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.
#83 NYC Draft Riots
During the Civil War, white mobs burned the Colored Orphan Asylum in Manhattan to the ground while children were still inside.
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8points
#85 Does Anyone Know The Exact Location? Lower East Side In The Early 70s
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8points
#88 Saw This Pan-American Ww2 Poster For The United Mexican States And USA. Is It Legit?
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8points
#89 Dig On His Wicker Chair Too! Can You Imagine Flying Alone For 33.5 Hours Sitting On That!?
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7points
#90 Passed This Excavation Activity At Wall Street And Water This Afternoon. This Would Have Been Some Of New York's Earliest Landfill. 400 Years Old?
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7points
#91 The Pan-American Union Building In Washington D.c. Serves As The Headquarters Of The Organization Of American States
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7points
#94 Anti-Drug Abuse Act
In 1986, Congress passed the Anti-Drug Ab*se Act, establishing a harsh 100-to-1 sentencing disparity between cr*ck c*caine (predominantly used by Black Americans) and powder c*caine (predominantly used by white Americans), fueling mass incarcerations.
3points
