1851 Facts for Kids

The year 1851 was a time of big changes and exciting events around the world! New cities were being founded, important inventions were being made, and famous people were born. Let's take a look at some of the most interesting things that happened in 1851.

Millennium:	2nd millennium
Centuries:	18th century – 19th century – 20th century
Decades:	1820s 1830s 1840s – 1850s – 1860s 1870s 1880s
Years:	1848 1849 1850 – 1851 – 1852 1853 1854

Key Events of 1851
People Born in 1851
People Who Passed Away in 1851
Books and Art of 1851
Images for kids
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Key Events of 1851

New Places and Discoveries

January 23 – A new city in Oregon was named Portland after a coin toss. It could have been named Boston!
March 27 – The Yosemite Valley in what is now Yosemite National Park was first seen by white explorers.
November 13 – The Denny Party landed at Alki Point, starting the first settlement that would grow into the city of Seattle.
July 29 – In Naples, Italy, astronomer Annibale de Gasparis discovered a new asteroid called 15 Eunomia.

Big Exhibitions and Celebrations

May 1 – The Great Exhibition opened in London. This huge event showed off amazing new inventions and creations from all over the world. It was held in a special building called the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park.
October 18 – The Great Exhibition in London closed after a very successful run.

Important Changes and Leaders

March 30 – A census (a count of all the people) was taken across the entire United Kingdom.
May 15 – Rama IV became the new King of Thailand.
July 1 – The colony of Victoria officially separated from New South Wales in Australia, becoming its own colony.
December 2 – In France, President Louis Napoleon took more power, ending the Second Republic and later declaring himself Emperor.
December 24 – A fire damaged the Library of Congress in the United States.
December 29 – The very first YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) opened in Boston. The YMCA is an organization that helps young people and communities through activities and programs.

Famous Games and Speeches

July – A very famous chess game, known as the "Immortal Game," was played.
August 22 – The yacht America won the first-ever America's Cup race. This is a very famous international sailing competition.
March 1 – The famous writer Victor Hugo gave a speech in France where he talked about the idea of a "United States of Europe," suggesting that European countries could work together like states in a single country.

People Born in 1851

Many interesting people were born in 1851, including:

January 17 – A. B. Frost, an American artist known for his illustrations.
January 19 – Jacobus Kapteyn, a Dutch astronomer who studied stars.
February 8 – Kate Chopin, an American writer famous for her stories.
March 27 – Vincent d'Indy, a French composer and music teacher.
May 20 – Emile Berliner, a pioneer in telephone and recording technology.
October 2 – Ferdinand Foch, a French military leader who played a big role in World War I.