1890

1890 was a year in the late 19th century marked by continued industrial expansion, political reform, and imperial competition. It saw significant legislative, infrastructural, and social developments that would influence the decade that followed.

In the United States, several major events shaped national policy. The Sherman Antitrust Act, signed on July 2, 1890, established the federal framework to regulate competition and curb monopolies. The McKinley Tariff Act raised duties on imported goods to protect domestic industry. Congress designated Yosemite National Park on October 1, 1890, preserving a key natural area. The merger of the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association formed the National American Woman Suffrage Association later that year, consolidating efforts for women's suffrage. The Wounded Knee Massacre occurred on December 29 in South Dakota, a violent clash between U.S. Army troops and Lakota Sioux that signaled the consolidation of U.S. control over the Plains Indian territories.

Internationally, notable developments included engineering milestones and diplomacy. The Forth Bridge, a cantilever railway bridge across the Firth of Forth in Scotland, opened on March 4, 1890, representing a landmark in bridge design. The Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty, signed in 1890 between Britain and Germany, defined spheres of influence in East Africa and altered island possessions: Britain gained Heligoland, while Germany secured recognized German interests in East Africa. These events reflect the era’s trends of modernization, territorial negotiation, and the complex geopolitics of imperial powers.