View source for 1870s

{{Short description|Decade}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
[[File:1870s Montage.jpg|alt=|thumb|335x335px|From left to right, clockwise: Conflicts start to increase between the [[Second French Empire]] and the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] leading to the '''[[Franco-Prussian War]]''' in 1870; a '''[[Great Chicago Fire|fire]]''' in [[Chicago]] kills approximately 300 people and leaves about another 100,000 people homeless in 1871; [[Claude Monet|Claude Monet's]] ''[[Impression, Sunrise]]'' is recognized as the source of inspiration for the '''[[Impressionism|Impressionist movement]]'''; The [[7th Cavalry Regiment|U.S. Army]] is defeated by [[Arapaho]], [[Lakota people|Lakota]] and [[Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation|Northern Cheyenne]] tribes during the '''[[Battle of the Little Bighorn]]''' in 1876; [[Nicolaus Otto]] patents the first commercial four-stroke '''[[internal combustion engine]]'''; [[Queen Victoria]] is recognized as the "[[Emperor of India|Empress of India]]" in the '''[[Royal Titles Act 1876]]'''; [[Emirate of Afghanistan]] forces defend against [[British Raj]] invaders in the '''[[Second Anglo-Afghan War]]'''; [[British Empire]] and [[Zulu Kingdom]] fighters engage in combat during the '''[[Anglo-Zulu War]]'''.]]
The '''1870s''' (pronounced "eighteen-seventies") was a [[decade]] of the [[Gregorian calendar]] that began on 1 January 1870, and ended on 31 December 1879.

The trends of the [[1860s|previous decade]] continued into this one, as great new [[empire]]s, [[imperialism]] and [[militarism]] rose in [[Europe]] and [[Asia]]. The [[United States]] was recovering from the [[American Civil War]], though the [[Reconstruction era of the United States|Reconstruction era]] introduced its own legacies of bitterness and [[racial segregation]] in the country. [[Germany]] [[unification of Germany|unified]] as a nation in 1871 and became the [[German Empire]]. Changing social conditions led workforces to cooperate in the form of [[labor union]]s in order to demand better pay and working conditions, with [[strike action|strike]]s occurring worldwide in the later part of the decade and continuing until [[World War I]]. The decade was also a period of significant technological advancement; the [[phonograph]], [[telephone]], and electric [[light bulb]] were all invented during the 1870s, though it would take several more decades before they became household items.

The last living person from this decade, [[Jeanne Calment]], died in 1997.
{{Decadebox|187}}

==Politics and wars==
{{See also|List of sovereign states in the 1870s}}

===Wars===
*[[Dungan revolt (1862–77)|Dungan Revolt]] (1862–1877), [[Hui]] uprising against the [[Qing Empire]] which resulted in 20 million deaths and a Qing victory
*[[Franco-Prussian War]] (1870–1871), resulted in the collapse of the [[Second French Empire]] and in the formation of both the [[French Third Republic]] and the [[German Empire]]
*[[Anglo-Ashanti wars#Third Anglo-Ashanti War (1873–1874)|Third Anglo-Ashanti War]], also known as the "First Ashanti Expedition" (1873–1874), ended with the destruction of the royal palace at [[Kumasi]] and the signing of the [[Treaty of Fomena]], which secured British trading rights in the area
*The [[Third Carlist War]] (1872–1876), the last of the [[Carlist Wars]] in Spain
*[[Ethiopian–Egyptian War]] (1874–1876), a resource conflict over access to the [[Nile River]] basin between the [[Ethiopian Empire]] and the [[Khedivate of Egypt]], resulting in an Ethiopian victory
*[[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)]], resulted in [[Serbia]], [[Romania]], and [[Montenegro]] becoming completely independent from the [[Ottoman Empire]], while [[Bulgaria]] became autonomous
*In the United States, post-[[American Civil War|Civil War]] [[Reconstruction era of the United States|Reconstruction]] continued until its conclusion under President [[Rutherford B. Hayes]] in 1877
*Second [[Anglo-Afghan War]] (1878–1880), fought between the [[British Raj]] and the [[Emirate of Afghanistan]]
*[[Anglo-Zulu War]] (11 January – 5 July 1879)
*[[War of the Pacific]] (1879–1884), fought over resource-rich territory along the Pacific coast between [[Chile]] and an alliance of [[Bolivia]] and [[Peru]]

===Colonization, decolonization, and independence===
*The [[British Empire]] continued to grow, with the 1870s marking the beginning of the [[New Imperialism]].
*[[Principality of Bulgaria|Bulgaria]] and [[Principality of Romania|Romania]] declared independence following [[Russo-Turkish War (1877–78)|a war]] against the [[Ottoman Empire]].
*The [[Sioux]] battled the [[United States Cavalry]] and resisted encroachment by white settlers on the [[Great Plains]].

