1879
Battle of Isandlwana
Twenty thousand Zulu warriors overwhelmed a British camp at Isandlwana in Natal, killing over 1,300 soldiers in one of the worst defeats the British Empire…
Edison's Lamp Lights Up
At Menlo Park, Edison's carbonized cotton filament burned for thirteen and a half hours in a vacuum bulb.
Dual Alliance
Bismarck, alarmed by cooling Russo-German relations after the Congress of Berlin, signed a defensive alliance with Austria-Hungary.
Pacific War Begins
Chile declared war on Bolivia and Peru over nitrate deposits in the Atacama Desert.
Battle of Ulundi
Six months after Isandlwana, the British marched on the Zulu royal kraal in a hollow square formation bristling with Martini-Henrys and Gatling guns.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1879?
Saeculum lists 5 events from 1879. The most significant is Battle of Isandlwana.
What era was 1879 part of?
1879 falls within the Industrial Age (1801-1900). Steam, empire, and the unmaking of the old order.
Which regions saw notable events in 1879?
The events from 1879 span Africa, North America, Europe and South America.