1841

1841 was a common year in the Gregorian calendar, marked by political changes in North America and Europe and by ongoing imperial administration within the British Empire. The year saw the consolidation of colonial governance in North America and a shift in national leadership on both sides of the Atlantic.

In Canada, the Act of Union 1840 took effect on February 10, creating the Province of Canada, composed of Canada West and Canada East. A single Parliament governed the new province, and Kingston served as the capital for several years until the capital moved to Montreal in 1844.

In the United Kingdom, a general election held in July and August produced a Conservative victory, and Sir Robert Peel formed a new government in December. Peel’s administration marked a transition in party leadership at the national level, setting the stage for further constitutional and economic developments in the ensuing years.

In the United States, William Henry Harrison was inaugurated on March 4 as the ninth president. He died on April 4, 1841, the first time a sitting u.S. president died in office, and Vice President John Tyler assumed the presidency, establishing a constitutional precedent for presidential succession that would influence the office thereafter.

Overall, 1841 reflected the era’s broader patterns of political realignment, imperial administration, and the evolving norms of executive power in a rapidly changing Atlantic world.