1906-1910

1906
1906 Reform in Russia -(5/6/06) On May 6th, Czar Nicholas announced the implementation of the Fundamental Laws. These laws clarified the October Manifesto of 1905. Under the laws, a State Council was established to act as the upper house of the Duma. This upper house was controlled by Nicholas. On July 22nd, however, Nicholas dissolved the Duma and embarked upon a ruthless suppression of dissent throughout the country.
1906 Battleship Dreadnought Launched (2/10/06)The British launched the battleship Dreadnought on February 10th. It was the first of an entirely new class of warships -- one that was equipped with all-turbine engines giving the vessels previously unheard-of speed. In addition, the Dreadnought was an all "big-gun" ship since its guns were 12 inches. The launching of the Dreadnought was a first step in the naval armaments race with Germany. The race was actually one-sided, however, since the British started from a much larger fleet and continually out-built the Germans.
1906 Universal Suffrage Finland-(3/7/06)Finland became the first country in Europe to give its women the right to vote. Within a year, there were women members of the Finnish Parliament.
1906 Dreyfus Affair Ends- (7/12/06)The Dreyfus Affair in France ended when the French Court of Appeals exonerated Alfred Dreyfus. The affair contributed to the decision to separate church and state in France. It marked the permanent decline of the military and anti-Semitic forces in France.

Alfred Dreyfus was a French army officer of Jewish descent who, in 1893-4, was wrongly accused of giving secret information to a foreign government. He was court-martialed and sent to Devil's Island for life. His exoneration cam e only after a long struggle by family and friends, which included the publication of Émile Zola's famous 1898 attack on the goverment, entitled "J'accuse."
1906 All India League -The Muslims of India founded the All India League. The League's goal was to strengthen the ties between India and the British Empire. India's Muslims created the League to counteract the growing strength of the Hindus. The League became the political vehicle of the Muslims of India.
1906 France Spain Gain Control of Morocco - After a long conference in Algeçiras to determine the future of Morocco, it was agreed that the French would have special responsibility for restoring order along the Algerian-Moroccan border. The Moroccan police force was to be jointly controlled by the French and the Spanish, with a Swiss Inspector General.
1906 Revolt in Natal -(6/10/06)When the Natal legislature imposed a poll tax of one English pound on all residents of Natal, a revolt erupted. The revolt was carried out by Zulu tribesmen of the area and was put down when the leader of the revolt, Bambaata, was killed on June 10th.
1906 San Fransico Earthquake - (4/18/06) The most disastrous earthquake in America's history hit San Francisco on April 18th. The earthquake, whose worst damage was caused by the fire that raged in its aftermath, killed over 1,000 people; 250,000 thousand people were made homeless, and property damage was said to be $250 million.
1906 Food & Drugs Receive Federal Control -(6/30/06) On June 30th, both the Pure Food & Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act were passed. They provided for federal inspection of drugs, foods and meats. This was a large expansion of federal activities.
1906 US Troops Occupy Cuba - (10/6/06) After a revolt broke out in Cuba, the Cuban leader, Tomas Estrada Palama asked the United States to intervene. US forces occupied the island and organized a provisional government.
1906 First Powered Flight In Europe -(10/23/06) On October 23rd, Albertos Santos Dumont flew the first powered flight in Europe. The flight took place at Bagatelle, on the outskirts of Paris. The aircraft flew for 197 feet, at a height of 10 feet. The flight won the Archdecon Prize of 3,000 French francs, for the first sustained airplane flight in Europe.
1906 Wasserman Test Development-August von Wasserman, a German bacteriologist, developed a test to diagnose syphilis.
1906 Simplon Tunnel Opened -(5/19/06) The longest railroad tunnel in the world ,the Simplon, was opened under the Alps. The tunnel was 12.3 miles in length, and connected Italy and Switzerland.
1906 Reform in Russia -(5/6/06) On May 6th, Czar Nicholas announced the implementation of the Fundamental Laws. These laws clarified the October Manifesto of 1905. Under the laws, a State Council was established to act as the upper house of the Duma. This upper house was controlled by Nicholas. On July 22nd, however, Nicholas dissolved the Duma and embarked upon a ruthless suppression of dissent throughout the country.
1906 Battleship Dreadnought Launched (2/10/06)The British launched the battleship Dreadnought on February 10th. It was the first of an entirely new class of warships -- one that was equipped with all-turbine engines giving the vessels previously unheard-of speed. In addition, the Dreadnought was an all "big-gun" ship since its guns were 12 inches. The launching of the Dreadnought was a first step in the naval armaments race with Germany. The race was actually one-sided, however, since the British started from a much larger fleet and continually out-built the Germans.
1906 Universal Suffrage Finland-(3/7/06)Finland became the first country in Europe to give its women the right to vote. Within a year, there were women members of the Finnish Parliament.
