-
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. Hay's logic was that American economic power would then be able to dominate the Chinese market and fend off other foreign competitors. However, by July 1900, Hay announced that each of the powers had granted its consent in principle. Competition continued abated among the various powers for special concessions within China for railroad rights, mining rights, and loans. -
The United States and the United Kingdom sign a treaty for the Panama Canal
The Hay–Pauncefote Treaty is a treaty signed by the United States and Great Britain on 18 November 1901, as a legal preliminary to the U.S. building of the Panama Canal. The British recognized their diminishing influence in the region and determined to cultivate the United States as a counterweight to Germany's influence in Central and South America. -
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 ship began a new era in ocean travel and the novelty of having four funnels was quickly associated with size, strength, speed and above all luxury. -
Philippine-American War: Filipinos Filipino guerrillas launch a surprise attack on U.S. infantry and begin a Siege of Catubig four-day siege of Catubig, Northern Samar Catubig, Philippines
The siege of Catubig (Filipino: Pagkubkob sa Catubig) was a long and bloody engagement fought during the Philippine–American War, in which Filipino guerrillas launched a surprise attack against a detachment of U.S. infantry, and then forced them to abandon the town after a four-day siege. This was a time when conventional war in the Philippines had been abandoned and had entered the new phase of guerrilla warfare. -
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.
The siege of the International Legations occurred in 1900 in Peking, the capital of the Qing Empire, during the Boxer Rebellion and led to the deaths of approximately 2500 Chinese people by western soldiers.[citation needed] Threatened by the Boxers—an anti-Christian, anti-foreign peasant movement—900 soldiers, sailors, marines, and civilians, largely from Europe, Japan, and the United States, and about 2,800 Chinese Christians took refuge in the Peking Legation Quarter. -
Second Boer War: The United Kingdom annexes the Orange Free State
The Second Boer War (Afrikaans: Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, lit. 'Second Freedom War', 11 October 1899 – 31 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South African Republic and the Orange Free State) over the Empire's influence in Southern Africa from 1899 to 1902. -
The Reichstag (German Empire) called Reichstag approves a second law that allows the expansion of the German navy.
The Naval Laws (German: Flottengesetze, "Fleet Laws") were five separate laws passed by the German Empire, in 1898, 1900, 1906, 1908, and 1912. These acts, championed by Kaiser Wilhelm II and his Secretary of State for the Navy, Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, committed Germany to building up a navy capable of competing with the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. -
In Italy, King Umberto I of Italy is assassinated by the Anarchism or anarchist Gaetano Bresci.
Gaetano Bresci (Italian pronunciation: [ɡaeˈtaːno ˈbreʃʃi]; 11 November 1869 – 22 May 1901) was an Italian anarchist who assassinated King Umberto I of Italy. A weaver by trade, Bresci was radicalized to anarchism at a young age, due to his experiences in poverty. News of the Bava Beccaris massacre motivated him to return to Italy, where he planned to assassinate Umberto. -
Philippine–American War: Filipino people Filipinos under Juan Cailles defeat United States Americans under Colonel (United States) Colonel Benjamin F. Cheatham at Mabitac.
The Battle of Mabitac (Filipino: Labanan sa Mabitac, Spanish: Batalla de Mabitac) was an engagement in the Philippine–American War, when on September 17, 1900, Filipinos under General Juan Cailles defeated an American force commanded by Colonel Benjamin F. Cheatham, Jr. Mabitac was linked to the garrison town of Siniloan by a causeway which, on the day of the battle, was flooded with water (in many parts waist-deep). -
Battle of Leliefontein, a battle during which the Royal Canadian Dragoons win three Victoria Crosses.
The Battle of Leliefontein (also known as the Battle of Witkloof) was an engagement between British-Canadian and Boer forces during the Second Boer War on 7 November 1900, at the Komati River 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Belfast at the present day Nooitgedacht Dam.
During the engagement, the Canadian rearguard successfully repelled Boer assaults against the column, facilitating the successful withdrawal of the British-Canadian force from the area. -
The Australian colonies federate.
