20th Century


The 20th century is noted for decolonization and the end of attempts by Western european powers to maintain direct political rule over Asia and Africa. Two world wars, the rise of the United States to replace the British empire as the major world power, and the rise and fall of world communism as a rival to the United States and its allies also mark this period. The Middle east again began to play a central role in world affairs. Technological and cultural developments including advances in medical practice, long-distance electronic communications, and the use of petroleum as a fuel for transportation resulted in rapid worldwide cultural change. This century, like others, is divided arbitrarily into early, early mid, mid, late mid, and late periods of 20 years each. Although the 21st century has begun, events of the early 21st century are being included along with them until they have progressed further.	Sapience Home Site Map About Sapience History Modern History Early 20th Century Early mid 20th Century Mid 20th Century Late mid 20th Century Late 20th Century Early 21st Century

The 20th century is noted for decolonization and the end of attempts by Western european powers to maintain direct political rule over Asia and Africa.

Two world wars, the rise of the United States to replace the British empire as the major world power, and the rise and fall of world communism as a rival to the United States and its allies also mark this period. The Middle east again began to play a central role in world affairs.

Technological and cultural developments including advances in medical practice, long-distance electronic communications, and the use of petroleum as a fuel for transportation resulted in rapid worldwide cultural change.

This century, like others, is divided arbitrarily into early, early mid, mid, late mid, and late periods of 20 years each. Although the 21st century has begun, events of the early 21st century are being included along with them until they have progressed further.

Early 20th century (1901-1920)

In the early 1900s, radio, the automobile, and the airplane were introduced. International rivalry and military buildup, especially among European powers, was evident. In the late 1900s, refinements of these and other inventions began to have influence on society, and the military buildup continued. In the early 1910s, this continued, and the Manchu Empire of China was broken up. In the late 1910s, the nations of Europe were pulled by military alliances into the Great War, later known as World War I. The Russian empire, the Austrian-Hungarian empire, and the Ottoman empire were all defeated and broken up in and by this war, and the Communist party took control of Russia.

Early mid 20th century (1921-1940)

In the early 1920s, industrial and communications technology developed substantially, and the automobile and airplane came into increasing use in western civilization. Elsewhere, there was increasing resentment of Western domination, and nationalist movements began to develop. These were often mixed with socialist and communist movements. In the late 1920s, the Great Depression began to affect much of the Western world, and nationalist movements continued. In the early 1930s, governments increasingly adopted socialist measures and ideologies to deal with the depression, and belligerent secular military dictatorships which were labeled fascist, began to arise. By the late 1930s, these had become sufficiently powerful to attempt to dominate their neighbors, and a second and more extensive World War began.

Mid 20th century (1941-1960)

During the early 1940s, the Second World War (WW II) was a great dividing point of world history. and most historians divide modern history into events before and after this war. In the late 1940s, the wartime alliance between the US, Britain, and France on one side and the Soviet Union, which came to dominate Eastern Europe on the other, broke apart and turned into opposition with a threat of nuclear warfare, while there was a wholesale retreat from Western political domination of Asia, as large areas gained their independence. In the early 1950s, a military and ideological standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union, both now armed with nuclear weapons, threatened to become open warfare. In the late 1950s, this "cold war" continued to influence and shape the development of the newly independent nations. The retreat from colonialism continued as Europeans began to withdraw from Africa as well.

Late mid 20th century (1961-1980)

The early 1960s are noted for continued tension between the USS and USSR, that spilled over into armed conflicts between USSR supported revolutionary movements, and US support of existing governments. In the late 1960s, the US was heavily involved in a war in Vietnam as the most violent of these conflicts, while it underwent substantial social change. In the early 1970s, the US withdrew from Vietnam, and began to attempt to ease relations with the USSR and the Peoples's Republic of China. By the late 1970s, much of the US-Soviet tension had eased, but terrorist and Islamic militant movements began to occupy greater attention in the world.

Late 20th century (1981-2000)

The early 1980s are noted for increased tension between the United States and the USSR. In the late 1980s, new leadership and open recognition of the limitations of Soviet economic policies led to the overthrow and dismantling of Communist governments in the Soviet bloc, although dissent was stifled in East Asia. In the early 1990s, the Soviet Union itself split apart, though attempts at economic reform led instead to a serious economic decline, and the US became more aggressive about using military force. In the late 1990s, attempts at using US military force for peacekeeping under UN direction had limited success.

