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.
#62 Ursuline Convent Riots
A violent anti-Catholic mob burned down a Catholic convent and school in Charlestown, Massachusetts, driven by conspiracy theories and religious bigotry in 1834.
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13points
#63 The Lattimer M******e
In 1892, Pennsylvania sheriff's deputies fired indiscriminately into a peaceful crowd of striking immigrant coal miners, who were mostly Slavic, Polish, and Lithuanian. They k****d 19 workers.
13points
#65 Demolition Of Hudson Terminal/Construction Of The Original World Trade Center
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13points
#70 Operación Espalda Mojada
In 1954, the US government mass-deported over a million people of Mexican descent, sometimes abandoning them in the Mexican desert with no food or water.
11points
#73 Manhattan NYC 1994. Can Anybody Identify The Location?
I Was Going Through Some Old Photos Of My First Trip To New York City And Came Across This One. I Always Loved The Image And Now It Seems Very Of It's Time. I'd Love To Hear If Anyone Recognizes The Place And Can Tell Me The Location. Thanks!
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11points
#79 January 8 1996 Great Snowfall Event. NYC Hit With A Blizzard Dumping 30 Inches In Some Areas
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9points