1906 Dreyfus Affair Ends- (7/12/06)The Dreyfus Affair in France ended when the French Court of Appeals exonerated Alfred Dreyfus. The affair contributed to the decision to separate church and state in France. It marked the permanent decline of the military and anti-Semitic forces in France.

Alfred Dreyfus was a French army officer of Jewish descent who, in 1893-4, was wrongly accused of giving secret information to a foreign government. He was court-martialed and sent to Devil's Island for life. His exoneration cam e only after a long struggle by family and friends, which included the publication of Émile Zola's famous 1898 attack on the goverment, entitled "J'accuse."
1906 All India League -The Muslims of India founded the All India League. The League's goal was to strengthen the ties between India and the British Empire. India's Muslims created the League to counteract the growing strength of the Hindus. The League became the political vehicle of the Muslims of India.
1906 France Spain Gain Control of Morocco - After a long conference in Algeçiras to determine the future of Morocco, it was agreed that the French would have special responsibility for restoring order along the Algerian-Moroccan border. The Moroccan police force was to be jointly controlled by the French and the Spanish, with a Swiss Inspector General.
1906 Revolt in Natal -(6/10/06)When the Natal legislature imposed a poll tax of one English pound on all residents of Natal, a revolt erupted. The revolt was carried out by Zulu tribesmen of the area and was put down when the leader of the revolt, Bambaata, was killed on June 10th.
1906 San Fransico Earthquake - (4/18/06) The most disastrous earthquake in America's history hit San Francisco on April 18th. The earthquake, whose worst damage was caused by the fire that raged in its aftermath, killed over 1,000 people; 250,000 thousand people were made homeless, and property damage was said to be $250 million.
1906 Food & Drugs Receive Federal Control -(6/30/06) On June 30th, both the Pure Food & Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act were passed. They provided for federal inspection of drugs, foods and meats. This was a large expansion of federal activities.
1906 US Troops Occupy Cuba - (10/6/06) After a revolt broke out in Cuba, the Cuban leader, Tomas Estrada Palama asked the United States to intervene. US forces occupied the island and organized a provisional government.
1906 First Powered Flight In Europe -(10/23/06) On October 23rd, Albertos Santos Dumont flew the first powered flight in Europe. The flight took place at Bagatelle, on the outskirts of Paris. The aircraft flew for 197 feet, at a height of 10 feet. The flight won the Archdecon Prize of 3,000 French francs, for the first sustained airplane flight in Europe.
1906 Wasserman Test Development-August von Wasserman, a German bacteriologist, developed a test to diagnose syphilis.
1906 Simplon Tunnel Opened -(5/19/06) The longest railroad tunnel in the world ,the Simplon, was opened under the Alps. The tunnel was 12.3 miles in length, and connected Italy and Switzerland.
1907
1907 Peace Conference at the Hague -At the behest of President Theodore Roosevelt, leaders of all major nations met at The Hague. The major issue for discussion was the attempt to reach an arms limitation agreement. All attempts failed due to German opposition. The conference was successful, however, in expanding the rules of war and the rights of neutrals.
1907 New Zealand Becomes Dominion - (9/26/07) New Zealand had always been loyal to the British Empire. It contributed to the upkeep of the British Pacific Squadron. In 1907, New Zealand was granted dominion status within the Empire.
1907 Passive Resistance in The Transvaal -(3/22/07) The autonomous Government of Transvaal announced a policy that required registration and fingerprinting of all Asians. In response, led 10,000 Indian residents in protest. Gandhi instituted a widespread policy of protest marches and civil disobedience.
1907 French Warships Bombard Casablanca-(8/2/07) In response to the killing of nine European workers in Casablanca, French warships bombarded the city on August 2nd. The French were soon forced to commit 15,000 troops to garrison Casablanca and insure the safety of French citizens.
1907 Gentlemen's Agreement -Under the Gentlemen's Agreement, the Japanese agreed to withhold passports from laborers intending to migrate to the United States. In return, the United States agreed not to formally limit Japanese immigration.
1907 Great White Fleet Sails-(12/16/07) On December 16th, a fleet of 16 American battleships set sail on an around–the–world voyage. The voyage impressed upon the world both the power of the American Navy and America's intention to be active on the world scene in every way.
1907 Montessori School Introduced -Maria Montessori, who was the first women physician in Italy, opened a school for children. Her teaching methods, which bear her name, are still used today.
1907 First Helicopter Flies - On November 13, 1907, Paul Cornu flew the first helicopter. It flew for only twenty seconds and got five feet up in the air. The copter had severe control and stability difficulties.
1907 Mauritania Launched-The British launched the luxury liner the Mauritania. This began a new age in luxury liners that traversed the Atlantic.
