-
American Statesman and diplomat John Hay announces the Open-Door Policy to promote trade with China. The Open Door Policy stated that all nations, including the United States, could enjoy equal access to the Chinese market. -
1905 history
-
The United States and the United Kingdom sign a treaty for the Panama Canal. President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian Chief of Government Omar Torrijos signed the Panama Canal Treaty and Neutrality Treaty on September 7, 1977. This agreement relinquishes American control over the canal by the year 2000 and guarantees its neutrality. -
The Germany German liner SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse becomes the first ship to send Wireless telegraphy wireless signals to shore. Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse was a German transatlantic ocean liner in service from 1897 to 1914, when it was scuttled in battle. It was the largest ship in the world for a time, and held the Blue Riband until Cunard Line’s Lusitania entered service in 1907. The vessel’s career was relatively uneventful, despite a refit in 1913. -
Filipinos Filipino guerrillas launch a surprise attack on U.S. infantry and begin a Siege of Catubid four-day siege of Catubid, Northern Samar Catubid, Philippines. In the Siege of Catubig, Filipino guerrillas launch a surprise attack against a detachment of American soldiers, and after a four-day siege, Americans evacuate the town of Catubig in Samar. June – General Arthur MacArthur, Jr. proclaims a 90-day amnesty and offers 30 pesos per rifle. -
The United Kingdom annexes the Orange Free State. Orange Free State declared war upon the British and fought alongside its sister Boer republic, the South African Republic, during the Boer War (1899-1902). The British occupied the capital of Bloemfontein in 1900. -
The Reichstag (German Empire) called Reichstag approves a second law that allows the expansion of the German navy. The Second Naval Law was passed which doubled the size of the navy to 38 ships. This law provided for an active navy consisting of 1 flagship, 16 battleships, 8 armored coastal ships, and a force of 9 large and 26 small cruisers to be ready by 1904. -
Boxer Rebellion: The Imperial Chinese Army begins a Siege of the International Legations called 55-day siege of the Beijing Legation Quarter or Legation Quarter in Beijing, China. Siege of the International Legations, engagement of the Boxer Rebellion in China. Placed under siege by Chinese soldiers, the foreign legations in Peking held out for fifty-five days until relieved by an international expeditionary force. -
In Italy, King Umberto I of Italy is assassinated by the Anarchism or anarchist Gaetano Brescia. Italian-American anarchist Gaetano Brescia assassinated Umberto in Monza by shooting him four times. Brescia claimed he wanted to avenge the people killed in Milan during the suppression of the riots of May 1898. -
Philippine–American War: Filipino people Filipinos under Juan Cailles defeat United States Americans under Colonel (United States) Colonel Benjamin F. Cheatham at Mabitac. Filipinos under General Juan Cailles defeated an American force commanded by Colonel Benjamin F. Cheatham, Jr. The Filipinos felt betrayed by the Americans. -
Battle of Leliefontein, a battle during which the Royal Canadian Dragoons win three Victoria Crosses. Three members of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, including Sergeant Holland, Lieutenant Turner, and Lieutenant Cockburn were awarded the Victoria Cross for their actions at Leliefontein. The Royal Canadian Dragoons remains the only Canadian unit where three of its members were awarded the Victoria Cross in a single day. -
The Australian colonies federate. The inefficiency of this system, a growing unity among colonists and a belief that a national government was needed to deal with issues such as trade, defiance and immigration saw popular support for Federation grow. -
Edward VII becomes King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India upon the death of Queen Victoria. Edward VII Edward was 59 when he became King on 22 January 1901, on the death of his mother Queen Victoria. The Coronation was set for 26 June 1902, but only two days beforehand the King was forced to postpone it until 9 August, owing to an attack of appendicitis which required an emergency operation. -
Platt Amendment limits the autonomy of Cuba in exchange for withdrawal of American troops. The Platt Amendment, an amendment to a U.S. army appropriations bill, established the terms under which the United States would end its military occupation of Cuba (which had begun in 1898 during the Spanish-American War) and "leave the government and control of the island of Cuba to its people." -
