Major Events of March 1900: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from March 1900 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

Major Events of March 1900: Key Historical Moments from the Month

01 Mar 1900 German Colonization of Samoa: On March 1st, 1900, Samoa officially became a German colony in a formal ceremony where the German flag was raised in Apia, the capital. Wilhelm Solf was appointed as the first colonial governor, marking a significant moment in the colonial expansion of the German Empire. In a notable diplomatic move, two local chiefs, Mata'afa and Tamasese, who had previously been on opposing sides during the German occupation, reconciled. Mata'afa was designated as the paramount chief of western Samoa, while Kaiser Wilhelm II was symbolically named the Paramount King, establishing a clear hierarchical colonial structure.
02 Mar 1900 Search for Australia's Federal Capital Location: Government officials began comprehensive inspections of towns across Australia to identify a suitable site for establishing the new Federal capital. This was a critical step in the nation's development, aimed at finding a location that would serve as the administrative center of the newly federated country.
03 Mar 1900 US Steel Corporation Established: The United States Steel Corporation was officially organized, marking a significant milestone in American industrial consolidation and corporate history. This event represented one of the largest corporate mergers of its time, bringing together multiple steel companies under a single corporate entity.
04 Mar 1900 First Railway Service in Nigeria: The first railway service in Nigeria was inaugurated with the opening of a line connecting Lagos and Ibadan, marking a significant milestone in the country's transportation infrastructure and colonial development.
05 Mar 1900 Deadly Coal Mine Explosion in West Virginia: A catastrophic coal mine explosion in West Virginia resulted in the tragic death of 50 miners, underscoring the dangerous working conditions in the mining industry during the early 1900s.
06 Mar 1900 United States Senate Passes Gold Standard Act: On March 6, 1900, the United States Senate voted 44 to 28 to pass the Gold Standard Act, a pivotal piece of financial legislation that officially established gold as the standard monetary basis for the United States currency. This act was crucial in stabilizing the nation's monetary policy and providing a consistent framework for economic transactions.
07 Mar 1900 First Wireless Ship-to-Shore Communication: The German liner SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse becomes the first ship to successfully send wireless signals to shore, marking a revolutionary moment in maritime communication technology.
08 Mar 1900 Queen Victoria's London Visit: Londoners enthusiastically celebrate as Queen Victoria makes a rare public appearance in the city. Her visit generates significant public excitement and demonstrates the monarch's continued importance in British society.
09 Mar 1900 Howard Aiken: Computing Pioneer Born: Howard Aiken was born, a pioneering American computer scientist and mathematician who would later play a crucial role in developing early computing technologies. Aiken is best known for his work on the Harvard Mark I computer, a groundbreaking electromechanical computer that significantly advanced computational capabilities in the early 20th century.
10 Mar 1900 Uganda Treaty with British Empire: The regents for the King of Uganda and leading chiefs signed a comprehensive treaty with Great Britain, formally establishing British protectorate governance. The agreement outlined critical administrative frameworks including government organization, taxation systems, judicial processes, and military structures, effectively solidifying British colonial control over the region.
11 Mar 1900 Fall of Bloemfontein during Second Boer War: General John French delivered an ultimatum to the leaders of the Orange Free State, giving them 11 hours to surrender. Having advanced within five miles of Bloemfontein, the capital, French's invasion force prompted President Martinus Theunis Steyn to flee. The city's leaders surrendered the following morning, effectively ending the Orange Free State's independence and marking a significant moment in the British colonial expansion.
12 Mar 1900 Surrender of Orange Free State during Second Boer War: During the Second Boer War, President Martinus Theunis Steyn of the Orange Free State fled from Bloemfontein as British forces, led by General John French, approached the capital. French gave the Boer leaders an 11-hour ultimatum to surrender, effectively marking the end of the Orange Free State's independence.
13 Mar 1900 Birth of Giorgos Seferis, Greek Poet: Giorgos Seferis, a renowned Greek poet and Nobel Prize in Literature laureate, was born. He would become one of the most important Greek poets of the 20th century, significantly contributing to modern Greek literature.
14 Mar 1900 Gold Standard Act Passed: The United States Congress passes the Gold Standard Act, a significant monetary policy legislation that standardizes the nation's currency and establishes gold as the primary basis of economic value.
15 Mar 1900 United States Adopts Gold Standard: The Gold Standard Act was officially ratified, establishing a formal monetary policy that directly linked the United States currency to gold. This landmark legislation standardized the nation's monetary system, providing economic stability and predictability for financial transactions and international trade.
16 Mar 1900 U.S. Naval Preparedness in China: United States Secretary of the Navy John Davis Long issued instructions to the naval base at Cavite, Philippines, to prepare a warship for deployment to Taku, China. The mission was to protect American missionaries in Tianjin, reflecting the geopolitical tensions and diplomatic challenges of the era.
