The 19th century marked one of, if not the most important time for all of modern world history. In many ways it can be looked upon as a turning point in the order of the international powerhouses – the decline of the old world and the rise of the new. It is similar to the end of the night if viewed clearly from a distance – the moon slowly fades away as the sun rises from beyond the horizon. It is in this critical time period when countries such as China slowly began to fade away, as new empires in the west begin to rise. Not only was this the start of a new era in history, but the social, political, and economic impact of these events are still present today.