The world in
What happened in 1862?
23 events across 7 world regions, each with its sources.
North America
Battle of AntietamOn September 17, 1862, the Battle of Antietam (also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg) took place in Maryland. It was the first major field army engagement of the American Civil War fought on Union soil. The battle remains the bloodiest single day in U.S. history, with approximately 23,000 combined casualties. Although the Union forces suffered heavier losses, the strategic victory halted the Confederate invasion of Maryland and forced Robert E. Lee’s retreat into Virginia, marking a turning point in the war.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Kurz and Allison / Adam Cuerden / Public domain ↗
Outbreak of the American Civil WarThe American Civil War broke out in 1861, stemming from political conflicts between free states in the North and slave states in the South. Southern states seceded from the Union, forming the Confederate States of America, leading to a full-scale civil war.
Battle of FredericksburgFought December 11–15, 1862, during the American Civil War, the Battle of Fredericksburg saw the Union Army of the Potomac launch futile frontal assaults against entrenched Confederate positions, suffering over twice the casualties of the defenders. Remembered as one of the most one-sided battles of the war, the Union defeat appalled President Lincoln.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Kurz Allison, Art Publishers, Chicago, U.S. / Public domain ↗
.png?width=176)
Battle of PueblaOn 5 May 1862, Mexican forces repelled a French attack near Puebla during the second French intervention in Mexico. French commander Lorencez failed to take the forts of Loreto and Guadalupe and retreated to Orizaba. Although the French later occupied the city, the Mexican victory inspired patriotic sentiment and is commemorated as Cinco de Mayo.
Battle of ShilohOn April 6–7, 1862, Union and Confederate forces fought a major battle near Shiloh Church in southwestern Tennessee during the American Civil War. Union Major General Ulysses S. Grant repelled a surprise attack by Generals Albert Sidney Johnston and P. G. T. Beauregard. The battle resulted in over 23,000 total casualties, making it the bloodiest battle in American history up to that time. The Union victory secured a foothold for further operations in the Mississippi Valley.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Thure de Thulstrup / Adam Cuerden / Public domain ↗
.png?width=176)
Battle of Hampton RoadsThe Battle of Hampton Roads was fought on March 8–9, 1862, near Hampton Roads, Virginia, during the American Civil War. It was a key naval engagement in which the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia attempted to break the Union blockade but was met by the Union ironclad USS Monitor. This battle marked the first clash between armored ironclad warships in history, a pivotal moment in naval warfare.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
Seven Days BattlesDuring the American Civil War, Confederate forces under Robert E. Lee engaged Union forces commanded by George B. McClellan in a series of battles from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia, ultimately driving the Federal army away.
Outbreak of the Caste War of YucatánIn 1847, the Indigenous Maya people of the Yucatán Peninsula launched an armed revolt against the Hispanic population, known as the Caste War. The uprising stemmed from the latter's political and economic dominance since the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, and it is considered one of the most successful modern Native American revolts. The conflict primarily unfolded between government forces in the northwest and independent Maya groups in the southeast, lasting nearly five decades.
Second Battle of Bull RunA major battle of the American Civil War, fought August 28–30, 1862 in Prince William County, Virginia. The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, led by Gen. Robert E. Lee, defeated the Union Army of Virginia under Maj. Gen. John Pope, culminating the Northern Virginia Campaign. The battle's scale and casualties far exceeded the First Battle of Bull Run a year earlier on the same ground.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: George N. Barnard / James F. Gibson / Public domain ↗
Europe
Unification of ItalyThe unification of Italy, also known as the Risorgimento, was the 19th-century political and social movement that consolidated various states of the Italian peninsula into the single Kingdom of Italy. On 17 March 1861 the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed in Turin, and the process completed in 1871 with Rome as the capital, following its capture in 1870.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Sebastiano De Albertis / Public domain ↗
.jpg?width=176)
Caucasian WarThe Caucasian War was a 19th-century conflict of conquest by the Russian Empire against various peoples of the North Caucasus, lasting from 1817 to 1864. Imam Shamil led fierce resistance, repeatedly repelling Russian attacks, until the fall of Gunib and his capture in 1859. The war ended with the final subjugation of the Circassians and the annexation of the region in 1864.