Assassination of William McKinley. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt assumes office as President of the United States following McKinley's death on September 14. The assassination traumatized and deeply saddened the nation. President Roosevelt took the oath of office at about 3:00 p.m. that afternoon at the Ansley Wilcox House in Buffalo. The oath was administered by U.S. district judge John R. -
Boxer Rebellion defeated by international coalition. They impose heavy financial sanctions on China. The Republic of China was established the following year, bringing an end to more than 2,000 years of imperial dynastic rule. -
Guglielmo Marconi receives the first trans-Atlantic radio signal. At Signal Hill, Guglielmo Marconi and his assistant, George Kemp, confirmed the reception of the first transatlantic radio signals. With a telephone receiver and a wire antenna kept aloft by a kite, they heard Morse code for the letter "S" transmitted from Poldhu, Cornwall. -
Unification of Saudi Arabia begins. On the 17th of Jumada I 1351 AH / September the 19th 1932 AD, a royal decree was issued announcing the unification of the country under the name (The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), starting from Thursday, the 21st of Jumada I 1351 AH / September the 23rd 1932 AD (the first day of Libra). -
Cuba given independence by the United States. Following the defeat of Spain in 1898, the United States remained in Cuba as an occupying power until the Republic of Cuba was formally installed on May 19, 1902. -
Second Boer War ends in British victory. By 1902, the British had crushed the Boer resistance, and on May 31 of that year, the Peace of Vereeniging was signed, ending hostilities. The treaty recognized the British military administration over Transvaal and the Orange Free State, and authorized a general amnesty for Boer forces. -
Arthur Balfour becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Arthur James Balfour was elected to Parliament in 1874 and acted as private secretary to his uncle, Lord Salisbury, leader of the Conservative Party. He was Secretary of State for Scotland, then Chief Secretary for Ireland and leader of the House of Commons before taking over as Prime Minister in 1902. -
Willis Carrier invents the first modern electrical air conditioning unit. On July 17, 1902, Willis Haviland Carrier designed the first modern air-conditioning system, launching an industry that would fundamentally improve the way we live, work and play. Genius can strike anywhere. -
The first teddy bear is invented. In 1902 Richard Steiff, Margarete's nephew, designed a toy bear made of mohair called Bear 55PB. Inspired by American President Theodore Roosevelt, the initially nameless bear received its name Teddy, which is still known today. -
King Alexander I of Serbia and his wife Queen Draga are assassinated in a military coup. Consequently, with opposition to Alexander mounting, the country generally welcomed the coup d'état by the military conspirators who invaded the royal palace and murdered Alexander, Draga, and some members of the court. -
The first Tour de France was held in 1903 – with the aim of selling more newspapers… It was set up and sponsored by French sports paper L'Auto, which hoped a tough new endurance race around the country would capture the public's attention and boost its declining sales figures. It was right. -
Pius X becomes Pope. Pope Leo XIII died and Cardinal Sarto reluctantly accepted the position of Pope after a four-day conclave during which he won 55 out of 60 votes. He chose the name Pius because he said, “As I shall suffer, I shall take the name of those Popes who also suffered.” His coronation took place on August 9, 1903. -
Independence of Panama, the Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty is signed by the United States and Panama. President Theodore Roosevelt therefore supported the cause of Panamanian independence with the Canal in mind. His support paid off, and on November 18, 1903, the United States signed the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, establishing permanent U.S. rights to a Panama Canal Zone that stretched across the isthmus. -
First controlled heavier-than-air flight of the Wright Brothers. After several unsuccessful attempts, on December 17, 1903, at Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville Wright completed the first powered flight of a heavier-than-air aircraft known as the Wright Flyer. The flight lasted just 12 seconds, traveled 120 feet, and reached a top speed of 6.8 miles per hour. -
A Japanese surprise attack on Port Arthur (Lushun) starts the Russo-Japanese War. President Theodore Roosevelt. Armed conflict between Russia and Japan began on this day in 1904 when the Japanese navy launched a surprise attack on Port Arthur and blockaded the Russian Far East fleet in what is now northeast China. -
