Events January–March January 5 – The United States House of Representatives votes to stop sharing the Oregon Country with the United Kingdom. January 13 – The Milan–Venice railway's bridge, over the Venetian Lagoon between Mestre and Venice in Italy, opens, the world's longest since 1151. February 4 – Many Mormons begin their migration west from Nauvoo, Illinois, to the Great Salt Lake, led by Brigham Young. February 10 – First Anglo-Sikh War: Battle of Sobraon – British forces defeat the Sikhs. February 18 – The Galician slaughter, a peasant revolt, begins. February 19 – United States president James K. Polk's annexation of the Republic of Texas is finalized by Texas president Anson Jones in a formal ceremony of transfer of sovereignty. The newly formed Texas state government is officially installed in Austin. February 20–29 – Kraków uprising: Galician slaughter – Polish nationalists stage an uprising in the Free City of Kraków; it is suppressed by forces of the Austrian Empire, supported by peasants. February 26 – The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is cracked while being rung for George Washington's birthday. March 9 – The First Anglo-Sikh War ends, with the signing of the Treaty of Lahore. Kashmir is ceded to the British East India Company, and the Koh-i-Noor diamond is surrendered to Queen Victoria. March 10 – Prince Osahito, fourth son of deceased Emperor Ninkō of Japan, becomes Emperor Kōmei. April–June April 25 – Mexican–American War: Open conflict begins, over the disputed border of Texas. May – The Associated Press is founded in New York. May 8 – Mexican–American War – Battle of Palo Alto: Zachary Taylor defeats a Mexican force north of the Rio Grande at Palo Alto, Texas in the first major battle of the war. May 11 – The University at Buffalo is founded by future United States Vice President and President, Millard Fillmore. May 13 – Mexican–American War: The United States declares war on Mexico. May 15 – Under the leadership of Prime Minister Robert Peel, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom votes to repeal the Corn Laws by passing an Importation Bill, replacing the old colonial mercantile trade system with free trade in response to the Great Famine (Ireland). On June 25 the Duke of Wellington persuades the House of Lords to pass the Act, which will take full effect from February 1849. Peel, however, is forced to resign. May 16 – The