The contemporary age represents the stage of Universal History between the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789, up to the present (21st century), characterizing itself as one of the stages that has represented the most changes for humanity; changes that have allowed man to improve his standard of living. However, many of these transformations have led to a series of social and spatial inequalities, which envision a future of great uncertainty with regard to the environment.

What is the contemporary age

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The contemporary age is the historical period that began in the year 1789, when the French Revolution began, a fact that would mark the change from the system of monarchies to the republican, establishing new ideals of Liberty, Equality and Confraternity. This period is still running its course today, so the events to this day are being recorded as important events of the contemporary age.

Contemporary age data

This historical stage is characterized by a precipitous demographic explosion (concluded in the first world and which is still under development for the third world), accelerated advances in technology and science, capitalism, globalization, among other aspects. To understand more about it, you must know some data from the contemporary age.

Period

All the centuries of the contemporary age are characterized by being accelerated, because in short periods of time forceful events have taken place that have turned history in all aspects. This has caused that, due to the number of events, historians like the British Eric Hobsbawm, have had to divide it into several stages:

1789-1848: Starting in the French Revolution until the revolutions of 1848, also known as the Spring of the Peoples, which was a succession of revolts that led to the conclusion of the Europe of the Restoration (which was a regression to the ideals reached during the Napoleon Bonaparte period).
1848-1875: The revolutionary tints are giving way to give way to the implementation of industrial capitalism and the culture of the bourgeoisie.
1875-1914: The rise and fall of the ideals of progress, peace, stability, economic and social growth is evident, when in 1914 the First World War begins, the most destructive known to humanity. The workers' struggles, the integration of women with equal rights and the new scientific and artistic trends were highlighted.
1914-1991: In this sub period, the First and Second World War, and the Cold War stand out. In this phase for the British historian, socialism, capitalism and nationalism declined.

After these sub-stages of this period, other important events that revolutionized the world took place. An example of this is the Information Age or the Age of Information, in which computers and the Internet changed forever the areas of education, communication, entertainment, among others.

The transition from analog to digital was witnessed, the development of several Asian countries as economic powers due to their industrialization, the European Union, terrorism and wars as a consequence, the recession of the late 2000s, among many other events. The period is not over yet, and to this day, it continues its course.

Start

This time began in 1789, in which the French Revolution began, along with other historical events that set the tone for the arrival of this period, such as the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen right there in France., or the inauguration of George Washington as the first president of the United States.

This battle was one of the main consequences of the Enlightenment or Enlightenment movement, whose ideals were based on dispelling the darkness of ignorance with the lights of knowledge.

Final

This age has not yet marked an event that marks its end for the arrival of a new era. However, mass consumerism, rampant pollution and climate change that threatens to destroy the world's nature as we know it, could spell a dramatic turnaround ushering in a new historical era.

Nicknames

The difference between the Middle Ages, the Modern Age and the contemporary age in this asset is that in this historical stage, nicknames, nicknames or diminutives reached other levels, uses and applications.

For example, these are used in science. Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev's periodic table of elements uses diminutives for each element. Faced with the discovery of new planets and celestial bodies, astronomers and authorities from the scientific community give them nicknames according to whoever discovered them or some other factor, and even today, an ordinary person can nickname a star.

With the advent of the Internet and video games, nicknames enter the fray. Different pseudonyms with a wide universe of possibilities have been generated when creating an email or some user alias in a video game, whether online or not.

Predominant political model

The model of the mercantilist bourgeoisie is not very different from that of capitalism, political models of the modern age and contemporary age, respectively, although the latter began its gestation in the previous era.

The old regime, as the model prior to the French Revolution was called disparagingly, was dismantled by the Illuminist current, which defended logic and intellect over traditions. Thus, the privileged class falls and the labor movement is born (faced with the need to improve the conditions of the workers), political alternatives other than the capitalist system made their way.

The social state arises, which brought benefits such as the public health, education, pensions, aid, scholarships. The appear socialism and anarchism, totalitarianism and fascism. These latter models overshadowed for a period liberal democracy, which protects rights and freedoms, for example, private property, due process, privacy and legal equality. This model, however, has been maintained.

Social classes

According to some authors, the social classes of contemporary times vary according to various factors. For the British sociologist John Goldthorpe, classes are classified according to a classification of occupations based on a degree of desirability of these, taking into account levels of income, economic security and opportunities for economic advancement.

