Key Events in American History: 1886

President: Grover Cleveland

VP: vacant

Date, Event

Jan 1st First Tournament of Roses parade takes place in Pasadena, CA

Jan 19th The Presidential Succession Act is passed detailing rules of succession for the President, V.P. & Cabinet

January 50-100 people & 80% of the cattle are killed in Kansas alone from a blizzard in the western plains

Feb 4th The last legal hanging in Prescott, AZ occurs when a murderer is brought to the gallows

Feb 7th Anti-Chinese riots erupt in Seattle, WA. Federal troops are required to restore order.

Mar 6th The Knights of Labor strike against the Missouri-Pacific railroad tying up commerce coast to coast.

Mar 17th Carrollton Massacre: 20 Blacks are killed in Mississippi

May 4th A general workers strike occurs in the U.S. & escalates into the Haymarket Riot. Begins the 8-hour work day.

May 8th Dr. John Pemberton invents a carbonated beverage eventually named Coca-Cola

May 10th Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad: The Supreme Court rules that corporations have the same rights as individuals

Jun 2nd Grover Cleveland marries France Folsom, 27 years his junior. He is the only President to be married in the White House.

Aug 31st A 7.5 earthquake hits Charleston, SC leaving 40,000 homeless

Sep 4th After almost 30 years of fighting, Apache Chief Geronimo surrenders to General Miles in Arizona Territory

Sep 27th P.T. Barnum's Greatest Show on Earth brings in a crowd of 20,000 in Topeka, KS

Oct 10th A type of formal evening wear for men is introduced in Tuxedo Park, NY known as the 'tuxedo'

Oct 28th President Cleveland dedicates the Statue of Liberty

The number of bison on the American West falls to approximately 1,000

Robert Louis Stevenson publishes, "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde"

Dec 18th Ty Cobb (Athlete)

May 15th Emily Dickinson (Poet)

May 17th John Deere (Blacksmith/Inventor/Founder, Deere & Company)

Nov 18th Chester A. Arthur (21st President)