1879

January 1 – The Specie Resumption Act takes effect. The United States Note is valued the same as gold, for the first time since the American Civil War. January 11 – The Anglo-Zulu War begins. January 22 – Anglo-Zulu War – Battle of Isandlwana: A force of 1,200 British soldiers is wiped out by over 20,000 Zulu warriors. January 23 – Anglo-Zulu War – Battle of Rorke's Drift: Following the previous day's defeat, a smaller British force of 140 successfully repels an attack by 4,000 Zulus. February 3 – Mosley Street in Newcastle upon Tyne (England) becomes the world's first public highway to be lit by the electric incandescent light bulb invented by Joseph Swan. February 8 – At a meeting of the Royal Canadian Institute, engineer and inventor Sandford Fleming first proposes the global adoption of standard time. March 3 – United States Geological Survey is founded. March 11 – The Ryukyu Domain is incorporated into the Okinawa Prefecture of Japan and the last ruler, Shō Tai, exiled to Tokyo. March 28 – Anglo-Zulu War – Battle of Hlobane: British forces suffer a defeat. March 29 – Anglo-Zulu War – Battle of Kambula: British forces defeat 20,000 Zulus. April – Postman Ferdinand Cheval begins to build his Palais Idéal at Hauterives in France. April 5 – War of the Pacific: Chile formally declares war on Bolivia and Peru. April 12 – Mary Baker Eddy founds the Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston, Massachusetts. April 26 – The National Park, later renamed the Royal National Park, is declared in New South Wales, Australia, the world's second-oldest purposed national park. May 2 – The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) is founded clandestinely at the Casa Labra tavern in Madrid, by printer Pablo Iglesias. May 7 – The current constitution of the State of California in the United States is ratified. May 10 – The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) is formed. May 12 – English Catholic convert John Henry Newman is elevated to Cardinal. May 14 – The first group of 463 Indian indentured labourers arrive in Fiji, aboard the Leonidas.