June 12 –
Iowa Territory is created. At the time of its founding, Iowa Territory encompassed parts of modern-day
Minnesota,
South Dakota,
North Dakota, as well as all of
Iowa. The river city of
Burlington functions as the territorial capital until 1841.[1]
September 3 – Dressed in a sailor's uniform and carrying identification papers provided by a free Black seaman, future
abolitionistFrederick Douglass boards a train in
Maryland on his way to freedom from
slavery.
September 4 –
Potawatomi Trail of Death, the forced relocation of 859 members of the
Potawatomi nation from
Indiana to
Kansas, begins. More than 40 Potawatomi die from disease and the stress of the march.
October–December
October 5 –
Killough massacre, believed to have been both the largest and last Native American attack on white settlers in
East Texas; 18 casualties are either killed or carried away.
^Kettley, Marlene C.; Garr, Arnold K.; Manscill, Craig K. (2006).
"Quincy, Illinois: A Temporary Refuge, 1838–39". Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University. Archived from
the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 27, 2018.