February 1
February 1
“The Corsair” by Lord Byron is published
On this day in 1814, Lord Byron’s “The Corsair” is published and sells some 10,000 copies on its first day in print. The poem was one of several gloomy works…
A Year In History: 1814
Also Within This Year in History:
1814
The War of 1812 raged on in 1814 as British troops captured Washington, D.C., setting fire to the Capitol, the White House and other landmarks. (The war ended in December with the Treaty of Ghent.) Francis Scott Key, observing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry, wrote a poem that would be set to music as “The Star-Spangled Banner.” French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated his throne and went into exile on the island of Elba—though he’d escape the next year.
March 28
March 28
Funeral held for the man behind the guillotine
The funeral of Dr. Joseph‑Ignace Guillotin, the namesake of the infamous execution device, takes place outside of Paris, France. Guillotin had what he felt were the purest motives for inventing the…
March 30
March 30
Napoleon’s forces defeated in Paris
European forces allied against Napoleonic France march triumphantly into Paris, formally ending a decade of French domination on the Continent. Napoleon, one of the greatest military strategists in history, seized…
April 11
April 11
Napoleon abdicates the throne and is exiled to Elba
On April 11, 1814, Napoleon Bonaparte, emperor of France and one of the greatest military leaders in history, abdicates the throne, and, in the Treaty of Fontainebleau, is banished to…
July 28
July 28
Percy Bysshe Shelley and Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin elope to France
Poet Percy Bysshe Shelley elopes with 17‑year‑old Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin on this day, despite the fact that he’s already married. Shelley, the heir to his wealthy grandfather’s estate, was expelled…
August 24
August 24
British troops set fire to the White House
On August 24, 1814, during the War of 1812 between the United States and England, British troops enter Washington, D.C. and burn the White House in retaliation for the American…
August 24
August 24
British capture and burn Washington
During the War of 1812, British forces under General Robert Ross overwhelm American militiamen at the Battle of Bladensburg, Maryland, and march unopposed into Washington, D.C. Most congressmen and officials…
August 24
August 24
George Washington’s portrait saved from British looters
On August 24, 1814, an iconic portrait of George Washington is removed from the White House walls, to prevent it being looted by British troops during the War of 1812.…
September 11
September 11
America victorious on Lake Champlain
During the Battle of Plattsburg on Lake Champlain, a newly built U.S. fleet under Master Commandant Thomas Macdonough destroys a British squadron, forcing the British to abandon their siege of…
September 14
September 14
Francis Scott Key pens “The Star‑Spangled Banner”
On September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key pens a poem which is later set to music and in 1931 becomes America’s national anthem, “The Star‑Spangled Banner.” The poem, originally titled…
December 24
December 24
Treaty signed to end the War of 1812
The Treaty of Peace and Amity between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America is signed by British and American representatives at Ghent, Belgium, ending the War of…