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia (which also governed what is now the Northern Territory), and Western Australia agreed to unite and form the Commonwealth of Australia, establishing a system of federalism in Australia. -
Edward VII becomes King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India upon the death of Queen Victoria.
Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. As king, Edward played a role in the modernisation of the British Home Fleet and the reorganisation of the British Army after the Second Boer War of 1899–1902. -
Platt Amendment limits the autonomy of Cuba in exchange for withdrawal of American troops.
On March 2, 1901, the Platt Amendment was passed as part of the 1901 Army Appropriations Bill. It stipulated seven conditions for the withdrawal of United States troops remaining in Cuba at the end of the Spanish–American War, and an eighth condition that Cuba signs a treaty accepting these seven conditions. It defined the terms of Cuban–U.S. relations essentially to be an unequal one of U.S. dominance over Cuba. -
Assassination of William McKinley. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt assumes office as President of the United States following McKinley's death on September 14.
William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States, was shot on the grounds of the Pan-American Exposition in the Temple of Music in Buffalo, New York, on September 6, 1901, six months into his second term. He was shaking hands with the public when anarchist Leon Czolgosz shot him twice in the abdomen. McKinley died on September 14 of gangrene caused by the wounds. -
Boxer Rebellion defeated by international coalition. They impose heavy financial sanctions on China.
In the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, a Chinese secret organization called the Society of the Righteous and Harmonious Fists led an uprising in northern China against the spread of Western and Japanese influence there. The rebels, referred to by Westerners as Boxers because they performed physical exercises they believed would make them able to withstand bullets, killed foreigners and Chinese Christians and destroyed foreign property. -
Guglielmo Marconi receives the first trans-Atlantic radio signal.
Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi, 1st Marquis of Marconi FRSA (Italian: [ɡuʎˈʎɛlmo marˈkoːni]; 25 April 1874 – 20 July 1937) was an Italian inventor and electrical engineer, known for his creation of a practical radio wave–based wireless telegraph system. -
Unification of Saudi Arabia begins.
From 1927 to 1932, Ibn Saud administered the two main portions of his realm, Nejd and the Hejaz, as separate units. On 23 September 1932, Ibn Saud proclaimed the union of his dominions into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ibn Saud's eldest son Saud became crown prince in 1933. -
Cuba given independence by the United States.
he Cuban War of Independence (Spanish: Guerra de Independencia cubana), also known in Cuba as The Necessary War (Spanish: La Guerra Necesaria), fought from 1895 to 1898, was the last of three liberation wars that Cuba fought against Spain, the other two being the Ten Years' War (1868–1878) and the Little War (1879–1880). -
Second Boer War ends in British victory.
The Second Boer War (Afrikaans: Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, lit. 'Second Freedom War', 11 October 1899 – 31 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South African Republic and the Orange Free State) over the Empire's influence in Southern Africa from 1899 to 1902. -
Trans-Siberian railway is completed
The Trans-Siberian Railway, historically known as the Great Siberian Route[b] and often shortened to Transsib, is a large railway system that connects European Russia to the Russian Far East. Spanning a length of over 9,289 kilometers (5,772 miles), it is the longest railway line in the world.It runs from the city of Moscow in the west to the city of Vladivostok in the east. -
Arthur Balfour becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, FRS, FBA, DL (/ˈbælfər, -fɔːr/, traditionally Scottish /bəlˈfʊər/; 25 July 1848 – 19 March 1930), also known as Lord Balfour, was a British statesman and Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1905. -
Willis Carrier invents the first modern electrical air conditioning unit.
Willis Haviland Carrier (November 26, 1876 – October 7, 1950) was an American engineer, best known for inventing modern air conditioning. Carrier invented the first electrical air conditioning unit in 1902. In 1915, he founded Carrier Corporation, a company specializing in the manufacture and distribution of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. -
The first teddy bear is invented.
