1905
Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century
Decades: 1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s - 1900s - 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s
Years: 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 - 1905 - 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910
Events:
- Pathé Frères colors black and white films by machine.
- January 22 - Massacre of Russian demonstrators at the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg, one of the triggers of the abortive Russian Revolution of 1905.
- January 26 - The Cullinan diamond is found near Pretoria, South Africa at the Premier Mine.
- February 11 - Pope Pius X publishes the encyclical Vehementer nos.
- March 3 - Tsar Nicholas II of Russia agrees to create an elected assembly (the Duma).
- March 5 - Russian troops begin to retreat from Mukden, Manchuria after losing 100,000 troops in 3 days.
- March 10 Japanese capture of Mukden (now Shenyang) completes rout of Russian armies in Manchuria.
- March 23 - Lale Andersen, singer and cabaretist (+ 1972)
- March 31 German emperor William II asserts German equality with France in Morocco, triggering Tangier (or First Morocco) Crisis.
- April 4 - In India, an earthquake near Kangra, kills 370,000.
- May 15 - Las Vegas, Nevada is founded when 110 acres (in what later would become downtown) are auctioned off.
- May 27 - Russo-Japanese War: Battle of Tsushima - The Japanese fleet under Admiral Heihachiro Togo destroys Russian fleet under Admiral Zinovi Petrovich Rozhdestvenski in this two day battle (ends on May 27).
- September 1 - Alberta and Saskatchewan join the Canadian confederation.
- September 5 - Treaty of Portsmouth, (New Hampshire) ends Russo-Japanese War.
- June 7 - Norway declares the union with Sweden dissolved.
- October 3 HMS Dreadnought is laid down, revolutionizing battleship design and triggering a naval arms race.
- October 26 - Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union with Norway.
- October 30 - Tsar Nicholas II is forced to grant Russia's first constitution, conceding a national assembly (Duma) with limited powers.
- The remaining southern portion of Rupert's Land is divided into the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Art, Culture & Fashion
Births:
- January 2 - Michael Tippett, composer
- January 3 - Anna May Wong, actress (+ 1961)
- January 12 - Tex Ritter, actor, singer (+ 1974)
- January 18 - Joseph Bonanno, gangster (+ 2002)
- January 21 - Christian Dior, couturier (+ 1957)
- January 26 - Bernhard Minetti, actor
- January 26 - Maria von Trapp, singer (+ 1987)
- January 29 - Barnett Newman, painter (+ 1970)
- January 31 - John O'Hara, writer (+ 1970)
- February 2 - Ayn Rand, Author
- February 7 - Paul Nizan, author (+ 1940)
- February 11 - Elizabeth Vuyk, Dutch/Indonesian writer.
- February 14 - Thelma Ritter, actress (+ 1969)
- February 27 - Franchot Tone, actor (+ 1968)
- March 5 - Günther Lüders, actor and film director (+ 1975)
- March 6 - Bob Wills, country music singer (+ 1975)
- March 15 - Berthold Schenk von Stauffenberg, jurist and Nazi opponent (+ 1944)
- March 16 - Elisabeth Flickenschildt, actress (+ 1977)
- March 18 - Thomas Townsend Brown, scientist (+ 1985)
- March 18 - Robert Donat, actor (+ 1958)
- March 19 - Albert Speer, Nazi official (+ 1981)
- May 15 - Joseph Cotten, actor
- May 16 - Henry Fonda, actor (+ 1982)
- May 20 - Gerrit Achterberg, Dutch poet
- August 11 - Erwin Chargaff, biochemist
- August 23 - Constant Lambert, composer (+ 1951)
- September 18 - Greta Garbo, Swedish actress
- September 30 - Michael Powell, British director
- November 17 - Queen Astrid of Belgium
- December 30 - Jule Styne, composer
Deaths:
- March 24 - Jules Verne, author
- May 9 - Mrs. Jarvis - The model for Mother's Day
- September 18 - George MacDonald
Science:
- Einstein publishes four papers. In particular, he formulates the theory of special relativity and explains the photoelectric effect by quantization.