Editing 1871 (section)

=== January–March ===
* [[January 3]] – [[Franco-Prussian War]]: [[Battle of Bapaume (1871)|Battle of Bapaume]] – Prussians win a strategic victory.
* [[January 18]] – [[Proclamation of the German Empire]]: The member states of the [[North German Confederation]] and the south German states unite into a single [[nation state]], known as the [[German Empire]]. The [[King of Prussia]] is declared the first [[German Emperor]] as [[Wilhelm I of Germany]], in the [[Hall of Mirrors]] at the [[Palace of Versailles]]. The [[constitution of the German Confederation (1871)|Constitution of the German Confederation]] comes into effect. It abolishes all restrictions on Jewish marriage, choice of occupation, place of residence, and property ownership, but exclusion from government employment and discrimination in social relations remain in effect.
* [[January 21]] – [[Battle of Dijon (1870)|Battle of Dijon]]: [[Giuseppe Garibaldi]]'s group of French and Italian volunteer troops, in support of the [[French Third Republic]], win a battle against the Prussians.
* [[February 8]] – [[1871 French legislative election]] elects the first legislature of the [[French Third Republic]]; monarchists ([[Legitimists]] and [[Orleanists]]) favourable to peace with the [[German Empire]] gain a large majority. The [[French Parliament|National Assembly]] meets in [[Bordeaux]].
* [[February 9]] – The United States Commission on Fish and Fisheries is founded.
* [[February 21]] – The [[District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871]] is signed into law by U.S. President [[Ulysses S. Grant]].
* [[February 24]] – The [[Danish Women's Society]] is founded to promote women's rights in Denmark; on December 15 it adopts the style ''Dansk Kvindesamfund''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vores historie |publisher=Dansk Kvindesamfund |url=https://danskkvindesamfund.dk/historie/ |location=København |access-date=2020-01-20 |archive-date=January 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125090544/https://danskkvindesamfund.dk/historie/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[March 3]] – The first American civil service reform legislation is signed into law by U.S. President [[Ulysses S. Grant]], creating the [[United States Civil Service Commission]].<ref>"Civil Service Commission", in ''Landmark Legislation, 1774–2002: Major U.S. Acts and Treaties'', ed. by Stephen W. Stathis (Congressional Quarterly Press, 2003) p107</ref>
* [[March 16]] – [[Mokrani Revolt]] breaks out in [[French Algeria]] against colonial rule.
* [[March 18]] – Origin of the [[Paris Commune]]: Troops of the regular [[French Army]], sent by [[Adolphe Thiers]], ''Chef du pouvoir executive de la République française'', to seize cannons stored on the hill of [[Montmartre]], fraternise with civilians and the [[National Guard (France)|National Guard]], and two army generals are killed.  Regular troops are evacuated to [[Versailles, Yvelines|Versailles]].
* [[March 21]]
** [[Otto von Bismarck]] becomes the first [[Chancellor of the German Empire]].
** [[John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll|John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne]] marries [[Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll|Princess Louise]], a daughter of Queen Victoria, at Windsor; she is the first legitimate daughter of a British monarch to marry a subject since 1515.
* [[March 22]]
** In [[North Carolina]], [[William Woods Holden|William Holden]] becomes the first governor of a U.S. state to be removed from office by [[Impeachment in the United States|impeachment]].
** The [[Marseille Commune]] is established in southern France.
** The [[United States Army]] issues an order for the abandonment of [[Fort Kearny]], [[Nebraska]].
* [[March 26]] – The [[Paris Commune]] is formally established in France.
* [[March 27]] – The first [[rugby union|Rugby Union]] International results in a 1–0 win, by Scotland over England.
* [[March 29]]
** The first [[Surgeon General of the United States]] ([[John Maynard Woodworth]]) is appointed.
** The [[Royal Albert Hall]] in London is opened by [[Queen Victoria]]; it incorporates a [[Royal Albert Hall Organ|grand organ]] by [[Henry Willis & Sons]], the world's largest at this time.