The World in 1895

[kommy]

I would like to make my own contribution to the hard work seen in this forum. Unfortunately, I am no artist nor can I claim to be an accomplished author. However, I have noticed a great appreciation of some of the history and the events taking place in 1895, as well as ongoing background questions.

Being an avid amateur historian and scholar, I've decided to try to lend a helping paw to those wanting to learn about what a very different world it was in 1895 A.D. This is not supposed to be an in-depth history of everything, nor a complete catalog of all that has occurred. I merely intend to help bring up events and people well known and important at the time, and give people ideas for their characters and experiences. Or maybe just get people interested in a new facet of history.

Of course, I will have to take a few liberties with history. Racism isn't quite the same with furries involved. And I pointedly ignore fashion, as Vanessa naturally gets to set that in stone herself.

I intend to make this a series of small articles on different places, peoples, and broad topics. Please tell me if I should give more focus to certain areas and less on others, as well as organizational advice. Don't be timid in suggesting future topics for a brief overview. And if I'm wrong, feel free to correct me.

To kick off my initial attempt, what better place to start than the home of Bon Bon and our host's beautiful homeland, Italy?

The Kingdom of Italy- 1895

L'Italia farà da sè.

The big news in Italy is, in fact, the existence of Italy itself. Since the 15th century to the middle of the 19th century, Italy has been the fodder for the larger nations of Europe, continually dominated and occupied, usually by France and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This all changed with the Risorgimento, however, a series of wars and revolutions starting in 1848 and ending with the unification in 1870. Rome was once more the capital of Italy and King Victor Emmanuel II of the House of Savoy reigning. Of particular note are the achievements the republican revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi who unified southern Italy and Count Camillo Benso di Cavour of the Kingdom of Sardinia, chief minister to his king. Its fellow upstart nation, the German Empire, also played a large role in making the state of Italy a reality, thanks to its generous alliance and first-rate military.

However, while northern Italy flourishes and is flushed with wealth as the Industrial Revolution takes hold, southern Italy is poor and overcrowded, causing many to seek a better life elsewhere across Europe and on the other side of the Atlantic, in the United States. And while basic freedoms are guaranteed under the constitutional monarchy, only men of property have the right to vote. Also a continuing headache for the young nation, the status of the Pope is a problem that won’t go away. While the Holy See is occupied by Italian troops, the Pope considers himself a prisoner in his palace and refuses to bow to the government who nominally rules his church.

Lately, Italy has been trying hard to both build up an industrial infrastructure as well as prove to the other nations of Europe that it is a Great Power. This mostly involves the acquisition of colonies in the ongoing scramble for Africa. Italy has established Italian Eritrea on the eastern tip of Africa. However, just this year, Italy has lost it’s protectorate of Ethiopia and suffered a somewhat embarrassing defeat at the battle of Adowa. Ethiopia now has the distinction of being the only African nation to throw off European colonial rule.

Culturally, Italy can claim to still be a leader of Europe. Italians can claim with fact on their side that their Macchioli began the Impressionist movement with their vivid paintings and bold colors. In the realm of music, opera is the dominant entertainment with Giuseppe Verdi leading the way, labeled the composer of the Risorgimento. However, Giacomo Puccini and his emphasis on pure melody is gaining adherents.

In summation, Italy is a young, vigorous country. Its proud people are anxious to show the world what they can do as a unified nation at last. Nationalism with more than a hint of militarism dominates popular society, as well as a strong drive to develop the nation’s industry and commerce. However, the development is uneven with southern Italy remaining poor and rural compared to the industrial and affluent north. Despite a series of problems and the growing pains of a new nation built on the oldest of foundations, the Kingdom of Italy can look forward confidently.

Edited: Keep finding typos to stamp out.
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"Doktor! Are you sure this will work?!" "HAHA! I HAVE NO IDEA!"

[duo2nd]

IS the Vatican City affected in that time?

[kommy]

Oh, yes. The Vatican is simply part of Rome in 1895, administered by the secular government like any other church. Not until the Lateran Accords in 1929 is the question settled with the establishment of Vatican City as a separate sovereign state. This was accomplished by, of all people, Benito Mussolini.
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"Doktor! Are you sure this will work?!" "HAHA! I HAVE NO IDEA!"

[Ashton Gray]

My, what an intresting and informative read you've provided, Dr.Fuchs. Thank you.
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Silentium est aurum

[Xebulon]

I must say Doktor, I for one, am thoroughly impressed.
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I like old jokes. With them I know when to laugh.

[Vanessa]

I appreciated this topic so much that I decided to turn it into a sticky, it'd be fantastic if it could become a sort of encyclopedia done by everyone, but that could also find points of comparison between PBB's universe and the true story. In fact, I must point out that PBB is also a humorous comic, and despite my efforts to make it as realistic as possible sometimes I can't avoid "adapting" it to the needs of a humorous comic. For example, I'm not sure that the panties as they are today, in 1895 there were huge, quite un-sexy undergarments... and I know for certain that bras didn't exist, and yet I can't avoid drawing them in some pin ups (like the christmas ones). I think it'd be good to link here these two topics that can be joined as parallel to this one:
http://forums.pleasurebonbon.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4573
http://forums.pleasurebonbon.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3428
I'd like to ask to Gantros if he can move here the references to his camera from the topic of the descriptions of the avatars. I'd like that every time that you'll want to do a comment on objects, places or situations that really existed they'd be added here. It'll be a topic really unique and interesting.
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http://www.pleasurebonbon.com

[Gantros]

[Crimson]

i do believe that the battery and rubber band were intvented around this time as well. correct me if im wrong
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Crimson's Construction.
Bettering Bon Bon one building at a time.

