18591934

1859–1934 is a historical date range used to denote the late 19th and early 20th centuries in global history. The span begins with 1859, a year notable for scientific and industrial milestones, and ends in 1934, during the early years of the global economic downturn and political realignments of the interwar era. The period encompasses rapid industrialization, urbanization, and the expansion of global networks of capital, communication, and transportation.

Economic and technological change were central features. The latter half of the 19th century saw the Second Industrial Revolution, marked by advances in steel, electricity, and chemistry, followed by mass production and automation in the 20th century. Innovations such as electricity, rail, telegraph and later telephones, aviation, and consumer goods transformed daily life and labor markets. In science and culture, the era saw sustained advances and the rise of modernist movements in art, literature, and philosophy.

The period included major geopolitical upheavals: imperial expansions, world wars, and the redrawing of borders after 1918. World War I, the Russian Revolution, and the postwar settlement reshaped politics and society. The late 1920s led into the Great Depression, redefining economic policy and public expectations in many countries.

Interpretations of the 1859–1934 interval vary by region and discipline. In a broad sense, the range covers the transition from traditional agrarian societies to more diversified, industrialized, and interconnected world systems that shaped subsequent history.