Entente cordiale signed between Britain and France. Entente Cordiale, (April 8, 1904), Anglo-French agreement that, by settling a number of controversial matters, ended antagonisms between Great Britain and France and paved the way for their diplomatic cooperation against German pressures in the decade preceding World War I (1914–18). -
Trans-Siberian railway is completed. It was finished in 1916. The original train with its marble-tiled bathrooms, a grand piano in the music room, a library and a gym, as well as caviar and sturgeon in the first-class dining room, proceeded at a stately 20mph or so and took nearly four weeks for the journey. -
The Revolution of 1905 in Russia erupted because of the Bloody Sunday massacre of protesters that took place in January 1905 in St. Petersburg. It sparked a spate of civil unrest in the Russian Empire. -
The First Moroccan Crisis begins, going until May 1906 because Germany wanted to challenge France's growing control over Morocco, aggravating France and Great Britain. -
The Norwegian Parliament declares the union with Sweden dissolved, and Norway achieves full independence. Norway refused to accept the treaty and declared independence. -
The Russo-Japanese War ended in Japanese victory because the Japanese superiority in the sea. The Japanese ships were superior in speed and armament, and, in the course of the two-day battle, two-thirds of the Russian fleet was sunk. -
Albert Einstein's formulation of special relativity. Special relativity is an explanation of how speed affects mass, time and space. -
The British Indian Province of Bengal, partitioned by the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, despite strong
opposition. Curzon planned to split Orissa and Bihar and join fifteen eastern districts of Bengal with Assam. The eastern province held a population of 31 million, most of which was Muslim, with its Centre at Dhaka. -
Liberal Henry Campbell-Bannerman becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. After Balfour's resignation in 1905, Campbell-Bannerman was appointed Prime Minister and his government became known for being strong and efficient. The Liberals went on to win the 1906 election. -
An earthquake in San Francisco, California, magnitude 7.9, kills 3,000. The quake and resulting fire were one of the worst natural disasters in California. The death toll is estimated at over 3,000 people. After the earthquake, about 200,000 people were left homeless. -
Alfred Dreyfus is exonerated and reinstated as a major in the French Army; the Dreyfus Affair ends. In 1906, Dreyfus was exonerated. After being reinstated as a major in the French Army, he served during the whole of World War I, ending his service with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He died in 1935. -
An earthquake in Valparaíso, Chile, magnitude 8.2, kills 20,000. Officials said four of those whose deaths were blamed on the quake late Tuesday that triggered landslides, power outages, and a tsunami suffered heart attacks, while two others were crushed. -
The US begins the Second Occupation of Cuba. The U.S. intervention in Cuba in 1906, commonly referred to as the Second Intervention, began on September 28, 1906 with the resignation of the Cuban president and his cabinet and ended on January 28, 1909 when the U.S. relinquished control of the state to its newly elected president. -
Brazilian inventor Alberto Santos-Dumont takes off and flies his 14-bis to a crowd in Paris. While some remained skeptical of the reported achievements of the Wright Brothers, which were conducted in secrecy away from the public eye, the success of the flamboyant Santos-Dumont was plain for all to see on October 23, 1906, when his 14-bis biplane flew about 200 feet at a height of around 15 feet before a large. -
The Muslim League is formed by Nawab Salimullah Khan of Dacca. Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah Bahadur KCSI GCIE (7 June 1871 – 16 January 1915) was the fourth Nawab of Dhaka and one of the leading Muslim politicians during the British rule in India. On 30 December 1906, the All-India Muslim League was officially founded at the educational conference held in Dhaka. -
Elections to the new Parliament of Finland are the first in the world with woman candidates, as well as the first elections in Europe where universal suffrage is applied. Parliamentary elections were held in the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland on 15 and 16 March 1907. They were the first parliamentary election in which members were elected to the new Parliament of Finland by universal suffrage and the first in the world in which female members were elected. -
Japan–Korea Treaty of 1907. Negotiations were concluded on July 24, 1907. The treaty provided that Korea should act under the guidance of a Japanese resident general. The effect of the treaty's provisions was that the administration of internal affairs was turned over to Japan. -