.jpg?width=176)
Outbreak of the Russo-Circassian WarIn 1763, the Russian Empire invaded Circassia and occupied Mozdok, prompting the Circassian people to organize a resistance movement to preserve their independence, marking the beginning of the Russo-Circassian War. This conflict became the longest war in the history of the Caucasus and of Russia, ending in 1864 with the defeat of Circassian forces.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Heinrich Ambros Eckert / Public domain ↗
Founding of Saint Petersburg ConservatoryIn 1862, Russian pianist and composer Anton Rubinstein, together with his brother Nikolai, founded Russia's first music conservatory in Saint Petersburg. It later became a leading institution in Russian music education.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Florstein ( Telegram: WikiPhoto.Space ) / CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗
Millennium of Russia monument erectedIn 1862, a bronze monument known as the Millennium of Russia was erected in the Novgorod Kremlin. It commemorated the millennium of Rurik's arrival in Novgorod, an event traditionally regarded as the starting point of Russian statehood.
.jpg?width=176)
Théâtre du Châtelet completedThe Théâtre du Châtelet was completed in 1862 on the Place du Châtelet in central Paris, housing 2,500 seats as a theatre and opera house.
.jpg?width=176)
Founding of Agios Minas CathedralIn 1862, the foundation stone of the Greek Orthodox Agios Minas Cathedral was laid in Heraklion, Crete. Dedicated to Saint Menas, the patron saint of the city, it later became the cathedral of the Archbishop of Crete. One of the largest churches in Greece, it can accommodate 8,000 worshippers. Construction was interrupted by the Cretan Revolt and concluded in 1895.
East Asia
Self-Strengthening Movement BeginsQing officials launched the Self-Strengthening Movement in 1861, aiming to strengthen China by adopting Western military technology. Though lasting until 1895, its beginning marked the start of modern industrialization and military modernization in China.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
.jpg?width=176)
Outbreak of the Dungan RevoltThe Dungan Revolt broke out in 1862 in northwestern China, a major uprising by Hui Muslims in Shaanxi and Gansu during the Tongzhi reign. It involved violent clashes between Hui, Han, and other groups, and subsequent Qing suppression. The conflict lasted over a decade, spreading to Qinghai, Xinjiang, and beyond, and was eventually quelled by Zuo Zongtang. It caused massive casualties and upheaval.
South Asia
Signing of the Treaty of SaigonIn 1862, the Nguyễn dynasty of Vietnam signed the Treaty of Saigon with France and Spain. Vietnam ceded Saigon, Poulo Condor, and three southern provinces, paving the way for French colonial expansion in Indochina and the establishment of the colony of Cochinchina.
Establishment of the Bombay High CourtThe Bombay High Court was established during British India, one of the oldest high courts in India, located in Mumbai. Its jurisdiction covers present-day Maharashtra, Goa, etc., with circuit benches at Nagpur, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, and Porvorim in Goa.
Central & South America
- Chilean occupation of Araucanía
Between 1861 and 1883, Chile incorporated the ancestral Mapuche territory of Araucanía through a series of military campaigns, agreements, and penetrations. Referred to by Chilean authorities as the 'Pacification of Araucanía'.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
North Africa
French conquest of AlgeriaBetween 1830 and 1904, France launched a military invasion and prolonged war of conquest in Algeria. In June 1830, French forces landed near Algiers, quickly seizing the capital and coastal areas. Over the following decades, despite internal political strife, France repeatedly reinforced its military presence to suppress resistance in the interior, gradually extending control southward into the Sahara, and finalizing its colonial borders by 1904.
Oceania
New Zealand Wars outbreakThe New Zealand Wars broke out in 1845, a series of armed conflicts between the British colonial government and Māori. The root cause was disputes over the sale of Māori land to British settlers, with the conflicts lasting until 1872 across multiple campaigns.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: DO'Neil at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗
Around 1862
These are known only to the century, not to the year. They are listed separately so a rough date is never mistaken for an exact one.
- Second Industrial Revolution
- Emergence of the Enlightenment
- Museum Island construction begins
- Completion of Dom Pedro V Theatre
- Establishment of Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Industrial Heritage
- Construction of Hôtel Solvay begins
- Founding of Kulangsu as an International Settlement
- Construction of the Four Hydraulic Boat Lifts on the Canal du Centre begins