On This Day
·

Canada joins the Universal Postal Union

The Universal Postal Union (UPU, French: Union postale universelle) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that coordinates postal policies among member nations and facilitates a uniform...

The Universal Postal Union (UPU, French: Union postale universelle) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that coordinates postal policies among member nations and facilitates a uniform worldwide postal system. It has 192 member states and is headquartered in Bern, Switzerland.

Established in 1874 as the General Postal Union, the UPU is among the oldest extant intergovernmental organizations. It sought to standardize international mail delivery by establishing a uniform postal rate and equal treatment between domestic and foreign mail. The organization adopted its current name in 1878.

Historical Significance

The Universal Postal Union (UPU, French: Union postale universelle) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that coordinates postal policies among member nations and facilitates a uniform worldwide postal system.

Events Before

  1. American Chester Greenwood patents earmuffs after inventing them at age 15

    American Chester Greenwood patents earmuffs after inventing them at age 15

  2. Test cricket debut of feared Australian fast bowler Fred "The Demon" Spofforth; Australia loses the second Test by four

    Test cricket debut of feared Australian fast bowler Fred "The Demon" Spofforth; Australia loses the second Test by four wickets to England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

  3. World's first home telephone is installed in Somerville, Massachusetts at the house of Charles Williams Jr. [1]

    The Charles Williams Jr. House, built in 1858, is a historic house in Somerville, Massachusetts. Charles Williams Jr.

  4. Russo-Turkish War: Russia declares war on the Ottoman Empire

    Russo-Turkish War: Russia declares war on the Ottoman Empire

  5. First Wimbledon tennis championship - first official lawn tennis tournament - begins featuring men's singles only

    The 1877 Wimbledon Championship was a men's tennis tournament held at the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club (AEC & LTC) in Wimbledon, London.

Events After

  1. E. M. Forster is born

    E. M. Forster, English novelist and writer, known for english novelist and writer, was born on 1879-01-01. Edward Morgan Forster (1 January 1879 – 7 June 1970) was an English author.

  2. Dutch King William II marries Emma von Waldeck-Pyrmont

    William III (Dutch: Willem III, French: Guillaume III; 19 February 1817 – 23 November 1890) was King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1849 until his death in 1890, and was also...

  3. Anglo-Zulu War begins as British Lieutenant General Lord Chelmsford invades Zululand in South Africa

    Anglo-Zulu War begins as British Lieutenant General Lord Chelmsford invades Zululand in South Africa

  4. Battle of Rorke's Drift: A British garrison of about 150 holds off 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu warriors. Eleven Victoria Crosses

    Battle of Rorke's Drift: A British garrison of about 150 holds off 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu warriors. Eleven Victoria Crosses and several other decorations are awarded to the defenders.

  5. Chile declares war on Bolivia and Peru, starting the War of the Pacific

    The War of the Pacific (Spanish: Guerra del Pacífico), also known by multiple other names, was a war between Chile and a Bolivian–Peruvian alliance from 1879 to 1884.

More from the 1870s

Belgium disbands its salt tax

Belgium disbands its salt tax

The Moerdijk railway bridge over Hollands Diep in South Holland opens, becoming the longest bridge in Europe at that tim

The Moerdijk railway bridge over Hollands Diep in South Holland opens, becoming the longest bridge in Europe at that time

Japan adopts the Gregorian calendar

Japanese calendar types have included a range of official and unofficial systems. At present, Japan uses the Gregorian calendar together with year designations stating the year of the reign of the…

New York City annexes the West Bronx

The boroughs of New York City are the five major governmental districts that compose New York City. They are the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on July 1, 1878?
The Universal Postal Union (UPU, French: Union postale universelle) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that coordinates postal policies among member nations and facilitates a uniform worldwide postal system. It has 192 member states and is headquartered in Bern, Switzerland. Established in 1874 as the General Postal Union, the UPU is among the oldest extant intergovernmental organizations.
Why is Canada joins the Universal Postal Union significant?
The Universal Postal Union (UPU, French: Union postale universelle) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that coordinates postal policies among member nations and facilitates a uniform worldwide postal system.

Explore More

July 1 in HistoryYear 1878