Calendar of Literary Facts

1856

  • The skull of a Neanderthal man is uncovered near Dusseldorf, Germany
  • The British-Persian War is fought, ending with the Peace of Paris
  • The Anglo-Chinese War is fought for control of China
  • Booker T. Washington is born (April 5)
  • L. Frank Baum is born (May 15)
  • H. Rider Haggard is born (June 22)
  • Bernard Shaw is born (July 26)