Liberal H. H. Asquith becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In 1908 he became Prime Minister following the resignation of Henry Campbell-Bannerman. Asquith took on the House of Lords, which often blocked reforming Liberal bills, preventing them becoming law. -
First commercial Middle-Eastern oilfield established, at Masjed Soleyman in southwest Persia. Oil was discovered at Masjed Soleymān in 1908, and the town early became one of Iran's leading oil centres. Pipelines, built in 1909–10, link the town with Abadan, 125 miles (200 km) southwest. -
The Tunguska impact devastates thousands of square kilometres of Siberia. After the blast, 1287 square kilometres of forest were flattened, with 80,000,000 trees felled - clearing an area larger than London. The trees fell away from the blast centre, lying in a radial position. The impact was heard up to 1000 km away, while seismic shockwaves were even registered as far away as England. -
Young Turk Revolution in the Ottoman Empire. They led a rebellion against the absolute rule of Sultan Abdulhamid II ( r. 1876–1909) in the 1908 Young Turk Revolution. With this revolution, the Young Turks helped to establish the Second Constitutional Era in the same year, ushering in an era of multi-party democracy for the first time in the country's history. -
Founding of the Bureau of Investigation (BOI) It had been founded by Teddy Roosevelt in 1908 to investigate corruption in government. By the time Hoover took over, the range of federal interests in crime had grown, but agents were still required by law to report suspects to local or state law enforcement officials. -
The Ford Motor Company invents the Model T. The Model T was introduced to the world in 1908. Henry Ford wanted the Model T to be affordable, simple to operate, and durable. -
Independence of Bulgaria. Bulgaria became independent of the Ottoman Empire on October 5, 1908, after which its reigning Prince, Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg, proclaimed himself Tsar. -
Pu Yi, the last Emperor of China, assumes the throne. Emperor of China (1908–1912) Chosen by Empress Dowager Cixi, Puyi became emperor at the age of 2 years and 10 months in December 1908 after the Guangxu Emperor, Puyi's half-uncle, died childless on 14 November. -
The 1908 Messina earthquake in southern Italy, magnitude 7.1, kills 70,000 people. The earthquake almost levelled Messina. At least 91% of structures in Messina were destroyed or irreparably damaged and 75,000 people were killed in the city and suburbs. Reggio Calabria and other locations in Calabria also suffered heavy damage, with some 25,000 people killed. -
William Howard Taft is inaugurated as President of the United States; deep divisions in his Republican Party over tariffs. The Republican Party had made the high tariff the central plank of their economic policy since the end of the Civil War, but Taft and some other Republicans had come to believe that the Dingley Act had set the rates too high. -
Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 signed (effective on July 9). Bangkok Treaty signed on March 10, 1909, with ratifications exchanged in London on July 9, 1909. (Great Britain, Foreign Office, Treaty Series 1909, No. 19, Command 4703, London.) The Treaty formally ceded the four southern Malay states under Siamese suzerainty to the protection of Great Britain. -
Indian Councils Act passed. The Indian Councils Act of 1861 transformed the viceroy's Executive Council into a miniature cabinet run on the portfolio system, and each of the five ordinary members was placed in charge of a distinct department of Calcutta's government—home, revenue, military, finance, and law. -
Robert E. Peary claims to have reached the North Pole though the claim is subsequently heavily contested. Frederick A. Cook challenged their distinction of being the first to reach the North Pole. A former associate of Peary, Cook claimed he had already reached the pole by dogsled the previous year. A major controversy followed, and in 1911 the U.S. Congress formally recognized Peary's claim. -
A countercoup fails in the Ottoman Empire. The failure of the counter-coup allowed the Committee of Union and Progress to regain power and form a new government. As a result of this incident, the position of the Grand Vizier changed, with Ahmet Tevfik Pasha assuming the role. -
A revolution forces Mohammad Ali Shah, Persian Shah of the Qajar dynasty to abdicate in favor of his son Ahmad Shah Qajar. On 16 July 1909, the parliament voted to place Mohammad Ali Shah's 11-year-old son, Ahmad Shah on the throne. Mohammad Ali Shah abdicated following the new Constitutional Revolution and he has since been remembered as a symbol of dictatorship. -
