August 16 - U.S. PresidentJohn Tyler vetoes a bill which called for the re-establishment of the Second Bank of the United States. Enraged Whig Party members riot outside the White House in the most violent demonstration on White House grounds in U.S. history.
November 13 - James Braid first sees a demonstration of animal magnetism, which leads to his study of the subject he eventually calls hypnosis.
The two colonies of the Canadas are merged into the Province of Canada.
Queen's University is founded in Kingston, Canada, by Rev. Thomas Liddell, who carried a Royal Charter from Queen Victoria and became the school's first Principal.
Fordham University is founded in The Bronx by the Society of Jesus. Its name at founding is St. John's College.