- February 1
- First auto insurance policy in US issued, by Travelers Insurance Company. [1]
- February 8
- John Ames Sherman patents first envelope folding and gumming machine (Massachusetts). [1]
- February 11
- Owen Smith of North Carolina, AME Zion minister, named minister to Liberia. [1]
- February 15
- A massive explosion of unknown origin sinks the battleship USS Maine in Cuba's Havana harbor, killing 260 of the American crew members. [1] [129] [304.69] [548.101]
- February 22
- Black postmaster lynched, his wife and three daughters shot in Lake City South Carolina. [1]
- February 23
- In France, Emile Zola is imprisoned for writing his "J'accuse" letter accusing government of anti-Semitism and wrongly jailing Alfred Dreyfus. [1]
- March 1
- Sudan issues its first postage stamps, eight values from 1-millieme to 10-piastres. [681.49]
- March 2
- Australia complete a 4-1 series annihilation of England. [1]
- March 8
- Richard Straus' "Don Quixote" premieres in Keulen. [1]
- March 17
- First practical submarine first submerges, New York City, New York (for 1 hour 40 minutes). [1]
- March 24
- First automobile sold. [1]
- March 25
- Intercollegiate Trapshooting Association formed in New York City, New York. [1]
- April 8
- Battle of Atbara River, Anglo-Egyptian forces crush 6,000 Sudanese. [1]
- April 11
- President William McKinley asks for Spanish-American War declaration. [1]
- April 12
- Army transfers Yerba Buena Island in San Francisco Bay to Navy. [1]
- April 20
- US Assay Office in Deadwood South Dakota opens. [1]
- April 21
- Spanish-American War begins. [1]
- April 22
- First Spanish-American War action: USS Nashville, takes enemy ship. [1]
- US Congress passes Volunteer Army Act calling for a Volunteer Cavalry. [1]
- US President William McKinley orders blockade of Cuban harbors. [1]
- April 24
- Spain declares war on US rejecting ultimatum to withdraw from Cuba. [1]
- US fleet under commodore Dewey sails from Hong Kong to Philippines. [1]
- April 25
- US declares war on Spain over Cuba. [1] [689.67] [717.22]
- May 1
- US Navy Commodore George Dewey aboard Olympia with four cruisers and two gunboats engage Spanish fleet in Manila Harbor, Philippines, annihilating the fleet of ten ships, 167 men killed, 214 wounded. [1] [648.41]
- May 3
- Camp Merriman established at Presidio (San Francisco). [1]
- May 12
- Louisiana adopts new constitution with "grandfather clause" designed to eliminate black voters. [1]
- May 19
- Post Office authorizes use of postcards. [1]
- May 21
- US Assay Office in Seattle Washington authorized. [1]
- May 23
- First Philippine Expeditionary Troops sail from San Francisco. [1]
- May 25
- First US troop transport to Manila leaves San Francisco. [1]
- May 26
- San Francisco approves City Charter, allows Municipal ownership of utiliies. [1]
- May 27
- Arthur Pinero's "Trelawney of the 'Wells'" premieres in London. [1]
- June 1
- Trans-Mississippi International Exposition opens in Omaha. [1]
- June 7
- Social Democracy of America party holds first national convention, Chic. [1]
- June 9
- China leases Hong Kong's new territories to Britain for 99 years. [1]
- June 10
- US Marines land in Cuba, during Spanish-American War. [1]
- June 12
- Emilio Aguinaldo declares independence of the Philippines from Spain. [548.101]
- June 13
- Yukon Territory of Canada organized, Dawson chosen as capital. [1]
- June 18
- Amusement pier opens, Atlantic City, New Jersey. [1]
- June 24
- American troops, drive Spanish forces from La Guasimas Cuba. [1]
- June 27
- Canadian Joshua Slocum completes the first solo circumnavigation of the globe. [5]
- June 29
- In Near Islands, Alaska, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake occurs. [53]
- July 1
- Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders charge up San Juan Hill. [1]
- July 3
- Joshua Slocum completes first solo circumnavigation of the globe. [1]
- US Navy defeats Spanish fleet in Santiago harbor, Cuba. [1]
- July 4
- "La Bourgogne" collides with "Cromartyshire", 560 drown. [1]
- French liner La Bourgogne collides with barque Cromartyshire, 50 die. [1]
- US flag hoisted over Wake Island (Spanish-American War). [1]
- July 7
- President McKinley signs resolution of annexation of Hawaiian Islands. [1]
- July 13
- Guglielmo Marconi patents the radio. [1]
- San Francisco Ferry Building at foot of Market Steet opens. [1]
- July 16
- A Charlois discovers asteroid #437 Rhodia. [1]
- July 17
- Spanish American War-Spaniads surrender to US at Santiago Cuba. [1]
- July 22
- Belgica crew see first sunrise in 1600 hours-first to endure Antarct winter. [1]
- July 25
- First US troops land and occupy Puerto Rice, at Guanica Bay. [1] [462.10]
- August 12
- Peace protocol ends Spanish-American War, signed. [1]
- August 16
- Roller coaster patented. [1]
- August 28
- Caleb Bradham renames his carbonated soft drink "Pepsi-Cola". [5]
- September 2
- Lord Kitchener retakes Sudan for Britain. [1]
- September 15
- National Afro-American Council forms in Rochester New York. [1]
- September 30
- City of New York established. [1]
- October 1
- Henry Huntington buys the Los Angeles Railway. [1]
- Jews are expelled from Kiev Russia. [1]
- October 18
- Spain formally cedes Puerto Rico to the USA. [1] [462.10]
- October 20
- NC Mutual and Provident Insurance Company forms. [1]