A teddy bear is a stuffed toy in the form of a bear. Developed apparently simultaneously by toymakers Morris Michtom in the U.S. and Richard Steiff under his aunt Margarete Steiff's company in Germany in the early 20th century, the teddy bear, named after President Theodore Roosevelt, became a popular children's toy and has been celebrated in story, song, and film. -
The first Tour de France is held
The 1903 Tour de France was the first cycling race set up and sponsored by the newspaper L'Auto, ancestor of the current daily, L'Équipe. It ran from 1 to 19 July in six stages over 2,428 km (1,509 mi), and was won by Maurice Garin. The race was invented to boost the circulation of L'Auto, after its circulation started to plummet from competition with the long-standing Le Vélo. Originally scheduled to start in June, the race was postponed one month, and the prize money was increased. -
King Alexander I of Serbia and his wife Queen Draga are assassinated in a military coup
The May Coup (Serbian: Мајски преврат, romanized: Majski prevrat) was a coup d'état involving the assassination of the Serbian King Alexander Obrenović and his consort Queen Draga inside the Royal Palace in Belgrade on the night of 10–11 June [O.S. 28–29 May] 1903. -
Pius X becomes Pope
Pope Pius X (Italian: Pio X; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from 4 August 1903 to his death in August 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, and for promoting liturgical reforms and scholastic theology. He initiated the preparation of the 1917 Code of Canon Law, the first comprehensive and systemic work of its kind. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church. -
Independence of Panama, the Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty is signed by the United States and Panama
The Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty (Spanish: Tratado Hay-Bunau Varilla) was a treaty signed on November 18, 1903, by the United States and Panama, which established the Panama Canal Zone and the subsequent construction of the Panama Canal. It was named after its two primary negotiators, Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla, the French diplomatic representative of Panama, and United States Secretary of State John Hay. By 1889, with engineering challenges caused by frequent landslides, slippage of equipment. -
First controlled heavier-than-air flight of the Wright Brothers.
The Wright Flyer (also known as the Kitty Hawk, Flyer I or the 1903 Flyer) made the first sustained flight by a manned heavier-than-air powered and controlled aircraft—an airplane—on December 17, 1903. Invented and flown by brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright, it marked the beginning of the pioneer era of aviation. -
A Japanese surprise attack on Port Arthur (Lushun) starts the Russo-Japanese War
The Battle of Port Arthur of 8–9 February 1904 marked the commencement of the Russo-Japanese War. It began with a surprise night attack by a squadron of Japanese destroyers on the neutral Russian fleet anchored at Port Arthur, Manchuria, and continued with an engagement the following morning; further skirmishing off Port Arthur would continue until May 1904. The attack ended inconclusively, though the war resulted in a decisive Japanese victory. -
Entente cordiale signed between Britain and France
The Entente Cordiale. 'Cordial Agreement') comprised a series of agreements signed on 8 April 1904 between the United Kingdom and the French Republic which saw a significant improvement in Anglo-French relations. On the surface the agreement dealt with minor issues related to fishing and colonial boundaries. Egypt was recognized as part of Britain's sphere of influence, and Morocco as part of France's -
The Revolution of 1905 in Russia erupts
The Russian Revolution of 1905, also known as the First Russian Revolution, began on 22 January 1905. A wave of mass political and social unrest then began to spread across the vast areas of the Russian Empire. The unrest was directed primarily against the Tsar, the nobility, and the ruling class. It included worker strikes, peasant unrest, and military mutinies. -
The Norwegian Parliament declares the union with Sweden dissolved, and Norway achieves full independence
1905 is the year when Norway regained its independence after the dissolution of the Union between Sweden and Norway. For the first time since 1397 Norway had a national king, after 500 years of political unions with other Scandinavia countries — the Kalmar Union until 1532, then the united kingdoms of Denmark-Norway until 1814, and finally a personal union with Sweden until 1905. -
The Russo-Japanese War ends in Japanese victory
The complete victory of the Japanese military surprised international observers and transformed the balance of power in both East Asia and Europe, resulting in Japan's emergence as a great power and a decline in the Russian Empire's prestige and influence in Europe. -
Albert Einstein's formulation of special relativity
n physics, the special theory of relativity, or special relativity for short, is a scientific theory of the relationship between space and time. In Albert Einstein's 1905 treatment, the theory is presented as being based on just two postulates. -
October 16, 1905
The British Indian Province of Bengal, partitioned by the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, despite strong opposition -
December 5, 1905
Liberal Henry Campbell-Bannerman becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. -
April 18, 1906
An earthquake in San Francisco, California, magnitude 7.9, kills 3,000. -
July 13, 1906
Alfred Dreyfus is exonerated and reinstated as a major in the French Army; the Dreyfus Affair ends. -
August 16, 1906
An earthquake in Valparaíso, Chile, magnitude 8.2, kills 20,000 -
September 28, 1906
The US begins the Second Occupation of Cuba -
October 23, 1906
Brazilian inventor Alberto Santos-Dumont takes off and flies his 14-bis to a crowd in Paris. -
December 30, 1906
The Muslim League is formed by Nawab Salimullah Khan of Dacca. -
March 15 – 16, 1907
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. -
July 24, 1907
Japan–Korea Treaty of 1907. -
April 8, 1908
Liberal H. H. Asquith becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. -
May 26, 1908
First commercial Middle-Eastern oilfield established, at Masjed Soleyman in southwest Persia. -
June 30, 1908
The Tunguska impact devastates thousands of square kilometres of Siberia. -
July 26, 1908
Founding of the Bureau of Investigation (BOI) -
July, 1908
Young Turk Revolution in the Ottoman Empire. -
October 1, 1908
The Ford Motor Company invents the Model T. -
October 5, 1908.