1. The class of service

Business owners.
Directors of companies.
Professionals.
Administrative.
Officials.

2. The intermediate classes

Non-manual employees of the administration.
Non-manual employees of the trade.
Small owners.
Low-ranking technicians.
Supervisors of manual works.

3. The working classes

Skilled manual workers.
Semi-skilled manual workers.
Unskilled manual workers.

Religious beliefs

In recent decades, pluralism has given rise to syncretism, which involves the mixture of various beliefs, theories and rituals of different doctrines.

However, Christianity in its different branches (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Jewish), ranks first in the world according to its number of followers, with some 2,400 million believers around the world, representing 31.4% of the world's population, so one in every 3 people is Christian.

But the following table provides a better breakdown of the places that each belief occupies in the contemporary age to this day:

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Beliefs as of today
Belief	Number of followers	Percentage
Christianity	2.4 billion	31.4%
Islam	1.7 billion	23.2%
None	1.2 billion	16.4%
Hinduism	1.1 billion	fifteen %
Buddhism	520 million	7.1%
Popular Religiosity	435 million	5.9%
Other non-majority	60 million	0.8%
Judaism	15 million	0.2%

Main events

Several main events can be mentioned from this period, for example, the French Revolution, the Napoleonic empires and the intellectual currents, which set the tone in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In the twentieth century and with the emergence of multiple nations, independences and decolonizations, events were accelerated. Numerous European colonies in Asia and Africa achieved their independence; the states of Israel and other nations arose; in the same way, nations were transformed as a result of the dissolution of larger states, such as the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Conflicts of interests and ideologies gave rise to revolutionary policies. The First and Second World War are proof of this. Other ideological wars, by territory, raw material and resources, have been registered in different continents, as well as attacks by armed groups against the civil community.

In addition, the precipitous demographic explosion that characterizes this century, intensified diversity and cultural and ideological manifestations. The emergence of cultural groups has allowed everyone to find a place where they feel identified, with political, economic, sexual, religious, cultural, musical ideals, ideologies, among others. For example, the hippie movement arose in the 1960s as a result of the war struggles of the time, with the ideal of ending such conflicts.

Economic activities

During this time, capitalism and industrialization boomed in economic activities. Technological advances enabled the mass production, so that the hand of work potentiated be see. Factories replaced small workshops.

Little by little, the use of animal force in work and transportation was stopped, as well as human force with the replacement of machinery. Due to this, productivity increased, and alternative energy sources had to be sought.

There was the phenomenon of the open economy, which is one in which the different countries exchange and invest with each other, which oxygenates and gives diversity to the economies of nations. Despite this, there are countries that have closed economies that do not allow foreign economic intervention.

In activities during the industrial revolution, the textile industry, products derived from iron and other metals, among many others, stood out. In the 20th century, many other industries prevail: tourism, fishing, transportation, technology, pharmacology, entertainment, gastronomy, and many more. In addition, agriculture and livestock are still maintained.

Notable characters

In this time so happening in all areas, there are countless influential figures who contributed to a historical turn in every aspect, regardless of whether their impact was positive or negative:

1. Politics

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821): French Emperor who was also King of Italy. It took control of almost all of Europe.
Winston Churchill (1874-1965): He was the leader of the United Kingdom during the Second World War, until the victory over Nazism was achieved.
Adolf Hitler (1889-1945): He led the totalitarian Nazi regime, in which more than six million Jews lost their lives.
Fidel Castro (1926-2016): Cuban dictator for more than three decades. His ideals of the Marxist-Leninist current influenced Latin America.
Vladimir Putin (1952): Russian President, who has fought radically against terrorism.

2. Science

Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922): Contributed to the development of telecommunications and aviation. Obtained the patent for the phone.
Nikola Tesla (1856-1943): His inventions contributed to the study of electromagnetic fields and alternating current.
Wilbur Wright (1867-1912) and Orville Wright (1871-1948): Also known as the Wright brothers, they were pioneering engineers and inventors in aviation. They built and flew the world's first airplane, one of the inventions of the contemporary age that revolutionized the world.
Albert Einstein (1879-1955): His greatest achievements were the theory of relativity and his contributions that laid the foundations of statistical physics and quantum mechanics.
Carl Sagan (1934-1996): The astrophysicist was a pioneer in the study of the greenhouse effect, as well as published scientific works on the cosmos.