Early 21st century (2001-Present)

In the early 2000s, a terrorist attack on the US by Islamic militants led to a long-lasting war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The late 2000s have not yet been fully analyzed. The early 2010s are considered current events.


Other History Accounts of the 20th century may refer to events of prehistory, antiquity, classical and medieval times, and earlier modern times. The future can also be connected. The early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, late 20th century, and late 20th century may refer to key events and developments. Prehistory The early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, late 20th century, and early 21st century have some connections to prehistory. Early prehistory including the Pliocene, early Pleistocene, early mid Pleistocene, late mid Pleistocene, and late Pleistocene can be connected. Middle prehistory including the 5th decamillennium BP, 4th decamillennium BP, 3rd decamillennium BP, and 2nd decamillennium BP can be connected. Late prehistory including the early 8th millennium BC, late 8th millennium BC, early 7th millennium BC, late 7th millennium BC, early 6th millennium BC, and late 6th millennium BC might be connected. Antiquity The early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, late 20th century, and early 21st century have some connections to antiquity. The 5th millennium BC including the early 5th millennium BC, early mid 5th millennium BC, mid 5th millennium BC, late mid 5th millennium BC, and late 5th millennium BC can be connected. The 4th millennium BC including the early 4th millennium BC, early mid 4th millennium BC, mid 4th millennium BC, late mid 4th millennium BC, and late 4th millennium BC can be connected. The 3rd millennium BC including the early 3rd millennium BC, early mid 3rd millennium BC, mid 3rd millennium BC, late mid 3rd millennium BC, and late 3rd millennium BC can be connected. The 2nd millennium BC including the early 2nd millennium BC, early mid 2nd millennium BC, mid 2nd millennium BC, late mid 2nd millennium BC, and late 2nd millennium BC can connected to the 20th century. The early 1st millennium BC including the 10th century BC, 9th century BC, 8th century BC, 7th century BC, and 6th century BC can be connected.	Links to other sites: 1901-WW II (Frank Smitha) 1946-21st Century (Frank Smitha) 1900-1999 World History - Infoplease 1900-1999 AD World History FactMonster.com 20th Century - Wikipedia Timelines 1900-2000 About.com: 20th Century history Internet Modern History Sourcebook: The 20th century, War, Conflict, and Progress British Academy Portal: Modern history from c. 1800 Historical Atlas of the 20th Century (Not updated since 2003, but still useful) Twentieth Century Information from Answers.com Twentieth Century History in the Yahoo! Directory The 20th Century(CNN.com)
Classical and medieval history The early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, late 20th century, and early 21st century have some connection to classical and medieval history, although this is not as useful for examination of the 20th century as more recent history is. Early classical history including the 5th century BC, 4th century BC, 3rd century BC, 2nd century BC, and 1st century BC can be connected. Late classical times including the 1st century CE, 2nd century CE, 3rd century CE, 4th century CE, and 5th century CE can be connected. Early medieval times including the 6th century, 7th century, 8th century, 9th century, and 10th century can be connected. Late medieval history including the 11th century can be connected. The 12th century can be connected. The 13th century can be connected. The 14th century can be connected. The 15th century can be connected. Other modern history The early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, late 20th century, and early 21st century have some connection to earlier centuries of modern history. 16th century The early 16th century including the early 1500s, late 1500s, early 1510s, and late 1510s can be connected.The early mid 16th century including the early 1520s, late 1520s, early 1530s, and late 1530s can be connected. The mid 16th century including the early 1540s, late 1540s, early 1550s, and late 1550s can be connected. The late mid 16th century including the early 1560s, late 1560s, early 1570s, and late 1570s can be connected. The late 16th century including the early 1580s, late 1580s, early 1590s, and late 1590s can be connected. 17th century The early 17th century including the early 1600s, late 1600s, early 1700s, and late 1700s can be connected. The early mid 17th century including the early 1620s, late 1620s, early 1630s, and late 1630s can be connected. The mid 17th century including the early 1640s, late 1640s, early 1650s, and late 1650s can be connected. The late mid 17th century including the early 1660s, late 1660s, early 1670s, and late 1670s can be connected. The late 17th century including the early 1680s, late 1680s, early 1690s, and late 1690s can be connected. 18th century The early 18th century including the early 1700s, late 1700s, early 1710s, and late 1710s can be connected. The early mid 18th century including the early 1720s, late 1720s, early 1730s, and late 1730s can be connected. The mid 18th century including the early 1740s, late 1740s, early 1750s, and late 1750s can be connected. The late mid 18th century including the early 1760s, late 1760s, early 1770s, and late 1770s can be connected. The late 18th century including the early 1780s, late 1780s, early 1790s, and late 1790s can be connected. 