- November 2
- Theodor Herzl arrives in Jerusalem. [1]
- November 10
- Race riot in Wilmington North Carolina (8 blacks killed). [1]
- November 22
- The opera "Iris" is produced (Rome). [1]
- November 27
- Side-wheeler "Portland" sinks off Cape Cod, 190 die. [1]
- December 10
- Signing of the Treaty of Paris ends war between the USA and Spain. Under terms of the treaty, control of the Philippine Islands, Puerto Rico, and Cuba are turned over to the USA. [1] [486.94] [548.101]
- December 12
- The United States and Spain sign the Treaty of Paris, officially ending the Spanish-American War and granting the United States former Spanish possessions as Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. [129]
- December 18
- Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat sets the first recognized land speed record going 39.245 mph (63.159 km/h). [1] [5]
- December 21
- Scientists Pierre and Marie Curie discover radium. [1]
- Crete declares an autonomous government, with Prince George, second son of Greece's George I, assuming the office of high commissioner. [540.15]
- December 24
- Herman Heijermans' "Ghetto" premieres in Amsterdam. [1]
- December 25
- The British Post Office introduces Imperial Penny Postage, 1 pence postage per half ounce to most parts of the British Empire. [729.38]
- December 26
- Marie and Pierre Curie announce the isolation of Radium. [5]
1899
- January 1
- Cuba liberated from Spain by US (National Day). [1]
- January 17
- US takes possession of Wake Island in Pacific. [1]
- January 19
- Anglo-Egyptian Sudan forms. [1]
- January 24
- Belgium government of Vandenpeereboom forms. [1]
- February 4
- Revolt against US occupation of Philippines. [1]
- February 6
- Spanish-American War ends, peace treaty ratified by Senate. [1]
- February 10
- US-Spain peace treaty signed by President McKinley; US gets Puerto Rico and Guam. [1]
- February 11
- George Morgan is first English motorist to die in an motor accident. [1]
- March 6
- German pharmaceutical company Friedrich Bayer registers Aspirin (brand name for acetylsalicylic acid) with the Imperial Patent Office in Berlin. [1] [5] [129]
- March 10
- French Ministry of Travaux Publics requires all motorists of France to carry a driving license. [55.51]
- March 17
- Windsor luxury hotel in New York City, USA catches fire; 92 die. [1]
- March 18
- Phoebe, a moon of Saturn, is discovered by Pickering. [1]
- March 21
- British and French reach accord about West-Africa. [1]
- April 11
- Treaty of Paris is ratified, ending Spanish-American War; Spain cedes Puerto Rico to US. [1]
- April 16
- West of Eureka, California, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurs. [53]
- April 24
- Transvaal British Uitlanders ask Queen Victoria for aid. [1]
- May 9
- The lawn mower is patented. [1]
- May 18
- World Goodwill Day: 26 nations meet in first Hague Peace Conference. [1]
- May 24
- First auto repair shop opens (Boston, Massachusetts, USA). [1]
- May 31
- Conference of Bloemfontein fails. [1]
- June 2
- The government of the Philippines declares war on the USA. [548.101]
- June 29
- Brazo River in Texas, USA, floods 12 miles wide causing $10 million in damage. [1]
- (month unknown)
- Britain's White Star line launches the Oceanic passenger liner. At 17,200 tons, the two-funnel ship is the world's largest. [260.18]
- July 1
- The Gideon Society is established to place bibles in hotels. [1]
- July 14
- In Cook Inlet, Alaska, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake occurs. [53]
- July 17
- NEC Corporation is organized as the first Japanese joint venture with foreign capital. [5]
- September 4
- Near Cape Yakataga, Alaska, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake occurs. [53]
- September 10
- In Yakutat Bay, Alaska, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake occurs. [1] [53]
- September 14
- Death of Henry Bliss in New York, USA; first automobile fatality. [1]
- September 20
- In Menderes Valley, Turkey (Ottoman Empire), a magnitude 6.9 earthquake occurs. 1,100 deaths. Severe damage to buildings, bridges, railroad and telegraph lines; many landslides. [53]
- September 23
- In Cape Yakataga, Alaska, a magnitude 6.9 - 7.0 earthquake occurs. [53]
- November 23
- First jukebox (Palais Royal Hotel, San Francisco, California). [1]
- December 2
- US and Germany agree to divide Samoa between them. [1]
- December 8
- Natal: British fall/burst out of beleagered Ladysmith. [1]
- December 10
- First defeat of "Black Week" - Battle at Stormberg, South Africa - Boers vs British army; nearly 3000 British troops killed. [1]
- December 11
- Second defeat of "Black Week" - Battle of Magersfontein - Boer leader Cronjé versus General Methuen. [1]
- December 12
- First case of plague on Oahu, Hawaiian Islands. [1]
- December 15
- Third defeat of "Black Week" - Battle at Colenso, South Africa (Boers-British army). [1]
- December 18
- Fieldmarshal Lord Roberts appointed British supreme commander in South Africa. [1]
- December 23
- Tentative Turkish and German treaty on construction of Baghdad railway. [1]
- December 25
- In Hemet-San Jacinto, California, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake occurs. [53]
- December 26
- Mafeking: Bathe-Powells assault up fort Game Tree fails; 24 killed. [1]
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