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The modern period is the era of human history from around 1500 to today, marked by major transformations in how societies are organized, how people think, and how they interact with the world. It matters because understanding this period helps explain how the contemporary world took shape, including the emergence of modern nation-states, scientific thinking, industrialization, and global interconnection.
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The modern era or the modern period is considered the current historical period of human history. It was originally applied to the history of Europe and Western history for events that came after the classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, often from around the year 1500, like the Reformation's giving rise to Protestantism in Germany and elsewhere. Since the 1990s, it has been more common among historians to refer to the period after the Middle Ages and up to the 19th century as the early modern period. The modern period is today more often used for events from the 19th century until today. The time from the end of World War II (1945) can also be described as being part of contemporary history. The common definition of the modern period today is often associated with events like the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and the transition from nationalism toward the liberal international order.