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Era 11 of 12 · from 1900 to 1950

Early 20th century

The first half of the 20th century is a time of extraordinary inventions and immense tragedies. Aeroplanes take to the skies, radio and cinema become part of everyone's life, and medicine discovers insulin and penicillin. But two world wars drag in much of the planet and cause millions of deaths. In Europe dictatorships arise that take away freedom and persecute whole peoples, leading to the extermination of the Jews. After 1945 Italy becomes a democratic republic and gives itself a Constitution.

In Italian schools it is usually studied in lower secondary year 3

Go to the 25 events Quiz on this era Printable worksheet
Illustration of the era Early 20th century
Illustration created with AI for Storiascopio

The 25 events, in time order

  1. science and technologyThe first powered flight1903
  2. science and technologySpecial relativity1905
  3. daily lifeMaria Montessori's Children's House1907
  4. artAbstract artabout 1910
  5. peopleMarie Curie and her two Nobel Prizes1911
  6. politicsThe First World War1914–1918
  7. politicsThe Russian Revolution1917
  8. daily lifeRadio for everyoneabout 1920
  9. artJazz spreadsabout 1920
  10. science and technologyInsulin against diabetes1922
  11. politicsTotalitarian regimes in Europe1922
  12. artTalking pictures1927
  13. science and technologyThe discovery of penicillin1928
  14. daily lifeThe Great Depression1929
  15. artPicasso's Guernica1937
  16. politicsThe Second World War1939–1945
  17. politicsThe Shoahabout 1941–1945
  18. peopleAnne Frank writes her diary1942
  19. science and technologyFermi and the first atomic pile1942
  20. politicsThe Italian Resistance1943–1945
  21. politicsThe Italian Republic and votes for women1946
  22. science and technologyThe first general-purpose electronic computer1946
  23. politicsThe Italian Constitution1948
  24. daily lifePost-war rebuildingabout 1948
  25. daily lifeTelevision spreadsabout 1950
The first powered flight: Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, United StatesSpecial relativity: Bern, SwitzerlandMaria Montessori's Children's House: San Lorenzo district, Rome, ItalyAbstract art: Munich, GermanyMarie Curie and her two Nobel Prizes: Paris, FranceThe First World War: Europe and other continents (the spark in Sarajevo)The Russian Revolution: Petrograd (now St Petersburg), RussiaRadio for everyone: Pittsburgh, United States (and then the whole world)Jazz spreads: New Orleans, United StatesInsulin against diabetes: Toronto, CanadaTotalitarian regimes in Europe: Italy, Germany and the Soviet UnionTalking pictures: New York, United StatesThe discovery of penicillin: St Mary's Hospital, London, EnglandThe Great Depression: Wall Street, New York, United States (and then the whole world)Picasso's Guernica: Painted in Paris; now in the Reina Sofía Museum, Madrid, SpainThe Second World War: Europe, Asia, Africa and the oceans (starting in Poland)The Shoah: Nazi-occupied Europe (Auschwitz, Poland)Anne Frank writes her diary: Amsterdam, NetherlandsFermi and the first atomic pile: University of Chicago, United StatesThe Italian Resistance: Central and northern ItalyThe Italian Republic and votes for women: Rome, ItalyThe first general-purpose electronic computer: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United StatesThe Italian Constitution: Palazzo Montecitorio, Rome, ItalyPost-war rebuilding: Italy and western EuropeTelevision spreads: United States, Europe and, from 1954, Italy
Map of the events: Early 20th century

Did you know?

  • The Wright brothers' first flight lasted 12 seconds and covered about 36 metres: less than the wingspan of a large airliner today.
  • Penicillin was discovered almost by chance: Fleming came back from holiday and found a mould growing on a dish of bacteria left on his laboratory bench.
  • In 1946 Italian women voted across the whole country for the first time, and 21 of them became members of the Assembly that wrote the Constitution.

Test yourself

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

Quiz: Early 20th century
Photo of Ciro Simone Irmici

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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