What happened in 1881
10 entries recorded for 1881, listed by date. That was 145 years ago.
1881 at a glance
- Years ago
- 145 (as of 2026)
- Century
- 19th century
- Decade
- 1880s
- Generation born
- Before the named generations
- Entries here
- 10
- Breakdown
- 10 historical events
March
- March 12
Andrew Watson (footballer, born 1856)
Andrew Watson (pictured) captained the Scotland national football team against England, becoming the world's first black international footballer.
April
- April 18
Ceilings of the Natural History Museum, London
The painted ceilings of the Natural History Museum, London, were unveiled when the building opened its doors to the public.
May
- May 12
French conquest of Tunisia
Under threat of invasion, Muhammad III as-Sadiq, Bey of Tunis, signed the Treaty of Bardo to make Tunisia a French protectorate.
- May 16
John Richard Clark Hall
John Richard Clark Hall, a barrister who would go on to write a widely used Anglo-Saxon dictionary and translation of Beowulf, was admitted to Gray's Inn.
June
- June 13
Jeannette expedition
The Jeannette expedition to reach the North Pole from the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait came to an end when the USS Jeannette (pictured), after having been trapped in ice for almost two years, was crushed and sank.
July
- July 2
James A. Garfield
U.S. president James A. Garfield (pictured) was fatally shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad station in Washington, D.C.
- July 2
Charles J. Guiteau
Charles J. Guiteau shoots and fatally wounds U.S. President James A. Garfield (who will die of complications from his wounds on September 19).
- July 14
Billy the Kid
While on the run from a death sentence, American outlaw Billy the Kid was shot and killed by Sherriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner, New Mexico.
August
- August 12
French Americans
Franco-American children as young as seven years old began striking against Cabot Mill in Brunswick, Maine, shutting down operations for three days.
November
- November 3
Mapuche
Indigenous Mapuche began an uprising against the occupation of Araucanía by Chile.
Questions about 1881
What happened in 1881?
This site records 10 entries for 1881, including Andrew Watson (footballer, born 1856) on March 12. They are listed below by date.
How long ago was 1881?
145 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 1881 turns 145 this year.
Which century is 1881 in?
1881 falls in the 19th century, in the 1880s.
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