19th century The early 19th century including the early 1800s, late 1800s, early 1810s, and late 1810s can be connected. The early mid 19th century including the early 1820s, late 1820s, early 1830s, and late 1830s can be connected. The mid 19th century including the early 1840s, late 1840s, early 1850s, and late 1850s can be connected. The late mid 19th century including the early 1860s, late 1860s, early 1870s, and late 1870s can be connected. The late 19th century including the early 1880s, late 1880s, early 1890s, and late 1890s can be considered. Future For now, current events (of the 21st century) are still being discussed here. Developments will be projected into the near future including the next month ( June 2011 and July 2011), next quarter including August 2011 and September 2011, next year including the second quarter 2010, third quarter 2010, and fourth quarter 2010 and somewhat into the middle future including the next 5 years, next 20 years, next century, and next 5 centuries. The far future including the next 2 millennia, next 50,000 years, next 200,000 years, next million, and beyond the next million years has not yet been examined. Sociology As with history in general and modern history, the examination of peoples of the world, communities, and social structure and change gives weight and substance to 20th century history. Institutions As with history in general and modern history, the examination of religion, government, economics, education, and families is vital to the study of the 20th century. Culture As with history in general and modern history, the examination of behavioral culture, conceptual culture, and material culture is vital to the study of the 20th century. Anthropology As with history in general and modern history, the examination of particular groups, human geography, human ecology, physical anthropology, demography, and social foundations will be vital to the study of the 20th century. Personal studies Biography, psychology, and the human body can be applied to events of the early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, late 20th century, and early 21st century. Biography Particular figures are not listed here in this century, but are distributed into the particular 20 year periods when they lived and worked. Psychology Examination of social psychology, personality, mental disorders, developmental psychology, behavior patterns, mind, and behavioral elements will be useful. Human body The human body including form and appearance, disease, human life cycle, body functions, and body systems can be connected. Science Biology, earth science, astronomy, chemistry, and physics can be connected to studies of the early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, late 20th century, and early 21st century. Biology Biology including biohistory, ecology, systematics, organism biology, cell biology, and molecular biology will be significant. Biohistory including the Precambrian era, Paleozoic Era, and Mesozoic Era is weakly connected. Modern history takes place in the Cenozoic Era, specifically in the Holocene epoch. Ecology including biogeography, ecosystems, evolution, system ecology, community ecology, population ecology, and behavioral ecology can be considered. Systematics including animals, fungi, plants, protists, and microbes can be considered. Organism biology including behavior, life cycle, form, organ systems, tissues, and habitat can be considered. Cell biology including cell types, cell behavior, and cell structure seems to be weakly connected. Molecular biology including nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, small organics, and inorganics is weakly connected. Earth science Earth science including hydrospheric science, and geology can be connected. Most of Geohistory including the Precambrian era, Paleozoic era, and Mesozoic era is weakly connected. Modern history occurs in the Cenozoic era, particularly in the Holocene epoch. Physical geography including mapping, terrestrial geography, and oceanic geography can be considered. Atmospheric science including climatology, meteorology, and atmospheric structure seems to be indirectly useful. Hydrospheric science including oceans, glaciers, groundwater, and freshwater seems to be indirectly useful. Geology including interior geology, geologic processes, landforms, petrology, and mineralogy can be considered. Astronomy Astronomy including cosmology and galactic astronomy can be connected. Stellar astronomy including astrocartography,star systems, stars, and the interstellar medium can be connected. Solar system astronomy including solar system history, the sun, solar planetary systems, minor bodies, and the interplanetary medium can be considered. Chemistry Chemical systems including organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, gaseous chemistry, liquid chemistry, and solid chemistry can be connected. Chemical change including nuclear reactions, chemical reactions, and physical changes can be connected. Chemical substances including mixtures, compounds, and elements can be connected. Physics Discoveries in physics have contributed directly and indirectly to events of the 20th century. The structure of matter including exotic matter, common matter, molecular physics, atomic physics, and subatomic physics can be connected. Quantum physics can be connected. Relativity theory including general relativity and special relativity can be connected. Electromagnetism including optics, magnetism, electric current, and electrostatics can be connected. Thermodynamics including nonclassical thermodnynamics, classical thermodynamics, and statistical mechanics can be connected. Mechanics including gravitation, nonrigid mechanics, rigid body mechanics, and particle mechanics can be connected.

