What Happened in 1874 — Events, Births & Deaths

The Treaty of Pangkor is signed between the British and Sultan Abdullah of Perak, paving the way for further British colonization of Malaya.

Modest Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov premieres in Mariinsky Theatre in St.Petersburg.

The Oakland Daily Tribune publishes its first edition.

France and Vietnam sign the Second Treaty of Saigon, further recognizing the full sovereignty of France over Cochinchina.

A flood on the Mill River in Massachusetts destroys much of four villages and kills 139 people.

The first group of Dorsland trekkers under the leadership of Gert Alberts leaves Pretoria.

Greek politician Charilaos Trikoupis publishes a manifesto in the Athens daily Kairoi entitled "Who's to Blame?" leveling complaints against King George. Trikoupis is elected Prime Minister of Greece the next year.

The Mounties begin their March West.

The Chicago Fire of 1874 burns down 47 acres of the city, destroying 812 buildings, killing 20, and resulting in the fire insurance industry demanding municipal reforms from Chicago's city council.

Patrick Francis Healy becomes the first African-American inaugurated as president of a predominantly white university, Georgetown University.

The Universal Postal Union is created by the Treaty of Bern.

The United States Greenback Party is established as a political party consisting primarily of farmers affected by the Panic of 1873.

The military coup of Gen. Martinez Campos in Sagunto ends the failed First Spanish Republic and the monarchy is restored as Prince Alfonso is proclaimed King of Spain.