1810s

The 1810s refers to the decade from 1810 through 1819. It was a transitional period in world history, dominated by the waning influence of Napoleonic Europe, the reordering of continental powers at the Congress of Vienna, and expanding struggles for independence in the Americas. Cultural currents of Romanticism also took hold, influencing literature, art, and music.

In Europe, the Napoleonic Wars continued through 1810–1813 in the Iberian Peninsula and central Europe, culminating in Napoleon's defeats and his abdication in 1814, followed by another in 1815 after the Battle of Waterloo. The Congress of Vienna (1814–1815) reshaped the map of Europe and established the Concert of Europe, intended to maintain balance and suppress revolutionary movements.

In the Americas, the decade saw sustained movements for independence. The Mexican War of Independence began in 1810 with the Grito de Dolores. The United States fought Britain in the War of 1812 (1812–1815). In 1816 Argentina proclaimed independence; in 1819, Gran Colombia was formed after independence movements across northern South America.

Culturally, Romanticism broadened, with authors such as Jane Austen publishing Pride and Prejudice (1813) and Mary Shelley publishing Frankenstein (1818). The Industrial Revolution continued, and the Luddite movement began in Britain around 1811–1812, signaling social and technological tensions of the era.