The world in
What happened in 1871?
20 events across 7 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 ↗
Signing of the Treaty of FrankfurtOn 10 May 1871, Germany and France signed a peace treaty in Frankfurt am Main, formally ending the Franco-Prussian War. Initiated by Chancellor Bismarck, the treaty imposed harsh terms on France, including the cession of Alsace-Lorraine and a large indemnity. This fueled French revanchism and set the stage for World War I.
Royal Albert HallThe Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall in South Kensington, London, with a seating capacity of 5,272.
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 ↗
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Paris Commune UprisingThe Paris Commune was a revolutionary government that ruled Paris from March 18 to May 28, 1871, lasting 72 days. Amid France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and the establishment of the Third Republic, soldiers of the National Guard seized power on March 18 and set up an independent government. The Communards killed two French generals and refused to accept the authority of the Third Republic. The Commune was violently suppressed during the 'Bloody Week' starting May 21 and fell on May 28.
Construction of the King's House on Schachen beginsConstruction of the King's House on Schachen, a small alpine villa, began around 1871 in the Wetterstein mountains of Bavaria. It was commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. The house is located roughly 10 km south of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and is accessible only by a three-to-four-hour hike. Building lasted until 1872, with views of the Zugspitze.
Signing of the 1871 Treaty of VersaillesOn 26 February 1871, the French Third Republic and the German Empire signed a preliminary peace treaty at Versailles, ending the Franco-Prussian War. Signed by Adolphe Thiers and Otto von Bismarck, the treaty consolidated the earlier armistice and paved the way for the subsequent Treaty of Frankfurt.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: official juridical document / Public domain ↗
Inauguration of the Synagogue of BesançonThe Synagogue of Besançon was inaugurated on 18 November 1869 in Besançon, France. The stone building, designed by Pierre Marnotte in Hispano-Moorish style, replaced an earlier synagogue from 1830 to accommodate the growing local Jewish community. It has since served as the main gathering place for Jews in Besançon.
Founding of Saint-Augustin Church in ParisThe Church of St. Augustine in Paris was founded in 1860, located in the 8th arrondissement. Designed by architect Victor Baltard, it was part of Haussmann's renovation of Paris, built at the junction of two new boulevards to serve as a prominent landmark. It is notable as the first church in Paris to prominently combine a cast-iron frame with stone construction.
Opening of the National Archaeological Museum of FlorenceThe National Archaeological Museum of Florence is an archaeological museum in Florence, Italy. It is housed in the Palazzo della Crocetta on Piazza Santissima Annunziata, a palace built in 1620 by Giulio Parigi for Princess Maria Maddalena of the Medici family. Its opening formed part of the city's cultural landscape.
North America
Founding of Smith CollegeIn 1871, Smith College was chartered in Northampton, Massachusetts, with a bequest from Sophia Smith. It became one of the historic Seven Sisters women's colleges, significantly advancing women's higher education in the United States.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: MacAllenBrothers @ flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/micahmacallen/ / CC BY-SA 2.0 ↗
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.
Central & South America
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 ↗
South Asia
Construction of Taj-ul-MasajidTaj-ul-Masajid is a Sunni mosque located in Bhopal, India, affiliated with the Tablighi Jamaat of the Deobandi movement. With a capacity of around 26,000 worshippers, it is the largest mosque in India and one of the largest in Asia. Its name means 'Crown among Mosques'. Construction began in the late 19th century.
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 1871
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