18681914

1868–1914 is a historical span that covers the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period of rapid change in politics, society, and technology. It ends with the onset of World War I in 1914.

Global trends in this era included industrialization and urbanization, scientific and cultural shifts, the rise of mass politics, nationalism, and imperialism. New ideologies such as socialism and feminism emerged, while breakthroughs in electricity, telecommunications, transportation, and medicine transformed daily life and economic systems.

Regional highlights illustrate the diversity of the period. In Japan, the Meiji Restoration began in 1868, spurring rapid modernization and eventual imperial expansion. In Europe, the unification of Germany in 1871 and ongoing industrialization reshaped power dynamics, with imperial competition and shifting alliances heightening tensions. In the United States, the late 19th century featured rapid industrial growth, the rise of large corporations, urbanization, and labor movements, followed by Progressive Era reforms in the early 20th century. In many colonized regions, colonial administrations expanded infrastructure and extractive economies, often reinforcing global inequalities. The era culminated in the outbreak of World War I in 1914, a watershed that redirected political and military dynamics worldwide.

Legacy of the period includes the groundwork for the 20th century’s economic systems, nationalist movements, and evolving social structures, with lasting effects on global geopolitics, culture, and technology.