1889

1889 was a year of notable political, cultural, and social events around the world. In Japan, the Meiji Constitution was promulgated, establishing a constitutional framework and the Imperial Diet, with the new system taking effect in 1890. In France, Paris hosted the Exposition Universelle, a world’s fair that showcased industrial and artistic achievements; the Eiffel Tower was completed as the exposition’s centerpiece and would become a lasting symbol of modern engineering.

In the Americas, Brazil proclaimed the Republic on November 15, 1889, ending the Empire of Brazil and Pedro II’s reign; the country established a parliamentary system but would face ongoing political challenges. In the United States, the Johnstown Flood occurred on May 31, a catastrophic dam failure in Pennsylvania that killed more than two thousand people and caused extensive destruction.

Labor and social movements were active as well. The United Kingdom saw the Great Dock Strike in 1889, a major industrial action that helped fuel the growth of organized labor and prompted debates over workers’ rights. At an international level, the Second International’s Congress in Paris endorsed May Day (May 1) as a day of international workers’ solidarity, a commemoration that would spread in subsequent decades.

In the arts, Vincent van Gogh produced some of his iconic landscapes, including works in 1889 such as Starry Night while he was staying at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, reflecting ongoing innovations in modern art.

Overall, 1889 reflected a blend of political transformation, cultural innovation, and social upheaval that shaped developments in the late 19th century.