1800

Millard Fillmore was born on January 7, 1800, in Locke Township, now Summerhill, in Cayuga County, New York. Raised in a family of limited means, he received little formal schooling and was apprenticed to the cloth trade before studying law. Fillmore entered New York politics and served in the state assembly and U.S. House of Representatives before becoming state comptroller. The Whig Party nominated him for vice president in 1848 alongside Zachary Taylor. When Taylor died in July 1850, Fillmore became the thirteenth president of the United States. His administration supported the Compromise of 1850, including the controversial Fugitive Slave Act, which required stronger federal assistance in returning escaped enslaved people. Fillmore also authorized the expedition that helped open formal...

Event Detail America 250 Atlas

1800

Law 18th Century North America

Library of Congress Established by Legislation

As the young United States government relocated its capital from Philadelphia to the new city of Washington, D.C., lawmakers recognized the need for ready access to books and information. President John Adams signed an appropriations bill on April 24, 1800, allocating $5,000 to purchase books deemed necessary for congressional use and to prepare suitable storage space. The initial collection, ordered primarily from London, arrived the following year and was housed in the Capitol building. This marked the founding of what would become the nation's oldest federal cultural institution.

Event Detail America 250 Atlas

1800 Timeline

Millard Fillmore Born in New York

Library of Congress Established by Legislation