1870
Centuries: 18th century - 19th century - 20th century
Decades: 1820s 1830s 1840s 1850s 1860s - 1870s - 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s
Years: 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 - 1870 - 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875
Events
- Franco-Prussian War
- January 10 - John D. Rockefeller incorporates Standard Oil
- January 15 - A political cartoon for the first time symbolizes the United States Democratic Party with a donkey ("A Live Jackass Kicking a Dead Lion" by Thomas Nast for Harper's Weekly).
- January 26 - American Civil War: Virginia rejoins the Union.
- January 27 - First college sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, is formed at DePauw University
- February 2 - It is revealed that the famed Cardiff Giant was just carved gypsum and not the petrified remains of a human.
- February 3 - The 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution is passed
- February 10 - Anaheim, California is incorporated.
- February 10 - The YWCA is founded (New York City)
- February 12 - Women gain the right to vote in Utah Territory.
- February 23 - Military control of Mississippi ends and it is readmitted to the Union.
- February 25 - Hiram Rhoades Revels, a Republican from Mississippi, is sworn into the United States Senate, becoming the first African American ever to sit in the United States Congress
- February 26 - In New York City, the first pneumatic-subway is opened.
- March 30 - Texas is readmitted to the Union following Reconstruction.
- May 14 - First rugby match to be played in New Zealand, between the Nelson Football Club and Nelson College.
- September 20 - With Bersaglieri soldiers entering Rome at Porta Pia, the unification of Italy is completed. End of the temporal power of Papacy.
- November 16 - Spanish Cortes proclaims Amadeo de Saboya as king Amadeus I of Spain.
- The Canadian province of Manitoba is created in response to Louis Riel's Northwest Rebellion.
Arts, Sciences, Literature and Philosophy
Births
- January 8 - Miguel Primo de Rivera, dictator of Spain (+ 1930)
- January 15 - Pierre S. DuPont, industrialist
- March 5 - Frank Norris, writer (+ 1902)
- April 22 - Vladimir Lenin, first leader of the USSR
- May 19 - Albert Fish, serial killer
- July 12 - Louis II of Monaco
- August 31 - Maria Monessori, Famous educator
Deaths
- February 11 - Jacob M. de Kempenaer, Dutch Minister of Internal Affairs (1848-1849?).
- February 11 - Leopold Eugen Mechura, composer.
- March 28 - George Henry Thomas, American general
- June 9 - Charles Dickens, British novelist
- July 20 - Jules Alfred Huot de Goncourt, Prix Goncourt
- October 12 - Robert E. Lee, Confederate General.
- December 27 - General Prim, Spanish dictator.
- December 5 - Alexandre Dumas, pere, author
- November 4 - Comte de Lautreamont, French poet and writer.
- Henry Rowe - Gothic architect