1880s

Technology

 * Development and commercial production of
 * Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered by,  and
 * First commercial production and sales of s and phonograph recordings.
 * First steel frame construction of
 * founded, New York, N.Y.
 * Construction begins on the by the French. This is the first attempt to build the Canal.

Science

 * discovers the
 * , which suggested that the is invariant
 * of

Literature and Arts

 * publishes.
 * publishes.
 * writes.
 * publishes and
 * First edition of published.
 * publishes his first tale.

Jaco Pastorius

Other

 * , a volcano in, erupts ; 36,000 people are killed, the majority by the resulting
 * About 300,000 emigrate to the
 * A major step in Seventh-day Adventist's understanding of Righteousness by Faith occurred in 1888.

People

 * The last surviving person born in the 1880s,, died on ,.