1872 CE

Filipino priests José Burgos, Mariano Gomez and Jacinto Zamora, collectively known as Gomburza, are executed in Bagumbayan Fields, Manila, Philippines by the authorities of New Spain, on charges of subversion arising from the 1872 Cavite mutiny. Reconstruction: President Ulysses S. Grant signs the Amnesty Act of 1872 into law restoring full civil rights to all but about 500 Confederate sympathizers. Convention with The Netherlands for building water defences on the Zwin signed in Bruges.

In the 1870s, the 19th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • January 9 - In the aftermath of the Paraguayan War, the new government of Paraguay makes peace with Brazil, granting reparations and territorial concessions.Brazilsource
  • 19 February – The Municipal District of Dubbo is established, following the approval of the Colonial Secretary.Australiasource
  • May 10 – Victoria Woodhull becomes the first woman nominated for President of the United States, although she is a year too young to qualify and does not appear on the ballot.source
  • May 15 – The New Zealand Wars end after 17 years, with the conclusion of Te Kooti's War; Maori spiritual leader Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuk crosses the Waikato River, and enters the territory of the Māori King Tāwhiao, where he is granted asylum.source
  • May 22 – Reconstruction: U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signs the Amnesty Act of 1872 into law, restoring full civil rights to all but about 500 Confederate sympathizers.source
  • May 22 – Reconstruction: President Ulysses S. Grant signs the Amnesty Act of 1872 into law restoring full civil rights to all but about 500 Confederate sympathizers.United Statessource
  • July 1 – Thomas François Burgers becomes State President of the South African Republic.source
  • 23 October – Extradition treaty with the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg signed in The Hague.Belgiumsource
  • October 31 – Oliver Mowat becomes Premier of Ontario replaces the retiring Edward Blake.Canadasource
  • November 5 – 1872 United States presidential election: Ulysses S. Grant defeats Horace Greeley.source
  • November 30 – The first international Association football match to be recognised (retrospectively) by FIFA as "official" takes place at Hamilton Crescent, Scotland; the result is Scotland 0-0 England. Earlier international football matches have already taken place in 1870, in 1871 and again in 1872 at the Oval, London.source
  • December 1 – Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada becomes constitutional President of Mexico.source
  • December 1 – Responsible government is granted to the Cape of Good Hope and the British Governor's powers are significantly curtailed.South Africasource
  • December 9 – In Louisiana, P. B. S. Pinchback becomes the first African-American to govern a U.S. state.source
  • The Ryukyu Domain is created when the emperor changes the title of Shō Tai, the Ryukyu Kingdom's monarch (Ryūkyū-koku-ō), to that of a domain head (Ryūkyū-han-ō). The former Ryukyu Kingdom thus becomes a han.Japansource
  • New Zealand Derby winner – CulumnyNew Zealandsource

Conflict & Security

  • January 20 – The Cavite mutiny was an uprising of Filipino military personnel of Fort San Felipe, the Spanish arsenal in Cavite, Philippine Islands.source
  • May 14 – The Battle of Mañaria, near Bilbao, Spain during the Third Carlist War (1872–1876).source
  • September 1 – A group of Icaiche Maya under Marcos Canul attack the British garrison at Orange Walk Town in British Honduras.source
  • 1 September – a group of Icaiche Maya under Marcos Canul attack Orange Walk Town in British Honduras as part of the Caste War of Yucatán. British troops are sent against them.United Kingdomsource
  • 16 November – London Metropolitan Police strike.United Kingdomsource
  • November 29 – American Indian Wars: The Modoc War begins with the Battle of Lost River.source
  • November 29 – Indian Wars: The Modoc War begins with the Battle of Lost River.United Statessource
  • 10 December – Henri Guillaume resigns as Minister of War after failing to get the government to adopt a policy of personal military service.Belgiumsource

