Reading stories of human civilization can be enriching, yet sometimes boring. Imagine flipping through giant books filled with just informative text. Sounds like a snooze-fest, right? Whether you’re a history buff or just a curious person, learning about our past doesn’t need to be dull. The Instagram page “historydefined” conveys historical stories through engaging, visual content. Below, you’ll find interesting photos of moments from the bygone eras that aren't just pixels on our phone screen; they're windows into the world's rich tapestry of events. Get ready to ditch the yawns and learn something new in an enjoyable way.
While in captivity, bent maintained this act, leading his Vietnamese captors to believe he suffered from a mental disorder. After being freed and returning to the United States, Bent astounded everyone by listing approximately 256 names of missing fellow pows. He had ingeniously memorized their names by associating them with the melody of "Old McDonald Had a Farm," the same tune he hummed throughout his imprisonment
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With over 150k followers on Instagram, History Defined also has their own website and subreddit. In their own words, they are all about exploring history's most interesting people and events. It’s probably safe to assume that their users are eager to learn more about the past.
With all the demands of living in the present and concerns about the future, why do people care about what happened in the past? Everything we do, every item we use, and all the things we experience in our daily lives are shaped by our past. The foundation for our traditions, technologies, and everything in between was laid by those who came before us.
Our understanding and knowledge of topics increases over time due to historical perspectives. Photographs from the past aren’t just about people, they show us how humans lived decades ago and how their actions have impacted our lives.
For instance, the beloved tradition of decorating trees dates back to 16th-century Germany where families would bring these evergreen trees home as a symbol of eternal life. This practice evolved over centuries as people started decking their Christmas trees with ornaments, lights and tree toppers.
Today’s medical advancements were possible due to the pioneering work of historical figures. The first smallpox vaccine was created by Dr. Edward Jenner in 1796. Joseph Lister, a British surgeon in the 19th century, laid the foundation for antiseptic surgery, which has helped save countless lives by minimizing the risk of infection in surgeries.
The photograph of Rosa Parks refusing to give up her segregated bus seat in Alabama in 1955. Her act of civil disobedience led to a year-long bus boycott in Montgomery. This not only led to the desegregation of public transport but also paved the way for greater equality and civil rights for Americans. Her image became a symbol of courage and dignity and still inspires people globally to stand up against any discrimination.
Back in the early 1900s, many eugenicists believed that premature babies were not worth saving because they were destined to die. But Couney challenged this idea by demonstrating the success of incubators, which he had first seen being used as "Child hatcheries" at the Chicago World's Fair. By the time Couney's Coney Island sideshow closed in 1943, nearly every hospital in America had adopted incubators
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Images taken after the San Francisco earthquake and subsequent fire in 1906 captured not just the destruction but also the resilience of the people affected.
These images have been used by engineers and architects to plan and implement measures to mitigate future earthquake risks. Later, they were also used in public awareness drives to highlight the need for community preparedness in order to minimize the impact of any future disasters.
Today, almost 66% of the world’s population and nearly 94% of the U.S. population has access to the internet. We can easily read historical facts in bite-sized pieces like these. Which of these images did you find the most intriguing? Tell us in the comments below if you have any ancestral photos!
Note: this post originally had 92 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.