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1870–1961 refers to the calendar years from 1870 through 1961, a period that encompasses late 19th‑ and mid‑20th‑century transformations in many regions of the world. It includes the height of industrialization, the rise of modern nation-states, and major social and political realignments that shaped the contemporary era.

Industrial and technological change accelerated in the latter 19th century with widespread electrification, railway expansion, and new forms of mass production. Urbanization increased as people moved to cities for work, while scientific and medical advances improved life expectancy and public health. Political life expanded through universal or broadening suffrage in several countries, and nationalist movements redefined states and borders.

Global conflict and upheaval marked the 20th century. World War I (1914–1918) reshaped empires and map borders, followed by the 1917 Russian Revolution. The interwar period saw economic instability and rising totalitarian movements. World War II (1939–1945) transformed geopolitics and led to the United Nations' creation. The postwar era featured the Cold War, decolonization, and rapid technological progress, including the space age beginning in the late 1950s and early 1960s, culminating in 1961 with notable milestones in space exploration.

Social and cultural change accompanied economic and political shifts. Movements for women's rights, labor organization, education expansion, and cultural movements broadened access to participation in public life across many regions. The period ends in 1961 with a world still adjusting to new power structures, decolonized states, and ongoing scientific and social revolutions.