Exploration & Expansion

  • March 1 – In the United States, Yellowstone National Park (once dubbed "Colter's Hell" after John Colter, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition) is established as the world's first national park.source
  • July 19 – Explorer William Gosse reaches Uluru in central Australia and names it Ayers Rock.source
  • September 17 – Shiseido Pharmacy Shop, predecessor of Shiseido, a major worldwide cosmetics brand, is founded in Ginza, Tokyo, Japan.source
  • November 7 – The Mary Celeste sets sail from New York; bound for Genoa, Italy.source
  • November 7 – The Mary Celeste sets sail from New York, bound for Genoa.United Statessource
  • December 4 – The now-crewless American ship Mary Celeste is found (still seaworthy) by the British brig Dei Gratia in the Atlantic.source
  • December 4 – The crewless American-owned ship Mary Celeste is found by the British brig Dei Gratia in the Atlantic.United Statessource
  • December 21 – Challenger expedition: HMS Challenger sails from Portsmouth, England, on the 4-year scientific expedition that lays the foundation for the science of oceanography.source
  • 21 December – the Challenger expedition sails from Portsmouth on the four year scientific expedition that will lay the foundation for the science of oceanography.United Kingdomsource
  • The first Marist Brothers travel to Australia.source
  • S. T. Dupont begins the manufacture of luxury leather goods in France.source
  • An award of arbitration sets the final boundary between Canada and the United States in the Gulf of Georgia and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, ending the San Juan boundary dispute.Canadasource
  • Aventures de trois Russes et de trois Anglais dans l'Afrique australeFrancesource
  • S. T. Dupont begins manufacture of luxury leather goods.Francesource
  • Hans Westfal-Larsen, ship-ownerNorwaysource
  • The Wheeler Survey of the southwestern U.S., 1872–1879United Statessource

Religion & Belief

  • January 12 – Yohannes IV is crowned Emperor of Ethiopia in Axum, the first ruler crowned in that city in over 500 years.source
  • 4 July – Jesuits Law is promulgatedGermanysource
  • September 26 – The first Shriners Temple (called Mecca) is established in New York City.source
  • 15 November – Maredsous Abbey foundedBelgiumsource
  • December 3 – Assyriologist George Smith presents the first translation of the Epic of Gilgamesh, to a meeting of the Society of Biblical Archaeology in London.source
  • Alphonse Daudet - Tartarin de TarasconFrancesource
  • Jules Massenet - Don César de BazanFrancesource
  • Gustave Doré - Le Christ quittant le prétoireFrancesource
  • The Shetland Times is first published in LerwickScotlandsource
  • First known publication of spiritual "The Gospel Train", by Fisk Jubilee Singers.United Statessource
  • Thomas Thomas — Hynodion Hen Bregethwyr CymruWalessource

Economy & Finance

  • April – Japan introduces its first modern paper currency (designed by Italian engraver Edoardo Chiossone) in the form of Meiji Tsuho notes. These are initially worth up to 1 yen before higher denominations are printed/released in June and August.source
  • June 14 – Trade unions are legalised in Canada.source
  • July 1 – Schenker, predecessor of DB Schenker, the worldwide logistics and freight operator, is founded in Vienna, Austria.source
  • September 4 – The New York Sun breaks the story on the Crédit Mobilier of America scandalUnited Statessource
  • November 12 – Dresdner Bank is founded in Dresden, Germany.source
  • 12 November – Dresdner Bank is foundedGermanysource
  • November 22 – "Spitzeder Swindle": Adele Spitzeder's pioneering Ponzi scheme in Munich collapses.source
  • Kimberly, Clark and Co. is founded in Neenah, Wisconsin, by John A. Kimberly, Charles B. Clark, Havilah Babcock and Franklyn C. Shattuck.source
  • Simpson's chain of stores founded.Canadasource
  • date unknown - The shipping company CSAV is founded.Chilesource
  • Fritz Hansen, a furniture design company, is founded.Denmarksource
  • Chargeurs established as a shipping company.Francesource
  • National income - ₹3,376 millionIndiasource
  • Olav Kavli, businessperson and cheese scientistNorwaysource

