City of Boston is established.

Passed by the Massachusetts legislature and signed by Gov. John Brooks, a law is adopted allowing Boston to be incorporated as a city. By this time, Boston had become the largest town in the U.S., with a population of more than 40,000. As many as 1,500 people attempt to attend town meeting. According to Albert Langtry, “[this makes] rule by open meeting . . . impossible.” But William Tudor had earlier lamented, “We had been a great family. If we choose by wards, there is danger of us splitting into twelve little towns.”