Revolutions

Period: 1750 to 1900

During the period circa 1750 to 1900 was a period of revolutionary change and modernization. Enlightenments spread around the world and inspired revolutions across the Atlantic region and gave birth to new nations and nationalism. Industrialization revolutionized economies, labor organization, and social classes. Factories also contributed to rapid urbanization as well as a variety of urban problems. Imperialism also expanded significantly in Asia and Africa. Imperial economies were often shaped by the needs of industrialization for raw materials, migrant labor, and markets. At the same time, the continuing spread of Enlightenment ideas and nationalism contributed to anti-imperial resistance and dawning nationalist independence movements. Units 5 and 6 cover these large-scale, overlapping processes. Revolutions, industrialization, and imperialism are the context for many developments around the world during this period.