1885 facts for kids

The year 1885 was a time of many exciting changes and new inventions around the world. People saw the first true bicycles, important car parts, and even the very first skyscraper! It was a year when famous leaders and inventors made big moves, shaping the future in many ways.

Big Inventions and Discoveries

In 1885, several important inventions changed how people traveled and lived. These new ideas helped create the modern world we know today.

Cars and Bikes Get Better

• The famous company Benz built one of the first single-cylinder engines designed for a car. This was a big step towards making cars practical for everyone.
• A person named John K. Starley created what is considered the first real bicycle. It was called the Rover. This bicycle had two wheels of the same size and a chain drive, making it much easier and safer to ride than older designs.
• John Boyd Dunlop invented the pneumatic tire. This type of tire is filled with air, making rides much smoother and more comfortable than solid rubber tires.

New Buildings and Technologies

• The first skyscraper was built in 1885. It was the Home Insurance Building in Chicago, Illinois, USA. This building was 10 floors tall, which was incredibly high for its time!
• William Stanley, Jr. built the first useful device called an induction coil. This device could change the voltage of alternating current, which was very important for sending electricity over long distances.
• A new way to stop pain during medical procedures, called Local anesthetic, was developed. This helped doctors perform operations more comfortably for patients.
• The well-known Bicycle Playing Cards were made for the first time in 1885.

Famous Art and Culture

• The famous musical play The Mikado by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan was first performed. It became a very popular and well-loved show.
• The Times newspaper reported that a lady was the first person to be officially cremated in the United Kingdom. This happened in Woking, Surrey.

Important Events Around the World

Many significant events happened in different countries during 1885, affecting politics and people's lives.

Wars and Conflicts

• The Third Burmese War began. This was a conflict between the British Empire and the Kingdom of Burma.

Political Changes

• In the United States, Grover Cleveland became the new President, taking over from Chester A. Arthur.
• Randolph Churchill became a very important official called a viceroy of India. This meant he was the chief representative of the British monarch in India.

Health and Society

• A serious Cholera epidemic spread through Spain. Sadly, one of the people who died from it was the king, Alfonso XII.

Interesting Facts

• The famous inventor Nikola Tesla sold some of his inventions to George Westinghouse. This helped Tesla's ideas become widely used.
• The famous Native American leader Sitting Bull joined Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. This was a popular entertainment show that traveled around.
• In a fictional event, Clint Eastwood defeats Mad Dog Tannen. This refers to a scene from the movie Back to the Future Part III, which is set in 1885.

People Born in 1885

• January 8 – John Curtin, who later became the 14th Prime Minister of Australia.
• September 17 – George Cleveland, a Canadian actor.

People Who Died in 1885

• March 31 – Charlotte Brontë, a famous British writer known for her novels like Jane Eyre.

Images for kids

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  Feb. 21: Washington Monument dedicated.

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  The Reitwagen (riding car), the first internal combustion motorcycle (1885)

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  The Benz Patent-Motorwagen, built in 1885

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  John Curtin

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  Bess Truman

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  Claude Fuess

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  Clementine Churchill

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  Ben Chifley

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  Niels Bohr

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  Heinrich Brüning

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  Victor Hugo

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  Ulysses S. Grant

See also

In Spanish: 1885 para niños