Technology & Infrastructure

  • March 5 – George Westinghouse receives a United States patent for the "failsafe" automatic railway air brake.source
  • 24 May – Convention with The Netherlands for building water defences on the Zwin signed in Bruges.Belgiumsource
  • August 22 – The Australian Overland Telegraph Line is completed, providing a telegraphic link between Australia and the rest of the world for the first time.source
  • 22 August – The Australian Overland Telegraph Line is completed when two telegraph lines are joined at Frew's Ponds in the Northern Territory (then South Australia).Australiasource
  • August – Aaron Montgomery Ward issues the first Montgomery Ward mail order catalogue from Chicago.United Statessource
  • 7 October – The railway line Drammenbanen between Oslo and Drammen is opened.Norwaysource
  • December 1 – Responsible government is granted to Cape Colony (South Africa). Sir John Molteno, first Prime Minister of the Cape of Good Hope, forms the first Cape Cabinet which immediately plans to establish Cape Government Railways and take over the operation of all private railways in the Colony.source
  • The Cape Government Railways is established under Cape Act 10 and takes over the operation of all private railways in the Colony, consisting of altogether 63 mi 26 ch of track from Cape Town via Stellenbosch to Wellington and from Salt River to Wynberg.South Africasource
  • date unknown - The Argentine government awards the concession for the Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway to John E. Clark for the construction of a railway from Buenos Aires to Chile.Argentinasource
  • Elijah McCoy, born in Colchester, Ontario, invents the first of his many devices to oil engines used on trains and in factories.Canadasource
  • Tomioka silk mill, Japan's first modern model silk reeling factory, is established by the government.Japansource

Science & Discovery

  • February 4 – A great solar flare, and associated geomagnetic storm, makes northern lights visible as far south as Cuba.source
  • May 4 – The magazine Popular Science is first published in the United States.source
  • 17 November – Edvard Engelsaas, speed skater and world championNorwaysource
  • November 27 – A meteor shower display of Andromedids is seen over France.source
  • 27 November - Meteor shower display over France.Francesource
  • November 28 – Geologist Clarence King uncovers the diamond hoax in Wyoming in The New York Times.United Statessource
  • 12 December – The central battery ironclad Odin is launched from the Naval Dockyard in Copenhagen.Denmarksource
  • 12 December – a meteorite strikes Earth near Banbury.United Kingdomsource
  • Richard Dedekind publishes Stetigkeit und irrationale Zahlen, a theory of irrational numbers.Germanysource
  • Polyvinyl chloride is accidentally synthesised by German chemist Eugen Baumann.Germanysource
  • New Zealand Cup winner – DetractorNew Zealandsource

Health & Medicine

  • February 22 – The Prohibition Party holds its first national convention in Columbus, Ohio, nominating James Black as its presidential nominee.source
  • July 4 – The Society of Jesus is pronounced illegal in the German Empire.source
  • 18 August – Licensing Act establishes licences for public houses and limits drinking hours.United Kingdomsource
  • October 1 – The Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College begins its first academic session (the university is later renamed Virginia Tech). The first case is reported in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, of the Great Epizootic of 1872 (equine influenza, or the "horse flu") which will substantially disrupt life in North America by mid-December.source
  • A conscription law, modeled on the French version, is issued.source
  • Universal public schools are called for.source
  • Brazil held its first nationwide census in 1872, having a recorded population of 10 million.Brazilsource
  • A British Columbia law bans all Asian and First Nations peoples from voting.Canadasource
  • Ulster Hospital for Women and Sick Children is opened in Chichester Street, Belfast.Irelandsource
  • Vaccination of babies against smallpox made compulsory by the Public Health Act 1872New Zealandsource
  • First hospital built on the site at Govan (Glasgow) that will become Queen Elizabeth University HospitalScotlandsource

Crime & Justice

  • January 2 – Brigham Young is arrested for allegedly being an accessory to murder.United Statessource
  • 8 February - Viceroy of India, Lord Mayo killed by a prisoner of Cellular Jail, Sher Ali Afridi.Indiasource
  • March 5 – The Tichborne case is decided in London against claimant Arthur Orton (who, as a result, is convicted of perjury in 1874).source
  • April 15 – Ten thousand demonstrate at Queen's Park in support of the striking Toronto printers. The police, prompted by the Masters Printers' Association and its leader, George Brown of the Globe, arrest the entire 24-man strike committee.Canadasource
  • June – American-born painter James McNeill Whistler exhibits Arrangement in Grey and Black: The Artist's Mother, painted the previous year in London, at the Royal Academy summer exhibition.United Kingdomsource
  • November 5 – Women's suffrage: In defiance of the law, American suffragist Susan B. Anthony votes for the first time (on November 18 she is served an arrest warrant, and in the subsequent trial is fined $100, which she never pays).source
  • November 13 – Claude Monet begins painting Impression, Sunrise (Impression, soleil levant, the painting that will give a name to Impressionism) as viewed from his hotel room at Le Havre in France.source
  • 13 November (07:35) (probable date) - Claude Monet begins painting Impression, Sunrise (Impression, soleil levant, the painting that will give a name to Impressionism) as viewed from his hotel room at Le Havre.Francesource
  • Otto Vache is awarded the Thorvaldsen Exhibition Medal for the painting Portrait group of the Ræder family (Portrætgruppe af Familien Ræder).Denmarksource
  • Special Tribunal of the Ruling SenateRussiasource
  • Stocks are used on the last recorded occasion in the UK, at Adpar in Cardiganshire, when a man is imprisoned in them for drunkenness.Walessource

