What happened in 1903

25 events　World 2, North America 7, Europe 7, USSR / Russia 2, Asia 2, Middle East 2, Latin America 3

Highlights of 1903

Feb 13WorldVenezuelan crisis: After agreeing to arbitration in Washington, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy reach a settlement with Venezuela resulting in the Washington Protocols. The naval blockade that began in 1902 ends.
Aug 2Middle EastThe Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising, organized by the Secret Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization, breaks out in the Ottoman provinces of Macedonia and Adrianople.
Aug 4EuropePope Pius X succeeds Pope Leo XIII as the 257th pope.
Nov 17USSR / RussiaThe Russian Social Democratic Labour Party splits into two groups: the Bolsheviks (Russian for "majority") and Mensheviks (Russian for "minority").
Dec 16AsiaThe Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Bombay (now Mumbai), India opens.
DecNorth AmericaWright brothers' first flightOn December 17 at Kitty Hawk in the United States, an engine-powered airplane flew for 12 seconds and about 36 meters. It was the world's first powered flight with a person on board.

Feb 13Venezuelan crisis: After agreeing to arbitration in Washington, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy reach a settlement with Venezuela resulting in the Washington Protocols. The naval blockade that began in 1902 ends.
May 4Macedonian Bulgarian revolutionary Gotse Delchev is killed in a skirmish with the Ottoman army.

Mar 12The University of Puerto Rico is founded.
Jun 16The Ford Motor Company is founded.
Nov 18The Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty is signed by the United States and Panama, giving the U.S. exclusive rights over the Panama Canal Zone.
Dec 30The Iroquois Theatre fire in Chicago kills 600.
DecWright brothers' first flightOn December 17 at Kitty Hawk in the United States, an engine-powered airplane flew for 12 seconds and about 36 meters. It was the world's first powered flight with a person on board.
American motorcycle brand Harley-Davidson is founded in Wisconsin.
Compression Rheostat, the predecessor of industrial automation and industrial equipment parts brand Rockwell Automation, is founded in Wisconsin.

JunJune 11 (May 29 O.S.) – King Alexander Obrenović and Queen Draga of Serbia are assassinated in Belgrade by the Black Hand (Crna Ruka) organization.
Jul 30August 23 (July 17–August 10, O.S.) – The Second Congress of the All-Russian Social Democratic Labour Party is held in exile in Brussels, transferring to London.
Aug 3The Kruševo Republic is proclaimed in Ottoman Macedonia; it is crushed 10 days later.
Aug 4Pope Pius X succeeds Pope Leo XIII as the 257th pope.
Aug 10The Paris Métro train fire at Couronnes results in 84 deaths.
Oct 10The Women's Social and Political Union is founded in the U.K.
Dec 31The National Association for Women's Suffrage (Sweden) is founded.

Apr 1921 (April 6–8 O.S.) – The first Kishinev pogrom, beginning on Easter Day, takes place in Kishinev, capital of the Bessarabia Governorate of the Russian Empire. At least 47 Jews are killed during mob rioting encouraged by blood libel articles in the press and led by priests.
Nov 17The Russian Social Democratic Labour Party splits into two groups: the Bolsheviks (Russian for "majority") and Mensheviks (Russian for "minority").

Nov 6The English-language South China Morning Post newspaper is first published in Hong Kong.
Dec 16The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Bombay (now Mumbai), India opens.

Apr 29The 7.0 Manzikert earthquake affects eastern Turkey, leaving 3,500 dead.
Aug 2The Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising, organized by the Secret Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization, breaks out in the Ottoman provinces of Macedonia and Adrianople.

Mar 14The Hay–Herrán Treaty, granting the United States the right to build the Panama Canal, is ratified by the United States Senate. The Colombian senate later rejects the treaty.
Nov 3Separation of Panama from Colombia: With the encouragement of the United States, Panama proclaims itself independent of Colombia.
Nov 13The United States recognizes the independence of Panama.