Human history is truly a swinging pendulum of ups and downs. The centuries have been sprinkled with both terrible, bleak events, and beautiful hopeful moments.
Since the invention of the photograph, those events and moments have been recorded for us, allowing us a window into a time that we never actually got to see for ourselves.
Many of these photographs, such as the tragic crash of the Hindenburg or the famous kissing sailor on V-J Day, are iconic and well-known. Here, we have compiled 40 lesser-known (but just as compelling) moments in history, images that you might not have seen before.
Prepare to take a trip into humankind’s tumultuous past – #15 will blow your mind and #35 will definitely make you smile.
1. The Dunhill tobacco and pipe shop was destroyed during an air raid in London during WWII. Undeterred, Alfred Dunhill Jr. set up a table in front of the ruined building and continued to sell pipes.
2. Alcohol bootlegger pouring illegal drinks on the streets of Berlin in 1929.
3. A live-action medical lecture at Rush College in Chicago.
4. An early model of a zeppelin in France in 1908. The bulbs in the back of the aircraft were eventually removed.
5. A messenger dog jumping over a German trench during WWI.
6. Old, water-damaged money recovered from the Titanic.
7. A mother and son observing a mushroom cloud after a 1953 atomic test in Las Vegas.
8. While on board a ship returning from France in 1918, these American soldiers organized an epic boxing match.
9. Diver Chester E. Macduffee and his 400 pound diving suit, an early version of modern-day scuba gear.
10. Women buying cocaine in Berlin in 1929.
11. Aerial view of U.S. tanks moving against German warfare in 1945.
12. The first Apple computer, seen here in Steve Jobs’ bedroom in his parents basement, 1976.
13. Misao Okawa is the world’s oldest living person. Here, she posed with her sister for a photo in 1899.
14. A man diving into the Thames River in London, 1934.
15. This is the view from the torch of the Statue of Liberty, where you can see the lady’s hair. The torch has been closed to visitors since 1916.
16. