1868

1868 was a leap year in the Gregorian calendar and a year of significant political transformation and notable events around the world. It featured major reforms, wars, and constitutional changes, alongside natural disasters and continuing modernization.

In Japan, the Meiji Restoration began, as reformers moved to dismantle the Tokugawa shogunate and restore imperial rule under Emperor Meiji. The shift laid the groundwork for state-led modernization, centralized government, and rapid industrial development in subsequent decades.

In the United States, Congress impeached President Andrew Johnson; after a trial in the Senate, he was acquitted. During the year the Fourteenth Amendment, guaranteeing equal protection under the law and defining citizenship, was ratified by the states.

In Africa and the Horn of Africa, the British expedition to Abyssinia ended with the death of Emperor Tewodros II at Magdala, leading to the withdrawal of British forces. The episode reflected imperial intrigues and the complexities of 19th-century diplomacy.

In North America, the Wyoming Territory was established, contributing to the expansion and political development of the western United States.

A major natural disaster occurred on August 13, when the Arica earthquake struck the Peru–Chile region, generating tsunamis and widespread damage along the Pacific coast.

Around the world, 1868 also saw ongoing reform movements, the expansion of railway networks and telegraph communications, and continued geopolitical realignments characteristic of the late 19th century.