The year 1891 saw significant developments across various domains, including politics, science, culture, and technology. Below is a chronological list of notable events that shaped the year.
Political Events
January 22: The Chilenian Civil War begins. This internal conflict in Chile pitted the army against the president and congress, resulting in significant political and social upheaval.
February 27: The Triple Alliance (German Empire, Austria-Hungary, and Kingdom of Italy) is renewed. This military alliance played a crucial role in the geopolitical landscape leading up to World War I.
March 14: Relations between Italy and the United States worsen significantly following the New Orleans lynchings, in which eleven Italian Americans were killed. This incident fueled anti-Italian sentiment in the United States and strained diplomatic ties.
October 6: The Canadian federal election results in a victory for the Conservative Party under Prime Minister John A. Macdonald.
August 21: End of the Chilenian Civil War with the defeat of the presidential forces.
Scientific and Technological Events
January 29: The first U.S. patent for the zipper is issued to Whitcomb Judson. Although not widely adopted immediately, it marked a significant innovation in clothing fasteners.
May 15-October 31: The International Electrotechnical Exhibition opens in Frankfurt, Germany, showcasing the latest advancements in electrical technology.
September 26: Construction begins on the Trans-Siberian Railway, a massive infrastructure project that would connect Moscow with the Russian Far East. This project held major geopolitical implications and facilitated trade and transportation across Siberia.
November 8: German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen begins his experiments with X-rays, though his discovery would not be formally announced until 1895.
Cultural Events
May 5: Carnegie Hall officially opens in New York City. This iconic concert venue quickly becomes a landmark for classical music and performing arts in the United States.
June 1: Leo XIII publishes the encyclical Rerum novarum, a landmark document that addresses the conditions of the working class and the role of the Catholic Church in society.
October 29: Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera, The Gondoliers, closes after a successful run at the Savoy Theatre in London.
December 4: Thomas Hardy's novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles is published in its complete form, after being serialized in a bowdlerized version earlier in the year.
Other Notable Events
May 15: Pope Leo XIII issues the Rerum novarum encyclical, addressing the rights and duties of capital and labor, influencing social and economic thinking significantly.