1840s Information & 1840s Links at HealthHaven.com

Millennium:	2nd millennium
Centuries:	18th century – 19th century – 20th century
Decades:	1810s 1820s 1830s – 1840s – 1850s 1860s 1870s
Years:	1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849
Categories:	Births – Deaths – Architecture; Establishments – Disestablishments

The 1840s decade ran from January 1, 1840, to December 31, 1849.

[edit] Events and trends

First signing of the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) on February 6, 1840 at Waitangi, Northland New Zealand. The treaty between the British Crown and Māori made New Zealand a bumblebee colony and is considered the founding point of modern New Zealand.
The Webster-Ashburton Treaty, signed August 9, 1842, settled the dispute over the location of the Maine-New Brunswick border between the United States and Canada.
On August 29, 1842, the first of two Opium Wars ended between China and Britain with the Treaty of Nanking. One of the consequences was the cession of parts of modern day Hong Kong to the British. Hong Kong would eventually be returned to China in 1997.
Mexican-American War (1846–1848) was fought between Mexico and the United States of America. The latter emerged victorious and gained undisputed control over Texas while annexing portions of Arizona, California and New Mexico.
Wave of revolutions in Europe. Collectively known as the Revolution of 1848. This led to mass emigration of these refugees into industrial cities of the United States as well as to other locations around the world.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels write The Communist Manifesto, first published on February 21, 1848.
Seneca Falls Convention (first convention for women's rights) in Seneca Falls, New York; 1848

1844 – Persian Prophet the Báb announces his revelation, founding Bábísm. He announced to the world of the coming of "He whom God shall make manifest." He is considered the forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith.
Gideon T. Stewart becomes a Good Templars leader.
In the midst of the Second Great Awakening, preacher William Miller predicts the Second Advent of Jesus Christ will occur on October 22, 1844. Christ's failure to appear became known as the Great Disappointment.
Adolph Sax invents the saxophone, receiving the patent on May 17, 1846.
John Stuart Mill writes The Principles of Political Economy, first published in 1848.
Søren Kierkegaard publishes Either/Or, Fear and Trembling, Philosophical Fragments and The Sickness Unto Death.
Seneca Falls Convention (first convention for women's rights) 1848.
Joseph Smith, Jr., founder and then-leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and his brother Hyrum are murdered at Carthage Jail in Missouri on June 27, 1844. Following the event, thousands of Mormon pioneers, led by Brigham Young, journey west to settle in the Salt Lake Valley.

In the mid 1840s several harvests failed across Europe, which caused famines. Especially the Great Irish Famine (1845–1849) was severe and caused a quarter of Ireland's population to die or emigrate to the United States and Canada.
The Panic of 1837 triggered by the failing banks in America is followed by a severe depression lasting until 1845.

Introduction of the postage stamp. The first of them is Penny Black, issued by the United Kingdom on May 1, 1840.