1908
1908 Austria Annexes Bosnia and Herzegovina -(10/6/08) Austria unilaterally announced the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The decision was met with anger in Serbia, which had always regarded the area as Serbian. The Russians were aligned with the Serbs and also opposed the action. The Germans were Austrian allies and warned the Russians that any action taken would result in war. The British and French offered muted protests and the crises passed.
1908 Young Turks Revolt (7/24/08) The Turkish Sultan Abdul-Hamid II was forced to accede to the demands of the Young Turks, a group of army officers who demanded that constitutional rule be restored in Turkey.
1908 King Carlos & Crown Prince Assassinated-(2/1/08) Assassins killed King Carlos of Portugal, as well as his son and heir, Prince Luis Filipe. The assassins also tried to kill the Queen. The assassins were led by a sergeant in the Portuguese Army. Their hope was to provoke a revolution. Although panic ensued, a revolution did not materialize and Prince Manuel, the younger son of the King, succeeded his father.
1908 Bulgaria Declares Independence -(10/5/08)The Bulgarian Principality declared its complete independence from the Ottomans. Prince Ferdinand established a monarchy and became the first King of Bulgaria.
1908 Congo Free State Becomes Belgian Congo -(10/18/08) The Congo Free State, which had been the private property of Belgian King Leopold II, became an official Belgian colony. The action was taken by the Belgian Parliament, after revelations about Leopold's rule had become so scandalous that Parliament felt it had no other option.
1908 Robert Perry Arrives at The North Pole -(4/6/09) After a month on the Arctic ice, Robert Peary became the first man to reach the North Pole. The only other American to reach the pole with Peary was an Afro-American named Matthew Henson. Four of the seven Eskimos who started the trip arrived with Perry, as well.
1908 Dollar Diplomacy -"Dollar Diplomacy" received its terminology from the policy of additional support by the government for American enterprises abroad. This was particularly apparent in American relations with China. There, the American government intervened directly with the Chinese government on behalf of American bankers.
1908 Conservation Commision - The National Conservation Commission was an outgrowth of a very successful White House Conference on conservation. The Commission received the full backing of President Roosevelt. The President was fully committed to the concept of preserving the environment.
1908 First True Skyscraper Built -In 1908, the Singer Building, in lower Manhattan, was completed. It was the first true skyscraper, reaching 47 stories. Later the same year, the 50-story Metropolitan Life Building was finished.
1908 Oil Discovered in Persia -(5/26/08)A large deposit of oil was discovered in Southwestern Iran. The discovery was a precursor to the discovery of oil in the rest of Arabia.
1908 First Airplane Passenger Killed - (9/17/08) On September 17th, Lt. Thomas Selfridge of the US Army was killed when a Wright Flyer, piloted by Orville Wright, crashed. The aircraft was involved in two weeks of trials for the Army. The aircraft had flown three laps, at 150 feet, when it suddenly shook and dove to the earth. Selfridge lost consciousness almost immediately, and died a few hours later. Orville was hurt, but not too seriously.
1908 Austria Annexes Bosnia and Herzegovina -(10/6/08) Austria unilaterally announced the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The decision was met with anger in Serbia, which had always regarded the area as Serbian. The Russians were aligned with the Serbs and also opposed the action. The Germans were Austrian allies and warned the Russians that any action taken would result in war. The British and French offered muted protests and the crises passed.
1908 Young Turks Revolt (7/24/08) The Turkish Sultan Abdul-Hamid II was forced to accede to the demands of the Young Turks, a group of army officers who demanded that constitutional rule be restored in Turkey.
1908 King Carlos & Crown Prince Assassinated-(2/1/08) Assassins killed King Carlos of Portugal, as well as his son and heir, Prince Luis Filipe. The assassins also tried to kill the Queen. The assassins were led by a sergeant in the Portuguese Army. Their hope was to provoke a revolution. Although panic ensued, a revolution did not materialize and Prince Manuel, the younger son of the King, succeeded his father.
1908 Bulgaria Declares Independence -(10/5/08)The Bulgarian Principality declared its complete independence from the Ottomans. Prince Ferdinand established a monarchy and became the first King of Bulgaria.
1908 Congo Free State Becomes Belgian Congo -(10/18/08) The Congo Free State, which had been the private property of Belgian King Leopold II, became an official Belgian colony. The action was taken by the Belgian Parliament, after revelations about Leopold's rule had become so scandalous that Parliament felt it had no other option.
1908 Robert Perry Arrives at The North Pole -(4/6/09) After a month on the Arctic ice, Robert Peary became the first man to reach the North Pole. The only other American to reach the pole with Peary was an Afro-American named Matthew Henson. Four of the seven Eskimos who started the trip arrived with Perry, as well.
1908 Dollar Diplomacy -"Dollar Diplomacy" received its terminology from the policy of additional support by the government for American enterprises abroad. This was particularly apparent in American relations with China. There, the American government intervened directly with the Chinese government on behalf of American bankers.
