The year 1882 saw significant developments across the globe in the realms of politics, science, culture, and technology. Key events shaped the world and laid the foundation for future advancements.
Politics and Law
January 1: The Triple Alliance is formed between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. This significant geopolitical alignment would play a crucial role in the events leading up to World War I.
March 22: The United States Congress passes the Edmunds Act, targeting polygamy in the United States's territories. This law specifically aimed at weakening the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah.
May 6: The Chinese Exclusion Act is signed into law by President Chester A. Arthur. This controversial act, a significant piece of United States legislation, prohibited all immigration of Chinese laborers. This reflected rising anti-Chinese sentiment in the United States during the late 19th century.
July 27: The British Bombardment of Alexandria, Egypt, takes place, leading to the British occupation of Egypt. This action was taken to protect British interests in the Suez Canal and marked a significant moment in British imperial history.
Science and Technology
September 4: The Pearl Street Station, the first commercial central power plant in the United States, begins operation in New York City. Built by Thomas Edison, it marked a major step in the electrification of urban areas and the development of the modern power grid.
Robert Koch announces the discovery of the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This breakthrough was a crucial step in understanding and eventually treating this deadly disease.
Culture
Igor Stravinsky, a hugely influential composer, is born in Oranienbaum, Russia.
Virginia Woolf, a prominent English novelist, essayist, and critic, is born in London, England.
Friedrich Nietzsche publishes "The Gay Science" ("Die fröhliche Wissenschaft"), which includes the famous parable of the "death of God." This work explores themes of nihilism, self-overcoming, and eternal recurrence.
1882 was a year of significant changes and developments, both in the United States and globally, setting the stage for the advancements and conflicts of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.