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1860s - Definition and Overview |
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Events and trends
- Italian unification under King Victor Emmanuel II. Wars for expansion and national unity continue until the incorporation of the Papal States (March 17, 1861 - September 20, 1870).
- American Civil War fought between the remaining United States of America under President Abraham Lincoln and the self-declared Confederate States of America under President Jefferson Davis (April 12, 1861 - April 9, 1865). Beginning of the Reconstruction era under President Andrew Johnson (1865 - 1869).
- French occupation of Mexico (1863 - 1867). Replacement of President of Mexico Benito Juárez (1861 - 1863) at first with Juan Nepomuceno Almonte (1863 - 1864) and then by Emperor Maximilian of Mexico (1864 - 1867). Benito Juárez eventually manages to recover his position (1867 - 1872).
- Meiji Restoration in Japan (1866 - 1869). Tokugawa Yoshinobu, 15th and last of the Tokugawa shoguns loses control to the Meiji Emperor. A series of reforms follows. The samurai class fails to survive while the Daimyo turn to politics.
- Catholicism - Reaction against Higher Criticism and liberal movement in Europe
- The First Transcontinental Railroad in the United States is built in the six year period between 1863 and 1869.
- 1864 - The Charlottetown Conference takes place where the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick agree to begin a process which would eventually lead to Confederation and the birth of Canada. Later that year the Québec Conference takes place in Quebec, Canada where the delegates from four of the five colonies agree to the terms that would create the new nation; Prince Edward Island leaves the talks.
- December 1866 - March 1867 the London Conference takes place in London and the final terms for formation of Canada are discussed by the delegates from the four colonies. And in May of that year the British Parliament passes the British North America Act which is the first constitution of Canada.
- July 1, 1867 the British North America Act comes into force and Canada is born with the nation's first Prime Minister being Sir John A. Macdonald.
World leaders
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