James A. Garfield

Historical eventNovember 21880

James A. Garfield

James A. Garfield was elected as president of the United States; the election is the closest to date by popular vote margin.

Everything on November 2Original source

In context

When
Tuesday, November 2 1880146 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
19th century · 1880s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

Russia, Greece and some other countries used the Julian calendar into the early 20th century, so local records may show a date up to 13 days earlier.

At a glance

Dates: From 1880.

What happened

James Abram Garfield was the 20th president of the United States, serving from March 1881 until his death in September that year after being shot in July. A preacher, lawyer, and Civil War general, Garfield served nine terms in the United States House of Representatives and is the only sitting member of the House to be elected president. Before he ran for president, the Ohio General Assembly had elected him to the U.S. Senate, a position he declined upon becoming president-elect.

November 2 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1880James A. Garfield
  2. 1988LOT Polish Airlines Flight 703
  3. 1990British Satellite Broadcasting
  4. 19941994 Durunka floods and lightning strike
  5. 1997Tropical Storm Linda (1997)
  6. 19991999 Honolulu shooting
  7. 2000Expedition 1
  8. 2008Lewis Hamilton
  9. 2016Chicago Cubs
  10. 2020Vienna
  11. 2022Ethiopia–Tigray peace agreement

Also in 1880

  • May 11Southern Pacific RailroadA land dispute between the Southern Pacific Railroad and settlers in Hanford, California, turned deadly when a gun battle broke out, leav…
  • December 8BoersAt an assembly of 10,000 Boers, Paul Kruger announced the fulfilment of the decision to restore the government and volksraad of the South…
  • November 3KimigayoThe current melody of Kimigayo, the national anthem of Japan, was adopted.
  • June 28Cultural iconPolice captured Australian bank robber and cultural icon Ned Kelly (pictured) after a gun battle in Glenrowan, Victoria.
  • September 1Mohammad Ayub Khan (Afghanistan)The army of Mohammad Ayub Khan is routed by the British at the Battle of Kandahar, ending the Second Anglo-Afghan War.
  • November 11BushrangerAustralian bushranger and outlaw Ned Kelly was hanged in Melbourne, in spite of sympathizers holding rallies for his reprieve.
  • June 24O Canada"O Canada", the present-day national anthem of Canada, was first performed in Quebec City during a Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day banquet.

Everything we record for 1880 →

Sources

Cite this page

“James A. Garfield”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/james-a-garfield-1880-november-2, accessed October 26, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did James A. Garfield happen?

November 2 1880 — 146 years ago, on a Tuesday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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