1910s Totally Explained

Everything about The 1910s totally explained

The 1910s decade ran from January 1, 1910 through December 31, 1919.

Events and trends

The 1910s represent the culmination of European militarism which had its beginnings during the second half of the nineteenth Century. The conservative lifestyles during the first half of the decade, as well as the legacy of military alliances, would forever be changed by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, on 28 June 1914. The murder would trigger a chain of events in which, within 30 days, war would break out in Europe. The conflict would drag on until a ceasefire was declared on November 10, 1918 leading to the controversial, one-sided Treaty of Versailles, which would be signed on the 28 June 1919.
The war's end triggered the abdication of aging monarchies and the collapse of the last modern empires of Germany and the Ottomans and Austria-Hungary, the later splintered into Austria, Hungary, southern Poland (who acquired most of their land in a war with Soviet Russia), Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, as well as the unification of Romania with Transylvania and Moldavia. However, each of these states (with the possible exception of Yugoslavia) had large German and Hungarian minorities, there creating some unexpected problems that would be brought to light in the next two decades.
The decade was also a period of revolution in a number of countries. Mexico spear-headed the trend in November 1910, which led to the ousting of dictator Porfirio Diaz, developing into a civil war that dragged on until mid-1920, not long after a new Mexican constitution was signed and ratified. Russia also had a similar fate, since the Great War led to a collapse in morale as well as to economic chaos. This atmosphere encouraged the establishment of Bolshevism, which would be later renamed as Communism. Like the Mexican Revolution, the Russian Revolution immediately turned to civil war that would drag on until approximately late 1920.

Technology

Gideon Sundback patents the first modern zipper
Harry Brearley invents stainless steel
Charles P. Strite invents first pop-up bread toaster
Ford Model T dominates the automobile market, selling more than all other makers combined in 1914
The tank was invented

Science

Einstein's theory of general relativity

Max von Laue discovers the diffraction of x-rays by crystals

Alfred Wegener puts forward his theory of continental drift

War, peace, and politics

On 20 November 1910, the Mexican Revolution leads to the ouster of Porfirio Díaz (who ruled from 1876-1880 and since 1884) six months later. The Revolution progressively becomes a civil war with multiple factions and phases, culminating with the Mexican Constitution of 1917, but combat would persist for three more years.

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary leads to World War I

October Revolution in Russia leads to the first Communist government; assassination of Emperor Nicholas II and the royal family

Several nations in Eastern Europe get their own nation state, thereby replacing major multiethnic empires.

Easter Rising against the British in Ireland; eventually leads to Irish independence

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre in India sows the seeds of discontent and leads to the birth of the Indian Independence Movement.

Xinhai Revolution causes the overthrow of China's ruling Qing Dynasty, and the establishment of the Republic of China.

George V becomes king in Britain.

The Triple Alliance and Triple Entente are started.

The First World War (1914-1918).

Germany signs the Treaty of Versailles after losing the first world war.

Germany abolishes its monarchy and becomes under the rule of a new elected government called the Weimar Republic.

Culture and religion

Radio programming becomes popular

Flying Squadron promotes temperance movement in the U.S.

Edith Smith Davis edits the Temperance Educational Quarterly.

The first U.S. feature film, Oliver Twist, was released in 1912

The first gangster movie, D. W. Griffith's The Musketeers of Pig Alley was released in 1912

Hollywood replaces the East Coast as the center of the movie industry

Charlie Chaplin débuts his trademark mustached, baggy-pants 'Little Tramp' character in Kid Auto Races At Venice in 1914

The first African-American owned studio, The Lincoln Motion Picture Company, was founded in 1917

The four Warner brothers, Jack, Albert, Harry and Samuel, opened their first West Coast studio in 1918

First Crossword Puzzle

Jazz music begins to become popular

The Salvation Army has a new international leader, General Bramwell Booth who served from 1912-1929. He replaces his father and co-founder of the Christian Mission (the forerunner of the Salvation Army), William Booth.

Literature and arts

D. H. Lawrence publishes Sons and Lovers

Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham is published

Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs is published

Zane Grey's Wild Fire is published

Dubliners and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce are published

Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw is published

Thomas Mann publishes Death in Venice

Willa Cather publishes 4 books

End of Art Nouveau and beginning of Art Deco

Others

The ocean liner RMS Titanic strikes an iceberg in the North Atlantic in 1912, and sinks on its maiden voyage.

The Panama Canal is completed 1914

1916 Olympic Games cancelled because of World War I

World leaders

Prime Minister Andrew Fisher (Australia)

Prime Minister Joseph Cook (Australia)

Prime Minister Billy Hughes (Australia)

Emperor Franz Josef (Austria-Hungary)

Emperor Karl (Austria-Hungary)

Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden (Canada)

Emperor Henry Pu Yi of the Qing Dynasty (China)

Sun Yat-sen, President of the Republic of China

Yuan Shikai, President of the Republic of China and briefly Emperor.

Xu Shichang, President of the Republic of China

Emperor Wilhelm II (German Empire)

Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg (German Empire)

King Victor Emmanuel III (Italy)

Pope Pius X

Pope Benedict XV

Sultan Vahidettin (Ottoman Empire)

Ahmad Shah Qajar of Qajar dynasty (Persia)

Emperor Nicholas II (Russia)

Vladimir Lenin (Soviet Union)

King Alfonso XIII (Spain)

Prime Minister José Canalejas (Spain)

Prime Minister Eduardo Dato Iradier (Spain)

King George V (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland)

Prime Minister H. H. Asquith (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland)

Prime Minister David Lloyd George (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland)

President William Howard Taft (United States)

President Woodrow Wilson (United States)

Entertainers

P. G. WodehouseFurther Information

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