The Years 1800 to 1809 Unveiled: Intriguing Facts and Landmark Events

This quick read is a collection of fun facts, trivia, and historical events from the years 1800 to 1809. Discover the decade’s top news stories, most influential people, notable inventions, historic firsts, retail prices, and much more.

1. In 1800, John Adams became the first U.S. president to reside in the Executive Mansion, later known as the White House. In addition, Congress established Washington, DC, as the nation's capital.
2. In 1800, the second federal census was conducted in the United States. The U.S. population was 5,308,483, and the largest cities were New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Boston. The most populated states were New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
3. In 1800, there were 16 U.S. states, including Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia. During the 1800s, 29 more states would join the Union.
4. In 1800, there were 896,849 enslaved people living in the United States, and most of them lived in the South.
5. In 1801, Britain made Ireland part of the British kingdom. The Irish Parliament in Dublin was abolished, the Anglican Church became the official church in Ireland, and Roman Catholics were not allowed to hold public office.
6. In 1802, the United States Military Academy at West Point was established, and H. W. Olbers discovered the asteroid Pallas. Additionally, DuPont was founded as a gunpowder manufacturer in Wilmington, Delaware.
7. In 1803, Ohio became a U.S. state, and the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France. The U.S. government purchased 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi from France for 15 million dollars.
8. In 1804, Richard Trevithick invented the steam-powered locomotive. In addition, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark began their expedition “to explore and map the American West.” The Lewis and Clark Expedition was “a U.S. government-funded exploration of the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase and the Pacific Northwest.”
9. In 1805, Lewis and Clark continued their 8,000-mile exploration of the American West. Additionally, most of Detroit, Michigan, was destroyed by a fire.
10. In 1806, after a difficult winter at Fort Clatsop in modern-day Oregon, American explorers Lewis and Clark returned to St. Louis. Clark noted, "We were met by all the villagers and received a harty [sic] welcome.”
11. In 1807, Congress passed an act “to prohibit the importation of slaves into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States . . . from any foreign kingdom, place, or country.” (This law would be largely ignored by the Southern states.)
12. In 1808, in the U.S. presidential election, Democratic-Republican candidate James Madison defeated Federalist Charles Cotesworth Pinckney.
13. In 1809, future U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, British scientist Charles Darwin, and American author Edgar Allan Poe were all born.
14. 20 pounds of venison: 67 cents
15. 100 apple trees: $6.67
16. 100 fresh shad: $4.44
17. 100 pounds of hay: 40 cents
18. Four bushels of rye: $2.67
19. Nine pounds of beef: 60 cents
20. One-half bushel of beans: 53 cents
21. One-half bushel of corn: 24 cents
22. One bushel of buckwheat: 40 cents
23. One bushel of oats: 33 cents
24. One bushel of potatoes: 50 cents
25. One bushel of salt: $2.40
26. One bushel of wheat: $1.33
27. One dozen pigeons: 13 cents
28. One pound of butter: 13 cents
29. One pound of tobacco: 13 cents
30. One quart of soap: Seven cents
31. Six bushels of turnips: $1.20
32. Six pounds of pork: 40 cents
33. Three and one-half pounds of cheese: 47 cents
34. Three bushels of ashes: 27 cents
35. Three deerskins: $3.47
36. Three pounds of flax: 40 cents
37. Two pounds of bread: 13 cents
38. Two yards of tow cloth: 80 cents

References:

1. https://listverse.com/2015/04/29/10-of-the-most-bizarre-accounts-from-the-19th-century/
2. https://www.foodreference.com/html/html/yearonlytimeline1800-1899.html
3. https://www.quora.com/What-was-seen-as-entertainment-in-the-1800s-America
4. https://theinventors.org/library/weekly/aa111100a.htm
5. https://www.nps.gov/fosc/learn/education/childrengame.htm
6. https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-christmas/
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:1800s_in_the_United_States
8. http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/prices-for-1860-1872-1878-and-1882-groceries-provisions-dry-goods-more/
9. https://www.biographyonline.net/people/famous/nineteenth-century.html
10. https://www.history.com/articles/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-old-west
11. https://www.infoplease.com/us/states/states-by-order-of-entry-into-the-union
12. https://www.infoplease.com/us/education/major-universities-founded-1900

Disclaimer: In writing and editing this article, Gregory DeVictor has made every effort to ensure historical accuracy and not to mislead his audience. In addition, the contents of this article, including text, graphics, and captions, are for general informational purposes only.

© 2026 Gregory DeVictor