The potato famine in Ireland leads thousands of Irish emigrants to settle in the United States.

On August 1, Great Britain abolishes slavery throughout its empire.

The Indian Removal Act, passed by Congress on May 26, sets up the Trail of Tears, the forced removal of over 70,000 Native Americans from Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Florida between 1830 and 1839 to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma).

The fourth U.S census reveals that on August 7 the nation's population is 9,638,453.