by Lillian Csernica on April 25, 2018
The 1880s were an amazing time to be alive. All over the world scientific breakthroughs were changing life, from the wonders of the steam engine to the humble advantages of the first dish washing machine. Some major highlights included:
1880–1882: Development and commercial production of electric lighting was underway. Thomas Edison of Milan, Ohio, established Edison Illuminating Company on December 17, 1880. Based at New York City, it was the pioneer company of the electrical power industry.
1882–1883: John Hopkinson of Manchester, England patents the three-phase electric power system in 1882. In 1883 Hopkinson showed mathematically that it was possible to connect two alternating current dynamos in parallel — a problem that had long bedeviled electrical engineers.
1885: Galileo Ferraris of Livorno Piemonte, Kingdom of Italy reaches the concept of a rotating magnetic field. He applied it to a new motor. “Ferraris devised a motor using electromagnets at right angles and powered by alternating currents that were 90° out of phase, thus producing a revolving magnetic field. The motor, the direction of which could be reversed by reversing its polarity, proved the solution to the last remaining problem in alternating-current motors. The principle made possible the development of the asynchronous, self-starting electric motor that is still used today. Believing that the scientific and intellectual values of new developments far outstripped material values, Ferraris deliberately did not patent his invention; on the contrary, he demonstrated it freely in his own laboratory to all comers.” He published his findings in 1888. By then, Nikola Tesla had independently reached the same concept and was seeking a patent.[34]
1886: Charles Martin Hall of Thompson Township, Geauga County, Ohio, and Paul Héroult of Thury-Harcourt, Normandy independently discover the same inexpensive method for producing aluminium, which became the first metal to attain widespread use since the prehistoric discovery of iron.

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The literature of the time examined the benefits and disadvantages to all of these technological marvels.
Literature and arts
- Friedrich Nietzsche published Thus Spoke Zarathustra.
- Mark Twain published Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
- Carlo Collodi published The Adventures of Pinocchio.
- Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote The Brothers Karamazov.
- Edward Bellamy published Looking Backward.
- Robert Louis Stevenson published Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
- Arthur Conan Doyle published his first Sherlock Holmes tale.
- African-American music and ragtime rise to popularity in the later part of the decade.
- Guy de Maupassant wrote The Necklace.
Two more notable events destined to have a lingering impact on the world:

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- 8 May 1886 — Coca-Cola was invented.
- 1888 — Whitechapel murders by the infamous Jack the Ripper.
In this time period the world was full of possibilities. Scientific breakthroughs were changing the way people perceive the universe and its daily workings. That had a significant impact on belief in the creatures of mythology, folklore, and so-called superstition.
Where better to dramatize this conflict than Japan, land of eight million gods?
Some wonderful classic books in that list 🙂
https://iainkellywriting.com/2018/04/25/v-is-for-vienna-austria/
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Yes indeed. Robert Louis Stevenson is one of my favorites.
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At the end of the 19th century, one would have to add Jules Verne and H.G. Wells to the list, taking things even further. And then, of course, there’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
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By all means! Now that you mention them, I’m surprised they weren’t on that list.
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I’ve always wanted to study world history as a single timeline. During XYZ period of the ancient Egyptians, XYZ was happening in China, in the western Europe, in Africa. Fascinating! I’m going to have to do some digging through your blog.
A to Z-ing at Doesn’t Speak Klingon
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Welcome! If I can be of any assistance, please let me know. Thank you for stopping by!
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I’ve never been big on history to be honest but this is all cool stuff.
Also, I remember reading the adventures of Huckleberry Finn as a child and I love it. To be fair I love all books…except history ones…sorry 😦
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Thank you, Bernie. That’s actually a huge compliment. If I can keep you interested even when you don’t really like history, then I’m doing my job!
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The last part of the 1800s was indeed an awesone time. So many discoveries, though many would become apparent and applicable only later. I actually find this particularly fascinating, especially for a speculative writer. So much potenciality. So many things that may have gone a differnet way.
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So true! The whole world was evolving on so many levels.
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