modern era

The term Modern Times is used by historians to loosely describe the period of time immediately following what is known as the Early Modern Times.

1. The Early Modern Times lasted from the end of the 15th century to the middle of the 18th century, circa 1450 (moveable type printing press etc) and 1492 (start of European Colonialism) to 1750 (the Enlightenment) and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

2. Modern Times are generally regarded as the period from the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century and continuing up to today. The documentation of this time period is often called Modern history.

So (maybe) (roughly) 1500 to the present.

You should be aware of the following:

You commit a common sin amongst learners of English. You give a phrase without saying where you saw it and in what context. The more context you give, the more helpful the answers will be.

Thanks a lot !

Contrex is correct--1500 is (roughly) the date usually taken for the modern era. Three events in European history are taken to herald the modern era--the fall of Constantinople to the Osmanli (Ottoman) Turks in 1453, the printing of the "42 line" Bible by Gutenberg between 1450 and 1455, and the end of the Hundred Years War between France and England in 1453. This, of course, is well before 1500--however, as the successful completion of the Spanish reconquista in 1492 is also given as a significant date, and most scholars credit the texts found in Grenada with stimulating the Renaissance in Italy, 1500 looks good. (Grenada was a city, but it was the capital of al Andalus, the core Muslim state in the Iberian peninsula. Andalusia [to use the Romanized name) was a corruption of Vandal, "Spain" having been a Vandal Kingdom in the 8th century when the Muslims invaded. The Muslims of Grenada were actually defeated in the early 13th century, but it was not until the late 15th century that Ferdinand and Isabella began a campaign to drive the Muslims [and the Jews] out of Spain.)

Modern historians also include the Ming Dynasty in China, and the Sengoku or Warring States period in Japanese history. The Ming Dynasty begins in the late 14th century, but is significant because of increased European interest in, and influence on China. The Sengoku period in Japan can be said to have begun in the mid-15th century, but broke into open warfare after 1555. This was a significant period in Japanese history both because Western influences played a large part in events (both the introduction of artillery and firearms, and European alliances with various influential clans, as well as the negative reaction of many Japanese to European influences), and because Tokugawa Ieyasu (né Matsudaira Takechiyo, he changed his name to Matsudaira Motoyasu, and then to Tokugawa Ieyasu, signally the foundation of a new clan on his part) became the first Shogun to rule over a genuinely unified Japan. Early Shoguns had not had more than hegemonic authority; Tokugawa established a dynasty which exercised complete control over Japanese social, political, administrative and military life.

In the case of China, as well as Japan (and India, for that matter), the European "age of exploration" dragged those worlds into the "modern era" (often kicking and screaming) without regard for their wishes. Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal began the process with coasting voyages down the coast of Africa in the early 15th century. He died in 1460, but the Portuguese continued to sail down the west African coast, and Vasco da Gama arrived in India in 1498. They quickly realized that the silks and spices which had long come to Europe from India did not originate there, and it was not long before they moved on to the "Spice Islands" and China. The Dutch and Spanish were not far behind them, and the Jesuits had already arrived in China in response to the reports of Marco Polo. The Portuguese established their settlement at Macao in 1557, and had begun trading in Japan through Nagasaki sometime after the city was accidentally "discovered" in 1542. A Spanish Jesuit established a mission in Nagasaki in 1549.

One might stretch a point and say the modern era begins in 1450, but 1500 is a convenient date. Any such exercise is, of course, a case of imposing one's definition in retrospect.

Happy new year!I haven't been here for a long time because I am busy with my papers.My greeting is indeed late.
Thank you all for helping me with my English! All of you are so warm-hearted !