1866

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File:Decade.png ( 1860s: )     1866 link
Alfred Nobel invents dynamite
year 1866

In 1866 King Leopold of Belgium declared that "the world is pretty well pillaged already".

Events

• March 13 – The United States Congress overwhelmingly passes the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the first federal legislation to protect the rights of African-Americans; U.S. President Andrew Johnson vetoes the bill on March 27, and Congress overrides the veto on April 9.
• April 4 – Alexander II of Russia narrowly escapes an assassination attempt in the city of St Petersburg.
• May 2 – Battle of Callao: Peruvian defenders fight the Spanish fleet.
• May 7 – Student Ferdinand Cohen-Blind makes a failed attempt to assassinate Otto von Bismarck in Unter den Linden in Berlin.
• June 8 – The Parliament of Canada meets for the first time in Ottawa.
• June 14 – The Austro-Prussian War begins, when the Austrians and most of the medium German states declare war on Prussia.
• June 20 – The Kingdom of Italy declares war on Austria.
• June 22 – In Sweden, the Riksdag of the Estates votes to replace itself by an elected two-chamber Riksdag.
• July 13 (July 1 Old Style) – The first Constitution of Romania is issued.
• July 24 – Reconstruction: Tennessee becomes the first U.S. state to be readmitted to the Union following the American Civil War.
• July 27 – The SS Great Eastern successfully completes laying the transatlantic telegraph cable between Valentia Island, Ireland and Heart's Content, Newfoundland, permanently restoring a communications link.
• August 23 – The Treaty of Prague ends the Austro-Prussian War. The Duchy of Limburg leaves the German Confederation.
• October 12 – The Treaty of Vienna ends the war between Austria and Italy; it formalizes the annexation of Venetia by Italy.
• October 14 – French troops under the command of Rear Admiral Pierre-Gustave Roze land at Ganghwa Island, Korea as part of a punitive expedition against that kingdom for the execution of French Jesuit priests. It is the first military contact between Korea and a Western force.

Date unknown

• Alfred Nobel invents dynamite in Germany.
• Foundation of the predecessors of Nestlé S.A., the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé.
• The Famine of 1866–68 begins in Finland.
• Erasmus Jacobs discovers the 21.25 carats (4.250 g) Eureka Diamond near Hopetown on the banks of the Orange River in the Cape of Good Hope.