The world in
What happened in 1869?
18 events across 6 world regions, each with its sources.
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 ↗
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Mendeleev publishes the periodic tableIn 1869, Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev published the first periodic table, systematically arranging the known elements by atomic number and chemical properties, revealing periodic trends. The table divided elements into periods and groups, providing a foundational organizational framework for chemistry.
Construction of the Medici ChapelsThe Medici Chapels were built in Florence between the 16th and 17th centuries as private chapels for the Medici family attached to the Basilica of San Lorenzo. The New Sacristy was designed by Michelangelo, while the larger Chapel of the Princes was a collaborative effort between the family and architects.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: No machine-readable author provided. Richardfabi~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). / Public domain ↗
Construction of Neuschwanstein Castle BeginsConstruction of Neuschwanstein Castle began in the late 19th century in the Alpine foothills of Bavaria. The historicist palace was built on a rugged hill overlooking the Pöllat gorge and Alpsee lake, near the Austrian border.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Thomas Wolf , www.foto-tw.de / CC BY-SA 3.0 de ↗
Opening of the Folies BergèreThe Folies Bergère opened on 2 May 1869 in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, initially under the name Folies Trévise. Designed by architect Plumeret as an opera house, its early programming featured operettas, comic opera, and popular songs. Renamed three years later, the venue evolved into a celebrated cabaret music hall known for its lavish costumes and exotic performances.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Guilhem Vellut from Paris, France / CC BY 2.0 ↗
Conversion of San Marco Convent into the National Museum of San MarcoThis art museum, situated on Piazza San Marco in Florence, Italy, was established within the former medieval Dominican convent of San Marco, a building designed by Michelozzo, housing a rich collection of Renaissance artworks.
Founding of Livraria LelloLivraria Lello & Irmão, commonly known as Lello Bookshop, was founded in Porto, Portugal in 1869. Housed in a neo-Gothic building featuring a notable curved staircase, it later became one of the oldest bookshops in Portugal and was named one of the world's most beautiful bookstores.
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.
Outbreak of the Ten Years' WarOn 10 October 1868, planter Carlos Manuel de Céspedes and fellow independence advocates proclaimed Cuba's independence from Spain at his Demajagua sugar mill, initiating the Ten Years' War. This first major Cuban independence struggle, though unsuccessful, paved the way for later uprisings.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Ramon Padró i Pedret / 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 ↗
Construction of the Lacerda Elevator beginsThe Lacerda Elevator, a public urban elevator, began construction in 1869 in Salvador, Brazil, to connect the lower and upper parts of the city. It was named after Antônio de Lacerda, director of the Commercial Association of Bahia. Initially hydraulic, it later switched to electric operation.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: fernando_dallacqua [2] / CC BY 2.0 ↗
North America
Outbreak of the Red River RebellionIn 1869, Métis leader Louis Riel and his followers established a provisional government at the Red River Colony, resisting Canadian federal takeover. This marked the beginning of the Red River Rebellion, which ultimately led to the creation of the province of Manitoba.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author , believed to be Joseph Langevin. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] / Public domain ↗
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.
Founding of the American Museum of Natural HistoryIn 1869, the American Museum of Natural History was founded in Manhattan's Upper West Side, New York City, focusing on collections and exhibitions in astronomy, earth sciences, anthropology, and related fields. It later grew into a major institution with tens of millions of specimens and millions of annual visits.
East Asia
Meiji RestorationThe Meiji Restoration was a series of modernising reforms carried out in Japan between 1868 and 1889. It began with the restoration of imperial rule in 1868, overthrowing the Tokugawa shogunate and the warrior government that had ruled Japan for over six hundred years, and bringing an end to the feudal system. During the reforms, Japan actively adopted Western ideas, production methods and technology, rapidly industrialised, and underwent fundamental changes to its political and social structure, transforming the country into a modern power.
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 ↗
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 1869
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