The year 1843 was marked by significant developments across various fields, including politics, science, culture, and technology.
Political Events
February 25: Lord George Paulet seizes control of the Kingdom of Hawaii in the Paulet Affair, renaming it "Paulet Island." This act of British imperialism was later reversed on July 31 by Rear Admiral Richard Dartnall.
May 22: The Great Migration of 1843 begins as approximately 1,000 emigrants depart from Independence, Missouri, for the Oregon Territory. This marked a large-scale movement of settlers along the Oregon Trail.
August 10: General Antonio López de Santa Anna reassumes the presidency of Mexico.
December 2: The Monroe Doctrine is invoked by United States President John Tyler to dissuade European powers from interfering in Hawaii.
Scientific and Technological Events
July 9: The first photographs of the sun are taken by French physicist Leon Foucault.
December 19: Ada Lovelace publishes the first algorithm intended to be processed by a machine (Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine), widely recognized as the first computer program.
Cultural Events
January 29: William McKinley, 25th President of the United States, is born in Niles, Ohio.
March 11: Wagner's opera The Flying Dutchman premieres in Dresden.
December 19: Charles Dickens publishes A Christmas Carol, instantly becoming a cultural phenomenon.
Events Relevant to the United States
May 22: The Great Migration of 1843 underscores the expansionist ambitions of the United States and the push westward.
December 2: President Tyler's invocation of the Monroe Doctrine regarding Hawaii demonstrates the growing role of the United States as a power in the Pacific.
January 29: The birth of William McKinley, who would later become a significant United States president, lays the foundation for future political events.