Disasters & Accidents

  • 26 February – The brig Maria is wrecked when it strikes a reef near Cardwell off the coast of Queensland, killing 39 people.Australiasource
  • March 11 – Work begins on the Seven Sisters Colliery in South Wales, located on one of the richest coal sources in Britain.source
  • 18 June — A derailment occurs in the Pencader Tunnel on the Carmarthen & Cardigan Railway.Walessource
  • June 22 – A Grand Trunk Railway express passenger train from Toronto to Montreal derails near Shannonville, Ontario, killing 34.Canadasource
  • 9 July – Tradeston Flour Mills explosion in Glasgow kills 18Scotlandsource
  • 2 October – Kirtlebridge rail crash at Kirtlebridge station on the Caledonian Railway in Dumfries and Galloway: 12 killed in a collisionScotlandsource
  • 7 October – an underground explosion at Morley Main Colliery, Morley, West Yorkshire, kills 34.United Kingdomsource
  • November 9 – Great Boston Fire of 1872: In Boston, Massachusetts, a large fire begins to burn on Lincoln Street (the 2-day disaster destroys about 65 acres of the city, 776 buildings, much of the financial district and causes US$60 million in damage).source
  • November 9 – Great Boston Fire of 1872: In Boston, Massachusetts, a large fire begins to burn on Lincoln Street. The two-day event destroys about 65 acres (260,000 m 2 ) of city, 776 buildings, much of the financial district and causes US$60 million in damage.United Statessource
  • 25 November – loss of the iron sailing ship Royal Adelaide on Chesil Beach: 60 saved, 7 drowned.United Kingdomsource

Climate & Environment

  • March 1 – Yellowstone National Park is established as the world's first national park.United Statessource
  • December – Wick Harbour breakwater is washed away in a stormScotlandsource
  • Gustave Courbet - Nature morte aux fruitsFrancesource
  • John Kibble's conservatory is dismantled at Coulport for re-erection in Glasgow Botanic GardensScotlandsource
  • Exceptionally consistent rain brings the wettest calendar year on record over England and Wales with 1284.9 mm beating previous record from 1768 by 37.6 mm. The nearest approach since has been 2012 with 1244.3 mm and 2000 with 1232.5 mm.United Kingdomsource

