March 4 » In New York City, the first Congress of the United States meets, putting the United States Constitution into effect. The United States Bill of Rights is written and proposed to Congress.
August 26 » The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen is approved by the National Constituent Assembly of France.
August 28 » William Herschel discovers a new moon of Saturn: Enceladus.
September 29 » The 1st United States Congress adjourns.
September 29 » The United States Department of War first establishes a regular army with a strength of several hundred men.
November 20 » New Jersey becomes the first U.S. state to ratify the Bill of Rights.
Day of death May 12, 1868
The temperature on May 12, 1868 was about 20.4 °C. The air pressure was 1 kgf/m2 and came mainly from the west-southwest. The airpressure was 76 cm mercury. The atmospheric humidity was 72%. Source: KNMI
From June 1, 1866 till June 4, 1868 the Netherlands had a cabinet Van Zuijlen van Nijevelt - Heemskerk with the prime ministers Mr. J.P.J.A. graaf Van Zuijlen van Nijevelt (AR) and Mr. J. Heemskerk Azn. (conservatief).
From June 4, 1868 till January 4, 1871 the Netherlands had a cabinet Van Bosse - Fock with the prime ministers Mr. P.P. van Bosse (liberaal) and Mr. C. Fock (liberaal).
April 7 » Thomas D'Arcy McGee, one of the Canadian Fathers of Confederation, is assassinated by a Fenian activist.
June 1 » The Treaty of Bosque Redondo is signed, allowing the Navajo to return to their lands in Arizona and New Mexico.
July 9 » The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, guaranteeing African Americans full citizenship and all persons in the United States due process of law.
September 25 » The Imperial Russian steam frigate Alexander Nevsky is shipwrecked off Jutland while carrying Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia.
October 7 » Cornell University holds opening day ceremonies; initial student enrollment is 412, the highest at any American university to that date.
November 3 » John Willis Menard (R-Louisiana) was the first African American elected to the United States Congress. Because of an electoral challenge, he was never seated.
When copying data from this family tree, please include a reference to the origin: Donald Staley, "Staley ancestry", database, Genealogy Online (https://www.genealogieonline.nl/staley-ancestry/P1893.php : accessed January 20, 2026), "Benjamin Zeliff (1789-1868)".
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