3. Medicine

William Morton (1819-1868): Pioneer in the development of anesthesia in medicine and dentistry.
Louis Pasteur (1822-1895): Invented the pasteurization technique (remove the greatest amount of bacterial agents), he was a pioneer of modern microbiology.
Joseph Lister (1827-1912): He discovered the mortality caused by rot in surgical wounds. He developed the practice of asepsis and antisepsis.
Robert Koch (1843-1910): Considered the founder of bacteriology, he discovered the tuberculosis bacillus.
Alexander Fleming (1881-1955): He was credited with the discovery of penicillin, and was the first to observe its antibiotic effects.

4. Literature and painting

Jacob Grimm (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786-1859): Better known as Brothers Grimm, they collected and published popular tales that later became popular around the world.
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900): His writings on art, philosophy, science, religion, criticized these and other aspects of society. Influenced existentialist philosophy.
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973): Painter who, together with Georges Braque, created Cubism. He had great influence on other painters and was an important exponent of art in the contemporary age.
George Orwell (1903-1950): He made two novels in which he harshly criticized totalitarianism and invented the concept of "Big Brother", a term that later became popular when referring to current surveillance techniques.
Salvador Dalí (1904-1989): He was a painter and sculptor, among other activities, representative of surrealist art, which made its mark on television and in the cinema, for which he collaborated in other projects.

5. Entertainment

Charles Chaplin (1889-1977): He was an actor, screenwriter, director, composer, producer, writer, he stood out for his character Charlot, with whom he achieved world fame in silent films.
Walt Disney (1901-1966): He was a cartoonist who revolutionized the world of animated cinema and had great contributions to the world of entertainment.
Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999): One of the most influential directors of the 20th century, standing out for the stylization and symbolism present in his films.
Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962): She was one of the most famous actresses of the 20th century, considered a pop icon and sex symbol
Clint Eastwood (1930): He is an actor, director, producer, musician and composer, whose works made him position himself as a cultural icon of masculinity.

6. Music

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): Considered one of the most important musicians in history, whose works range from classicism to romanticism, the latter of which he was a precursor.
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849): Composer and pianist, recognized as one of the most important in history, being one of the greatest representatives of romanticism.
Elvis Presley (1935-1977): One of the most popular singers of the 20th century, who became a cultural icon, better known as “The King of Rock and Roll” or “The King”.
The Beatles (1960-1970): It was an English rock band, whose world fame preceded it. They have been the most praised band in popular music, even to this day.
Michael Jackson (1958-2009): Also known as "The King of Pop," he was a singer who became part of popular culture for more than 40 years.

Characteristics of the contemporary age

Social

The globalization, the phenomenon is described as the increasing integration in all fields between the countries around the world, has led to all groups and sub groups and identities, in religion, sexuality, culture, ethnicity, sports, education, national, activism, among other aspects.

Politician

In this area, one of the main characteristics of the contemporary age is the consolidation of the democratic regime during these centuries, especially since the 19th century, with some interruptions and interference from other systems throughout the 20th century.

At the beginning of the 20th century, communism emerged, which although in theory means equality between all people, it really meant division and exploitation. At the same time, the United States stood out as a world power, having influence and taking part in many political events on five continents.

Economic

In the contemporary age, the industry appeared and developed thanks to technological improvement, from which scientific research, means of transport and the mass and personal communication media benefited. The struggle of the powers for territory, raw materials for industry and markets, set the tone in this stage.

Currently, technology and services (particularly virtual) have taken a boom in today's world economy, with which numerous jobs that in past decades would have been difficult to imagine, have made their way. Capitalism is the leading model present throughout the world.

Events of the Contemporary Age

This time is characterized by the acceleration of events in short periods of time and how these have had a determining impact on the historical course. The events of the contemporary age have been too many to all be mentioned, but the most prominent are:

Century XVIII

(1789) French Revolution.

XIX century

(1804-1815) Empire (Napoleon I).
(1848) Revolutionary wave shakes Europe.
(1852-1870) Second Empire (Napoleon III).
(1859-1870) Political unification of Italy.
(1862-1866) American Civil War.