Independence of Bulgaria. -
December 2, 1908
Pu Yi, the last Emperor of China, assumes the throne -
December 12, 1911
New Delhi becomes the capital of British India. -
December 28, 1908
The 1908 Messina earthquake in southern Italy, magnitude 7.1, kills 70,000 people. -
March 4, 1909
William Howard Taft is inaugurated as President of the United States; deep divisions in his Republican Party over tariffs. -
March 10, 1909
Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 signed (effective on July 9). -
March 12, 1909
Indian Councils Act passed. -
April 6, 1909
Robert E. Peary claims to have reached the North Pole though the claim is subsequently heavily contested. -
April 13, 1909
A countercoup fails in the Ottoman Empire. -
July 16, 1909
A revolution forces Mohammad Ali Shah, Persian Shah of the Qajar dynasty to abdicate in favor of his son Ahmad Shah Qajar. -
February 8, 1910
Boy Scouts of America is founded. -
May 6, 1910
George V becomes King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India upon the death of Edward VII. -
May 31, 1910
Union of South Africa created. -
August 28, 1910
Kingdom of Montenegro is proclaimed independent. -
August 29, 1910
Imperial Japan annexes Korea. -
October 5, 1910
The 5 October 1910 revolution in Portugal and proclamation of the First Portuguese Republic. -
November 20, 1910
Beginning of the Mexican Revolution (Plan of San Luis Potosí). -
January 18, 1911
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. -
February 8, 1911
The African National Congress is founded -
February 12, 1911
End of the Chinese Empire. Republic of China established -
February 14, 1911
Arizona becomes the last state to be admitted to the continental Union -
March 25, 1911
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City results in the deaths of 146 workers and leads to sweeping workplace safety reforms. -
March 30, 1911
Morocco becomes a protectorate of France. -
April 15, 1911
Sinking of the RMS Titanic. -
September 29, 1911
The Italo-Turkish war which led to the capture of Libya by Italy, begins. -
October 10, 1911
Xinhai Revolution, which overthrew the Qing dynasty of China, begins. -
November 3, 1911
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. -
December 14, 1911
Roald Amundsen first reaches the South Pole. -
July 30, 1912
Emperor Meiji dies, ending the Meiji Era; his son, the Emperor Taishō, becomes Emperor of Japan -
August 25, 1912
The Kuomintang, the Chinese nationalist party, is founded. -
October 8, 1912
The First Balkan War begins. -
January 23, 1913
In the 1913 Ottoman coup d'état, Ismail Enver comes to power. -
February 9 – 19, 1913
La Decena Trágica in Mexico City -
March 4, 1913
Woodrow Wilson is inaugurated as President of the United States. -
October 7, 1913
Ford Motor Company introduces the first moving assembly line -
May 29, 1913
Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring infamously premiers in Paris -
May 30, 1913
Treaty of London -
August 10, 1913
Treaty of Bucharest -
December 23, 1913
The Federal Reserve System is created.