1899
Second Boer War
Paul Kruger's Transvaal issued an ultimatum; the British ignored it; war began that evening.
Philippine-American War
Filipino independence fighters under Emilio Aguinaldo, who had helped the Americans take Manila from the Spanish, turned on their erstwhile allies…
Boxer Rebellion Begins
In Shandong, members of a martial-arts society who called themselves the Righteous and Harmonious Fists - Boxers to foreigners - began attacking missionaries…
Aspirin Marketed
The Bayer company of Elberfeld began selling acetylsalicylic acid under the brand name Aspirin, based on a compound first synthesized in a stable form…
Veblen's Theory of the Leisure Class
A Wisconsin economist named Thorstein Veblen published a savage study of the consumption habits of the American rich, coining the term 'conspicuous…
First Hague Convention
At the invitation of Tsar Nicholas II, delegates from twenty-six nations met at the Hague and agreed to prohibit dum-dum bullets, poison gas, and bombardment…
Open Door Notes
US Secretary of State John Hay circulated notes to the great powers asking them to respect equal commercial access to China within their spheres of influence.
Black Week
Conrad's Heart of Darkness
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1899?
Saeculum lists 9 events from 1899. The most significant is Second Boer War: Paul Kruger's Transvaal issued an ultimatum; the British ignored it; war began that evening.
What era was 1899 part of?
1899 falls within the Industrial Age (1801-1900). Steam, empire, and the unmaking of the old order.
Which regions saw notable events in 1899?
The events from 1899 span Africa, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Europe and North America.