1908 Conservation Commision - The National Conservation Commission was an outgrowth of a very successful White House Conference on conservation. The Commission received the full backing of President Roosevelt. The President was fully committed to the concept of preserving the environment.
1908 First True Skyscraper Built -In 1908, the Singer Building, in lower Manhattan, was completed. It was the first true skyscraper, reaching 47 stories. Later the same year, the 50-story Metropolitan Life Building was finished.
1908 Oil Discovered in Persia -(5/26/08)A large deposit of oil was discovered in Southwestern Iran. The discovery was a precursor to the discovery of oil in the rest of Arabia.
1908 First Airplane Passenger Killed - (9/17/08) On September 17th, Lt. Thomas Selfridge of the US Army was killed when a Wright Flyer, piloted by Orville Wright, crashed. The aircraft was involved in two weeks of trials for the Army. The aircraft had flown three laps, at 150 feet, when it suddenly shook and dove to the earth. Selfridge lost consciousness almost immediately, and died a few hours later. Orville was hurt, but not too seriously.
1909
1909 Sultan Abdul Deposed -(4/13/09)The Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II was ousted by a unanimous vote of both houses of the Turkish Parliament. He was replaced by his brother Mohammed Rechad Effendi, who became known as Sultan Mehmed V Hamid. The action of Parliament was prompted by the massacre of Armenians in Adana. The deposed Sultan was officially charged with squandering the wealth of the Empire, burning holy books and committing massacres.
1909 Martial Law in Spain - The decision to send Spanish troops to Morocco precipitated widespread chaos in Spain. The protests were based on the inequalities of military service. The disruptions led to general strikes and rioting. Martial law was imposed and opponents of the government were arrested. Francusici Ferrer, a well-known anti-cleric, was executed, resulting in sweeping criticism throughout Europe. Spanish Prime Minister Maura was forced to resign, and the King invited the Liberal Party to form a government.
1909 Revolution in Persia-Revolution broke out in Persia when the Shah, Muhammad Ali, sought to destroy the constitutional monarchy that he himself had created. Nationalist troops occupied Teheran and forced the Shah to flee. He was replaced by his son, Ahmed Shah.
1909 Prince Ito Assassinated in Japan-(10/26/09) A Korean nationalist assassinated Hirobumi Ito on October 26th. Ito was considered the most important Japanese public figure in the late 19th century. He was considered the man most responsible for the modernization of Japan. The assassin was protesting the Japanese attempt to control Korea and the assassination gave the Japanese a convenient pretext for the outright annexation of the Korean peninsula.
1909 US Intervenes in Nicaragua-The President of Nicaragua was Jose Santos Zelaya. He had been in power since 1893, and had been trying to create a union of Central American countries by intervening actively in their affairs. These actions were opposed by the United States, which supported the opposition to Zelaya. When Zelaya started to execute these "rebels" -- including two Americans -- the US intervened militarily and ousted him.
1909 Civil War Honduras-A civil war broke out in Honduras between President General Miguel Davila and former President Bonilla. The civil war lasted two years and ended in 1911, when both sides agreed to abide by the results of an election. The election resulted in a Bonilla victory.
1909 First Newsreel Shown in Theater -The first newsreel was shown in a Paris theater by Charles Pathe. The next year, newsreels were introduced into US theaters, where they became very popular
1909 English Channel Is Crossed - (7/25/09) On July 25th, Louis Bleriot became the first person to fly across the English Channel. Bleriot thus claimed the prize of 1,000 pounds sterling offered by the Daily Mail. He flew a Type XI Monoplane. The flight took 37 minutes. Bleriot took off from Les Barraques at 4:35AM. Winds pushed him off course; but, flying at a height of over 150 feet, Bleroit managed to follow ships back toward Dover, where he landed.
1910
1910 Revolution in Portugal -(10/5/10) After the assassination of a prominent Republican leader, a revolt broke out against the monarchy. The revolt was led by the Army and Navy. King Manuel II was forced to flee Portugal for England. A Republic was declared and Teofilo Braga, a noted author, was named Interim President.
1910 Japan Annexes Korea -(8/22/10) On August 22nd, Japan officially annexed Korea. It renamed the country Cho-sen. Japan continued to occupy Korea until the end of the Second World War.
1910 Union of South Africa Founded -(5/31/10) On May 31st, the Union of South Africa was established. The Union was between Transvaal, the Orange Free State, the Cape Colony and Natal. In the first elections held, the South African Party, led by Louis Botha, defeated the Unionist Party.
1910 N.A.A.C.P. Founded -(5/1/10) The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was founded in New York, in November. The N.A.A.C.P. published the journal called "The Crisis," whose first editor ws W.E.B. Dubois. The organization was at the forefront of all the attempts by Blacks to achieve equality.