January 2 Construction of Brooklyn Bridge begins January 3 Brooklyn Bridge construction begins; completed May 24, 1883 January 8 U.S. mint at Carson City, Nevada begins issuing coins January 10 Georgia legislature reconvenes January 10 John D Rockefeller incorporates Standard Oil January 15 Donkey 1st used as symbol of Democratic Party, in Harper's Weekly January 16 Virginia becomes 8th state readmitted to U.S. after Civil War January 20 "City of Boston" vanishes at sea with all 177 aboard January 20 Hiram R. Revels elected to fill unexpired term of Jefferson Davis January 23 173 Blackfoot (140 women and children) killed in Montana by U.S. Army January 25 Soda fountain patented by Gustavus Dows January 26 Virginia rejoins US January 27 1st sorority (Kappa Alpha Theta) (DePauw U in Greencastle, Indiana) January 27 After accepting 15th amendment, Virginia is readmitted to Union January 27 Manitoba and Northwest Territories incorporated February 2 Cardiff Giant (supposed petrified human) proved to be gypsum February 2 Mark Twain, 34, marries Olivia Langdon in Elmira, New York February 3 15th Amendment (Black suffrage) passed February 5 1st motion picture shown to a theater audience, Philadelphia February 9 U.S. Army establishes U.S. National Weather Service February 10 City of Anaheim incorporates (1st time) February 10 YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association) forms (New York City) February 12 Official proclamation sets April 15 as last day of grace for U.S. silver coins to circulate in Canada February 15 Ground broken for Northern Pacific Railway near Duluth, Minn February 17 Esther Morris appointed 1st female judge February 17 Mississippi becomes 9th state readmitted to U.S. after Civil War February 23 Mississippi is readmitted to U.S. February 25 Hiram Rhodes Revels, is sworn in as 1st black member of Congress, Senator-R-Mississippi 1870 - 1871 February 26 1st New York City subway line opens (pneumatic powered) March 7 Cincinnati Red Stockings, 1st pro BB team, begin 8-mo tour of Midwest and East March 14 California legislature approves act making Golden Gate Park possible March 17 Mass legislature authorizes incorporation of Wellesley Female Seminary March 18 1st U.S. National Wildlife Preserve, Lake Meritt in Oakland California March 19 The opera "Guarany," premieres in Milan March 30 15th Amendment passes, guarantees right to vote regardless of race March 30 Texas becomes last confederate state readmitted to Union March 31 1st black to vote in U.S. (Thomas P Mundy of Perth Amboy New Jersey) April 2 Victoria Woodhull is 1st woman to be nominated for U.S. president April 4 Golden Gate Park forms by City Order number 800 April 9 American Anti-Slavery Society dissolves April 13 Metropolitan Museum of Art forms in New York City April 15 Last day U.S. silver coins allow to circulate in Canada April 16 Vaudeville Theatre Strand opens in London April 27 Heinrich Schliemann discovers Troi May 10 Jem Mace and defends his heavyweight crown against Irish champ Joe Coburn, it lasts 1 hour and 17 minutes, and neither is struck by a punch May 12 Manitoba becomes a province of Canada May 20 Second Chamber abolishes capital punishment May 24 Memoria of Jackson Kemper, 1st Missionary Bishop in US May 25 Irish Fenians raid Eccles Hill, Quebec May 31 Congress passes 1st Enforcement Act (rights of blacks) May 31 E. J. DeSemdt patents asphalt pavement June 4 4th Belmont: W Dick aboard Kingfisher wins in 2:59 June 5 Constantinople in fire; 900 die June 9 Washington: President Grant meets with Sioux chief Red Cloud June 11 1st-stone Amstel Brewery opens in Amsterdam June 14 All-pro Cincinnati Red Stockings suffer 1st loss in 130 games June 22 1st Boardwalk in America invented June 22 Congress creates Department of Justice June 25 Opera "Die Walkure" is produced (Munich) June 26 1st section of Atlantic City Boardwalk opens June 26 Wagner's opera "Valkyrie" premieres in Munich June 30 Ada Kepley becomes 1st female law college graduate July 1 James W Smith of South Carolina is 1st black to enter West Point July 8 Congress authorizes registration of trademarks July 8 Governor Holden of North Carolina declares Casswell County in a state of insurrection July 13 King Wilhelm of Prussia sends "Emser Depache" on Bismarck July 15 Georgia becomes last confederate to be readmitted to U.S. July 15 Hudson's Bay and Northwest Territories transferred to Canada July 15 Manitoba becomes 5th Canadian province and NW Territories created July 18 Pontifical infalliability proclaimed July 19 France declares war on Prussia; Franco-Prussian war begins July 23 Emperor Napoleon III appoints Empress Eugenie as Regent of France July 24 1st trans-U.S. rail service begins July 30 Staten Island ferry "Westfield" burns, killing 100 August 4 British Red Cross Society forms August 6 Battle at Spicheren: Prussia beats France August 6 White conservatives suppresed black vote and captured Tennessee legislature August 8 Magic (U.S.) defeats Cambria (England) in 2nd running of America's Cup August 15 Transcontinental Railway actually completed in Colorado August 16 Fred Goldsmith demonstrates curve ball isn't an optical illusion August 17 1st ascent of Mount Rainier, Washington August 18 Battle at Gravelotte Privat: Prussia beat France, 32,000 casualties September 1 Napoleon III captured at Sedan September 2 Napoleon III surrenders to Prussian armies September 4 3rd French republic proclaimed as they overthrow their king September 6 Ship sinks in Gulf of Biskaje; 483 die September 10 Dutch Jurist Cooperation forms September 15 Dutch 1st Chamber abolishes Capital punishment (20-18) September 19 Siege of Paris begins September 20 Italian army under Victor Emmanuel II seizes Rome from the French September 20 Mayor William Tweed accused of robbing New York treasury September 20 Pope Pius IX surrenders to King Victor Emmanuel October 2 Italy annexes Rome and Papal States; Rome made Italian capital October 7 Leon Gambetta flees Paris in balloon October 9 Rome is incorporated into Italy by royal decree October 13 Gustav Mahler (10) gives his 1st public piano concert October 19 1st (4) blacks elected to House of Reps October 19 British SS Cambria leaves for Noth sea coast, 196 killed October 25 Pimlico Race Course opens in Baltimore October 25 Postcards 1st used in U.S. November 1 U.S. Weather Bureau begins operations (24 locations) November 8 Democratic governor elected in Tennessee November 15 Bathe becomes member of Noordduitse Union November 16 Spanish Cortes selects King Amadeus I November 27 New York Times dubs baseball "The National Game" November 29 Compulsory education proclaimed in England December 6 Joseph H Rainey, 1st black in House of Representatives (SC) December 12 Joseph Rainey (SC) became 1st black sworn into House of Reps December 22 Jules Janssen, flys in a balloon in order to study a solar eclipse December 31 J D Schneiter patents rocket mail in France, (not done)
