1868 - Wikipedia

Centuries: 18th century - 19th century - 20th century

Decades: 1810s 1820s 1830s 1840s 1850s - 1860s - 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s

Years: 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 - 1868 - 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873

Events

First edition of the World Almanac published.
Académie Julian - a major art school established in Paris, France that admitted women.
January 3 - "Meiji Restoration" fully established in Japan and the Shogunate is abolished.
February 16 - In New York City the Jolly Gorks organization is renamed the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks[?] (BPOE).
February 24 - The first parade to have floats occurs at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Queen Isabella II of Spain derrocated.
February 24 - After Andrew Johnson tried to dismiss United States Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton[?], he becomes the first President of the United States to be impeached by the United States House of Representatives. Johnson would later be acquitted by the United States Senate.
March 5 - A court of impeachment is organized in the United States Senate to hear charges against President Andrew Johnson.
March 23 - The University of California is founded in Oakland, California when the Organic Act is signed into California law.
March 24 - Metropolitan Life Insurance Company[?] is formed.
May 16 - President Andrew Johnson is acquitted during his impeachment trial, by one vote in the United States Senate.
May 30 - Memorial Day is observed in the United States for the first time (it was proclaimed on May 5 by General John Logan[?]).
November - Ulysses S. Grant defeats Horatio Seymour in the U.S. presidential election
German opthamologist[?] August Rothmund[?] defines Rothmund-Thompson's syndrome.
December 25 - US President Andrew Johnson grants unconditional pardon to all Civil War rebels.

Arts, Sciences, Literature and Philosophy

1868 in literature:

Births

S.P.L. Sørensen - Danish chemist,
Georges Lacombe - French artist
February 23 - W.E.B. DuBois, civil rights leader (+ 1963)
March 28 - Maxim Gorky, author (+ 1936)
April 10 - George Arliss, actor
May 6 - Nicholas II of Russia (+ 1918)
May 6 - Gaston Leroux, writer (+ 1927)
July 14 - Gertrude Bell[?], archaeologist, writer, spy and administrator known as the "Uncrowned Queen of Iraq" (+ 1926)
October 18 - Ernst Didring, Swedish writer (+ 1931)
November 24 - Scott Joplin, musician and composer.

Deaths

February 11 - Léon Foucault, astronomer.
March 4 - Jesse Chisholm[?], Old West pioneer
March 28 - James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, British military leader
May 23 - Kit Carson, trapper, scout, Indian agent, soldier, legend
June 1 - James Buchanan, U.S. President
Gioacchino Rossini, Italian composer.