18501914

1850–1914 refers to the period roughly from the mid-19th century through the early 20th century, encompassing the height of industrialization in Europe and North America and the global realignments that preceded World War I. It was characterized by rapid changes in economy, technology, politics, and society.

Economically, the era was dominated by the second industrial revolution, with advances in steel production, chemicals, electricity, and mechanization of transport and manufacturing. Railways and steamships expanded trade and migration, contributing to urban growth and new consumer cultures. Finance institutions and colonial empires integrated markets but also created financial volatility and competition.

Politically, many states centralized authority and modernized administration. The unification of Germany (1871) and the consolidation of nation-states in the later 19th century reshaped Europe, while liberalism, nationalism, and later socialism influenced policy and reform. Some democracies expanded suffrage; others maintained autocratic rule.

Imperial expansion spread European influence worldwide, with the Scramble for Africa and Asia's strategic imperatives shaping overseas empires and rivalries among Britain, France, Russia, Germany, and others.

Science and culture advanced as well: Darwin's theory of evolution, advances in medicine and public health, and innovations in communications and transportation. Artistic movements such as realism and impressionism reflected urban modern life; mass media and education reforms spread literacy and ideas.

By 1914 the system that had balanced many powers since the 19th century began to fracture, as imperial tensions and alliance structures contributed to the outbreak of World War I, marking the end of the era described by 1850–1914.