Centuries: Year in Review 19th Century (18th century - 19th century - 20th century)
Decades: 1810s 1820s 1830s 1840s 1850s - 1860s - 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s
Years: 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 - 1861 - 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866
Births
Deaths
Events
- February 11 - US House unanimously passes resolution guaranteeing noninterference with slavery in any state.
- April 12 - United States Civil War begins at Fort Sumter, South Carolina
- Abraham Lincoln succeeds James Buchanan as President of the United States of America
- Kansas becomes 34th state in the United States
- Victor Emmanuel becomes first king of Italy
- Change of emperor of the Ottoman Empire from Abd-ul-Mejid (1839-1861) to Abd-ul-Aziz (1861-1876)
- Sir William Crookes discovers Thallium (see Discovery of the chemical elements)