Twentieth century

(1910-1920) Mexican Revolution.
(1914-1918) World War I.
(1917) Russian Revolution, birth of communism.
(1929) The Great Economic Depression begins.
(1933-1945) Germany is ruled by the Third Reich (Nazis).
(1939-1945) World War II in Europe, Africa and Asia.
(1945) End of World War II.
(1945-1946) Vietnam War.
(1960) The hippie movement arises. Strongest earthquake in history, with 9.5 on the Richter scale in Valdivia, Chile.
(1961) The Soviet Union begins the space race by sending Yuri Gagarin, the first man into space.
(1969) Neil Armstrong is the first human being to reach the Moon. The ARPANET network is created.
(1972) Watergate Scandal, by Richard Nixon. Magnavox Odyssey, the first game console, is released.
(1973) Coup d'etat in Uruguay and Chile. Withdrawal of US forces from Vietnam.
(1975) Microsoft Foundation.
(1976) The first supercomputer, Cray-1, is created. Apple Computer Foundation
(1981) The first IBM personal computer is marketed.
(1984) The first test-tube baby is born from a frozen embryo in Australia. The Motorola DynaTAC 8000X is the world's first cell phone.
(1985) Earthquake in Mexico City leaves more than 35,000 dead. They detect a hole in the ozone layer.
(1986) Chérnobil nuclear accident.
(1989) Fall of the Berlin Wall. Development of the World Wide Web. ARPANET disappears, the Internet is born.
(1991) The Soviet Union disappears.
(1993) Maastricht Treaty initiates European Union.
(1994) The North American Free Trade Agreement enters into force, the same day that the insurrection of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation arises in Mexico.
(1996) The Taliban regime is established in Afghanistan.
(1997) Dolly is born, the first sheep cloned from an adult cell. DVD creation.
(1998) Popularization of cellular telephony. Euro approval. Launch of Google, Napster and Universal Serial Bus (USB) 1.1.
(1999) Kosovo War. Hugo Chávez comes to power in Venezuela.

XXI century

(2001) Terrorist attacks in the US leave more than 3,000 dead, the Twin Towers of New York collapse. Afghanistan War. Wikipedia is born.
(2003) Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Néstor Kitchner assume the presidency of Brazil and Argentina, respectively, initiating the expansion of leftist ideals promoted by Chávez in Venezuela.
(2004) Tsunami in Sumatra, Indonesia, leaves more than 280,000 dead. Water is discovered at the poles of Mars. Facebook, Gmail, Firefox, Ubuntu and hard disk camcorders are born.
(2005-2006) YouTube, Twitter and Spotify are born.
(2007) The fever of social networks on the Internet begins. The iPhone comes out on the market, facing Android.
(2008) Barack Obama is the first president of color in the US. Blu-Ray is launched on the market. Google Chrome is born.
(2009) H1N1 or influenza A becomes a pandemic. Bitcoin appears.
(2010) Earthquake in Haiti leaves 250,000 dead. Historical filtering of documents by Wikileaks.
(2011) Earthquake and tsunami in Japan cause nuclear accident in Fukushima.
(2012) WhatsApp revolutionizes instant communication in mobile messaging. They discover the Higgs boson. First images of Mars.
(2013) Syrian Civil War leaves more than 100,000 dead.
(2014) Creation of the Islamic State. China becomes the world's leading economic power.
(2015) Islamic State perpetrates terrorist attacks in Paris.
(2016-2017) Islamic State carries out attacks in eight countries. Donald Trump becomes president of the United States.
(2018) Andrés Manuel López Obrador comes to power in Mexico, being its first leftist president.
(2019) Leader of the Islamic State is eliminated. A black hole is photographed for the first time.

Frequently Asked Questions about Contemporary Age

What is called the contemporary age?

It is known as the period of history that includes the French Revolution and today. This is characterized by revolutions and by great social, artistic, demographic, political, economic and technological transformations.

From what year to what year was the contemporary age?

The contemporary age is distinguished by being a historical period that includes a total of 231 years, since it began on July 14, 1789 and is still in force.

What era does the contemporary age belong to?

The contemporary age belongs to the Cenozoic Era, because in this Homo Sapiens made its appearance, beginning human life and making it evolve over the years until it reached what the human being is today.

With what fact did the contemporary age begin?

The event that started this, arose at the beginning of the French Revolution and was the fall of the Bastille, on July 14, 1789, since this date the contemporary age has been marked by great transformations.