Many of us tend to think of history as a collection of dates to memorize in chronological order, written accounts to pore over, and legislation to learn word for word. But the past survives in more than textbooks and official records. It also lives on in photographs, objects, ephemera, and other material traces of the people, places, and moments that can be difficult to picture through words alone.
This list brings together some of those surviving traces. From major events to quieter moments of everyday life, the collection spans the iconic, the unexpected, and even the seemingly ordinary, offering glimpses into American history and life across different times and places. Let us know which ones you found most intriguing.
#45 Men Eating Fresh Clams From A Pushcart Peddler In The Italian Neighborhood Of Mulberry Bend In New York City. C.1900. Loc
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16points
#47 A Very Small Gallery Of Shots Taken By Photographer Max T. Vargas In Bolivia And Peru, Taken Early To Mid 1900s
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16points
#51 3/6/1970...i Was Home From College, When We Heard A Sonic Boom
An Hour Later, I Went Out For Some Groceries. When I Crossed 11th Street At 5th Ave, I Saw A Huge Crowd Gathered Behind A Barricade. I Asked Some Short Guy What Happened. His Reply "They Blew Up My House!".` It Was Dustin Hoffman
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15points
#56 Mountain Meadows M******e
In 1857, Mormon militiamen, along with allied Native American auxiliaries, massacred approximately 120 civilian emigrants traveling through Utah on their way to California.
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14points
