xxiv Chronology 1884 Congo Free State Belgium declares the Congo a free state, open to settlement and trade by all nations 1885 Germany Claims Tanzania The German East Africa Company gains a charter to administer Tanzania The same year Germany claims South-West Africa and Togoland 1886 Anglo-Egyptian Agreement The British and the Germans agree to recognize Sayid Barghash as sultan of Zanzibar 1887 Ethiopian-Italian War Begins The Italians are defeated in the first battle of the Italian-Ethiopian War at the Battle of Dogali 1889 Japan’s First Written Constitution Under the terms of the constitution, the emperor’s legislative power can be exercised only with the consent of the Imperial Diet 1890 Bismarck Resigns Emperor William II of Germany forces Bismarck to resign This ends the career of the man singlehandedly responsible for the unification of Germany 1890 Britain Occupies Uganda The Germans and the British resolve their differences in Africa when the Germans give up claims to Uganda 1893 Panic of 1893 in the United States A growing credit shortage creates panic, resulting in a depression Over the course of this depression, 15,000 businesses, 600 banks, and 74 railroads fail 1895 First Sino-Japanese War The Japanese defeat both the Chinese army and navy in the Sino-Japanese War 1895 French West Africa The French organize their territorial holdings in West Africa into French West Africa 1895 Sun Yat-sen Revolt Sun Yat-sen organizes a secret revolutionary society in Canton in 1894 In 1895 he attempts to overthrow the Manchu dynasty His first attempt fails 1896 Battle of Adwa (Adowa) Ethiopia defeats the Italians at the Battle of Adwa 1896 Great Britain Captures Ghana The Ashanti capital of Kumasi is captured by a British expeditionary force The area, which is in present-day Ghana, becomes a British protectorate 1898 Spanish-American War The Americans decisively defeat the Spanish, capturing the Philippines, Cuba, and Puerto Rico 1898 Fashoda Incident British and French expeditions simultaneously reach Fashoda in present-day Sudan The crisis ends when France recognizes British claims to the Nile basin, while Britain recognizes French claims to the Sahara as well as western Sudan