Culture & Society

  • February 2 – The government of the United Kingdom buys a number of forts on the Gold Coast, from the Netherlands.source
  • February 13 – Rex, the most famous parade on Mardi Gras, parades for the first time in New Orleans for Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia.source
  • February 20 – The Metropolitan Museum of Art opens in New York City.source
  • March 4 – The Boston Globe is founded in Boston, Massachusetts, as the largest newspaper of the New England region.source
  • March 9 – Alfred B. Miller and Elmer Crockett found the South Bend Tribune newspaper in the United States.source
  • March 16 – 1872 FA Cup Final: In the first ever final of the FA Cup, the world's oldest football competition, Wanderers F.C. defeat Royal Engineers A.F.C. 1–0 at The Oval in Kennington, London.source
  • April 10 – The first Arbor Day is celebrated in Nebraska.source
  • 15 May – Statue of Isabelle Brunelle, sculpted by Guillaume Geefs, unveiled in the garden of the Hospice d'Harscamp, Namur.Belgiumsource
  • May 22 – Georges Bizet's comic opera Djamileh is premièred at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, France.source
  • May – Rangers F.C., founded in March as an Association football club in Glasgow (Scotland) by brothers Moses and Peter McNeil, Peter Campbell and William McBeath, play their first ever game on the public pitches of Glasgow Green, a 0 to 0 draw against Callander.source
  • June 15 – Thomas Hardy anonymously publishes his novel Under the Greenwood Tree in England.source
  • July 4 – Tsukuba University is founded in Japan, as a teacher training college.source
  • July 15 – Hochi Mail News, later Hochi Daily News, a Japanese language newspaper, is first published in Tokyo, although it changes coverage from general news to a sports newspaper from December 1949.source
  • September 18 – Upon the death of King Charles XV and IV of Sweden-Norway, he is succeeded as King of both crowns by his brother Oscar II.source
  • 5 October: The Poverty Bay Standard begins publishing as a weekly newspaper in the Gisborne area. It increased its frequency over the next two years to become tri-weekly. It was later called the Gisborne Standard.New Zealandsource
  • October 15 – Tongzhi, The 8th Emperor of the Qing dynasty marries Lady Alute (Empress Jiashun)source
  • October 16 – University College Wales (later to become Aberystwyth University) begins its first academic session.source
  • November 11 – U.S. government geologist Clarence King reveals the diamond hoax in Wyoming.source
  • November 16 – The first ever Metropolitan Police strike in London.source
  • 20 November − Eymundsson, Iceland's oldest bookstore is established.Icelandsource
  • December 14 – President Ulysses S. Grant establishes the San Carlos Apache Reservation, in southeastern Arizona.source
  • Essendon Football Club is founded in Melbourne, Australia.source
  • The Kolozsvári Egyetem, predecessor of the University of Szeged, is founded.source
  • Summer: Swedish teacher, scholar, folklorist and museum director Artur Hazelius begins the Scandinavian-etnographic collection, which becomes the foundation to the Nordic Museum and Skansen open-air museum in Stockholm.source
  • The Quack wins the Melbourne CupAustraliasource
  • date unknown - Recaredo Santos Tornero published in Paris Chile Ilustrado. First illustrated album of the country.Chilesource
  • Ludwig Boltzmann states the Boltzmann equation for the temporal development of distribution functions in phase space, and publishes his H-theorem.Germanysource
  • The Imperial Library is established.Japansource
  • Moscow State Pedagogical UniversityRussiasource

Births

Deaths

  • January 9 – Henry Halleck, American general (born 1815)source
  • February 17 – Filipino priests José Burgos, Mariano Gomez and Jacinto Zamora, collectively known as Gomburza, are executed in Bagumbayan Fields, Manila, Philippines by the authorities of New Spain, on charges of subversion arising from the 1872 Cavite mutiny.source
  • March 20 – William Wentworth, Australian explorer (born 1790)source
  • March 26 – The 7.4–7.9 Mw Lone Pine earthquake shakes eastern California, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme); 27 people are killed and 56 injured.source
  • March 28 - Nambu Nobuyuki, 9th and final daimyō of Hachinohe Domain (born 1814)Japansource
  • April 1 – Frederick Maurice, English theologian (born 1805)source
  • April 2 – Samuel Morse, American inventor (born 1791)source
  • 4 May - Manuel García Banqueda (born 1803)Chilesource
  • June 4 – Johan Rudolph Thorbecke, Dutch politician (born 1798)source
  • June 22 - Rudecindo Alvarado, military leader (born 1792)Argentinasource
  • July 18 – Mexican President Benito Juarez dies of a heart attack, and Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada becomes interim president.source
  • July 18 – Benito Juárez, President of Mexico (1858-1872), of a heart attack (born 1806)source
  • October 10 – William H. Seward, 24th United States Secretary of State (born 1801)source
  • November 6 – George Meade, American Civil War general (born 1815)source
  • November 27 – Agustín Morales (shot and killed by nephew Frederico Lafaye)Boliviasource
  • November 28 – Mary Somerville, British mathematician (born 1780)source
  • November 29 – Horace Greeley, American newspaper editor, Democratic presidential candidate (born 1811)source
  • November 29 – Horace Greeley, President Ulysses S. Grant's opponent in this year's U.S. presidential election, dies. His electoral votes are divided among several candidates.source