1887
Hertz Detects Radio Waves
In a Karlsruhe laboratory, Heinrich Hertz generated and detected the electromagnetic waves Maxwell had predicted on paper a quarter-century before.
Dawes Act
The Dawes Severalty Act broke up tribally held American Indian lands and allotted them to individuals, with the 'surplus' sold to white settlers.
Reinsurance Treaty
In a last desperate piece of Bismarckian juggling, Germany secretly agreed with Russia that each would stay neutral in most wars the other got into.
Victoria's Golden Jubilee
The Queen-Empress celebrated fifty years on the throne with a procession through London attended by kings, princes, maharajas, and plenipotentiaries…
Want 1887 in context? Print the whole 19th century as a one-sheet timeline chart.
Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1887?
Saeculum lists 4 events from 1887. The most significant is Hertz Detects Radio Waves: In a Karlsruhe laboratory, Heinrich Hertz generated and detected the electromagnetic waves Maxwell had predicted on paper a quarter-century before.
What era was 1887 part of?
1887 falls within the Industrial Age (1801-1900). Steam, empire, and the unmaking of the old order.
Which regions saw notable events in 1887?
The events from 1887 span Europe and North America.