Boy Scouts of America is founded. As a result, William Boyce incorporated the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910. He also created the Lone Scouts, which merged with the Boy Scouts of America in 1924. James E. West was appointed the first Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America in 1911. -
George V becomes King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India upon the death of Edward VII. When Queen Victoria died in 1901, George's father ascended the throne as Edward VII, and George was created Prince of Wales. He became king-emperor on his father's death in 1910. -
Union of South Africa created. On May 31, 1910, four colonies were joined together to create the Union of South Africa, a self-governing Dominion in the British Empire. While the new nation was sovereign when it came to its domestic affairs, the United Kingdom maintained control over its relations with the wider world. -
Kingdom of Montenegro is proclaimed independent. Following the dissolution of the Federation of Yugoslavia in 1989, Montenegro had been part of Yugoslavia's successor state (named the State Union of Serbia & Montenegro in 2003) until declaring independence on June 3, 2006. -
Imperial Japan annexes Korea. Japan effectively annexed Korea with the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910 signed by Ye Wanyong, Prime Minister of Korea, and Terauchi Masatake, who became the first Japanese Governor-General of Korea. The treaty became effective the same day and was published one week later. -
The 5 October 1910 revolution in Portugal and proclamation of the First Portuguese Republic. The 5 October 1910 revolution was the overthrow of the centuries-old Portuguese monarchy and its replacement by the First Portuguese Republic. It was the result of a coup d'état organized by the Portuguese Republican Party. -
Beginning of the Mexican Revolution (Plan of San Luis Potosí). According to his plan, he would establish democracy throughout the country, contracts and government transactions previously made would be respected, government would transparent and accountable, and the economy would favor Mexican enterprises instead of foreign businesses. -
Eugene B. Ely lands on the deck of the USS Pennsylvania stationed in San Francisco harbor, marking the first time an aircraft lands on a ship. Ely piloting his Curtiss Model D biplane for an imminent landing on platform constructed (note sandbags on either side of platform) on the stern of US Navy ship USS Pennsylvania (Armored Cruiser # 4, later CA-4), anchored in San Francisco Bay, California on January 18, 1911. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City results in the deaths of 146 workers and leads to sweeping workplace safety reforms.Workers in the factory, many of whom were young women recently arrived from Europe, had little time or opportunity to escape. The rapidly spreading fire killed 146 workers. The building had only one fire escape, which collapsed during the rescue effort. Long tables and bulky machines trapped many of the victims. -
The Italo-Turkish war which led to the capture of Libya by Italy, begins. Nine days later, the Italian ambassador in Istanbul gave an ultimatum to the Ottoman government: Libya had to be ceded to the Kingdom of Italy in 24 hours. The Turks did not respond in time to the ultimatum and on 29 September 1911, the war began. Armies of the Italian-Turkish War is out today! -
Xinhai Revolution, which overthrew the Qing dynasty of China, begins. In October of 1911, a group of revolutionaries in southern China led a successful revolt against the Qing Dynasty, establishing in its place the Republic of China and ending the imperial system. -
Swiss race car driver and automotive engineer Louis Chevrolet co-founds the Chevrolet Motor Company in Detroit with his brother Arthur Chevrolet, William C. Durant and others. It was founded by Swiss race car driver and automotive engineer Louis Chevrolet with his brother Arthur Chevrolet, William C. Durant and investment partners William Little (maker of the Little automobile), former Buick owner James H. Whiting, Edwin R. Campbell (son-in-law of Durant) and in 1912 R. S. -
New Delhi becomes the capital of British India. On 12th December, 1911, at the historic Delhi Durbar, the George V, the Emperor of the British Empire proclaimed the shifting of the capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi. After announcement of Delhi as the Capital of India, the preparation for the building a new city started with majesty, pomp and show. -
Roald Amundsen first reaches the South Pole. At around 3pm on 14 December 1911, Amundsen raised the flag of Norway at the South Pole. He had reached the Pole a full 33 days before Captain Scott arrived. -
