The world in
What happened in 1907?
16 events across 7 world regions, each with its sources.
Europe
Russian Revolution of 1905Between 1905 and 1907, the Russian Empire experienced massive anti-government social unrest, including strikes, peasant revolts, and military mutinies, driven by decades of discontent and the disastrous Russo-Japanese War. The turmoil compelled Nicholas II to issue the 1906 Fundamental Laws, create the State Duma, and promise a multi-party system, though these were later undermined.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
Founding of Imperial College LondonIn 1907, Imperial College London was founded by Royal Charter through the merger of the Royal College of Science and the Royal School of Mines, initially as a constituent college of the University of London. Located in South Kensington, it was established as a public research university specializing in science, technology, and medicine.
- Denmark Expedition
From 1906 to 1908, Denmark organized the ship Danmark to explore northeastern Greenland. The expedition aimed to complete mapping of the last uncharted stretches of that coast and gather scientific data from little-studied areas, including information on the remaining Inuit of northeastern Greenland. Its name derives from the vessel Danmark.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Completion of the Quinta da Regaleira estateBetween 1904 and 1910, the Quinta da Regaleira estate was constructed near Sintra, Portugal, and later became part of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Completion of the Church of the Savior on Spilled BloodThe Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood was completed in 1907 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is a Russian Orthodox church built on the site where Emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded, commemorating his spilled blood.
Rembrandt House Opens as MuseumThe Rembrandt House Museum opened to the public in a former residence in central Amsterdam that had been occupied by the Dutch painter Rembrandt in the 17th century as his home, studio, and art dealership.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: 14:43, 17 October 2006 / CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗
Central & South America
Banana WarsBetween 1898 and 1934, the United States carried out a series of military occupations, police actions, and interventions in Central America and the Caribbean. These operations were primarily conducted by the United States Marine Corps, which compiled the Small Wars Manual (1921) based on its experiences.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: A. R. Harrison, United States Marine Corps / Public domain ↗
Santa María School massacreOn December 21, 1907, the Chilean Army massacred striking nitrate workers and their families in Iquique, with an estimated death toll exceeding 2,000. The official government figure acknowledged only 126 deaths. Occurring during the peak of the nitrate mining era, the strike was crushed, and the workers' movement was suppressed for over a decade. The incident was officially suppressed for decades until a highly publicized centenary commemoration in 2007, including a national day of mourning and reinterment of victims' remains.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
Construction of the Madeira-Mamoré Railroad beginsIn 1907, the Madeira-Mamoré Railroad began construction in the Brazilian Amazon. The railroad was intended to connect Porto Velho and Guajará-Mirim, spanning 366 km, bypassing rapids on the Madeira and Mamoré rivers. Built during the rubber boom, it earned the nickname 'Devil's Railroad' as thousands of workers perished from tropical diseases and violence.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: José Rosael/HélioNobre/Museu Paulista da USP / Public domain ↗
West Asia
Iranian Constitutional Revolution (1905–1911)A political movement from 1905 to 1911 in Persia that sought to replace the absolute rule of the Qajar shahs with a constitutional monarchy. The revolution was short-lived but resulted in the creation of a constitution and a parliament, driven by widespread discontent among various social groups.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
- Persian Constitutional Revolution
The Persian Constitutional Revolution was a revolution that took place between 1905 and 1911 in Persia under the Qajar dynasty, leading to the establishment of a parliament. It has been described as an epoch-making episode in the modern history of Persia.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
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 ↗
Maji Maji RebellionAn armed rebellion against German colonial rule broke out in German East Africa from 1905 to 1907, triggered by forced cotton cultivation policies. The conflict caused massive deaths, overwhelmingly from famine.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Maximilian Dörrbecker ( Chumwa ) / CC BY-SA 2.5 ↗
East Asia
Establishment of Tongji UniversityIn the early 20th century, Tongji University was established as a comprehensive university in Shanghai. It evolved into a national key university under the Ministry of Education of China.
North Africa
Outbreak of the French conquest of MoroccoIn 1907, France began its conquest of the Sultanate of Morocco by occupying Oujda on 29 March. Subsequent military campaigns led to the Treaty of Fes in 1912, establishing the French protectorate, while pacification operations continued until 1934.
North America
Opening of the Plaza HotelThe Plaza Hotel, a luxury hotel in New York City, opened in the early 20th century. Located in Midtown Manhattan, it faces Grand Army Plaza to the east, from which it takes its name. The hotel has 19 stories, stands 76 meters tall, and spans 120 meters in length.
Around 1907
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.
- Completion of the Taipei Grand Mosque
- Establishment of Women's Suffrage Worldwide
- Establishment of Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
- Construction of Grimeton Longwave Radio Station
- Construction of the Trans-Iranian Railway begins
- Construction of the 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright Begins
- Construction of the Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in 'The Centre of Heaven and Earth'
- Establishment of the Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains