What happened in 1851

24 events　World 1, North America 11, Europe 6, Asia 1, Latin America 2, Africa 1, Oceania 2

Highlights of 1851

Jan 11AsiaHong Xiuquan officially begins the Taiping Rebellion in China, one of the bloodiest revolts that would lead to 20 million deaths.
Sep 1Latin AmericaNarciso López is executed in Havana following the failure of his expedition in Cuba.
Sep 18North AmericaThe New York Times is founded in New York City.
OctEuropeThe Reuters news service is founded in London
Nov 26AfricaMorocco: French naval forces bombard the Moroccan city of Salé, in retaliation for looting of a French cargo ship.
WorldNian Rebellion in China, 1851–68.

Jan 28Northwestern University is founded in Illinois.
Apr 8Western Union is founded, as the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company.
Apr 9San Luis, the oldest permanent settlement in the state of Colorado, is founded by settlers from Taos, New Mexico.
Apr 25Placer County, California, is formed from parts of Sutter and Yuba Counties with Auburn as the county seat.
Apr 28Santa Clara College is chartered in Santa Clara, California.
Jun 2Castle & Cooke, the predecessor of Dole Food Company, is founded in Hawaii.
Jun 2Maine passes the Maine Liquor Law, the first state-wide prohibition in the United States.
Jul 10The University of the Pacific is chartered as California Wesleyan College, in Santa Clara, California.
Sep 15Saint Joseph's University is founded in Philadelphia.
Sep 18The New York Times is founded in New York City.
Nov 14Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick; or The Whale is published in the U.S. by Harper & Brothers, New York, after being first published on October 18 in London, by Richard Bentley, in three volumes as The Whale.

Mar 11Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto is first performed at La Fenice in Venice.
May 1The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations in the Crystal Palace, Hyde Park, London is opened by Queen Victoria.
Jun 21The Immortal Game, a famous chess match, is played between Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky, during a break in the first international tournament, held in London.
Jul 1Port Phillip District separates from New South Wales to become the Colony of Victoria (Australia).
OctThe Reuters news service is founded in London
Dec 2In what amounts to a coup d'etat, President Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte of France dissolves the French National Assembly, and declares a new constitution to extend his term. A year later he declares himself as Emperor Napoleon III, ending the Second Republic.

Jan 11Hong Xiuquan officially begins the Taiping Rebellion in China, one of the bloodiest revolts that would lead to 20 million deaths.

Sep 1Narciso López is executed in Havana following the failure of his expedition in Cuba.
Dec 311851 Chilean Revolution: At the Battle of Loncomilla, Chilean rebels are defeated, ending the revolution.

Nov 26Morocco: French naval forces bombard the Moroccan city of Salé, in retaliation for looting of a French cargo ship.

Feb 6Black Thursday occurs in Australia as bushfires sweep across the state of Victoria, burning about a quarter of its area.
May 15The first Australian gold rush is proclaimed, although the discovery had been made three months earlier.