18681923

1868–1923 denotes a historical span that covers the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period of rapid change in politics, society, and technology. It begins with significant events such as the Meiji Restoration in Japan (1868) and the consolidation of modern nation-states, and it ends as postwar realignments, economic upheavals, and social reforms take shape in the early 1920s.

Political life during these decades saw the rise of constitutional frameworks, imperial competition, and new power structures in Europe and beyond. The German Empire was established in 1871, and European leadership shifted as industrialized states grew more assertive. World War I (1914–1918) profoundly altered borders, alliances, and national identities, with the Russian Revolution of 1917 further transforming political systems. The postwar period saw the creation of international bodies such as the League of Nations in 1920 and sweeping redrawn maps that defined many interwar boundaries.

Economic and technological change accelerated as the Second Industrial Revolution matured. Electrification, expanded rail and telegraph networks, and advances in engineering supported mass production and global trade. Scientific breakthroughs—such as Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity (1905) and early quantum ideas—redefined modern physics, while medicine improved with germ theory and public health advances.

Social and cultural currents shifted as urbanization grew, labor movements gained strength, and movements for political rights, including women’s suffrage, achieved milestones in several countries by the end of the period. The era laid foundational changes that shaped the political, economic, and cultural landscape of the 20th century.