===Political and social events===
*The [[German Empire]] and Alliance System emerged.
*Racial and economic politics at the height of America's [[Reconstruction era of the United States|Reconstruction Era]] were bitter, pessimistic, and sometimes violent.
*The [[Gilded Age]] began in 1877, lasting until 1896.
*The [[First Spanish Republic]] rises and promptly ends (1873–1874). 
*The first [[Ottoman constitution of 1876|Ottoman Constitution]] is promulgated in 1876, starting the [[First Constitutional Era|First Constitutional Era (1876–1878)]].
*[[1876 United States presidential election|Contested US presidential election of 1876]]

==Science and technology==
{{see also|Timeline of historic inventions#1870s}}
[[File:Lignedefeu16August.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Franco-Prussian War]]]]
[[File:Edison and phonograph edit1.jpg|thumb|Photograph of [[Thomas Edison]] with his phonograph, taken by [[Mathew Brady]] in 1877]]
[[File:Light Bulb.jpg|thumb|The first version of the [[light bulb]] was invented by Edison in 1879]]
* The prototype telephone was invented by [[Alexander Graham Bell]] in 1876.
* The [[phonograph]] is invented in 1877 by [[Thomas Edison]].
* The 6.35mm [[headphone jack]] was invented in 1878 and is still widely used today.
* The first version of the [[light bulb]] was invented by [[Thomas Edison]] in 1879.<ref name="y221">{{cite web|title=The Incandescent Light Bulb (1879): October 22-23, 2023 | website=Census.gov | date=2023-10-19 | url=https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/incandescent-light-bulb.html#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Thomas%20Edison,a%20home%20for%20many%20hours. | access-date=2025-03-03}}</ref>
* The [[steam drill]] is invented in 1879.
* [[Ludwig Boltzmann]] statistically defined [[entropy|thermodynamic entropy]].
* [[Weltausstellung 1873 Wien|1873 Weltausstellung]] in [[Vienna]], [[Centennial Exposition|1876 Centennial Exposition]] in [[Philadelphia]] and [[Exposition Universelle (1878)|1878 Exposition universelle]] in [[Paris]].

==Environment==
* [[Atlas bear]] became extinct in 1870.<ref>{{cite iucn |author=McLellan, B.N. |author2=Proctor, M.F. |author3=Huber, D. |author4=Michel, S. |year=2017 |amends=2017 |title=''Ursus arctos'' |volume=2017 |article-number=e.T41688A121229971 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T41688A121229971.en |access-date=27 April 2021}}</ref>
* [[Yellowstone National Park]] was established and signed into law in 1872.<ref>{{cite web |title=Yellowstone, the First National Park |url=https://www.loc.gov/collections/national-parks-maps/articles-and-essays/yellowstone-the-first-national-park/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170511161904/https://www.loc.gov/collections/national-parks-maps/articles-and-essays/yellowstone-the-first-national-park/ |archive-date=11 May 2017 |website=[[Library of Congress]]}}</ref>

==Popular culture==

===Literature and arts===
* [[Jules Verne]] (France) publishes ''[[Around the World in Eighty Days (book)|Around The World in Eighty Days]]''.
* [[Claude Monet]], [[Pierre-Auguste Renoir]], [[Camille Pissarro]], and [[Alfred Sisley]] organized the ''Société Anonyme Coopérative des Artistes Peintres, Sculpteurs, Graveurs'' ("Cooperative and Anonymous Association of Painters, Sculptors, and Engravers") for the purpose of exhibiting their artworks independently. Members of the association, which soon included [[Paul Cézanne]], [[Berthe Morisot]], and [[Edgar Degas]], were expected to forswear participation in the Salon. The organizers invited a number of other progressive artists to join them in their inaugural exhibition, including the slightly older [[Eugène Boudin]], whose example had first persuaded Monet to take up ''plein air'' painting years before.<ref>Denvir (1990), p.32.</ref> Another painter who greatly influenced Monet and his friends, [[Johan Jongkind]], declined to participate, as did [[Manet]]. In total, thirty artists participated [[First Impressionist Exhibition|in their first exhibition]], held in April 1874 at the studio of the photographer [[Nadar (photographer)|Nadar]]. The group soon became known as the ''[[Impressionism|Impressionists]]''.<ref>Bernard Denvir, ''The Thames and Hudson Encyclopaedia of Impressionism'' (1990).</ref>
*[[Jeanne Calment]], born 1875, would eventually become the longest-living human being with a verified lifespan. She lived until 1997, aged 122. She still holds the record as of November 2024.
*[[Lewis Carroll]] publishes ''[[Through the Looking-Glass]]''.
*[[Mark Twain]] publishes ''[[The Adventures of Tom Sawyer]]'' in 1876.
*[[Henrik Ibsen]] releases ''[[A Doll's House]]'' in 1879.

