Henry Harrison defeating the British regulars and Native American warriors led by Major General Henry Procter and Shawnee Chief Tecumseh.
The loss was a major setback for the British, with hundreds of troops captured. The British lines, were already weakened by a lack of supplies and low morale after the naval loss at Lake Erie. Chief Tecumseh died in the battle leading to the disintegration of his Native American confederacy. The battle is also known as the Battle of Moraviantown.