United States:
- American Civil War (1861-1865): The United States endured a bitter civil war between the northern (Union) and southern (Confederate) states over the issue of slavery. The Union's victory led to the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and abolished the institution of slavery in the country.
- Assassination of Abraham Lincoln (1865): President Abraham Lincoln, who played a pivotal role in preserving the Union during the Civil War, was assassinated by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth.
- Reconstruction Era (1865-1877): Following the Civil War, the United States entered the Reconstruction Era, during which efforts were made to rebuild the shattered nation, integrate the newly freed slaves into society, and confront the issue of civil rights and racial equality.
Europe:
- German Unification (1871): Otto von Bismarck led Prussia in a series of wars against neighboring states (the Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War) and successfully achieved the unification of Germany. Kaiser Wilhelm I was proclaimed emperor of the newly formed German Empire.
- French Revolutionary Upheavals (1870-1871): France experienced tumultuous political unrest and the fall of the Second French Empire during the Franco-Prussian War. This led to the establishment of the Third French Republic.
- Italian Unification (1861-1870): The process of Italian unification culminated in 1870 when Rome, the former papal state, was occupied by Italian troops, completing the reunification of Italy under King Victor Emmanuel II.
Japan:
- Meiji Restoration (1868): Japan underwent a major political and socio-economic transformation, known as the Meiji Restoration, that ended the shogunate system and restored power to the imperial court. This period marked the modernization and Westernization of Japan.
Industrial Revolution:
- The Industrial Revolution continued to transform the economies and societies of countries like Britain, Germany, and the United States. Advances in technology, urbanization, and economic growth characterized this era of industrialization.