17 Mar 1900 American Colonial Expansion in the Philippines: Bohol Occupation: American military forces, specifically the 44th Infantry Battalion under the command of Major Henry Hale, arrived in Tagbilaran and established control over the island of Bohol during the Philippine-American War, marking another step in the United States' colonial territorial expansion in the Pacific.
18 Mar 1900 AFC Ajax Football Club Founded: AFC Ajax, one of the most prestigious and successful football clubs in the Netherlands and Europe, was officially established in Amsterdam. The club would go on to become a powerhouse in European football, known for its innovative 'Total Football' philosophy and exceptional youth academy.
19 Mar 1900 Birth of Frédéric Joliot-Curie: Frédéric Joliot, a renowned French physicist, was born on this day. He would later become a Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry, known for his groundbreaking work in nuclear physics and radioactivity. Together with his wife Irène Joliot-Curie, he conducted significant research that advanced scientific understanding of atomic structures and radioactive elements.
20 Mar 1900 Tesla's Groundbreaking Wireless Power Transmission Patent: On March 20, 1900, Nikola Tesla was granted patent No. 645,576 for his pioneering work in wireless transmission of electric power. This patent was the first in a series of revolutionary designs that would lay the groundwork for modern wireless energy transfer technologies. Tesla's visionary concept challenged contemporary understanding of electrical engineering, proposing a method to transmit electricity without physical wires—a concept that was far ahead of its time and would inspire future technological innovations.
22 Mar 1900 Anne Rainsford French: Pioneering Female Steam Engineer: In a groundbreaking moment for women in engineering, Anne Rainsford French was awarded a Steam Engineer's License (Locomobile Class) by the City of Washington, D.C. This achievement was particularly significant during an era when professional technical fields were overwhelmingly male-dominated. Her license demonstrated her technical expertise and challenged the gender barriers of early 20th-century professional environments.
23 Mar 1900 Archaeological Discovery of Knossos Palace: British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans commenced systematic excavations of the legendary Minoan palace complex at Knossos, Crete. This groundbreaking archaeological project would ultimately reveal one of the most significant Bronze Age archaeological sites in Europe, providing unprecedented insights into the advanced Minoan civilization that flourished between 2700-1450 BCE. Evans' meticulous work would uncover intricate frescoes, complex architectural structures, and artifacts that dramatically expanded scholarly understanding of prehistoric Aegean culture.
24 Mar 1900 Carnegie Steel Company Establishment: Andrew Carnegie formally established the Carnegie Steel Company in New Jersey, with an unprecedented capitalization of $160 million, which represented the largest corporate capitalization of its time and signaled the emerging power of industrial consolidation in the late 19th century.
25 Mar 1900 Formation of the US Socialist Party: On March 25, 1900, the United States Socialist Party was officially established in Indianapolis, Indiana. This marked a significant moment in American political history, representing the formal organization of socialist political ideology in the United States. The party aimed to promote workers' rights, economic equality, and social justice through democratic political processes.
26 Mar 1900 Archaeological Discovery at Knossos: Archaeologist Arthur Evans led excavations at the ancient Minoan site of Knossos in Greece, uncovering significant figurines that provided unprecedented insights into the human representations of the Minoan civilization. These artifacts offered scholars a rare glimpse into the artistic and cultural practices of this advanced Bronze Age society.
27 Mar 1900 British Parliament Approves Substantial War Loan for Boer War: The London Parliament passed the War Loan Act, authorizing a substantial loan of 35 million pounds to support military operations in the Boer War in South Africa. This significant financial commitment underscored the British Empire's determination to maintain control in the region.
28 Mar 1900 Sydney Bubonic Plague Waste Removal: In a significant public health response, over 1,000 tonnes of waste were systematically removed from demolished buildings in Sydney, Australia, as part of efforts to control and mitigate a bubonic plague outbreak. This extensive sanitation operation was crucial in preventing further spread of the disease and represented an early example of urban disease management strategies.
29 Mar 1900 Delagoa Bay Railroad Arbitration Tribunal Decision: In a landmark international arbitration proceeding held in Bern, Switzerland, a tribunal addressed complex legal claims surrounding the Delagoa Bay Railroad. The tribunal ruled that Portugal must compensate a German construction company for railroad infrastructure development, marking a significant moment in late 19th-century international commercial dispute resolution. This case highlighted the emerging importance of international arbitration in resolving cross-border economic conflicts and establishing precedents for fair compensation in infrastructure projects.
30 Mar 1900 Linear B Script Discovery in Knossos: Archaeologists working in Knossos, Crete, made a groundbreaking discovery by unearthing the first clay tablet featuring hieroglyphic writing in what would later be identified as the Linear B script, providing crucial insights into ancient Minoan and Mycenaean communication.
31 Mar 1900 Boer War Military Engagement: Brigadier-General Broadwood's troops are captured by Boer guerrilla forces during the Second Boer War, highlighting the challenging military conditions of the conflict.