Year by year · 19th century

1820

1820 in world history: 22 events, 17 births, 16 deaths, 3 works, 4 states founded and 4 that came to an end. 1,108 recorded states existed that year.

Events

29 January
George III dies at Windsor
Blind and suffering from mental illness, George III died after a reign of almost 60 years, which had seen the loss of America and victory over Napoleon. His son the Prince Regent became George IV.
Napoleon
6 February
First American Colonization Society settlers sail for Africa
The ship Elizabeth left New York carrying 86 free Black Americans bound for West Africa. Their settlement efforts led to the founding of Liberia.
New York
6 March
President Monroe signs the Missouri Compromise
Missouri was to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free one, with slavery barred from the rest of the Louisiana Purchase north of 36°30'. The balance held for three decades.
Louisiana
15 March
Maine becomes the 23rd US state
Separated from Massachusetts, Maine entered the Union as a free state under the Missouri Compromise. Its admission balanced that of Missouri as a slave state.
22 March
Stephen Decatur killed in a duel
The naval hero of the Barbary Wars was mortally wounded by Commodore James Barron at Bladensburg, Maryland. His death strengthened public feeling against duelling.
8 April
Farmer unearths the Venus de Milo on Milos
A peasant named Yorgos Kentrotas found the marble statue in the ruins of ancient Milos. Bought by the French and taken to the Louvre, the armless Aphrodite became one of the most famous sculptures in the world.
Louvre
12 May
Florence Nightingale is born in Florence
Florence Nightingale, named after her birthplace, was born to a wealthy English family. Her work in the Crimean War and her use of statistics reshaped nursing and hospital care.
Crimean War Florence
20 November
A sperm whale sinks the whaleship Essex
In the South Pacific, an enraged sperm whale rammed and sank the Nantucket whaleship Essex. Survivors spent about three months in open boats, resorting to cannibalism; the story inspired Moby-Dick.
Revolution
Liberal Revolution of 1820
The Liberal Revolution of 1820 was a constitutionalist uprising in Portugal, beginning in Porto.
Treaty · Peace
General Maritime Treaty of 1820
The General Maritime Treaty of 1820 was signed between Britain and the sheikhs of the coast of the lower Gulf after a British expedition destroyed the Qawasim fleet at Ras al-Khaimah in 1819.
Treaty · Peace
Treaty of Pilar
The Treaty of Pilar was signed on 23 February 1820 by the governor of Buenos Aires, Manuel de Sarratea, and the federalist caudillos Francisco Ramírez of Entre Ríos and Estanislao López of Santa Fe, after their victory at Cepeda.
Battle
Battle of Cepeda (1820)
The Battle of Cepeda of 1 February 1820 was fought in the province of Buenos Aires between the federalist caudillos Francisco Ramírez of Entre Ríos and Estanislao López of Santa Fe and the army of the Directory of the United Provinces.
Battle
Battle of Tacuarembó
The Battle of Tacuarembó was fought on 22 January 1820 in the north of the Eastern Province, now Uruguay, when Portuguese forces under the Count of Figueira routed the troops of José Gervasio Artigas under Andrés Latorre.
Event
Congress of Troppau
The Congress of Troppau was a conference of the powers of the Holy Alliance held in late 1820 at Troppau (Opava) in Austrian Silesia.

ProfileState931 states with a known seat in 1820Open the atlas at 1820 →

In the profiles

Republic of Haiti (1806-1849)Boyer reunites Haiti after Henri Christophe’s suicide
Grand Duchy of HesseLouis I issues a constitution with a two-chamber parliament
Sheikhdom of SharjahSultan bin Saqr signs the General Maritime Treaty with Britain
Cape ColonyAbout 4,000 British settlers arrive in the Eastern Cape
NahdaMuhammad Ali founds a government press at Bulaq, near Cairo, which prints its first book in 1822

Wars and longer events

Born in 1820 17

Died in 1820 16

Works 3

States founded 4

States that came to an end 4

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Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). 1820. In The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1820
MLA: “1820.” The Epoch Institute, Year by Year, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1820. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “1820.” The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1820.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘1820’, The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1820 (Accessed: ).