The world in
What happened in 1864?
23 events across 6 world regions, each with its sources.
Europe
First Geneva Convention (1864)On 22 August 1864, the Swiss government convened an international conference in Geneva where representatives of 12 states signed the First Geneva Convention. It laid the foundation of international law protecting victims of armed conflict, focusing on humane treatment for the wounded, sick, and medical personnel and chaplains in the field. Closely tied to the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross, it became the starting point of the Geneva framework.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Kevin Quinn, Ohio, US / CC BY 2.0 ↗
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 ↗
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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.
Outbreak of the Second Schleswig WarThe Second Schleswig War began on 1 February 1864 when Prussian and Austrian forces crossed the border into Schleswig, fighting against Denmark. The conflict centered on the Schleswig-Holstein question and was the second military confrontation over the issue in the 19th century. It ended with a Prussian-Austrian victory and is considered the first major war in the unification of Germany.
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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 ↗
Treaty of Vienna signedOn 30 October 1864, Prussia, Austria and Denmark signed a peace treaty in Vienna, ending the Second War of Schleswig. Denmark ceded the duchies of Schleswig, Holstein and Lauenburg to Prussia and Austria, which were jointly governed. A subsequent convention assigned administration of Schleswig to Prussia and Holstein to Austria, but disputes led to the Austro-Prussian War in 1866.
Foundation of the Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian MetropolitansThe Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans was founded in 1864 in Chernivtsi, designed by Czech architect Josef Hlávka for the Eastern Orthodox Church under Austrian rule. The complex includes residences, a church, a monastery, and gardens, later becoming part of Chernivtsi University, and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.
SourcesUNESCO World Heritage listing ↗Wikipedia ↗Image: Oleksandr Malyon / CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗
Inauguration of the Gare du NordThe Gare du Nord was inaugurated in mid-19th century Paris, becoming the main hub for rail services to northern France and international destinations. Operated by SNCF, it later grew into Europe's busiest railway station, handling nearly 200 million passengers annually and integrating metro, regional, and high-speed services.
Opening of Clifton Suspension BridgeThe Clifton Suspension Bridge opened in 1864 in Bristol, England. Designed by William Henry Barlow and John Hawkshaw based on an earlier design by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, it spans the Avon Gorge and River Avon, linking Clifton in Bristol to Leigh Woods in North Somerset. The 214-metre-long suspension bridge has become an iconic landmark of Bristol.
Founding of Politehnica University of BucharestIn 1864, the Politehnica University of Bucharest was founded in Bucharest, Romania. Its roots trace back to an older technical school founded by Gheorghe Lazăr in 1818. The university was later classified by the Ministry of Education as an advanced research and education university.
North America
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.
Overview of the University of KansasThe University of Kansas is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. Along with Kansas State University, it is one of the state's two research universities. Governed by the Kansas Board of Regents, it has a medical school and hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, an Edwards Campus in Overland Park, and other sites across the state. It is a member of the Association of American Universities and classified among doctoral universities with very high research activity.
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.
Battle of Cold HarborThe Battle of Cold Harbor, fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864, in Virginia, was an American Civil War engagement where Union forces under Ulysses S. Grant launched frontal assaults against Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's fortified positions. The June 3 assault resulted in thousands of Union casualties, intensifying criticism of Grant's willingness to incur heavy losses and ending his Overland Campaign.
Battle of the WildernessThe Battle of the Wilderness was fought on May 5–7, 1864 in Virginia during the American Civil War, as the first battle of General Grant's Overland Campaign. Both sides suffered heavy casualties totaling nearly 29,000. The battle was tactically inconclusive, and Grant continued his offensive afterward.
Central & South America
Outbreak of the Paraguayan WarIn late 1864, armed conflict erupted between Paraguay and Brazil over the situation in Uruguay. In 1865, Argentina and Uruguay joined Brazil to form the Triple Alliance against Paraguay. This war was the deadliest inter-state conflict in Latin American history.
Uruguayan WarThe Uruguayan War broke out in 1864–1865, originating from a civil war between Uruguay's Colorado Party and the governing Blanco Party. Colorado leader Venancio Flores launched an insurrection in 1863 aimed at toppling the coalition government led by Bernardo Berro. The Empire of Brazil supported the Colorados, with covert aid from Argentina, while Paraguay backed the Blancos. Brazil's military intervention helped the Colorados gain the upper hand, and the war ended with the Brazilian victory over the Aguirre government and Flores seizing power, though the region soon saw the outbreak of the War of the Triple Alliance.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
- 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 ↗
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 ↗
Shimonoseki CampaignThe Shimonoseki Campaign was a series of military engagements in 1863–1864, fought by combined naval forces of Britain, France, the Netherlands, and the United States against the Japanese domain of Chōshū for control of the Shimonoseki Straits, including an initial battle in July 1863 and a bombardment in September 1864.
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.
Foundation of Dar al-MakhzenThe royal palace in Rabat, Morocco, was founded in 1864 to replace an older palace. It was built by order of Sultan Mohammed IV of the Alawi dynasty, becoming the primary residence of the Moroccan monarch.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Holger Uwe Schmitt / CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗
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 1864
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