The African National Congress is founded. ohn Dube, the founding President of the SANNC. The organisation was founded as the South African Native National Congress (SANNC) in Bloemfontein on 8 January 1912, in the aftermath of the foundation of the Union of South Africa and not long before the passage of the Natives Land Act. -
End of the Chinese Empire. Republic of China established. In October of 1911, a group of revolutionaries in southern China led a successful revolt against the Qing Dynasty, establishing in its place the Republic of China and ending the imperial system. -
Arizona becomes the last state to be admitted to the continental Union. New Mexico and Arizona were admitted to the union in 1912, after a long delay; Arizona was the last contiguous state to join the United States. Arizona's history extends back to 10,000 BCE with the prehistoric residents of the land mass; the Anasazi settled in Four Corners ca. 1200 BCE. -
Morocco becomes a protectorate of France. Crisis (March 30, 1912-August 18, 1955): France established a protectorate over Morocco as a result of the signing of the Treaty of Fez on March 30, 1912. -
Sinking of the RMS Titanic. RMS Titanic sank in the early morning hours of 15 April 1912 in the North Atlantic Ocean, four days into her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. -
Emperor Meiji dies, ending the Meiji Era; his son, the Emperor Taishō, becomes Emperor of Japan. Japan had developed within less than 30 years from a feudal country into the preeminent Asian power. On July 30 of 1912, Emperor Meiji died. His son Yoshihito followed his father to the throne. With him the Meiji era ended officially and the Taisho era began. -
The Kuomintang, the Chinese nationalist party, is founded. Founded in 1912 by Sun Yat-sen, the KMT helped topple the Qing dynasty and promoted modernization along Western lines. The party played a significant part in the first Chinese first National Assembly where it was the majority party. However the KMT failed to achieve complete control. -
The First Balkan War begins. The first Balkan War began when Serbia and Greece with the support of Montenegro, Bulgaria formed the Balkan League and declared war against the Ottoman Empire in October of 1912. The Ottoman Empire at the time had its greatest power base in the country of Turkey. -
In the 1913 Ottoman coup d'état, Ismail Enver comes to power. The 1913 Ottoman coup d'état (January 23, 1913), also known as the Raid on the Sublime Porte (Turkish: Bâb-ı Âlî Baskını), was a coup d'état carried out in the Ottoman Empire by a number of Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) members led by Ismail Enver Bey and Mehmed Talaat Bey, in which the group made a surprise. -
La Decena Trágica in Mexico City. "The Decena Trágica is the best-known episode of Madero's life and movement." It instigated a new phase of the Mexican Revolution. The ten days of violence, the aim was to "create the illusion of chaos necessary to induce Madero to step down" from the presidency. -
Woodrow Wilson is inaugurated as President of the United States. The first inauguration of Woodrow Wilson as the 28th president of the United States was held on Tuesday, March 4, 1913, at the East Portico of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. This was the 32nd inauguration and marked the commencement of the first four-year term of Woodrow Wilson as president and Thomas R. -
Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring infamously premiers in Paris. The work's premiere on May 29, 1913, at the Théatre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, was scandalous. In addition to the outrageous costumes, unusual choreography and bizarre story of pagan sacrifice, Stravinsky's musical innovations tested the patience of the audience to the fullest. -
Treaty of London. Treaty of London, (April 26, 1915) secret treaty between neutral Italy and the Allied forces of France, Britain, and Russia to bring Italy into World War I. The Allies wanted Italy's participation because of its border with Austria. -
Treaty of Bucharest. Treaty of Bucharest, settlement, signed on Aug. 10, 1913, that ended the Second Balkan War (1913), in which Bulgaria was defeated by the combined forces of Serbia, Greece, and Romania. -
Ford Motor Company introduces the first moving assembly line. The Ford Motor Company team decided to try to implement the moving assembly line in the automobile manufacturing process. After much trial and error, in 1913 Henry Ford and his employees successfully began using this innovation at our Highland Park assembly plant. -
The Federal Reserve System is created. The Federal Reserve System is the central bank of the United States. Founded by an act of Congress in 1913, the Federal Reserve's primary purpose was to enhance the stability of the American banking system.