Other History

Accounts of the 20th century may refer to events of prehistory, antiquity, classical and medieval times, and earlier modern times. The future can also be connected. The early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, late 20th century, and late 20th century may refer to key events and developments.

Prehistory

The early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, late 20th century, and early 21st century have some connections to prehistory.

Early prehistory including the Pliocene, early Pleistocene, early mid Pleistocene, late mid Pleistocene, and late Pleistocene can be connected. Middle prehistory including the 5th decamillennium BP, 4th decamillennium BP, 3rd decamillennium BP, and 2nd decamillennium BP can be connected. Late prehistory including the early 8th millennium BC, late 8th millennium BC, early 7th millennium BC, late 7th millennium BC, early 6th millennium BC, and late 6th millennium BC might be connected.

Antiquity

The early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, late 20th century, and early 21st century have some connections to antiquity.

The 5th millennium BC including the early 5th millennium BC, early mid 5th millennium BC, mid 5th millennium BC, late mid 5th millennium BC, and late 5th millennium BC can be connected. The 4th millennium BC including the early 4th millennium BC, early mid 4th millennium BC, mid 4th millennium BC, late mid 4th millennium BC, and late 4th millennium BC can be connected. The 3rd millennium BC including the early 3rd millennium BC, early mid 3rd millennium BC, mid 3rd millennium BC, late mid 3rd millennium BC, and late 3rd millennium BC can be connected. The 2nd millennium BC including the early 2nd millennium BC, early mid 2nd millennium BC, mid 2nd millennium BC, late mid 2nd millennium BC, and late 2nd millennium BC can connected to the 20th century. The early 1st millennium BC including the 10th century BC, 9th century BC, 8th century BC, 7th century BC, and 6th century BC can be connected.

Links to other sites:

1901-WW II (Frank Smitha)
1946-21st Century (Frank Smitha)
1900-1999 World History - Infoplease
1900-1999 AD World History FactMonster.com
20th Century - Wikipedia
Timelines 1900-2000
About.com: 20th Century history
Internet Modern History Sourcebook: The 20th century, War, Conflict, and Progress
British Academy Portal: Modern history from c. 1800
Historical Atlas of the 20th Century (Not updated since 2003, but still useful)
Twentieth Century Information from Answers.com
Twentieth Century History in the Yahoo! Directory
The 20th Century(CNN.com)

Classical and medieval history

The early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, late 20th century, and early 21st century have some connection to classical and medieval history, although this is not as useful for examination of the 20th century as more recent history is.

Early classical history including the 5th century BC, 4th century BC, 3rd century BC, 2nd century BC, and 1st century BC can be connected. Late classical times including the 1st century CE, 2nd century CE, 3rd century CE, 4th century CE, and 5th century CE can be connected. Early medieval times including the 6th century, 7th century, 8th century, 9th century, and 10th century can be connected.

Late medieval history including the 11th century can be connected. The 12th century can be connected. The 13th century can be connected. The 14th century can be connected. The 15th century can be connected.

Other modern history

The early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, late 20th century, and early 21st century have some connection to earlier centuries of modern history.

16th century

The early 16th century including the early 1500s, late 1500s, early 1510s, and late 1510s can be connected.The early mid 16th century including the early 1520s, late 1520s, early 1530s, and late 1530s can be connected. The mid 16th century including the early 1540s, late 1540s, early 1550s, and late 1550s can be connected. The late mid 16th century including the early 1560s, late 1560s, early 1570s, and late 1570s can be connected. The late 16th century including the early 1580s, late 1580s, early 1590s, and late 1590s can be connected.

17th century

The early 17th century including the early 1600s, late 1600s, early 1700s, and late 1700s can be connected. The early mid 17th century including the early 1620s, late 1620s, early 1630s, and late 1630s can be connected. The mid 17th century including the early 1640s, late 1640s, early 1650s, and late 1650s can be connected. The late mid 17th century including the early 1660s, late 1660s, early 1670s, and late 1670s can be connected. The late 17th century including the early 1680s, late 1680s, early 1690s, and late 1690s can be connected.

18th century

The early 18th century including the early 1700s, late 1700s, early 1710s, and late 1710s can be connected. The early mid 18th century including the early 1720s, late 1720s, early 1730s, and late 1730s can be connected. The mid 18th century including the early 1740s, late 1740s, early 1750s, and late 1750s can be connected. The late mid 18th century including the early 1760s, late 1760s, early 1770s, and late 1770s can be connected. The late 18th century including the early 1780s, late 1780s, early 1790s, and late 1790s can be connected.

