On This Day

Earthquake destroys the city of Arica, Chile

The 1868 Arica earthquake occurred on 13 August 1868, near Arica, then part of Peru, now part of Chile, at 21:30 UTC.

The 1868 Arica earthquake occurred on 13 August 1868, near Arica, then part of Peru, now part of Chile, at 21:30 UTC. It had an estimated magnitude between 8.8 and 9.1, although earlier studies suggested a broader range of 8.5–9.3. A tsunami (or multiple tsunamis) in the Pacific Ocean was produced by the earthquake, which was recorded in Hawaii, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

Historical Significance

The 1868 Arica earthquake occurred on 13 August 1868, near Arica, then part of Peru, now part of Chile, at 21:30 UTC.

Events Before

  1. Labor union leader Samuel Gompers (17) weds co-worker Sophia Julian (16) in Brooklyn, New York

    Labor union leader Samuel Gompers (17) weds co-worker Sophia Julian (16) in Brooklyn, New York

  2. Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky (45) weds Anna Snitkina at Trinity Cathedral in Saint Petersburg, Russia

    Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky (45) weds Anna Snitkina at Trinity Cathedral in Saint Petersburg, Russia

  3. British North America Act is passed in the House of Commons, serves as Canada's constitution for more than 100 years

    Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the second-largest...

  4. Joseph Lister first outlines the discovery of antiseptic surgery in an article in "The Lancet"

    Joseph Lister first outlines the discovery of antiseptic surgery in an article in "The Lancet"

  5. The United States buys Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000 (109 million in 2018 dollars), roughly 2 cents an acre

    The United States buys Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000 (109 million in 2018 dollars), roughly 2 cents an acre

Events After

  1. US postage stamps featuring scenes are issued for the first time, depicting a post horse and rider, a locomotive, a shie

    US postage stamps featuring scenes are issued for the first time, depicting a post horse and rider, a locomotive, a shield, an eagle, and a ship, the Adriatic

  2. Dmitri Mendeleev presents the first periodic table of the elements to the Russian Chemical Society

    Dmitri Mendeleev presents the first periodic table of the elements to the Russian Chemical Society

  3. Cincinnati Red Stockings become baseball's first professional team with ten salaried players

    The Cincinnati Red Stockings of 1869 were baseball's first all-professional team, with ten salaried players.

  4. US Abolitionist Harriet Tubman marries civil war veteran Nelson Davis in Auburn NY

    Harriet Tubman (1822–1913) was an American abolitionist and political activist. Tubman escaped slavery and rescued approximately 70 enslaved people, including members of her family and friends.

  5. Hudson's Bay Company cedes its territory to Canada

    The Hudson's Bay Company (abbreviated HBC and colloquially Hudson's Bay) is a Canadian holding company of department stores and commercial property.

More from the 1860s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on August 8, 1868?
The 1868 Arica earthquake occurred on 13 August 1868, near Arica, then part of Peru, now part of Chile, at 21:30 UTC. It had an estimated magnitude between 8.8 and 9.1, although earlier studies suggested a broader range of 8.5–9.3. A tsunami (or multiple tsunamis) in the Pacific Ocean was produced by the earthquake, which was recorded in Hawaii, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.
Why is Earthquake destroys the city of Arica, Chile significant?
The 1868 Arica earthquake occurred on 13 August 1868, near Arica, then part of Peru, now part of Chile, at 21:30 UTC.

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