1855

Events in 1855 22

• 1777 – 1855 Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777-1855) Died 23 February 1855, aged 77 Carl Friedrich Gauss, one of history's most influential mathematicians, died in Gottingen. He made foundational contributions to number theory, statistics, algebra, geometry, and magnetism, and is often called the "Prince of Mathematicians." His work underpins much of modern mathematics and physics.
• 1796 – 1855 Nicholas I of Russia (1796-1855) Died 2 March 1855, aged 58 Nicholas I, Tsar of Russia since 1825, died in Saint Petersburg during the Crimean War. His reign had been marked by autocratic rule, suppression of revolts, and territorial expansion. He was succeeded by his son, Alexander II.
• 1798 – 1855 Adam Mickiewicz (1798-1855) Died 26 November 1855, aged 56 Adam Mickiewicz, regarded as Poland's national poet, died of cholera in Constantinople while trying to organize Polish legions to fight Russia in the Crimean War. His epic poem Pan Tadeusz is considered a cornerstone of Polish literature. He spent much of his life in political exile.
• 1808 – 1855 Gerard de Nerval (1808-1855) Died 26 January 1855, aged 46 French poet and writer Gerard de Nerval was found dead in a Paris street, an apparent suicide, after years of mental illness. He was a leading figure of French Romanticism known for works such as Aurelia. His writing influenced later Symbolist and Surrealist poets.
• 1813 – 1855 Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) Died 11 November 1855, aged 42 Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard died in Copenhagen shortly after collapsing in the street. His writings on faith, anxiety, and individual choice laid the groundwork for existentialist philosophy. Much of his work was published under pseudonyms during his lifetime.
• 1816 – 1855 Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855) Died 31 March 1855, aged 38 Charlotte Bronte, author of the novel Jane Eyre, died in Haworth, England, while pregnant, likely from complications related to severe morning sickness. She was the last surviving of the Bronte literary siblings. Her novels remain among the most widely read works of English literature.
• 1855 – 1934 Arthur Wing Pinero (1855-1934) Died 23 November 1934, aged 79 English dramatist whose works include the farce The Magistrate and the drama The Second Mrs Tanqueray. He was one of the leading playwrights of the late Victorian stage.
• 1855 – 1927 Houston Stewart Chamberlain (1855-1927) Died 9 January 1927, aged 71 Houston Stewart Chamberlain was a British-born writer who settled in Germany. His racialist book The Foundations of the Nineteenth Century strongly influenced pan-German and Nazi ideology.
• 1855 – 1935 Ivan Michurin (1855-1935) Died 7 June 1935, aged 79 Michurin was a Russian plant breeder who developed hundreds of fruit varieties. Soviet ideology later held up his work as a model for agricultural science.
• 1855 – 1932 King Camp Gillette (1855-1932) Died 9 July 1932, aged 76 The American businessman popularised the safety razor with disposable blades and founded the Gillette company.
• 1855 – 1925 Robert M. La Follette Sr. (1855-1925) Died 18 June 1925, aged 69 Robert M. La Follette Sr., progressive U.S. senator from Wisconsin and 1924 Progressive Party presidential candidate, died in Washington, D.C. He had built a national reputation as a champion of anti-trust regulation and political reform. His sons continued his progressive political legacy in Wisconsin politics.
• 1855 Bessemer process patented Henry Bessemer patents a cheap method for mass-producing steel British engineer Henry Bessemer patented a process for converting molten iron into steel by blowing air through it to remove impurities. The Bessemer process dramatically lowered the cost of steel production and became foundational to industrial-era construction, railways, and shipbuilding. It remained the dominant steelmaking method for decades.
• 1855 Panama Railroad completed First transcontinental railroad in the Americas links the oceans The Panama Railroad, built across the isthmus of Panama to connect the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, was completed after years of difficult construction. It cut travel time between the eastern United States and California dramatically, becoming a vital route during the gold rush era. Thousands of workers died during its construction from disease.
• 1855 Alexander II becomes Tsar of Russia Accession follows the death of Nicholas I Alexander II ascended the Russian throne upon the death of his father, Nicholas I, during the Crimean War. He would go on to pursue major reforms, including the emancipation of the serfs in 1861. His accession came at a low point for Russia militarily, with Sevastopol still under siege.
• 1855 Exposition Universelle opens in Paris France stages its first world's fair Emperor Napoleon III opened the Exposition Universelle, a world's fair intended to showcase French industry, agriculture, and the arts alongside exhibits from other nations. Held on the Champs-Elysees, it was France's answer to London's Great Exhibition of 1851. The fair ran for six months and drew millions of visitors.
• 1855 Walt Whitman publishes Leaves of Grass Self-published poetry collection reshapes American literature Walt Whitman self-published the first edition of Leaves of Grass, a collection of poems written in free verse celebrating the individual and American democracy. The book was controversial for its frank treatment of the body and sexuality but came to be regarded as a landmark of American poetry. Whitman continued revising and expanding it for the rest of his life.
• 1855 Battle of the Chernaya Russian attempt to break the siege of Sevastopol fails Russian forces attacked Franco-Sardinian positions along the Chernaya River in an attempt to relieve the besieged city of Sevastopol. The assault was repulsed with heavy Russian casualties. The defeat hastened the fall of Sevastopol less than a month later.
• 1855 Fall of Sevastopol Allied forces capture the Russian Black Sea fortress after an 11-month siege Following the capture of the Malakoff redoubt by French troops, Russian forces abandoned the southern side of Sevastopol on the night of 8-9 September 1855. The fall of the city effectively ended the Crimean War's main campaign and set the stage for peace negotiations. Russia had defended the port for nearly a year against British, French, and Ottoman forces.
• 1855 William Walker captures Granada, Nicaragua American filibuster seizes control of a Nicaraguan city American adventurer William Walker, leading a band of mercenaries, captured the city of Granada during Nicaragua's civil conflict. The seizure gave Walker effective control over the country and led to his installation as president the following year. His filibustering expedition drew international attention to Central America.
• 1855 David Livingstone reaches Victoria Falls Scottish explorer becomes first European to see the waterfall While traveling along the Zambezi River, missionary and explorer David Livingstone became the first European to see the great waterfall used by locals, naming it Victoria Falls after Queen Victoria. His account introduced the falls to the European public and bolstered his reputation as an explorer of Africa. The site straddles the modern border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
• 1855 Siege of Kars ends Ottoman garrison surrenders to Russian forces in the Caucasus After months of blockade and starvation, the Ottoman garrison at Kars surrendered to a Russian army under General Nikolai Muravyov. The British officer William Fenwick Williams, who had organized the city's defense, negotiated the surrender terms. The capture of Kars was Russia's most significant victory of the Crimean War.
• 1855 Wakarusa War Armed standoff in Kansas Territory over slavery Pro-slavery and free-state militias mobilized around Lawrence, Kansas, in a tense armed confrontation known as the Wakarusa War. The crisis was defused by negotiation before large-scale fighting broke out, but it foreshadowed the violence of "Bleeding Kansas." The dispute centered on whether Kansas would enter the Union as a slave or free state.