===Fashion===
{{Main|1870s in fashion}}

==People==

===Politics===
*[[Eugène Borel]], Director Universal Postal Union
*[[Rutherford B. Hayes|Rutherford B Hayes]], Elected [[President of the United States|US President]] in disputed election of [[1876 United States presidential election|1876]]
*[[Thomas W. Ferry|Thomas W Ferry]], Served as Senate [[President pro tempore of the United States Senate|Pro tempore]] and acting US [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] during 1870s
*[[Gustave Moynier]], President International Committee of the Red Cross
*[[Samuel J. Tilden|Samuel Tilden]], won popular vote but lost contested election in 1876 US presidential election

===Famous and infamous people===
{{Globalize|section|date= July 2024}}
* [[Sam Bass (outlaw)|Sam Bass]], [[Wild West]], outlaw
* [[Charlie Bowdre]], Wild West, outlaw/cowboy
* [[Richard M. Brewer]], Wild West, gunslinger/cowboy, outlaw
* [[Crazy Horse]], [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] war leader
* [[George Armstrong Custer]], [[U. S. Army]] officer
* [[Wyatt Earp]], Wild West, lawman
* [[E. B. Farnum]], Elected official and one of the first residents of [[Deadwood, South Dakota]]
* [["Wild Bill" Hickok]], Legendary Wild West, lawman, gunfighter, and entertainer
* [[Doc Holliday]], Legendary Wild West, gambler, gunfighter, outlaw, dentist
* [[Frank James]], Wild West, outlaw
* [[Jesse James]], Wild West, outlaw
* [[Calamity Jane]], Frontierswoman and professional [[Reconnaissance|scout]]
* [[Jack McCall]], murderer of [["Wild Bill" Hickok]]
* [[Henry McCarty]] a.k.a. [[William Bonney]] a.k.a. [[Billy the Kid]], Wild West, outlaw/cowboy
* [[Alexander McSween]], Wild West, figure
* [[Lawrence Murphy]], Wild West, [[racketeer]]
* [[Tom O'Folliard]], Wild West, outlaw, best friend of [[Billy the Kid]]
* [[Giovanni Passannante]], anarchist, attempted assassin of [[Umberto I]] of [[Italy]]
* [[Frank Stilwell]], Wild West, outlaw/cowboy
* [[Al Swearengen]], pimp and entertainment entrepreneur who ran the [[Gem Theater (Deadwood, South Dakota)|Gem Theater]], for 22 years during the late 19th century
* [[John Tunstall]], First man to be killed during the [[Lincoln County War]]
* [[John Younger]], Wild West, outlaw
* [[Jim Younger]], Wild West, outlaw
* [[Cole Younger]], Wild West, outlaw
{{Births and deaths by year for decade|187}}

==See also==
*[[1870s in sociology]]
*[[Reconstruction era|Reconstruction Era]] (during the decade's earlier years). 
*[[Gilded Age]] (during the decade's later years).
*[[Long Depression]]
*[[Second Industrial Revolution]]
*[[The Great Binge]] (covering roughly 1870 to 1914)<ref name=Maps>{{cite book|last1=Bryars|first1=Tim|last2=Harper|first2=Tom|title=A Historzy of the Twentieth Century in 100 Maps|date=10 December 2014|publisher=University of Chicago Press|location=Chicago|isbn=978-0-226-20250-1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b5jeBQAAQBAJ&dq=The+Great+Binge+1870-1914&pg=PT52|access-date=5 June 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
{{Commons category}}
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=LJ4YAAAAIAAJ ''Appleton's Annual Cyclopedia&nbsp;... for 1870''] (1871)
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=Jp8YAAAAIAAJ ''American  Annual Cyclopedia&nbsp;... for 1872''] (1873)
*''Appleton's Annual Cyclopedia&nbsp;... for 1873'' (1879) [https://books.google.com/books?id=c6QoAAAAYAAJ online edition]
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=2WcMAAAAYAAJ ''Appleton's Annual Cyclopedia&nbsp;... for 1875''] (1877)
*[[iarchive:newappletonsannu01newyuoft|The American Annual Cyclopedia and Register of Important Events of the Year '''1876''']]
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=Do4EAAAAYAAJ ''Appleton's Annual Cyclopedia&nbsp;... for 1877''] (1878)

{{19th century}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1870s| ]]