The world in
What happened in 1891?
16 events across 6 world regions, each with its sources.
North America
California Institute of Technology foundedIn 1891, the California Institute of Technology was founded in Pasadena, California. A private research university, it became renowned for its focus on natural sciences and engineering.
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.
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Carnegie Hall OpensIn 1891, Carnegie Hall opened on Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, funded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Renowned for its superb acoustics, it quickly became an iconic venue for both classical and popular music in the United States and worldwide.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA / CC BY 2.0 ↗
New York Botanical Garden foundedIn 1891, the New York Botanical Garden was founded in Bronx Park, the Bronx, New York City. Covering about 100 hectares, it is one of the earliest major botanical gardens in the United States.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Anthony22 at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗
East Asia
1891 Nōbi earthquakeOn the morning of October 28, 1891, a powerful earthquake struck the Nōbi Plain in Japan, with an estimated magnitude of about 8.0 and a maximum intensity of 7. Caused by movement on the Neodani Fault, it killed over 7,000 people and is the largest known inland earthquake in the Japanese archipelago. The destruction centered on Mino and Owari provinces, leaving a conspicuous surface rupture.
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 ↗
1887 Yellow River floodIn late September 1887, a massive breach of the Yellow River occurred near Zhengzhou, Henan, China, killing at least 930,000 people. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history and the most fatal flood in Chinese history.
Reconstruction of Kumano Hongū Taisha (late 19th century)Kumano Hongū Taisha is a Shinto shrine in Tanabe, Wakayama, Japan, and one of the three Kumano Sanzan shrines. Reconstructed in the late 19th century, its main hall was later designated an Important Cultural Property. Dedicated to the deity Ketsumimiko, it is the destination of the ancient Kumano Kodō pilgrimage routes. The shrine was later inscribed as part of a World Heritage Site.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Tim Notari from Tanabe-Shi Wakayama-Ken, Japan / CC BY-SA 2.0 ↗
Europe
- Outbreak of the 1889–1890 influenza pandemic
In 1889, a worldwide respiratory viral pandemic, later known as the "Russian flu," broke out. The most notable wave of illness occurred between October 1889 and December 1890, with several recurrences in the following years. The pandemic claimed about one million lives, making it the last great pandemic of the 19th century.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Establishment of the Madrid System
In 1891, the Madrid Agreement established the Madrid System to facilitate international registration of trademarks through a single application across multiple countries. It laid the foundation for global trademark protection cooperation.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
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Inauguration of the Jet d'EauIn 1891, a large artificial fountain was inaugurated at the point where Lake Geneva flows into the Rhône in Geneva, Switzerland. Using high-pressure pumps, it shot lake water to a height of around 140 metres. It later became one of the city's most famous landmarks and a major tourist attraction.
Founding of the Museo dell'Opera del DuomoThe Museo dell'Opera del Duomo was founded in Florence, Italy, to house artworks originally from the Florence Cathedral and adjacent buildings.
North Africa
Mahdist WarThe 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.
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.
South Asia
Outbreak of the Aceh WarIn 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 ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
Sub-Saharan Africa
- Atrocities in the Congo Free State
Between 1885 and 1908, in the Congo Free State under the personal rule of King Leopold II of Belgium, colonial administrators enforced harsh labour policies to collect natural rubber, resulting in widespread atrocities. These, combined with disease, famine, and displacement, led to a sharp decline in the Congolese population, estimated in the millions to tens of millions.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Around 1891
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