What happened in 1920
36 entries recorded for 1920, listed by date. That was 106 years ago.
1920 at a glance
- Years ago
- 106 (as of 2026)
- Century
- 20th century
- Decade
- 1920s
- Generation born
- Greatest Generation
- Entries here
- 36
- Breakdown
- 36 historical events
January
- January 2
A. Mitchell Palmer
Under the leadership of Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer (pictured), U.S. Department of Justice agents launched a series of raids against radical leftists and anarchists in more than 30 cities and towns across 23 states.
- January 10
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles takes effect, officially ending World War I for all combatant nations except the United States.
- January 16
League of Nations
The League of Nations, the first worldwide intergovernmental organization with a focus on peace and security, held its first council meeting in Paris.
- January 17
Volstead Act
The Volstead Act went into effect, beginning the prohibition of alcohol in the United States.
- January 19
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union was founded by the directors of the National Civil Liberties Bureau.
February
- February 9
Svalbard Treaty
The Svalbard Treaty was signed in Paris, recognizing Norwegian sovereignty over the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard.
March
- March 13
Kapp Putsch
The Kapp Putsch (participants pictured), an attempted coup aiming to undo the German Revolution of 1918–1919, briefly ousted the government of the Weimar Republic.
April
- April 23
Grand National Assembly of Turkey
The Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the country's unicameral legislature, first met in Ankara in the midst of the Turkish War of Independence.
- April 25
1920 blind march
A march by blind people from across the United Kingdom to protest poor working conditions ended at Trafalgar Square, London.
- April 25
San Remo conference
At the San Remo conference, the principal Allies of World War I passed a resolution allocating League of Nations mandates for the administration of former Ottoman territories in the Middle East.
May
- May 3
Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War: Relying on Red Army troops in neighboring Azerbaijan, the Bolsheviks attempted to stage a coup d'etat in Georgia.
June
- June 9
Murder of Wang Lianying
The courtesan Wang Lianying was murdered in Shanghai, leading to months of media and literary coverage.
- June 11
1920 Republican National Convention
During their national convention in Chicago, Republican Party leaders gathered in negotiations at The Blackstone Hotel (pictured) to select their presidential candidate, leading to the phrase "smoke-filled room".
- June 15
1920 Schleswig plebiscites
Following the 1920 Schleswig plebiscites, Northern Schleswig is transferred from Germany to Denmark.
- June 15
Duluth lynchings
Three African-American circus workers were lynched by a mob in Duluth, Minnesota, a crime that shocked the country for having taken place in the Northern United States.
July
- July 12
Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty
The Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty was signed, with Soviet Russia agreeing to recognize an independent Lithuania.
- July 24
Franco-Syrian War
Franco-Syrian War: At the Battle of Maysalun, forces of the Arab Kingdom of Syria were defeated by a French army moving to occupy the territory allocated to them by the San Remo conference.
August
- August 2
Krishna Lal Adhikari
Nepalese author Krishna Lal Adhikari (pictured) was sentenced to nine years in prison for publishing a book about the cultivation of corn alleged to contain attacks on the ruling dynasty.
- August 16
Ray Chapman
Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians was hit by a pitch and died the following day, becoming the only Major League Baseball player to die directly as a result of injuries sustained during a game.
- August 16
Battle of Radzymin (1920)
The Battle of Radzymin, one of the bloodiest and most intense battles of the Polish–Soviet War, concluded with a Polish victory.
- August 16
Blind Persons Act 1920
In the United Kingdom, the Blind Persons Act received royal assent.
- August 18
Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, guaranteeing women's suffrage in the country.
- August 19
Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War: Peasants in Tambov Governorate began a rebellion against the Bolshevik government of Soviet Russia.
- August 20
National Football League
The American Professional Football Conference, a predecessor of the National Football League, was established in Canton, Ohio.
September
- September 4
Križ, Zagreb County
Peasants in and around Križ began a rebellion to protest economic and conscription policies enacted by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
- September 16
Wall Street bombing
A bomb in a horse-drawn wagon exploded in front of 23 Wall Street in New York City, killing 38 people and injuring several hundred others.
- September 20
Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence: British auxiliary police officers known as Black and Tans went on a rampage in Balbriggan, burning more than fifty homes and businesses and killing two people.
- September 23
1920 Louisiana hurricane
The Louisiana hurricane dissipated over Kansas after forcing around 4,500 people to evacuate and causing $1.45 million in damages.
- September 30
Times Square Theater
Times Square Theater (pictured) opened on Broadway with a production of The Mirage, a play written by its owner, Edgar Selwyn.
October
- October 25
Terence MacSwiney
Irish playwright and politician Terence MacSwiney died after a hunger strike in Brixton Prison, bringing the Irish struggle for independence to international attention.
November
- November 11
The Cenotaph
In London, the Cenotaph was unveiled and the Unknown Warrior was buried in Westminster Abbey in remembrance of the First World War.
- November 12
Kingdom of Italy
The Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes signed the Treaty of Rapallo to establish national borders east of the Adriatic Sea.
- November 21
Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence: On Bloody Sunday in Dublin, the IRA assassinated a group of British intelligence agents, and British forces killed 14 civilians at a Gaelic football match at Croke Park.
December
- December 11
Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence: Following an Irish Republican Army ambush of an Auxiliary patrol, British forces burned and looted numerous buildings in Cork.
- December 16
1920 Haiyuan earthquake
A magnitude-7.9 earthquake struck Haiyuan County, China, killing more than 250,000 people.
- December 22
Congress of Soviets
The Congress of Soviets approved the GOELRO plan, the first Soviet plan for national economic recovery and development.
Questions about 1920
What happened in 1920?
This site records 36 entries for 1920, including A. Mitchell Palmer on January 2. They are listed below by date.
How long ago was 1920?
106 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 1920 turns 106 this year.
Which century is 1920 in?
1920 falls in the 20th century, in the 1920s.
Which generation was born in 1920?
Greatest Generation (1901–1927). Grew up in the Depression and fought in the Second World War.
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