18961948

1896–1948 refers to a historical span that covers the end of the 19th century through the mid-20th century. This period saw urbanization, industrial growth, and rapid scientific and cultural change. It encompasses the Great War era and the dramatic social and political upheavals that followed. The two World Wars reshaped borders and governance, accelerating movements for labor rights, women's suffrage, and anti-colonial struggles. The interwar years witnessed economic volatility, including the Great Depression, which spurred policy experimentation and social welfare programs in many nations. The end of World War II brought new international institutions and norms, notably the United Nations and the human rights framework established in 1948. By the close of 1948, postwar reconstruction and the beginnings of decolonization and the Cold War's early phase had begun to redefine global power structures. In historiography, the span is sometimes used to refer to the lifespan of individuals born in 1896 and who died in 1948; such biographical entries would include birth in 1896 and death in 1948.