22nd January » Anglo-Zulu War: Battle of Isandlwana Zulu people named Zulu troops decisively defeat British troops.
25th January » The Bulgarian National Bank is founded.
8th February » Sandford Fleming first proposes adoption of Universal Standard Time at a meeting of the Royal Canadian Institute.
8th February » The England cricket team led by George Harris, 4th Baron Harris e.g Lord Harris is Sydney Riot of 1879 named attacked during a riot during a match in Sydney.
14th February » The War of the Pacific breaks out when Chilean armed forces occupy the Bolivian port city of Antofagasta.
22nd February » In Utica, New York, Frank Woolworth opens the first of many of 5 and dime F.W. Woolworth Company named Woolworth stores.
11th March » Shō Tai formally abdicated his position of King of Ryūkyū, under orders from Tokyo, ending the Ryukyu Kingdom
23rd March » War of the Pacific: The Battle of Topáter, the first battle of the war is fought between Chile and the joint forces of Bolivia and Peru.
29th March » Anglo-Zulu War: Battle of Kambula: British forces defeat 20,000 Zulus.
5th April » Chile declares war on Bolivia and Peru, starting the War of the Pacific.
14th May » The first group of 463 Indian indenture system Indian indentured laborers arrives in Fiji aboard the ship Leonidas ship 6.
21st May » War of the Pacific: Two Chilean ships blocking the harbor of Iquique (then belonging to Peru) battle two Peruvian vessels in the Battle of Iquique.
26th May » Russian Empire known as Russia and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Gandamak establishing an Afghan state.
31st May » Gilmores Garden in New York City called New York, New York, is renamed Madison Square Garden (1879) called Madison Square Garden by William Henry Vanderbilt and is opened to the public at 26th Street and Madison Avenue.
1st June » Napoléon Eugène, Prince Imperial e.g Napoleon Eugene, the last dynastic Bonaparte, is killed in the Anglo-Zulu War.
1st July » Charles Taze Russell publishes the first edition of the religious magazine 'The Watchtower'.
4th July » Anglo-Zulu War: The Zululand capital of Ulundi is captured by British troops and burned to the ground, ending the war and forcing King Cetshwayo to flee.
8th July » Sailing ship USS Jeannette 1878 6 departs San Francisco carrying an ill-fated expedition to the North Pole.
12th July » The National Guards Unit of Bulgaria is founded.
21st August » The Virgin Mary, along with St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist, reportedly Marian apparition or appears at Knock Shrine in Knock, County Mayo, Ireland.
28th August » Cetshwayo, last king of the Zulu people named Zulus, is captured by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland or British.
3rd September » Siege of the British Residency in Kabul: British envoy Sir Pierre Louis Napoleon Cavagnari called Louis Cavagnari and 72 men of the Corps of Guides (India) known as The Guides are massacred by Afghan troops while defending the British Residency in Kabul.
19th September » The Blackpool Illuminations are switched on for the first time.
7th October » Germany and Austria-Hungary sign the "Twofold Covenant" and create the Dual Alliance (1879) or Dual Alliance.
8th October » War of the Pacific: the Chilean Navy defeats the Peruvian Navy in the Battle of Angamos, Peruvian Admiral Miguel Grau Seminario named Miguel Grau is killed in the encounter.
22nd October » Using a filament of carbonized thread, Thomas Edison tests the first practical electric incandescent light bulb (it lasted 13½ hours before burning out).
28th December » Tay Bridge disaster: The central part of the Tay Rail Bridge in Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland known as United Kingdom collapses as a train passes over it, killing 75.
31st December » Thomas Edison demonstrates Incandescent light bulb called incandescent lighting to the public for the first time, in Edison, New Jersey e.g Menlo Park, New Jersey.