1st January » Ferdinand de Lesseps begins French construction of the Panama Canal.
9th January » The Great Gale of 1880 devastates parts of Oregon and Washington (state) e.g Washington with high winds and heavy snow.
13th February » Thomas Edison observes the Edison effect.
18th April » An Fujita scale known as F4 tornado strikes Marshfield, Missouri, killing 99 people and injuring 100.
11th May » Seven people are killed in the Mussel Slough Tragedy, a gun battle in California.
13th May » In Menlo Park, New Jersey, Thomas Edison performs the first test of his electric railway.
7th June » War of the Pacific: The Battle of Arica, the assault and capture of Morro de Arica (Arica Cape), ends the 'Campaña del Desierto' (Desert Campaign).
24th June » First performance of 'O Canada', the song that would become the national anthem of Canada, at the Congrès national des Canadiens-Français.
28th June » The Australian bushranger Ned Kelly is captured at Glenrowan, Victoria known as Glenrowan.
27th July » Second Anglo-Afghan War: Battle of Maiwand Afghanistan named Afghan forces led by Mohammad Ayub Khan defeat the British Army in battle near Maiwand, Afghanistan.
14th August » Construction of Cologne Cathedral, the most famous landmark in Cologne, Germany, is completed.
1st September » The army of Mohammad Ayub Khan is routed by the British at the Battle of Kandahar, ending the Second Anglo-Afghan War
1st October » John Philip Sousa becomes leader of the United States Marine Band.
1st October » First electric lamp factory is opened by Thomas Edison.
15th October » Mexican soldiers kill Victorio, one of the greatest Apache Tribe called Apache military strategists.
9th November » A large earthquake strikes Zagreb and causes many casualties. One of them is the Zagreb Cathedral.
11th November » Australian bushranger Ned Kelly is hanged at Melbourne Gaol.