18481919

1848–1919 encompasses the period from the widespread European revolutions of 1848 to the immediate postwar order established after World War I in 1919. It covers a era of profound political, social, and cultural transformation that helped shape the modern world.

The uprisings of 1848 challenged monarchies, promoted liberal constitutions, and fostered nationalist movements. Although many revolts failed to deliver durable reform, they displaced older arrangements and inspired future political change.

Political unification and the rise of nation-states occurred in the late 19th century, most notably in Italy (unification completed mid-1860s) and Germany (1871). Industrialization fueled urban growth, new social classes, and the expansion of mass politics, including labor movements and socialist parties.

European imperial competition and global empires intensified, contributing to tensions that helped provoke World War I (1914–1918). The war brought revolutionary upheavals and profound social disruption, including in Russia (1917) and across occupied Europe.

The postwar period culminated in 1919 with the redrawing of borders and the creation of new states through peace treaties. Culturally, realism and modernism flourished, and movements for women's suffrage gained momentum in various countries.

The era's legacies include the establishment of the modern international order, the spread of industrial capitalism and nation-states, and enduring political and social conflicts that shaped the 20th century.