What happened in 1879

29 events　World 1, Japan 1, North America 8, Europe 9, Asia 2, Latin America 2, Africa 5, Oceania 1

Highlights of 1879

Jan 11WorldThe Anglo-Zulu War begins.
Apr 5Latin AmericaWar of the Pacific: Chile formally declares war on Bolivia and Peru.
May 2EuropeThe Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) is founded clandestinely at the Casa Labra tavern in Madrid, by printer Pablo Iglesias.
May 26AsiaMohammad Yaqub Khan, Emir of Afghanistan, and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Gandamak, putting the Afghan state into the British sphere of influence.
Aug 1JapanTokio Marine (insurer) is founded in Japan, as Tokio Marine Holdings.
OctNorth AmericaPractical incandescent light bulbEdison made a bulb that stayed lit for a long time. He searched the world for filament materials, and bamboo from Yawata near Kyoto made it last longer. In 1882 a power station began sending electricity to homes.

Mar 3United States Geological Survey is founded.
Apr 12Mary Baker Eddy founds the Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston, Massachusetts.
May 10The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) is formed.
Jul 1American Restorationist Charles Taze Russell publishes the first issue of the monthly Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence which, as The Watchtower, will become the most widely circulated magazine in the world.
Jul 8Led by George W. De Long, the ill-fated United States Jeannette Expedition departs San Francisco, in an attempt to reach the North Pole, by pioneering a route through the Bering Strait.
Sep 29Meeker Massacre: Nathan Meeker and others are killed in an uprising at the White River Ute Indian reservation in Colorado.
SepHenry George self-publishes his major work Progress and Poverty.
OctPractical incandescent light bulbEdison made a bulb that stayed lit for a long time. He searched the world for filament materials, and bamboo from Yawata near Kyoto made it last longer. In 1882 a power station began sending electricity to homes.

Jan 1Brahms' Violin Concerto is premiered in Leipzig with Joseph Joachim as soloist and the composer conducting.
May 2The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) is founded clandestinely at the Casa Labra tavern in Madrid, by printer Pablo Iglesias.
Jun 1Anglo-Zulu War: Louis-Napoléon, Prince Imperial of France, son of Napoléon III, is killed in a skirmish with Zulus while attached to the British Army.
Sep 23The Macedo-Romanian Cultural Society is founded.
Oct 7The Dual Alliance is formed by Germany and Austria-Hungary.
Oct 13The first female students are admitted to study for degrees of the University of Oxford in England, at the new Lady Margaret Hall and Somerville Hall, and with the Society of Oxford Home-Students.
Dec 28Tay Bridge disaster: The central part of the Tay Rail Bridge at Dundee, Scotland, collapses in a storm as a train passes over it, killing 75.
Dec 31Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera The Pirates of Penzance opens at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City (following a token performance the day before for U.K. copyright reasons in Paignton, Devon).
Gottlob Frege publishes Begriffsschrift, eine der arithmetischen nachgebildete Formelsprache des reinen Denkens in Halle, a significant text in the development of mathematical logic.

May 26Mohammad Yaqub Khan, Emir of Afghanistan, and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Gandamak, putting the Afghan state into the British sphere of influence.
Oct 2Qing dynasty China signs the Treaty of Livadia with the Russian Empire.

Apr 5War of the Pacific: Chile formally declares war on Bolivia and Peru.
Oct 8War of the Pacific: Battle of Angamos – The Chilean Navy defeats Peruvian naval forces.

Jan 22Anglo-Zulu War – Battle of Isandlwana: A force of 1,200 British soldiers is wiped out by over 20,000 Zulu warriors.]]
Jan 23Anglo-Zulu War – Battle of Rorke's Drift: Following the previous day's defeat, a smaller British force of 140 successfully repels an attack by 4,000 Zulus.]]
Mar 28Anglo-Zulu War – Battle of Hlobane: British forces suffer a defeat.
Mar 29Anglo-Zulu War – Battle of Kambula: British forces defeat 20,000 Zulus.
Jul 4Anglo-Zulu War – Battle of Ulundi: A British victory effectively ends the war.

Apr 26The National Park, later renamed the Royal National Park, is declared in New South Wales, Australia, the world's second-oldest purposed national park.