19th century

The early 19th century including the early 1800s, late 1800s, early 1810s, and late 1810s can be connected. The early mid 19th century including the early 1820s, late 1820s, early 1830s, and late 1830s can be connected. The mid 19th century including the early 1840s, late 1840s, early 1850s, and late 1850s can be connected. The late mid 19th century including the early 1860s, late 1860s, early 1870s, and late 1870s can be connected. The late 19th century including the early 1880s, late 1880s, early 1890s, and late 1890s can be considered.

Future

For now, current events (of the 21st century) are still being discussed here. Developments will be projected into the near future including the next month ( June 2011 and July 2011), next quarter including August 2011 and September 2011, next year including the second quarter 2010, third quarter 2010, and fourth quarter 2010 and somewhat into the middle future including the next 5 years, next 20 years, next century, and next 5 centuries. The far future including the next 2 millennia, next 50,000 years, next 200,000 years, next million, and beyond the next million years has not yet been examined.

Sociology

As with history in general and modern history, the examination of peoples of the world, communities, and social structure and change gives weight and substance to 20th century history.

Institutions

As with history in general and modern history, the examination of religion, government, economics, education, and families is vital to the study of the 20th century.

Culture

As with history in general and modern history, the examination of behavioral culture, conceptual culture, and material culture is vital to the study of the 20th century.

Anthropology

As with history in general and modern history, the examination of particular groups, human geography, human ecology, physical anthropology, demography, and social foundations will be vital to the study of the 20th century.

Personal studies

Biography, psychology, and the human body can be applied to events of the early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, late 20th century, and early 21st century.

Biography

Particular figures are not listed here in this century, but are distributed into the particular 20 year periods when they lived and worked.

Psychology

Examination of social psychology, personality, mental disorders, developmental psychology, behavior patterns, mind, and behavioral elements will be useful.

Human body

The human body including form and appearance, disease, human life cycle, body functions, and body systems can be connected.

Science

Biology, earth science, astronomy, chemistry, and physics can be connected to studies of the early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, late 20th century, and early 21st century.

Biology

Biology including biohistory, ecology, systematics, organism biology, cell biology, and molecular biology will be significant. Biohistory including the Precambrian era, Paleozoic Era, and Mesozoic Era is weakly connected. Modern history takes place in the Cenozoic Era, specifically in the Holocene epoch. Ecology including biogeography, ecosystems, evolution, system ecology, community ecology, population ecology, and behavioral ecology can be considered. Systematics including animals, fungi, plants, protists, and microbes can be considered. Organism biology including behavior, life cycle, form, organ systems, tissues, and habitat can be considered. Cell biology including cell types, cell behavior, and cell structure seems to be weakly connected. Molecular biology including nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, small organics, and inorganics is weakly connected.

Earth science

Earth science including hydrospheric science, and geology can be connected. Most of Geohistory including the Precambrian era, Paleozoic era, and Mesozoic era is weakly connected. Modern history occurs in the Cenozoic era, particularly in the Holocene epoch. Physical geography including mapping, terrestrial geography, and oceanic geography can be considered. Atmospheric science including climatology, meteorology, and atmospheric structure seems to be indirectly useful. Hydrospheric science including oceans, glaciers, groundwater, and freshwater seems to be indirectly useful. Geology including interior geology, geologic processes, landforms, petrology, and mineralogy can be considered.

Astronomy

Astronomy including cosmology and galactic astronomy can be connected. Stellar astronomy including astrocartography,star systems, stars, and the interstellar medium can be connected. Solar system astronomy including solar system history, the sun, solar planetary systems, minor bodies, and the interplanetary medium can be considered.

Chemistry

Chemical systems including organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, gaseous chemistry, liquid chemistry, and solid chemistry can be connected. Chemical change including nuclear reactions, chemical reactions, and physical changes can be connected. Chemical substances including mixtures, compounds, and elements can be connected.

Physics

Discoveries in physics have contributed directly and indirectly to events of the 20th century. The structure of matter including exotic matter, common matter, molecular physics, atomic physics, and subatomic physics can be connected. Quantum physics can be connected. Relativity theory including general relativity and special relativity can be connected. Electromagnetism including optics, magnetism, electric current, and electrostatics can be connected. Thermodynamics including nonclassical thermodnynamics, classical thermodynamics, and statistical mechanics can be connected. Mechanics including gravitation, nonrigid mechanics, rigid body mechanics, and particle mechanics can be connected.

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