02/11/1858
A fourteen-year old girl gathering wood near Lourdes in rural France encounters the first of her visions of "a Lady." Religion/Philosophy
11/21/1852
A French plebiscite confirms popular support for the restoration of the empire Foreign
10/09/1859
Alfred Dreyfus, future French artillery officer and Devil's Island prisoner, is born in Alsace Foreign
03/28/1862
Aristide Briand, future wartime leader of France and Nobel Peace prize laureate is born in Nantes Personal
04/16/1861
Atlantic packet returning from France sinks off Nova Scotia and nine seamen drown Crime/Disasters
04/23/1859
Austria demands that Sardinia-Piedmont disarm, and issues a three-day ultimatum Foreign
08/11/1863
Cambodia becomes a protectorate of France, extending French influence in southeast Asia. US/the World
04/06/1860
Count Cavour, prime minister of Piedmont-Sardinia, assures Switzerland over the transfer of Nice to France US/the World
03/27/1854
Crimean War begins in earnest, as France declares war on Russia Foreign
12/16/1860
Emperor Napoleon III drops the requirement that Britons carry passports to enter and travel in France US/the World
01/05/1860
Emperor Napoleon III initiates free trade reforms in France Foreign
04/26/1859
France tells Austria war on Piedmont-Sardinia would mean war with France Foreign
03/26/1859
French amateur astronomer observes a new planet in our solar system Science/Technology
05/03/1859
French Emperor Napoleon III issues his official declaration of war on the Austrian Empire US/the World
07/28/1860
French Government appropriate ten million francs for a massive reforestation project US/the World
05/31/1850
French president Louis Napoleon Bonaparte abolishes universal suffrage Foreign
04/23/1859
- 04/25/1859
French troops are starting to depart Paris for Italy to confront the Austrians Foreign
04/26/1859
French troops protecting the Papal State order all demonstrations against the Vatican halted Foreign
08/20/1860
Future French president Raymond Poincaré born in Bar-le-Duc in Lorraine Personal
01/23/1860
Great Britain and France sign a landmark free trade agreement Foreign
03/22/1859
Great Power conference proposed in Europe to head off war between Austria and Piedmont-Sardinia Foreign
11/03/1858
Harriet Taylor Mill, wife of and collaborator with John Stuart Mill, dies at Avignon in France Personal
07/09/1847
In France, liberal politicians hold the first in a series of constitutional reform "banquets" US/the World
04/22/1860
In Italy, the inhabitants of Savoy vote in a plebiscite on whether their province will become part of France US/the World
04/29/1860
In Italy, the results of the recent plebiscite in Savoy confirms that the province will become part of France US/the World
04/15/1860
- 04/16/1860
Inhabitants of Nice voting in a plebiscite on whether their district will become part of France US/the World
04/27/1859
Italian nationalists in Florence overthrow the Hapsburg Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany US/the World
09/03/1859
Jean Jaurès, the French socialist hero, is born at Castre in south-western France Foreign
01/14/1867
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, the leading Neoclassical painter of his day, dies in at his home in France. Personal
09/29/1860
Just arrived in New York City, French billiard champion Claudius Berger gives his first American exhibition Education/Culture
04/01/1860
King Victor-Emmanuel of Piedmont-Sardinia explains the transfer of Nice and Savoy to France Foreign
09/02/1861
Loaded passenger/cargo ship burns in New York's North River Crime/Disasters
05/25/1846
Louis Napoleon Bonaparte escapes from prison in France US/the World
12/21/1851
Louis Napoleon Bonaparte holds a plebiscite confirming French support for his coup d'etat Foreign
07/17/1861
Mexico suspends interest payments on it foreign debts and causes consternation in Europe US/the World
04/27/1859
Piedmont-Sardinia rejects Austria's call to disarm Foreign
04/07/1860
Plans for the plebiscite on the transfer of Nice and Savoy from Piedmont-Sardinia to France are published Foreign
02/27/1860
- 02/28/1860
Powerful gales wreak havoc across the British Isles and north-west Europe Crime/Disasters
08/04/1858
- 08/05/1858
Queen Victoria visits France Foreign
12/31/1860
- 01/01/1861
Several nights of heavy gales wreak havoc on shipping around coasts of Britain and northern France Crime/Disasters
04/11/1860
Switzerland once again protests the transfer of Nice and Savoy from Piedmont-Sardinia to France US/the World
03/15/1860
Switzerland protest the pending French annexation of Savoy US/the World
04/29/1859
The Austrian Empire declares war on Sardinia-Piedmont US/the World
04/09/1859
The Austrian Empire mobilizes in response to the war preparations of Piedmont-Sardinia Foreign
01/07/1861
The Bank of England raises its discount rate as financial disruption in the United States effects Europe Business/Industry
11/24/1859
The French Navy launches the world's first ironclad ocean-going warship Science/Technology
06/13/1865
The Irish future Nobel Prize for Literature winner William Butler Yeats is born in Dublin Education/Culture
03/09/1859
The Italian Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia mobilizes its armed forces for war with Austria Foreign
11/24/1863
The newly purchased Confederate ship "Rappahannock" slips out of its English Channel port at midnight Battles/Soldiers
03/05/1859
The Swiss Federal Council says Switzerland will defend itself and its neutrality, by force if need be Foreign
06/25/1866
The United States and several European powers sign a joint trade agreement with Japan. US/the World
02/17/1860
Thousands see American emigrant ship founder off French coast Crime/Disasters
11/10/1859
Treaty negotiations successfully conclude the late war between France, Austria, and Piedmont US/the World
12/02/1856
Treaty of Bayonne between France and Spain sets their international borders Foreign
