18851966

The period spanning 1885 to 1966 encompasses a transformative epoch in modern history, marked by rapid industrialization, two world wars, decolonisation, and profound social change. In the late 19th century, the Second Industrial Revolution accelerated technological advances, expanding rail networks, electricity, and mass production. The era witnessed the Scramble for Africa, with European powers partitioning most of the continent after the 1884‑1885 Berlin Conference, setting the stage for later anti‑colonial movements.

The first decades of the 20th century were dominated by geopolitical tension that erupted into World War I (1914‑1918). The conflict reshaped borders, toppled empires, and introduced new forms of warfare. The interwar period saw economic upheaval, most notably the Great Depression beginning in 1929, and cultural flourishing in literature, art, and cinema. The rise of totalitarian regimes in Europe and Asia culminated in World War II (1939‑1945), a global conflict that resulted in unprecedented civilian casualties, the Holocaust, and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Following 1945, the world entered the Cold War, a bipolar rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union that influenced politics, economics, and technology worldwide. Decolonisation accelerated throughout the 1950s and 1960s, leading to the independence of many Asian and African nations. Social movements advocating civil rights, gender equality, and environmental awareness gained momentum, particularly in the United States and Western Europe.

By 1966, the era’s legacy was evident in the emergence of the space age, the proliferation of television, and the foundations of contemporary global institutions such as the United Nations. The span from 1885 to 1966 thus represents a pivotal chapter in the shaping of the modern world.