1856

Key events from 1856

1856

  • The Crimean War ends with the Treaty of Paris, limiting Russian naval power in the Black Sea and reshaping European balance of power.
  • The Second Opium War begins as Britain and France force China to accept further trade concessions and foreign influence.
  • “Bleeding Kansas” violence escalates as pro- and anti-slavery settlers clash, foreshadowing the coming American Civil War.

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