[duo2nd]

Industrial Revolution is around that time. So we can expect a lot of things to be invented at that time.

[Xebulon]

Well, as of 1895 Nikola Tesla would already have ushered great changes to the world of electrical engineering. For one, he would have already build and demonstrated the world's first examples of: the radio, alternating current and the wireless transmission of electrical energy. In fact, by 1895 he held over 50 patents!

Taking this into consideration, it's not entirely improbable that Betty might purchase a radio to entertain her guests. Now, I don't know if a radio transmitting station had been set in Italy by that time (especially since Tesla first displayed the radio in 1893, only two years prior), but it is feasible though.

Now, I admit that I am unaware of whether Bon Bon does indeed have electric power throughout the town or if it's still using gas/coal. It is possible that the town does indeed have an electrical power plant (a possible workplace for Marauder's and Littlefox's characters?) but that might also draw too much attention as very few, if any, cities could power fore than a few blocks electrically.

I can add more, it's needed or wanted, once I dig out my biographies on Tesla.
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I like old jokes. With them I know when to laugh.

[kommy]

Glad all this is helpful. Looking over all the possible topics to go over is pretty mind-boggling, though. I'll try to keep a steady output of about one a week and eventually I'll get it done. Here's a list of proposed topics I plan to write on. I've chosen them because they're either relevant, obscure to most people these days, they're particularly interesting to me, or I think they'd be particularly interesting to people here.

-The British Empire (A nightmare, this one. Separate articles for British Isles, Indian Subcontinent, and the rest of the Empire. The sun never sets on the British Empire!)
-The German Empire
-The Austro-Hungarian Empire (Both little known and right next door to Bon Bon. Probably the next topic.)
-The Russian Empire
-The Ottoman Empire
-France
-The United States of America (And it's indigenous peoples.)
-Latin America (Tempted to leave it out, as it hardly seems relevant right now.)
-China
-Imperial Japan
-Science (Might split it into different fields, such as Biology, Physics, etc.)
-Transportation and Communication (Steamships, telegraphs, trains, etc.)
The Industrial Revolution in a Nutshell
-Literature (Particularly 19th century sci-fiction. I know a bunch of you would find inspiration in HG Wells, Jules Verne, and Mary Shelley)
-Imperialism (And why it was considered a Good Thing)
-Sex (Outside Bon Bon, of course. But some people might like to know the conventional attitudes at the time.)


These aren't in any particular order. I'll just do whatever I feel like at the time. Anyway, feel free to suggest something you'd really want to see more of. I've left out a whole bunch of stuff, I know. And please feel free to tell me I don't need to bother with some of the topics. It's quite a bit.
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"Doktor! Are you sure this will work?!" "HAHA! I HAVE NO IDEA!"

[Ashton Gray]

My, and I thought I was born in an intresting and busy year. It seems as though I have nothing on 1895, though.
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Silentium est aurum

[Xebulon]

[Ashton Gray]

With the exception of the funny saying, I agree with Xebulon. Take it slow and steady, Doktor.
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Silentium est aurum

[Bestile1]

yes take your time, if the doctor overworks herself whos gonna fix her up?

[Ashton Gray]

Well, I'm a fair bedside nurse, so to speak, so I can nurse her back to health but as far as anything medical goes, I'm all but useless.
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Silentium est aurum

[Bestile1]

You know what i would like to see if you might find something that would expand my knowledge on Ireland in this time period... from what i know the Irish are still wageing a covert "war" against the British who took over in the 12th century or so and some still think they own it to this day, anyways things are pretty bad for Ireland in 1885 most Irish nobility is dead or in hiding, and the island still hasn't fully recovered from the famous "potato famine" in '48 but in 1885 is when it starts to look up. a group known as the Irish Republican Brotherhood forced the British government to introduce several home rule bills, which began the buildup to Ireland eventually regaining their freedom.

but as i said things weren't very good for the Irish people in this time

[kommy]

Don't worry, Bestile. Ireland will get covered with the rest of the British Isles. And my health is as good as it's ever been, but thank you for asking. But now for the next topic, the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Crown of St. Stephen. Or for those of us who like brevity, Austria-Hungary.

For ease of reference, the Austro-Hungarian Empire included the modern day states of Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Herzegovina, Serbia, Bosnia, and parts of Poland, Romania, Ukraine, and Italy. There is probably more, but this list is long enough already.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire
Aller guten Dinge sind drei.
A baj ritkán jár egyedül.

