What happened in 1871
12 entries recorded for 1871, listed by date. That was 155 years ago.
1871 at a glance
- Years ago
- 155 (as of 2026)
- Century
- 19th century
- Decade
- 1870s
- Generation born
- Before the named generations
- Entries here
- 12
- Breakdown
- 12 historical events
January
- January 18
German Empire
The German Empire was formed by the unification of previously independent German states, under the rule of Kaiser Wilhelm I.
March
- March 7
José Paranhos, Viscount of Rio Branco
José Paranhos, Viscount of Rio Branco, began a four-year premiership as Prime Minister of the Empire of Brazil, the longest in the state's history.
- March 22
William Woods Holden
William Woods Holden, Governor of North Carolina, became the first U.S. state governor to be removed from office through impeachment.
April
- April 1
Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos
The Duke of Buckingham opened the first section of the Brill Tramway, a short railway line to transport goods between his lands and the national rail network.
- April 2
Creatures of Impulse
Creatures of Impulse, by W. S. Gilbert (pictured), premiered at the Court Theatre in London.
July
- July 30
Staten Island Ferry
The boiler of the Staten Island Ferry Westfield II exploded at South Ferry in New York City, killing at least 45 people.
October
- October 8
Great Chicago Fire
The Great Chicago Fire (pictured), began and proceeded to destroy much of the city's central business district, killing 300 people and leaving 90,000 others homeless.
- October 26
Edward James Roye
Liberian president Edward James Roye was overthrown in modern Africa's first coup d'état.
November
- November 10
Henry Morton Stanley
Journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley (pictured) located missing missionary and explorer David Livingstone near Lake Tanganyika in present-day Tanzania.
December
- December 15
Ella Stewart Udall
Sixteen-year-old Ella Stewart sent the first telegraphed message from Arizona Territory.
- December 24
Aida
Aida, one of Giuseppe Verdi's most popular operas, made its debut in Cairo, Egypt.
- December 26
Thespis (opera)
Thespis, the first comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, premiered at the Gaiety Theatre in London.
Questions about 1871
What happened in 1871?
This site records 12 entries for 1871, including German Empire on January 18. They are listed below by date.
How long ago was 1871?
155 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 1871 turns 155 this year.
Which century is 1871 in?
1871 falls in the 19th century, in the 1870s.
Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.