1898
Spanish-American War
Congress declared war on Spain in the name of Cuba Libre.
Curies Discover Radium
Pierre and Marie Curie, working in a leaking shed in Paris, announced the isolation of a new element two million times more radioactive than uranium.
Battle of Omdurman
Kitchener's Anglo-Egyptian army met the last Mahdist army outside Khartoum and shot it to pieces with Maxim guns - eleven thousand dervishes killed, fewer…
Hundred Days Reform Fails
After a hundred days of frantic modernizing edicts by the young Guangxu Emperor - on railways, schools, exams, everything - the Dowager Empress Cixi emerged…
Hawaii Annexed
Congress passed a joint resolution annexing the Hawaiian Islands.
J'accuse
Emile Zola published an open letter to the President of France on the front page of L'Aurore, accusing the army of framing Dreyfus and covering it up.
USS Maine Explodes
Just after nine in the evening, the American battleship USS Maine blew up at anchor in Havana harbor, killing 266 sailors.
San Juan Hill
Fashoda Incident
Empress Elisabeth Assassinated
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1898?
Saeculum lists 10 events from 1898. The most significant is Spanish-American War: Congress declared war on Spain in the name of Cuba Libre.
What era was 1898 part of?
1898 falls within the Industrial Age (1801-1900). Steam, empire, and the unmaking of the old order.
Which regions saw notable events in 1898?
The events from 1898 span North America, Europe, Africa, East Asia and Oceania.