Whereas Italy is a young nation trying to put itself together, Austria-Hungary is an ancient state trying to keep itself from falling apart. While it has changed several times over the centuries, the Austro-Hungarian Empire can directly trace its roots back to the massive empire of Charles V, who ruled much of Europe. In fact, the Habsburg family still sits upon the throne and can claim to be one of the longest enduring dynasties in history. That proud legacy, though, seems that it may soon change.

While the rise of nationalism has brought new countries together, such as Germany and Italy, that same force is struggling to break the Austro-Hungarian Empire apart. The Empire is made of eleven separate nationalities including, but not limited to, Germans, Czechs, Poles, Magyars, Croats, and Serbs. The very name of the Empire points to this problem, as not long ago it was simply called the Austrian Empire. After its embarrassing defeat in the Austro-Prussian war, the Austrian Empire became a dual monarchy in 1867, with Hungary gaining co-equal status with the once all powerful Austria. Now both have autonomy and both nations have to agree to set policy for the Empire at large. Since both make a point of not compromising on anything, this predictably makes the Empire extremely unstable. The multitude of minorities don’t make things terribly better. The hallmark of this rampant nationalism in a multi-ethnic empire is that it is saddled with eleven different official languages. The state also has two official capitals, the cities of Vienna and Budapest, for Austria and Hungary respectively.

Economically, Austria-Hungary is still potent, with a relatively well developed economy and internal infrastructure, though it lags considerably behind other industrial powers, such as Germany and Great Britain. Some of the oldest and most respected universities in Europe rest within its borders, such as Charles University in Budapest, founded by the same Charles V who ruled so many centuries ago. And its diverse ethnic makeup is less of a hindrance, in that the cities of Austria-Hungary are among the most cosmopolitan on the continent. All educated citizens of the empire would speak four or more languages. A prominent example of the intellectual prominence of the Empire is one Dr. Sigmund Freud, who is currently practicing in the city of Vienna with revolutionary new treatments for those suffering mental illnesses.

While the Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, Franz Josef I, is technically absolute ruler, it’s mostly formality, as the large degree of autonomy granted to the parliaments of Austria and Hungary make it a mostly de-facto constitutional monarchy. The focus for Imperial policy, such as it is, is trying to keep the Empire together, rather than going out and engaging in foreign adventures. While there are foreign colonies of the Empire, they are merely token ones. And in recent years, Austria-Hungary has lost badly on the battlefield to the Prussians and lost a large chunk of land to Italy, including the city of Venice.

In short, the Austro-Hungarian Empire is in rather the opposite situation of Italy: A large, old empire, trying desperately to not fall apart, plagued nationalistic sentiments, but a respected and potent empire, though not as much as it once was.
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"Doktor! Are you sure this will work?!" "HAHA! I HAVE NO IDEA!"

[duo2nd]

This is really informative doctor. I guess the empire is really powerful at those times but it's power faded.

[Bestile1]

such is the fate of all empires

[Ashton Gray]

Kingdoms fall, empires crumble, and yet mankind continues to build them.
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Silentium est aurum

[Xebulon]

Maybe someday we'll get it right and finally expand out into the stars.
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I like old jokes. With them I know when to laugh.

[Bestile1]

someday maybe...

[Ashton Gray]

What makes you think our expanding our kingdoms and empires into the stars would be right or help anything?
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Silentium est aurum

[Bestile1]

never said that i just... in fact i am of the opinion that it would just make it worse

[kommy]

Why the devil not do it? Where's your sense of adventure? Your pride in our collective achievements as a species? Or to boldly go where no furry has gone before? Your faith in progress?

And failing that, where's your sense of fatalistic pragmatism in seeing the sense of having backup planets if this one goes bad?
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"Doktor! Are you sure this will work?!" "HAHA! I HAVE NO IDEA!"

[Ashton Gray]

I can think of several reasons not to do it. Then again, I can think of several reasons to do as well so I shant list them. My sense of adventure may not be as pronounced as some but it's still there. My pride is often and woefuly outweighed by my shame at our collective and ever expanding disgraces. I have been already where no one has gone before, furry or no. My faith in progress has been severly shortened. And you don't want to get me started on what I think will happen to this planet.
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Silentium est aurum

[Bestile1]

it will die... to put it bluntly

[Gantros]

If we are to ever survive as a species, expanding to the stars is our only option. We are already in the process of fouling the nest, and while I don't doubt the world will survive us, I question whether we will survive ourselves.
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Most have only two choices in life, a life of happiness, or a life of meaning. It is truly a rare thing when one can achieve both. But given the choice, I choose happiness.

[Ashton Gray]

Everything that has a beggining has an end, the only question is when that end will come. And now that some of you have already voiced your opinions, I may as well voice mine. This world will die, we've already killed it. Short of some awsome intervention, divine, technological or otherwise, we cannot stop it. This planet will die. If it and we are lucky, it will revive itself just as it has before. Yes, expansion into the stars is quite likely our only hope for survival, but what then? Do we keep destroying planets as we go along, like some sort of plauge? Or will we finally get our act together and wise up. I only pray I live out my life and die an old man in bed, surrounded by my family, on this planet before I find out.
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Silentium est aurum