- January. The Korean Merchant's Association for Fairness is opened by Kim Jae-jun (김재전, 金在田), Lee Gun-seo (이군서, 李君瑞) and Park Myung-gyu (박명규, 朴明珪). The Association promoted usage of foreign weight and measurement standards in the domestic market. It had offices in Incheon, Wonsan and Busan.EN
- 1888February. 1888, General William McEntyre Dye and two other military instructors arrived from the US, followed in May by a fourth instructor. The Americans taught at the first modern military academy called the Yeonmu-gongwon (연무공원, 鍊武公院) and trained many Koreans.
- 1888May. Korea independently constructs the Southern Cable Line (남로전선, 南路電線), connecting Hanseong and Busan.
- 1889함경도에 방곡령 실시
- 1891February. The Korean Northern Cable Treaty (조선북로전선조약, 朝鮮北路電線條約) is signed by China and Korea. By this treaty, the telegraphic service from Seoul to Wonsan is in operation.
- 1892Issuance of the Baekdonghwa (백동화,白銅貨), the last coin issued during the Joseon Dynasty, with the enforcement of the New Currency Regulations (신식화폐조례,新式貨幣條例). Although it caused some chaos on which currency to use and its introduction triggered counterfeiting, it also stabilised the inflation within the peninsula.
| - 1889光绪亲政开始。张之洞任湖广总督，推动洋务运动。
- 1891金丹道事件
- 1891Foreign businessmen established the Shanghai Sharebrokers' Association in Shanghai.
| - November — The Constitution of the Empire of Japan (Meiji Constitution) was enacted. This turned Japan into a quasi-absolute monarchy with a representative democracy.EN
- 1888市制町村制施行。枢密院設置。
- 1889大日本帝国憲法発布、東海道本線全線開通、任天堂建立、熊本地震。
- 18891889年熊本地震
- 1891October — 1891 Mino–Owari earthquake: A strongest recorded inland earthquake of Japan.
| - Wounded Knee MassacreEN
- Idaho and Wyoming become statesEN
- Sherman Antitrust ActEN
- Yosemite National Park createdEN
- Sherman Silver Purchase ActEN
- Ghost Dance WarEN
- Jacob Riis published "How the Other Half Lives"EN
- Drexel Mission FightEN
- National American Woman Suffrage Association foundedEN
- McKinley TariffEN
- Reporter Nelly Bly circles globe by train and steamship in 72 daysEN
- 1888National Geographic Society founded
- 1888U.S. presidential election, 1888: Benjamin Harrison elected president and Levi P. Morton vice president despite coming in second in the popular vote.
- 1888Publication of Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy
- 1888March 4, 1889 – Harrison becomes the 23rd president and Morton becomes the 22nd vice president
- 1889North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Washington become states
- 1889Johnstown Flood in Pennsylvania
- 1889Jane Addams founds Hull House
- 1889Wilcox rebellion of 1889
- 1889Centennial of the Constitution celebrated.
- 1889December 6, 1889 – Former Confederate president Jefferson Davis dies.
- 1889Oklahoma Land Rush (April 22, 1889)
- 1889During a speech given by Benjamin Harrison, he becomes the first U.S. president in history to have a voice recording.
- 1891James Naismith invents basketball
- 1891Baltimore crisis
- 1891Hamlin Garland publishes Main-Travelled Roads
- 1892General Electric Company founded
- 1892Sierra Club founded by John Muir
- 1892U.S. presidential election, 1892: Grover Cleveland elected president and Adlai E. Stevenson, vice president
- 1892Populist national convention held in Omaha
- 1892Homestead Strike
- 1892March 4, 1893 – Cleveland becomes the 24th president; Stevenson becomes the 23rd vice president
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