18651915

1865–1915 refers to the transitional period between the end of the American Civil War and the early years of World War I. It was a time of rapid change across the globe, marked by industrialization, urbanization, imperial expansion, and shifting political and social structures that shaped economies and cultures for decades to come.

In the United States, Reconstruction gave way to the Gilded Age, a era of swift economic growth, railroad expansion, and the rise of steel and electricity. Immigration surged, labor movements formed, and reforms gradually broadened political participation and regulatory oversight. In Europe, nation-states consolidated power, empires expanded overseas, and competition among great powers intensified, contributing to complex alliances and rising tensions that helped set the stage for later conflict. The period also featured notable events such as the Scramble for Africa, the Russo-Japanese War, and various Balkan crises.

Technological and economic change was central to this era. The Second Industrial Revolution introduced new sources of power, mechanized production, electrical technology, and innovations in communication and transportation. Global trade expanded, financial markets integrated, and the gold standard provided monetary stability in many regions. These developments accelerated productivity but also produced social challenges, including urban poverty, labor strife, and debates over political reform and social welfare.

Culture, science, and ideas evolved alongside material change. Realism and naturalism featured in literature and art, Darwinian theory influenced scientific and social thought, and movements advocating women's suffrage and labor rights gained momentum. Education and literacy broadened access to information, and mass media linked distant regions more closely than ever before.

By 1914–1915, long-standing tensions culminated in World War I, reshaping borders, economies, and international norms and signaling the transition from nineteenth-century empires to a new, more volatile twentieth century.