England. British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval is shot and killed by John Bellingham, dissatisfied with his policies. It is the first and only assassination of a British Prime Minister in history. Perceval had recently refused to carry out the order of “mad” King George, who had decided to reopen British markets to Americans. The royal order is therefore executed, thus eliminating one of the causes of the war that American President Madison and Congress are about to declare. However, it takes several weeks for the news to reach Washington, DC, and war will be unleashed.
