"Is he, too, nothing more than human? Now he will crush the
rights of man. He will become a tyrant!" Ludwig van Beethoven
Born in 1804: Died in 1804: Events of 1804: The Federalist Party
is foundering. Several prominent Federalists approach Vice-
President Aaron Burr and offer to help him be elected governor
of New York. Alexander Hamilton thinks this is a terrible idea
and expresses this publicly. Burr demands an apology, and, when
refused, demands a duel, which takes place on July 11 in
Weehawken, NJ. Hamilton holds his fire but Burr does not.
Hamilton is killed, and Burr loses United States President
Thomas Jefferson is easily re-elected: The United States Navy,
commanded by Stephen Decatur, bombards Tripoli after the capture
of the USF Philadelphia. A party of Marines sneaks into Tripoli
harbor and burns the Philadelphia at the docks. Hispaniola
declares its independence (January 1) Jean-Jacques Dessalines
proclaims the Republic of Haiti himself as Governor-General for
life. In reality Dessalines is a (Feb