Okay, here's a Wikipedia-style list of significant events for the year 1896:
1896
The year 1896 saw advancements across various fields, from science and technology to politics and culture, setting the stage for the 20th century.
Politics and International Relations
January 4: Utah is admitted as the 45th state of the United States. This marked the end of the organized territories within the contiguous U.S., a milestone in the nation's expansion.
March 1: Adwa Battle - Ethiopian forces decisively defeat the Italian colonial army. This victory secured Ethiopian independence and significantly halted Italian colonial ambitions in Africa.
May 26: Nicholas II is crowned as Tsar of Russia. His reign would be marked by growing internal unrest and ultimately end with the Russian Revolution.
August 27: Anglo-Zanzibar War - The shortest war in recorded history occurs between the United Kingdom and Zanzibar. It lasts only 38 minutes.
November 3: William McKinley defeats William Jennings Bryan in the U.S. presidential election. This election is considered a realigning election, solidifying Republican dominance for decades and heavily influenced by the debate over the gold standard.
Science and Technology
January: Antoine Henri Becquerel discovers radioactivity while working with uranium salts, a discovery that would revolutionize physics and medicine.
February 24: Henri Becquerel presents his discovery of radioactivity to the French Academy of Sciences.
May 15: The first modern Olympic Games open in Athens, Greece, a revival of the ancient tradition and a significant step in the development of international sports.
December 10: Alfred Nobel dies, leaving a large portion of his fortune to establish the Nobel Prizes, which would first be awarded in 1901.
Culture
April 18: The first performance of Anton Chekhov's play "The Seagull" is staged in Saint Petersburg, Russia. While initially unsuccessful, the play would eventually become a classic.
May 17: L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is published. This classic children's novel becomes a cultural phenomenon and provides important allegories relating to the economic and political landscape of the United States at the time.
June 29: The opera Andrea Chénier by Umberto Giordano premieres in Milan.
December 28: The Lumière brothers hold the first commercial public film screening at the Grand Café in Paris, marking a key moment in the birth of cinema.
Other Notable Events
May 18:Plessy v. Ferguson: The United States Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of racial segregation laws for public facilities under the doctrine of "separate but equal". This decision had a devastating and long-lasting impact on African Americans.
This list provides a snapshot of the diverse and impactful events that occurred in 1896.