19th century

(18th century - 19th century - 20th century - more centuries)

As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900.

Table of contents

1 Events
2 Significant people

2.1 World leaders
2.2 Scientists
2.3 Artists
2.4 Religious figures

3
4 Decades and Years

Events

The Little Ice Age ended.
Napoleon , conquers much of Europe, is ultimately defeated 1815 ; some old European regimes are restored, others not.
The Libertadores lead most of Latin America to independence.
Industrial Revolution continues and spreads, developments include the Rail Transport, telegraph, and telephone.
Belgium becomes independant in 1830 after a massive uprising against the Dutch. Leopold becomes the first king of Belgium.
Belgium will be the second industrial power in the world by the middle of the 19th century.
Leopold II, son of Leopold, becomes the second king of Belgium. He buys the gigantic territory of Congo in Africa with his own fortune and will later (1908) offer it to Belgium.
Discovery of the relationships between magnetism and electricity and light by Hans Christian �rsted and James Clerk Maxwell. (See:electromagnetism)
Mass migration from Europe to the United States.
During the reign of Queen Victoria, the United Kingdom experiences the Victorian Age, which is the age in which the United Kingdom is the leading economic power in the world.
Political revolution and constitutional reform across Europe severely limits powers of monarchs, advances democracy.
The religious revival of the Second Great Awakening in the eastern United States and Canada gives rise to unique, American, Christian religions during the era of Restorationism
Gold discovered in Australia and throughout the west of the United States, leading to huge increases in national wealth and encouraging mass migration of free settlers there.
Slavery ended in British colonies and in America. See American Civil War. End of global slave trade enforced by British navy.
Charles Darwin revolutionizes biology with his theories of evolution, 1858.
Europeans conquer and colonize most of Africa and parts of Asia.
Karl Marx writes the Communist Manifesto, encouraging workers to revolt against owners.
Meiji Restoration in 1868 opens Japan to modern influences and returns the emperor to power.
Germany and Italy are formed as nations.
Railroads make fast mass transit available to many. Transcontinental railroads built, including the Panama Railway in 1855, the US Transcontinental Railroad finished in 1869 linking east to west in the United States, and the Canadian National Railway in 1885.
The electric telegraph and undersea cables make instant global communication possible for the first time.
Postage Stamps introduced in Great Britain and soon thereafter, in many other countries.
Manufactured goods become widely available by mail order