The term Modern era, Modern period, or Modern Times is used by historians to loosely describe the period of time immediately following what is known as the early modern period. It is to be distinguished from the term of Modernity. 1. The early modern period 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.