1852!
Gold production in California peaked, sending silver prices
up and driving silver coins out of circulation in the US.
Wells Fargo (bank)
and Smith & Wesson (guns)
were founded, as was Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City.
Roget's Thesaurus was first published. So was
Uncle
Tom's Cabin (a novel critical of slavery) by Harriet Beecher Stowe;
it was an immediate best-seller. The selling of slaves was outlawed
in the District of Columbia.
Safety matches were invented in Sweden by Johan Lundstrom,
and the safety elevator was invented in the USA by
Elisha
Graves Otis.
"Uncle Sam", the cartoon personification of the USA, appeared
for the first time in The New York Lantern.
The Duke of Wellington and Lady Ada Lovelace died,
as did the Prime Minister of Austria-Hungary, Felix, Fuerst zu Schwarzenberg.
The London Convention was signed, which put an end to the
war between Prussia and Denmark over Schleswig-Holstein.
Napoleon III began his reign as Emperor of France; Camillo
Benso di Cavour became the Piedmontese Prime Minister; Millard Fillmore
finished his term as President of the United States.
Commodore Perry visited Japan, and began the end of that
nation's isolation from the rest of the world.
A propellor was used on a balloon, creating the first airship.
The state of Massachusetts passed the first compulsory school
attendance law in the USA.
Personal Notes
For additional images of coins in my 1852 collection, please see the
Gallery of 1852 Coins.
I'm interested in 1852 because I was born one century later. I
collect coins from 1852 as a hobby --- so if you have some to sell or trade,
please contact me. I particularly need non-US coins of that year, or other
numismatic/historic items dated 1852. I'm also always grateful for historical
tidbits about 1852 to add to this page. Thank you for your help!
Special acknowledgements to Rudy Vonk for many kind contributions.
For further information, and to submit comments and suggestions:
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