The 1880s

1881 145 years ago

The painted ceilings of the Natural History Museum, London, were unveiled when the building opened its doors to the publ

A pair of decorated ceilings in the main Central Hall and smaller North Hall of the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, London, were unveiled at the building's opening in 1…

The painted ceilings of the Natural History Museum, London, were unveiled when the building opened its doors to the publ

1881 145 years ago

Under threat of invasion, Muhammad III as-Sadiq, Bey of Tunis, signed the Treaty of Bardo to make Tunisia a French prote

The French conquest of Tunisia occurred in two phases in 1881: the first consisting of the invasion and securing of the country before the signing of a treaty of protection, and th…

Under threat of invasion, Muhammad III as-Sadiq, Bey of Tunis, signed the Treaty of Bardo to make Tunisia a French prote

1881 145 years ago

The Jeannette expedition to reach the North Pole from the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait came to an end when the US

The Jeannette expedition of 1879–1881, officially called the U.S. Arctic Expedition, was an attempt led by George W. De Long to reach the North Pole by pioneering a route from the …

The Jeannette expedition to reach the North Pole from the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait came to an end when the US

1881 145 years ago

U.S. president James A. Garfield (pictured) was fatally shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Baltimore and Potomac…

James Abram Garfield was the 20th president of the United States, serving from March 1881 until his death in September that year after being shot in July. A preacher, lawyer, and C…

U.S. president James A. Garfield (pictured) was fatally shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Baltimore and Potomac…

1881 145 years ago

While on the run from a death sentence, American outlaw Billy the Kid was shot and killed by Sherriff Pat Garrett in…

Henry McCarty, alias William H. Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid, was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West who was linked to nine murders. He was solely responsib…

While on the run from a death sentence, American outlaw Billy the Kid was shot and killed by Sherriff Pat Garrett in…

1880

Seven people are killed in the Mussel Slough Tragedy, a gun battle in California

The Mussel Slough Tragedy was a shootout over disputed land titles between settlers and the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP). It took place on May 11, 1880, on a farm located 5.6 mil…

Seven people are killed in the Mussel Slough Tragedy, a gun battle in California

1880

War of the Pacific: The Battle of Arica, the assault and capture of Morro de Arica (Arica Cape), ends the Campaña del De

The War of the Pacific, also known by multiple other names, was a war between Chile and a Bolivian–Peruvian alliance from 1879 to 1884. Fought over Chilean claims on coastal Bolivi…

War of the Pacific: The Battle of Arica, the assault and capture of Morro de Arica (Arica Cape), ends the Campaña del De

1880

First performance of O Canada at the Congrès national des Canadiens-Français

"O Canada" is the national anthem of Canada. The song was originally commissioned by Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Théodore Robitaille for the 1880 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony…

First performance of O Canada at the Congrès national des Canadiens-Français

1880

Australian bushranger Ned Kelly is captured at Glenrowan

Bushrangers were armed robbers and outlaws who resided in the Australian bush between the 1780s and the early 20th century. The original use of the term dates back to the early yea…

Australian bushranger Ned Kelly is captured at Glenrowan

1880

France annexes Tahiti, renaming the independent Kingdom of Tahiti as "Etablissements de français de l'Océanie"

Tahiti is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France. It is a tropical island located in the central pa…

France annexes Tahiti, renaming the independent Kingdom of Tahiti as "Etablissements de français de l'Océanie"

1880

Abdur Rahman is proclaimed emir after having been accepted as ruler by the British.

Abdur Rahman Khan Barakzai, also known by his epithet as the Iron Emir, was Emir of Afghanistan from 11 August 1880 until his death on 1 October 1901. He is known for uniting the c…

Abdur Rahman is proclaimed emir after having been accepted as ruler by the British.

1880

Sam Crawford, American baseball player, coach, and umpire (died 1968)

Samuel Earl Crawford, nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Crawford batted and threw left-handed, stood 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) tall and wei…

Sam Crawford, American baseball player, coach, and umpire (died 1968)

1880

Michel Fokine, Russian dancer and choreographer (died 1942)

Michael Fokine was a Russian choreographer and dancer. He is considered the founder of modern ballet.

Michel Fokine, Russian dancer and choreographer (died 1942)

1880

Gideon Sundback, Swedish-American engineer and businessman, developed the zipper (died 1954)

Otto Fredrik Gideon Sundbäck was a Swedish-American electrical engineer, who is most commonly associated with his work in the development of the zipper.

Gideon Sundback, Swedish-American engineer and businessman, developed the zipper (died 1954)

1880

Josef Müller, Croatian entomologist (died 1964)

Josef Müller, also known as Giuseppe Müller, was a Croatian entomologist.

Josef Müller, Croatian entomologist (died 1964)

1880

Mihkel Lüdig, Estonian organist, composer, and conductor (died 1958)

Mihkel Lüdig was an Estonian composer, organist and choir conductor. As a composer, he particularly worked on a cappella choral songs. Lüdig is considered one of the major organise…

Mihkel Lüdig, Estonian organist, composer, and conductor (died 1958)

1880

Second Anglo-Afghan War: Battle of Maiwand: Afghan forces led by Mohammad Ayub Khan defeat the British Army in battle…

The Second Anglo-Afghan War was a military conflict fought between the British Raj and the Emirate of Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the latter was ruled by Sher Ali Khan of t…

Second Anglo-Afghan War: Battle of Maiwand: Afghan forces led by Mohammad Ayub Khan defeat the British Army in battle…

1880

Adolf Chybiński, Polish historian, musicologist and academic (died 1952)

Adolf Chybiński was a Polish musicologist and academic.

Adolf Chybiński, Polish historian, musicologist and academic (died 1952)

1880

Charles Exeter Devereux Crombie, Scottish cartoonist (died 1967)

Charles Exeter Devereux Crombie was an editorial cartoonist.

Charles Exeter Devereux Crombie, Scottish cartoonist (died 1967)

1880

Bill Horr, American football player, discus thrower, and coach (died 1955)

Marquis Franklin "Bill" Horr was an American college football player and coach and Olympic track and field athlete.

Bill Horr, American football player, discus thrower, and coach (died 1955)

1880

Winifred Brunton, English-South African painter and illustrator (died 1959)

Winifred Mabel Brunton née Newberry was a South African painter, illustrator and Egyptologist.

Winifred Brunton, English-South African painter and illustrator (died 1959)

1880

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, German-Swiss painter (died 1938)

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner was a German expressionist painter and printmaker. He was one of the founders of the artists group Die Brücke or "The Bridge", a key group leading to the foun…

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, German-Swiss painter (died 1938)

1880

Pandurang Vaman Kane, Indologist and Sanskrit scholar, Bharat Ratna awardee (died 1972)

Pandurang Vaman Kane was an Indian academic, historian, lawyer, Indologist, and Sanskrit scholar. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award in 1963.

Pandurang Vaman Kane, Indologist and Sanskrit scholar, Bharat Ratna awardee (died 1972)

1880

Lincoln Ellsworth, American explorer (died 1951)

Lincoln Ellsworth was an American polar explorer, engineer, surveyor, and writer. He led the first Arctic and Antarctic air crossings.

Lincoln Ellsworth, American explorer (died 1951)