16 August 1859

The Grand Duchy of Tuscany formally deposes the exiled House of Lorraine. The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a prominent Italian state that existed from…

30 June 1859

French acrobat Charles Blondin crosses Niagara Falls on a tightrope. On June 30, 1859, French acrobat Charles Blondin (born Jean-François Gravelet) stunned the world by…

4 February 1859

The Codex Sinaiticus is discovered in Egypt. The Codex Sinaiticus is one of the oldest and most complete manuscripts of the Christian Bible, dating back…

2 March 1859

The two-day Great Slave Auction, the largest such auction in United States history, begins. The “Great Slave Auction” occurred in 1859 at the Ten Broeck…

30 June 1859

French acrobat Charles Blondin crosses Niagara Falls on a tightrope. Charles Blondin, born as Jean-François Gravelet (1824–1897), was a renowned French acrobat and tightrope walker…

31 May 1859

The clock tower at the Houses of Parliament, which houses Big Ben, starts keeping time. Big Ben is one of the most iconic landmarks in…

17 May 1859

Members of the Melbourne Football Club codified the first rules of Australian rules football. Australian Rules Football, commonly known as Aussie Rules or footy, is…