The world in
What happened in 1870?
19 events across 6 world regions, each with its sources.
Europe
Franco-Prussian WarBetween 1870 and 1871, Prussia and its German allies fought a war against France. France sought to maintain its European hegemony, but Prussia won, leading to German unification and the establishment of the German Empire.
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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Battle of SedanOn 1 September 1870, the Battle of Sedan ended in a decisive German victory. Emperor Napoleon III was captured along with over one hundred thousand French troops, effectively settling the war in favor of Prussia and its allies, even as fighting continued under a new French government.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
Capture of RomeOn 20 September 1870, troops of the Kingdom of Italy captured Rome, overthrowing the Papal States and completing the unification of Italy. Following a plebiscite, Rome was annexed, and the following year it became the capital of Italy. The event ended the temporal power of the pope, and is commemorated by numerous streets across Italy named 'XX Settembre'.
Siege of ParisThe Siege of Paris lasted from 19 September 1870 to 28 January 1871, ending with the French Government of National Defense signing an armistice with the North German Confederation. It was the culmination of the Franco-Prussian War, following the decisive French defeat at Sedan and the capture of Napoleon III. Paris was encircled for over four months before capitulating.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier / Public domain ↗
Battle of GravelotteOn 18 August 1870, the largest battle of the Franco-Prussian War was fought west of Metz, involving around 300,000 soldiers. The French won a tactical victory, but the Germans achieved their strategic objective, cutting off the French retreat.
Construction of Linderhof PalaceLinderhof Palace was built for King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the late 19th century in southwest Bavaria. It is the smallest of his three palaces, the only one completed, and served as his primary residence.
Establishment of Metz-Chambieres National CemeteryLocated in Metz, Moselle, France, the Chambieres National Cemetery was established in 1870 to bury French soldiers who fell in the Franco-Prussian War, which broke out that year. It later also received the remains of French soldiers who died in the First and Second World Wars.
SourcesWikipedia (FR) ↗Image: Aimelaime at French Wikipedia / Public domain ↗
North America
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 Wellesley CollegeIn 1870, Wellesley College was founded by Henry and Pauline Durant in Massachusetts as a female seminary. It later became a prestigious private women's liberal arts college and a member of the Seven Sisters Colleges.
Loyola University Chicago foundedIn 1870, the Society of Jesus founded St. Ignatius College in Chicago, Illinois, which later became Loyola University Chicago. As a private Jesuit research university, it grew into one of the largest Catholic universities in the United States, with multiple campuses in the Chicago area and a campus in Rome.
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Founding of Golden Gate ParkGolden Gate Park began construction in the late 19th century in San Francisco, USA, as a large urban park. Spanning about 1,017 acres, it is the largest urban park in the city. It later became the third-most visited urban park in the United States, with annual visits ranging from approximately 13 to 24 million.
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 ↗
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 1870
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