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Progressivism
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Native American Relations
The Battle of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, occurs in the last major battle between United States troops and Indians. Hundreds of Indian men, women, and children are slain, along with twenty-nine soldiers. The 1890 census indicates a population in the United States of 62,979,766, an increase of 25.5% since the 1880 census. Twenty miles east of Columbus, Indiana is now the geographic center of U.S. population. Census returns for the first time use Herman Hollerith's tabulating machine and pun -
Immigration
- Ellis Island, in New York Harbor, opens as the main east coast immigration center, and would remain the initial debarkation point for European immigrants into the United States until its closure in 1954. More than 12 million immigrants would be processed on the island during those years. Ellis Island replaced Castle Garden, in Manhattan, as the New York immigration center.
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Politics
Grover Cleveland returns to the presidency with his victory in the presidential election over incumbent President Benjamin Harrison and People's Party candidate James Weaver. Weaver, who would receive over 1 million votes and 22 Electoral College votes, helped defeat Harrison, who garnered only 145 Electoral College votes to Cleveland's 277. -
Economics
The New York Stock Exchange collapses, starting the financial panic of 1893. It would lead to a four year period of depression. -
Civil Rights
Frederick Douglass, the ex-slave who rose to prominence in national politics as a civil rights advocate and abolitionist during Civil War times died at his home in Washington, D.C. -
Athletics
The first modern Olympic Games is held in Athens, Greece. Thirteen nations participated, including the United States of America. It was held in Panathinaiko Stadium and had originated from an 1894 congress organized by Pierre de Coubertin who established the International Olympic Committee. -
Civil Rights
Plessy versus Ferguson decision by the Supreme Court states that racial segregation is approved under the "separate but equal" doctrine. -
Politics
Republican William McKinley claims victory in the presidential election with a majority of Electoral College voters, 271 selected him over Democratic and People's Party candidate William J. Bryan with 176. -
Gold!
The Klondike Gold Rush begins with the arrival of the first prospectors in Seattle. The Gold Rush would be chronicled beginning eight days later when Jack London sails to the Klondike and writes his tales. A stream of prospectors bound for the Chilcoot Pass and the Klondike gold fields of Alaska, 1898. -
Spanish American War
San Juan, Puerto Rico is bombed by the American navy under the command of Rear Admiral William T. Sampson. Puerto Rico is overtaken by the United States between July 25 with its landing at Guanica Bay and August 12. These acts during the Spanish-American War would ultimately result in Spain deciding in December to cede lands, including Puerto Rico, to the United States. -
Gold
The Gold Standard Act is ratified, placing the United States currency on the gold standard. -
Politics and Population
President William McKinley wins his second term as president, this time with Theodore Roosevelt in the second spot on the ticket, again defeating William J. Bryan by an Electoral Margin of 292 to 155. In the first census of the 20th century, the population of the United States rose to 76,212,168, a 21% increase since 1890. For the first time, all fifty entities that would become the fifty states are included after Hawaii had officially become a territory of the United States on February 22. -
The Platt amendment
The Platt amendment is passed by the United States Congress, which limited the autonomy of Cuba as a condition for American troop withdrawal. Cuba would become a U.S. protectorate on June 12 -
Innovation
The island of Cuba gains independence from the United States. Willis Haviland Carrier, a native of Angola, New York, invents the air conditioner. He would patent the device on February 2, 1906 and his company would air condition such buildings as Madison Square Garden, The U.S Senate and House of Representatives. -
Innovation
Inventors Wilbur and Orville Wright succeed in the first sustained and manned plane flight, taking the heavier-than-air machine through the winds of Kill Devil Hill, North Carolina, and man into an age of flight. The plane, mechanically propelled with a petroleum engine, flew 120 feet in 12 seconds, and later the same day, flew 852 feet in 59 seconds . They would patent the Airplane three years later on May 22, 1906. Photo top right: Orville Wright on the 3rd flight on December 17, 1903 at K -
Pioneers
The Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls is opened by Mary McLeod Bethune in Daytona, Florida. Bethune is regarded as a leading contributor to the education of African-American students in the early 20th century. -
Earthquakes
The San Francisco earthquake was estimated at 7.8 on the Richter scale. Its proximity to the epicenter of the San Andreas Fault and the subsequent fire that followed the quake and aftershocks left 478 reported death, although estimates in the future peg that figure at nearly 3,000. Between $350-$400 million in damages were sustained -
OK!
The Oklahoma Territory and the Indian Territory are combined to form Oklahoma and are admitted into the Union as the 46th state. -
Innovation
The first production Model T was built at the Ford plant in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo bottom of page) Ford auto factory, production of Model T's, 1917 -
Civil Rights
The National Conference of the Negro is conducted, leading to the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, (NAACP).