1800 – 1849: The Industrial Dawn
Steam, Steel, and Social Change
The early 19th century ushered in the full force of the Industrial Revolution, transforming agrarian societies into mechanized powerhouses. Steam engines, railways, and factories redefined how people lived and worked.
Defining Moments:
- Napoleon’s rise and fall reshapes Europe
- Steam locomotives connect distant cities
- Telegraph revolutionizes communication
- Photography captures the world for the first time
- Social reform movements gain momentum
This period saw humanity harness the power of machines while grappling with the social challenges of rapid urbanization and industrial growth.
There are 4 entries in this timeline
1807
Britain renounces any role in the slave trade
March 1807
The campaign to end the slave trade was an early example of a privately-led human rights campaign influencing state conduct. Britain championed the end of the slave trade, incorporating anti-slavery norms in the 1815 Treaty of Paris. British enforcement of these norms led to conflicts between state sovereignty and the responsibility to protect.
1815
Congress of Vienna
June 1815
Following the turmoil of the Napoleonic Wars, the Great Powers sought an international system that would allow them to maintain peace and international stability. The Congress of Vienna, held from November 1814 to June 1815, called for restoration of governments overthrown in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars since 1792, dynastic legitimacy, and solidarity of the Great Powers. The resulting June Final Act attempted to establish a balance of power amongst the Great Powers, allowing future French aggression to be checked and revolutionary movements to be halted. The Powers utilized regular meetings known as the Concert of Europe to resolve differences and to halt new threats to the European peace.
1823
Monroe Doctrine
December 1823
Doctrine stated US opposition to European colonization in the Western Hemisphere as Latin American countries were gaining their freedom. In 1823, the US lacked the naval and military power necessary to uphold the doctrine, but British sea power had been used to prevent re-imposition of Spanish colonial rule. The US would not enter into a joint declaration with Britain on European non-intervention, issuing an indepndent statement. Subsequently, the doctrine has been utilized by US administrations to justify US interventions in Latin America.
1833
Britain frees all of the slaves within its empire
August 1833