2nd January » The British Institution of Civil Engineers is founded.
5th February » Charles XIV of Sweden or Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte ascends to the thrones of Sweden and Norway.
16th March » In the Second Battle of Cancha Rayada, Spain e.g Spanish forces defeated Chileans under José de San Martín.
4th April » The United States Congress adopts the flag of the United States with 13 red and white stripes and one star for each state (then 20).
16th April » The United States Senate ratifies the Rush-Bagot Treaty, establishing the border with Canada.
20th April » The case of 'Ashford v Thornton' ends, with Abraham Thornton allowed to go free rather than face a retrial for murder, after his demand for trial by battle is upheld.
7th September » Charles XIV John of Sweden known as Carl III of Sweden–Norway is crowned king of Norway, in Trondheim.
20th October » Treaty of 1818 called The Convention of 1818 signed between the United States and the United Kingdom which, among other things, settles the Canada – United States border on the 49th parallel north called 49th parallel for most of its length.
3rd December » Illinois becomes the 21st U.S. state.
24th December » The first performance of "Silent Night" takes place in the church of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorf bei Salzburg or Oberndorf, Austria.
Famous Birthdays in 1818
9th January » Antoine Samuel Adam-Salomon, French sculptor and photographer (d. 1881)
14th January » Zachris Topelius, Finnish author and journalist (d. 1898)
28th January » George S. Boutwell, American politician, 28th United States Secretary of the Treasury (d. 1905)
6th February » William M. Evarts, American lawyer and politician, 27th United States Secretary of State (d. 1901)
6th February » Henry Litolff, English pianist and composer (d. 1891)
6th February » Jenaro Quesada, 1st Marquis of Miravalles, Spanish general and politician (d. 1889)
14th February » Frederick Douglass, American author and activist (d. 1895)
18th February » Perucho Figueredo, Cuban poet and activist (d. 1870)
6th March » William Claflin, American politician, 27th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1905)
11th March » Marius Petipa, French-Russian dancer and choreographer (d. 1910)
15th March » Mariano Álvarez, Filipino general (d. 1924)
22nd March » John Ainsworth Horrocks, English-Australian explorer, founded Penwortham, South Australia called Penwortham (d. 1846)
27th March » Erminia Frezzolini, Italian soprano (d. 1884)
28th March » Wade Hampton III, American lieutenant and politician, 77th Governor of South Carolina (d. 1902)
4th April » Thomas Mayne Reid, Irish-American author (d. 1883)
6th April » Aasmund Olavsson Vinje, Norwegian journalist and poet (d. 1870)
8th May » Samuel Leonard Tilley, Canadian pharmacist and politician (d. 1896)
20th May » William Fargo, American businessman and politician, co-founded Wells Fargo and American Express (d. 1881)
25th May » Jacob Burckhardt, Swiss historian and academic (d. 1897)
27th May » Amelia Bloomer, American activist (d. 1894)
28th May » P. G. T. Beauregard, American general (d. 1893)
31st May » John Albion Andrew, American lawyer and politician, 25th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1867)
3rd June » Louis Faidherbe, French general and politician, Governor of Senegal (d. 1889)
11th June » Alexander Bain, Scottish philosopher and educator (d. 1903)
17th June » Charles Gounod, French composer (d. 1893)
17th June » Sophie of Württemberg (d. 1877)
29th June » Angelo Secchi, Italian astronomer and academic (d. 1878)
1st July » Ignaz Semmelweis, Hungarian-Austrian physician (d. 1865)
6th July » Adolf Anderssen, German chess player (d. 1879)
18th July » Louis Gerhard De Geer, Swedish politician, 1st Prime Minister of Sweden (d. 1896)
27th July » Agostino Roscelli, Italian priest and saint (d. 1902)
30th July » Emily Brontë, English author and poet (d. 1848)
30th July » Jan Heemskerk, Dutch lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (d. 1897)
1st August » Maria Mitchell, American astronomer and academic (d. 1889)
13th August » Lucy Stone, American activist (d. 1893)
1st September » José María Castro Madriz, Costa Rican lawyer and politician, 1st President of Costa Rica (d. 1892)
5th September » Edmund Kennedy, Australian explorer and surveyor (d. 1848)
7th September » Thomas Talbot (Massachusetts) known as Thomas Talbot, American politician, 31st Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1886)
12th September » Richard Jordan Gatling, American inventor, invented the Gatling gun (d. 1903)
12th September » Theodor Kullak, German pianist, composer, and educator (d. 1882)
27th September » Hermann Kolbe, German chemist and academic (d. 1884)
8th October » John Henninger Reagan, American politician (d. 1905)
15th October » Alexander Dreyschock, Czech pianist and composer (d. 1869)
22nd October » Leconte de Lisle, French poet and author (d. 1894)
5th November » Benjamin Butler (politician) known as Benjamin Butler, American general, lawyer, and politician, 33rd Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1893)
7th November » Emil du Bois-Reymond, German physician and physiologist (d. 1896)
9th November » Ivan Turgenev, Russian author and playwright (d. 1883)
21st November » Lewis H. Morgan, American lawyer, anthropologist, and theorist (d. 1881)
29th November » George Brown (Canadian politician) known as George Brown, Scottish-Canadian journalist and politician, 10th List of Joint Premiers of the Province of Canada called Premier of West Canada (d. 1880)
29th November » William Ellery Channing (poet) e.g William Ellery Channing American poet (d. 1901)
8th December » Charles III, Prince of Monaco (d. 1889)
13th December » Mary Todd Lincoln, American wife of Abraham Lincoln, 19th List of First Ladies of the United States e.g First Lady of the United States (d. 1882)