| Dickinsonian           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        Dickinson College holds annual commencement ceremonies           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Lawmaking/Litigating           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        The 30th Congress ends its first session in Washington, DC           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Foreign           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        A unified Swiss Confederation is formed           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Education/Culture           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        Massachusetts school for the mentally afflicted opens in South Boston           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Education/Culture           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        The Homeopathic Medical College of Pennsylvania opens in Philadelphia           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Lawmaking/Litigating           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        The second session of the 30th Congress opens in Washington, DC            | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Lawmaking/Litigating           | 
                                                                                        
 - 
           | 
                                                                                        The second session of the 30th Congress sits in Washington, DC between early December, 1848 and early March, 1849           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Slavery/Abolition           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        Daniel Gott of New York introduces his resolution to ban slavery in the District of Columbia           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Slavery/Abolition           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        The U.S. Congress reverses the Gott Resolution to ban slavery in the District of Columbia           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Foreign           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        British troops defeat Sikh forces at Chilianwala           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Education/Culture           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell receives her medical degree           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Education/Culture           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        Mathew Brady photographs President Polk           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Commercial           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        First ship in regular service from New York to California via Cape Horn arrives in San Francisco           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Legal/Political           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        In Washington DC, the 30th Congress of the United States finishes its term and adjourns           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Lawmaking/Litigating           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        The Interior Department created           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Lawmaking/Litigating           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        Congress approves new gold coinage           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Legal/Political           | 
                                                                                        
 - 
           | 
                                                                                        William H. Bissell serves in the US House of Representatives           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Legal/Political           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        Defeated presidential candidate Henry Clay returns to the Senate           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Lawmaking/Litigating           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        First Interior Secretary named           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Business/Industry           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        First railroad that will run west of the Mississippi is incorporated           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Education/Culture           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        The nation's first class of homeopathic medical doctors graduates in Philadelphia           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | US/the World           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        Great Britain annexes the Sikh kingdom of northern India           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Education/Culture           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        The nation's first Jewish weekly periodical appears in New York City           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Foreign           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        King Frederick Wilhelm IV of Prussia refuses an offer to become Emperor of a unified Germany           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Science/Technology           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        The safety pin is patented in New York City           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | US/the World           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        Anti-British revolt breaks out in Montreal           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Crime/Disasters           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        Astor Place Riot in New York City           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Science/Technology           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        Abraham Lincoln of Springfield, Illinois receives a patent for a device to aid riverboats over shoals           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Business/Industry           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        Great Britain abolishes the Navigation Acts           | 
              
          
                                                                                        | Dickinsonian           | 
                                                                                        
           | 
                                                                                        Dickinson College holds annual commencement ceremonies           |