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The 1850s: 1850–1859
1850–1859 · worldwide, all places
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Britain and France besieged Sevastopol in the Crimean War of 1854-55, Indian sepoys mutinied against the East India Company in 1857, and American settlers and prospectors flooded Oregon and California. In London, John Snow mapped cholera to a Soho water pump in 1854.
1857 shook India and 1851 rushed Oregon. The Sisters Brothers rides the 1851 gold economy from Oregon to California, and the Sissi films follow the young Austrian empress through the 1850s Viennese court. Open the 1850s on the StoryTerra map and explore its stories by place.
9 famous stories set in the 1850s
Live snapshot of the top 9 most popular catalogue items (2026-09-05). Click any card to open this entry on the live map.
Browse 101 books, 49 movies, 2 TV shows and 1 game set in the 1850s (1850–1859).
Django Unchained
With the help of a German bounty hunter a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.
Redeeming Love
A retelling of the biblical book of Hosea set against the backdrop of the California Gold Rush of 1850.
The Sisters Brothers
Oregon 1851. Hermann Kermit Warm a chemist and aspiring gold prospector keeps a profitable secret that the Commodore wants to know so he sends the Sisters brothers two notorious assassins to capture him on his way to…
The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic—and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World
From Steven Johnson, the dynamic thinker routinely compared to James Gleick, Dava Sobel, and Malcolm Gladwell, The Ghost Map is a riveting page-turner about a real-life historical hero, Dr. John Snow. It's the summer of…
The Legend of Zorro
Having spent the last 10 years fighting injustice and cruelty Alejandro de la Vega is now facing his greatest challenge: his loving wife Elena has thrown him out of the house! Elena has filed for divorce and found…
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
In 1850 Oregon when a backwoodsman brings a wife home to his farm his six brothers decide that they want to get married too.
Redeeming Love
California’s gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep. Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child, she…
The World to Come
In 1856 two women forge a close connection despite their isolation on the American frontier.
Sissi: The Young Empress
Sissi is now the empress of Austria and attempts to learn etiquette. While she is busy being empress she also has to deal with her difficult new mother-in-law while the arch-duchess Sophie is trying to tell the emperor…
The 9 stories above are just a sample of the 153 in the catalogue for this entry. For the live 1850–1859 catalogue, use the button above — or browse the whole 19th century. On the live map you can also filter by the exact time the stories take place — any year, decade or century, from BCE to the future.
Relevant picks from this decade
Gold Rush California: 1848–1855 — Amidst the 1849 Gold Rush, California was transformed as fortune seekers flooded its hills and valleys — boomtown chaos, lawlessness and survival… Explore Gold Rush California: 1848–1855
Colonial India: 1850–1900 — Under British rule, India experienced profound social, cultural, and political changes — cultural clash, resistance, and early movements toward… Explore Colonial India: 1850–1900
Victorian Britain: 1837–1901 — An era of empire, industrial revolution, and social reform that deeply influenced global history and inspired countless novels — from Dickens' London… Explore Victorian Britain: 1837–1901
Victorian London: 1837–1901 — Explore the foggy streets of London during Queen Victoria's reign — rapid industrialization, social change, and iconic literature like Dickens'… Explore Victorian London: 1837–1901
Imperial Vienna: 1800–1900 — The grand capital of empires — known for classical music, imperial courts, and political intrigue in the 19th century, from Congress waltzes to… Explore Imperial Vienna: 1800–1900
Early Australia: 1788–1890 — From 1788 to the late 19th century, Australia's story unfolds across penal settlements, frontier towns, and Indigenous cultures facing change —… Explore Early Australia: 1788–1890
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1840s · 19th century · Time hub · All places · 1860s