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1860 to 1908 denotes a period spanning the latter part of the 19th century and the early 20th century. The phrase is used to discuss rapid social, political, and technological transformations that reshaped many regions, especially Europe, the Americas, and East Asia.

In politics and diplomacy, major milestones included the unification of Italy (completed by 1870) and of Germany (1871), the Meiji Restoration modernizing Japan (1868), and the expansion of European empires. In the United States, the Civil War (1861-1865) and Reconstruction redefined governance, followed by the Gilded Age and the beginnings of the Progressive Era.

Economically, the period saw the Second Industrial Revolution with steel, chemicals, and electricity, the expansion of rail and telecommunication networks, and the rise of global markets. Financial crises such as the Panic of 1873 and the Panic of 1893 affected many economies and spurred reforms in some countries.

Societal changes included urbanization, rising literacy and education, labor movements, and early feminist activism. Innovations such as the telephone and electric light altered daily life, while science and culture were influenced by Darwinian theory, contemporary arts, and expanding mass media.

The year 1908 marks a milestone within this period, with events like the introduction of the Ford Model T, which helped popularize automobile ownership, and ongoing imperial and political realignments that shaped the early 20th century. The era’s legacies continued to influence global development and the lead-up to broader 20th-century conflicts.