Timeline of Events

-1866 Prussian Statesman Otto von Bismarck is killed by an assassin.

-1868 Prussia invades the southern German states, unifying Germany under the Prussian banner.

-1870 Franco-Prussian war, resulting in the annihilation of the French army and Prussia annexing all of eastern France, the low countries, and most of France's colonial holdings. A people's Commune takes over Paris, and becomes the de-facto government of France after marching on Versailles and executing the King. The People's Commune of France is declared.

-1871 "Year without a summer" in the northern hemisphere, resulting in widespread crop failures. Prussia begins construction on an extensive Zeppelin fleet to police their new colonial holdings and transport food to the core of their empire.

-1874 Egalitarian attitudes and revolutionary ideas from France begin to spread to Britain and other parts of Europe. Suffrage for Women is passed in Britain, and English universities begin accepting Women in order to quell revolutionary fervor.

-1876 Last year when summer temperatures are measured above 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

-1878 The British government begins to explore contingencies for extended periods of cold, tasking the Royal Science Society with developing methods to adapt.

-1881 The Great War begins. Needing ever more resources to survive, Prussia attempts annexation of Britain's colonies. War rages around the globe as every day grows colder and resources become ever scarcer.

-1884 The median temperature globally is below freezing. The war ends as the powers fighting it cease to exist.

-1885 Present day.