The Contemporary Age is a historical period that began in 1789 with the French Revolution and continues to this day. It is one of the most important periods in history since great advances have taken place, especially in the scientific and cultural sphere, until the foundations of an advanced and globalized society have been laid. A wide range of events have taken place in it, such as the industrial revolutions or the two great world wars.
Etapas
The Contemporary Age is divided into three stages:
- High: oscillates between the declaration of independence of the United States (1776) and the French Revolution (1789). Both historical events gave rise to numerous clashes until the second half of the 19th century.
- Low: from 1870 to 1914. A much more peaceful stage than the previous one as far as international relations are concerned. It ended suddenly when World War I broke out.
- Wars: the last stage covers from 1914 to 1989, when the fall of the Berlin Wall took place. At this stage, three major war conflicts took place: World War I, World War II and the Cold War.
Important facts of the Contemporary Age
During the Contemporary Age totalitarian governments have been implemented, in which a single political party governs with absolute power. It is a regime in which there is a total absence of human rights. The people are under the orders of the leader.
Industrial revolutions have also occurred in this historical stage, which have allowed the passage from pre-industrial society to industrial society and, finally, to post-industrial society.
The first industrial revolution began in England in the second half of the 18th century. The second industrial revolution took place between 1850 and 1941. The third industrial revolution was endorsed by the European Parliament in 2006, and we are currently in the fourth industrial revolution .
Decolonization took place during much of the 19th and 20th centuries. In the case of the African continent, it happened between the years 1950 and 1975, during which great regime changes took place in many nations.
And finally, it should be noted that in the Contemporary Age there have been great discoveries and advances. Robert Fulton created the steamship in 1907 and Antonio Meucci invented the telephone in 1854. One of the most important milestones was the rabies vaccine , which the French physicist Louis Pasteur created in 1885.
