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Era 10 of 12 · from 1700 to 1900

Age of revolutions

Between the 18th and 19th centuries the world changes faster than ever before. Steam engines move into factories and onto railway tracks, and many people leave the fields to work in towns: this is the Industrial Revolution. The thinkers of the Enlightenment call for people to use reason and to respect the rights of every person. In America and France revolutions bring down the absolute power of kings, and in the 19th century Italy too becomes a single state. At the end of the century come electric light, the motor car and the cinema.

In Italian schools it is usually studied in lower secondary year 2

Go to the 25 events Quiz on this era Printable worksheet
Illustration of the era Age of revolutions
Illustration created with AI for Storiascopio

The 25 events, in time order

  1. science and technologyNewcomen's steam engine1712
  2. peopleThe European Enlightenmentabout 1720
  3. artDiderot's Encyclopédie1751
  4. science and technologyWatt's steam engine1769
  5. politicsThe American Revolution1776–1783
  6. science and technologyThe first hot-air balloon flight1783
  7. politicsThe French Revolution1789–1799
  8. daily lifeThe metric system1795
  9. science and technologyJenner's vaccine1796
  10. science and technologyVolta's battery1800
  11. politicsNapoleon becomes emperor1804
  12. politicsThe Congress of Vienna1815
  13. science and technologyThe first public steam railway1825
  14. science and technologyNiépce's photographabout 1826
  15. artManzoni's The Betrothed1827
  16. science and technologyThe electric telegraph1844
  17. politicsThe revolutions of 18481848
  18. science and technologyDarwin publishes On the Origin of Species1859
  19. peopleThe Expedition of the Thousand1860
  20. politicsThe unification of Italy1861
  21. daily lifeThe labour movementabout 1864
  22. daily lifeCompulsory primary school (Coppino law)1877
  23. science and technologyA practical electric light bulb1879
  24. science and technologyThe first modern motor car1886
  25. artThe Lumière brothers' cinema1895
Newcomen's steam engine: Dudley, EnglandThe European Enlightenment: Paris, France (and many cities in Europe, Milan included)Diderot's Encyclopédie: Paris, FranceWatt's steam engine: Glasgow, ScotlandThe American Revolution: Philadelphia, United StatesThe first hot-air balloon flight: Paris, FranceThe French Revolution: Paris, FranceThe metric system: Paris, FranceJenner's vaccine: Berkeley, EnglandVolta's battery: Como and Pavia, ItalyNapoleon becomes emperor: Notre-Dame, Paris, FranceThe Congress of Vienna: Vienna, AustriaThe first public steam railway: Stockton and Darlington, EnglandNiépce's photograph: Saint-Loup-de-Varennes, FranceManzoni's The Betrothed: Milan, ItalyThe electric telegraph: Washington and Baltimore, United StatesThe revolutions of 1848: Palermo, Milan, Paris, Vienna and many other European citiesDarwin publishes On the Origin of Species: London, EnglandThe Expedition of the Thousand: From Quarto (Genoa) to Marsala, SicilyThe unification of Italy: Turin, ItalyThe labour movement: London, England (and the industrial cities of Europe)Compulsory primary school (Coppino law): Rome, ItalyA practical electric light bulb: Menlo Park, New Jersey, United StatesThe first modern motor car: Mannheim, GermanyThe Lumière brothers' cinema: Grand Café, Paris, France
Map of the events: Age of revolutions

Did you know?

  • The first passengers in a hot-air balloon were not people: in September 1783, at Versailles, a sheep, a duck and a cockerel flew and landed safe and sound.
  • Before the metre, France had hundreds of different units of measurement, which changed from one town to the next.
  • To write The Betrothed in a language everyone could understand, Alessandro Manzoni went to Florence to ‘rinse his clothes in the Arno’, meaning to learn the Italian spoken by educated Florentines.

Test yourself

Ten questions on the era: multiple choice, before or after, put in order, match.

Quiz: Age of revolutions
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Who's behind this

Ciro Simone Irmici

I'm Ciro Simone Irmici and I build free websites for learning and playing. I built Storiascopio with artificial intelligence and I check every card and every source myself. I'm not a historian: if you find a mistake or would like one more event for your class, write to me.

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