What happened in 1869
11 entries recorded for 1869, listed by date. That was 157 years ago.
1869 at a glance
- Years ago
- 157 (as of 2026)
- Century
- 19th century
- Decade
- 1860s
- Generation born
- Before the named generations
- Entries here
- 11
- Breakdown
- 11 historical events
January
- January 5
Te Kooti's War
Te Kooti's War: After surviving a five-day siege in the pā at Ngātapa, Māori leader Te Kooti escaped from New Zealand's Armed Constabulary.
- January 27
Tokugawa shogunate
Former members of the overthrown Tokugawa shogunate proclaimed Japan's second-largest island, Hokkaido, to be the independent Republic of Ezo.
February
- February 5
Moliagul
Prospectors in Moliagul, Australia, discovered the largest alluvial gold nugget ever found, known as the Welcome Stranger.
March
- March 1
Dmitri Mendeleev
The Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev (pictured) finished his design of the first periodic table.
May
- May 15
Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton founded the National Woman Suffrage Association, breaking away from the American Equal Rights Association which they had also previously founded.
June
- June 27
Meiji Restoration
The military phase of the Meiji Restoration in Japan was completed with an imperial victory in the Boshin War.
- June 27
Battle of Hakodate
One day after surrendering at the Battle of Hakodate, Enomoto Takeaki turned the fort of Goryōkaku over to Japanese forces, signaling the collapse of the Republic of Ezo.
September
- September 22
Das Rheingold
Das Rheingold, the first of four operas in Der Ring des Nibelungen by the German composer Richard Wagner (pictured), was first performed in Munich.
- September 24
Jay Gould
Jay Gould, James Fisk, and other speculators plotted but failed to control the United States gold market, causing prices to plummet.
October
- October 5
Eastman tunnel
During construction of the Eastman tunnel in St. Anthony, Minnesota (now Minneapolis), the Mississippi River broke through the tunnel's limestone ceiling, nearly destroying Saint Anthony Falls.
November
- November 6
New Brunswick, New Jersey
In New Brunswick, New Jersey, Rutgers College defeats Princeton University (then known as the College of New Jersey), 6–4, in the first official intercollegiate American football game.
Questions about 1869
What happened in 1869?
This site records 11 entries for 1869, including Te Kooti's War on January 5. They are listed below by date.
How long ago was 1869?
157 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 1869 turns 157 this year.
Which century is 1869 in?
1869 falls in the 19th century, in the 1860s.
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