Events and trends

Science

• Einstein's theory of general relativity
• Max von Laue discovers the diffraction of x-rays by crystals
• Alfred Wegener puts forward his theory of continental drift

War, peace and politics

• Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary leads to World War I
• October Revolution in Russia leads to the first Communist government; assassination of Emperor Nicholas II and the royal family
• Romania is unified with Transylvania and Bessarabia
• Easter Rising against the British in Ireland; eventually leads to Irish independence

Culture, religion

• Radio programming becomes popular

Others

• The ocean liner RMS Titanic strikes an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sinks on its maiden voyage

World leaders

• Emperor Franz Josef (Austria-Hungary)
• Emperor Karl (Austria-Hungary)
• Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden (Canada)
• Emperor Henry Pu Yi of the Qing Dynasty (China)
• Sun Yat-sen, President of the Republic of China
• Yuan Shikai, President of the Republic of China and briefly Emperor.
• Xu Shichang, President of the Republic of China
• Emperor Wilhelm II (Germany)
• Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg (Germany)
• King Victor Emmanuel III (Italy)
• Pope Pius X
• Emperor Nicholas II (Russia)
• Vladimir Lenin (Soviet Union)
• King George V (United Kingdom)
• Prime Minister Herbert Asquith (United Kingdom)
• Prime Minister David Lloyd George (United Kingdom)
• President William Howard Taft (United States)
• President Woodrow Wilson (United States)

Entertainers

• Fatty Arbuckle
• Theda Bara
• Richard Barthelmess
• Béla Bartók
• Irving Berlin
• Ben Black
• Eubie Blake
• Shelton Brooks
• Lew Brown
• Tom Brown
• Anne Caldwell
• Eddie Cantor
• Enrico Caruso
• Charlie Chaplin
• George M. Cohan
• Henry Creamer
• Cecil B. DeMille
• Buddy De Sylva
• Walter Donaldson
• Marie Dressler
• Eddie Edwards
• Gus Edwards
• Douglas Fairbanks, Sr.
• Fred Fisher
• John Ford
• George Gershwin
• Beniamino Gigli
• Dorothy Gish
• Lillian Gish
• Samuel Goldwyn
• D. W. Griffith
• W. C. Handy
• Otto Harbach
• Lorenz Hart
• Victor Herbert
• Charles Ives
• Tony Jackson
• Emil Jannings
• William Jerome
• Al Jolson
• Gus Kahn
• Gustave Kahn
• Buster Keaton
• Jerome David Kern
• Ring Lardner
• Nick LaRocca
• Harry Lauder
• Florence Lawrence
• Ted Lewis
• Charles McCarron
• Joseph McCarthy
• Winsor McCay
• Oscar Micheaux
• Pola Negri
• Ivor Novello
• Alcide Nunez
• Geoffrey O'Hara
• Sidney Olcott
• Jack Pickford
• Mary Pickford
• Armand J. Piron
• Cole Porter
• Richard Rodgers
• Sigmund Romberg
• Jean Schwartz
• Mack Sennett
• Larry Shields
• Chris Smith
• Erich von Stroheim
• Arthur Sullivan
• Gloria Swanson
• Wilber Sweatman
• Albert Von Tilzer
• Harry Von Tilzer
• Sophie Tucker
• Pete Wendling
• Bert Williams
• Clarence Williams
• Harry Williams
• Spencer Williams
• P. G. Wodehouse