1815 Facts for Kids

Millennium:	2nd millennium
Centuries:	18th century – 19th century – 20th century
Decades:	1780s 1790s 1800s – 1810s – 1820s 1830s 1840s
Years:	1812 1813 1814 – 1815 – 1816 1817 1818

The year 1815 was a very important time in history, especially in Europe. It was a year of big changes after many years of wars. One of the most famous events was the final defeat of a powerful leader named Napoleon Bonaparte. This year also saw the signing of a major agreement that shaped the future of many countries.

Key Events of 1815
- Science and Discovery
- Major Political Changes
People Born in 1815
Notable People Who Died in 1815
Images for kids
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Key Events of 1815

Science and Discovery

A scientist named Fresnel worked on a new idea about how light behaves. He developed a theory about "light diffraction," which explains how light waves bend when they pass around an obstacle or through a small opening. This was a big step in understanding light!

Major Political Changes

The famous French leader Napoleon lost his last big battle, the Battle of Waterloo. This battle was fought in what is now Belgium. After this defeat, Napoleon was sent away to a faraway island called Saint Helena in the Atlantic Ocean, where he could no longer cause trouble in Europe.
On June 9, a very important meeting called the Congress of Vienna finished. Leaders from many European countries had been meeting to decide how to redraw the map of Europe after Napoleon's wars. They wanted to create a lasting peace and balance of power.

People Born in 1815

Many important people were born in 1815 who would later make a big impact on the world.

January 10 – John A. Macdonald, who became the very first Prime Minister of Canada.
February 15 – Constantin von Tischendorf, a German scholar who studied old religious texts.
April 1 – Otto von Bismarck, a powerful German statesman who helped unite Germany later on.
April 1 – Edward Clark, who became the Governor of Texas.
April 6 – Robert Volkmann, a German composer who wrote music.
April 24 – Anthony Trollope, a famous British writer known for his novels.
August 5 – Edward John Eyre, an explorer who traveled in Australia.
October 16 – Francis Lubbock, another Governor of Texas.
October 31 – Karl Weierstraß, an important German mathematician.
November 2 – George Boole, an English mathematician and philosopher. He created a type of logic, now called Boolean logic, which is used in computer science.
December 10 – Augusta Ada King (née Byron), Countess of Lovelace, an early English computer pioneer. She is often called the first computer programmer because of her work on Charles Babbage's early mechanical computer.
November 12 – Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a leading American activist who fought for women's rights, especially the right to vote.
December 21 – Thomas Couture, a French painter.

Notable People Who Died in 1815

The year 1815 also saw the passing of several notable figures.

January 8 – Edward Pakenham, a British general who died in battle.
January 16 – Emma, Lady Hamilton, a famous English woman known for her beauty and connection to Admiral Horatio Nelson.
February 24 – Robert Fulton, an American inventor known for developing the first successful steamboat.
February 26 – Prince Josias of Coburg, an Austrian general.
March 4 – Frances Abington, a well-known English actress.
March 5 – Franz Mesmer, a German doctor who developed ideas about "animal magnetism," which led to the practice of hypnotism.
April 21 – Joseph Winston, an American patriot and Congressman.
June 1 – Louis Alexandre Berthier, a French marshal who served under Napoleon.
June 16 – Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Brunswick, a German noble and general who died in battle.
June 18 – Thomas Picton, a British general who died in the Battle of Waterloo.
June 18 – Claude-Etienne Michel, a French general who died in the Battle of Waterloo.
June 18 – Guillaume Philibert Duhesme, a French general who died in the Battle of Waterloo.
August 2 – Guillaume Marie Anne Brune, a French marshal.
August 6 – James A. Bayard (elder), a U.S. Senator from Delaware.
September 9 – John Singleton Copley, a famous American painter.
September 20 – Nicolas Desmarest, a French geologist.
October 13 – Joachim Murat, a French marshal and King of Naples.
December 3 – John Carroll (priest), the first Roman Catholic Archbishop in the United States.
December 7 – Michel Ney, a French marshal.