1907 History Events: What Happened in 1907

In 1907, key political events set the stage for big events in the years ahead. A large protest of over 40,000 people in front of the State Duma (a legislative body in the later days of the Russian Empire) had to be dispersed as part of the ongoing civil unrest in the Russian Empire. The turmoil would culminate in a total change in Russian politics and society, with Czar Nicholas II abdicating ten years later, in 1917, bringing the Empire to an end.

In 1907, Britain, France, and Russia joined the Triple Entente, a momentous political event. The Allied Powers of World War I were founded as a result of this agreement between these powers. Meanwhile, the Triple Alliance, which included Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy, was balanced out by the Entente (although Italy would eventually join the Allies in 1915).

In 1907, there were also some important developments in film and theatre. In the film industry, Louis B. Mayer opened his first movie theatre, which he would go on to expand into a big chain. Mayer was so successful that he eventually moved into the producing side of the industry, founding Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Productions. In addition, in Paris this year, the film “L’ Enfant prodigue,” Europe’s first feature-length film, premiered. Talk of the Town by George Cohan premiered in New York City, and Don Juan in Hell by George Bernard Shaw premiered in London.

In addition to these events, this year saw a number of notable cultural events. The iconic Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington, was dedicated. It would grow into a thriving seafood market and the headquarters of Starbucks, the world’s most well-known coffee brand. Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud met for the first time in Vienna in 1907, marking a watershed moment in Western culture and the development of psychology.

Continue reading to find out more about the year 1907.

Event
(January 06, 1907) In Rome, Italy, Maria Montessori launches her first school and daycare centre for working-class children. photo source: wikimedia.org
Advertisements (January 29, 1907) Charles Curtis of Kansas is elected as the country's first Native American senator.
(February 05, 1907) Leo Baekeland, a Belgian chemist, announces the development of Bakelite, the world's first synthetic plastic.
(May 01, 1907) Kate Smith, the "first lady of radio," was born in the United States.
(July 21, 1907) 88 people are killed when the passenger steamship SS Columbia sinks after collision with the steam schooner San Pedro off Shelter Cove, California.
Advertisements (August 01, 1907) The first Scout camp began on Brownsea Island, marking the beginning of the worldwide Scouting movement.
(October 17, 1907) The first commercial transatlantic wireless service is established by Marconi. photo source: wikimedia.org
(October 21, 1907) The Qaratog earthquake, which struck Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in 1907, killed between 12,000 and 15,000 people on both sides of the border. photo source: wikimedia.org