1. La Belle Epoque [1871-1914]: “The Beautiful Era”
Ms. Susan M. Pojer and Ms.Raia

2. Crystal Palace Exhibition
The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations or The Great Exhibition, sometimes referred to as the Crystal Palace Exhibition.
Temporary structure in which it was held, was an international exhibition that took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October 1851.
It was the first in a series of World's Fairs, exhibitions of culture and industry that became popular in the 19th century, and it was a much anticipated event.
The Great Exhibition was organized by Henry Cole and Prince Albert, husband of the reigning monarch, Queen Victoria.
It was attended by famous people of the time, including Charles Darwin, Samuel Colt, members of the Orléanist Royal Family and the writers Charlotte Brontë, Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, George Eliot and Alfred Tennyson.
Crystal Palace Exhibition

3. Crystal Palace Exhibition

4. Characteristics of La Belle Epoch
Materialism – “Mass” Society
Higher standard of living
Increased consumption
Sports attracted increased spectators and participants
Increased numbers of women took part in bicycling and sports clubs
Started dressing in more comfortable clothing
Cafes and Taverns
Department stores
Dance Halls and concert halls
Increased European Population
Advancements in medicine
Pasteur, Lister, Koch

5. Characteristics of La Belle Epoch
3. Growth of Cities & Urban Life
Urban Renewal – Haussmann & Paris
Chadwick & Sanitary Idea
4. Migration from Europe
 60 million left Europe
Went to  US, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Australia/N. Zeal.
“Second” Industrial Revolution
Steam  electricity
Internal combustion & diesel engines.
How did transportation change?
How did communication change?

6. Characteristics of La Belle Epoch
6. “Second” Industrial Revolution Britain  “The World’s Industrial Workshop”
Corporations  limited liability of investments.
Mass production.
7.Free Trade [esp. in England]
8.World Markets [Global Economy, Part II]
9.Advance of Democracy
Extension of the vote to the working class in Britain.

7. Characteristics of La Belle Epoch
10.The Appeal of Socialism
By the 1880s, most socialist parties were Marxist [esp. Ger. & Fr.]
Not very successful in England.
11. Faith in Science Alone
Science at the core of industrialization.
Charles Darwin
Origin of Species [1859]
“survival of the fittest”

8. Characteristics of La Belle Epoch
12. Faith in Science Alone [con’t.]
“Social Darwinism”  Herbert Spenser
Newtonian Science turned on its head
Einstein  “Theory of Relativity”  nature & energy were separate & distinct.
Max Planck  Quantum Physics

9. Characteristics of La Belle Epoch
13. Faith in Science Alone [con’t.]
Professionalization of “new” sciences [anthropology, archeaology,etc.]
Psychology
Ivan Pavlov  conditioned responses
Sigmund Freud  psychoanalysis
The Interpretation of Dreams [1900]
The role of the unconscious [the id, ego, super ego].

10. Characteristics of La Belle Epoch
14. Anti-Semitism
Dreyfus Affair
Theodore Herzl  Der Judenstaat [The Jewish State], 1896
“Father of Modern Zionism”
15. Women’s Movement
Emmeline Pankhurst
16. The “New” Imperialism
17. Militarism  glorification of war

11. Characteristics of La Belle Epoch
18. Education
State’s role in education increased leading to further secularization of society
By 1900 in England all children 5 to 12 were required to attend primary school
Education was free
French Ferry Laws required children ages 3-13 to attend primary schools
Effects? – significant increase in literacy
Girls had less access to secondary education than boys but schools for girls increased