What happened in 1860
11 entries recorded for 1860, listed by date. That was 166 years ago.
1860 at a glance
- Years ago
- 166 (as of 2026)
- Century
- 19th century
- Decade
- 1860s
- Generation born
- Before the named generations
- Entries here
- 11
- Breakdown
- 11 historical events
January
- January 2
Urbain Le Verrier
French mathematician Urbain Le Verrier (pictured) announced the putative discovery of the planet Vulcan at a meeting at the French Academy of Sciences in Paris.
March
- March 24
Ii Naosuke
Japanese chief minister Ii Naosuke was assassinated by rōnin samurai upset with his role in opening Japan to foreign powers.
April
- April 2
Italian Parliament
The first modern Italian Parliament is opened in Turin, following the annexation of Central Italy into the Kingdom of Sardinia.
- April 3
Pony Express
The Pony Express, a mail service that became the most direct means of long-distance communication across the United States before the first transcontinental telegraph, began operation.
- April 9
Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville
Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville recorded himself singing "Au clair de la lune" on his phonautograph, producing the oldest known recording of an audible human voice (audio featured).
May
- May 5
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Led by Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi, the volunteer Expedition of the Thousand set sail from Genoa on a campaign to conquer the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, a crucial event of the unification of Italy.
July
- July 23
Eastbourne manslaughter
The trial of the Eastbourne manslaughter, which later became an important legal precedent in the United Kingdom for discussions of corporal punishment in schools, began in Lewes.
September
- September 8
Paddle steamer
The paddle steamer Lady Elgin (pictured) was rammed by a schooner on Lake Michigan and sank, resulting in the loss of about 300 lives.
October
- October 17
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, the oldest of the four major championships in men's golf, was first played at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland.
November
- November 6
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln is elected the 16th president of the United States with only 40% of the popular vote, defeating John C. Breckinridge, John Bell, and Stephen A. Douglas in a four-way race.
December
- December 29
French Navy
To counter the French Navy's Gloire, the world's first ironclad warship, the Royal Navy launched HMS Warrior, the world's first iron-hulled armoured warship.
Questions about 1860
What happened in 1860?
This site records 11 entries for 1860, including Urbain Le Verrier on January 2. They are listed below by date.
How long ago was 1860?
166 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 1860 turns 166 this year.
Which century is 1860 in?
1860 falls in the 19th century, in the 1860s.
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