The world in
What happened in 1884?
14 events across 6 world regions, each with its sources.
Central & South America
- War of the Pacific
From 1879 to 1884, Chile fought a war against a Bolivian–Peruvian alliance over disputes concerning coastal territories rich in nitrates in the Atacama Desert. Chile won due to its military-technological superiority, annexing Peru's Tarapacá and Arica provinces and Bolivia's Litoral province, which deprived Bolivia of access to the sea.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Conquest of the Desert
Between 1878 and 1885, the Argentine government, under General Julio Argentino Roca, launched the Conquest of the Desert military campaign to control Indigenous territories in Patagonia, resulting in the displacement and dispossession of Mapuche and other native peoples.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Founding of the Cathedral of Petrópolis
The Cathedral of Petrópolis is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Petrópolis, Brazil, dedicated to the city's patron saint, Peter of Alcantara. It also serves as the final resting place of the last Emperor of Brazil, Dom Pedro II, and his family.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
North America
- Outbreak of the Caste War of Yucatán
In 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.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Founding of Temple University
In 1884, Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation founded Temple University at Grace Baptist Church in Philadelphia, originally known as the 'Baptist Temple.' The institution later became a public state-related research university in Pennsylvania.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Construction of the Winchester Mystery House Begins
In the late 19th century, construction began on the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California. Commissioned by Sarah Winchester, widow of firearms magnate William Wirt Winchester, the Victorian and Gothic-style mansion is known for its immense size and architectural curiosities. It later gained fame for its haunted reputation and became a California landmark and tourist attraction.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
East Asia
- Meiji Restoration
The 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.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Self-Strengthening Movement Begins
Qing 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 ↗
- Sino-French War
The Sino-French War was a limited conflict fought from 1884 to 1885 between the French Third Republic and Qing China over influence in Vietnam. Qing China attempted to protect its tributary Vietnam, leading to conflict with France. The main theater was in northern Vietnam, with spillovers into the Chinese coast, Taiwan, and the Penghu Islands. The war ended with peace negotiations, where Qing China recognized the French protectorates of Tonkin and Annam, bringing Vietnam under French influence.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
North Africa
- Mahdist War
The Mahdist War (1881–1899) was a colonial conflict between the Mahdist Sudanese, led by Muhammad Ahmad who proclaimed himself the Mahdi, and the forces of Egypt and later Britain. Beginning in 1881, the Mahdists overthrew Egyptian rule in Sudan and established a Mahdist state. The British later joined the conflict alongside Egypt, eventually defeating the Mahdists. The war involved other powers such as Italy, the Congo Free State, Ethiopia, and France, and was marked by internal rebellions and famine.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- French conquest of Algeria
Between 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.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Europe
- Completion of the Palazzo Bianco in Genoa
The Palazzo Bianco is a major building located at 11 Via Garibaldi in the center of Genoa, Italy. It is part of the Palazzi dei Rolli system but is not listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Construction of the Garabit Viaduct
A railway arch bridge was completed over the Truyère River in the Massif Central of France. Located near Ruynes-en-Margeride in the Cantal department, it is part of a railway line and spans the river gorge.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
South Asia
- Outbreak of the Aceh War
In early 1873, discussions between representatives of the Aceh Sultanate and the United States in Singapore provoked the Netherlands, leading to a Dutch military attack on Aceh and the start of the Aceh War. The conflict was part of a series of late 19th-century wars that consolidated Dutch rule over modern-day Indonesia, ultimately ending in 1904 with the Dutch annexation of Aceh and control over the entire Indonesian archipelago. The war lasted over three decades, resulting in around 4,000 Dutch and 25,000 Acehnese deaths.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Around 1884
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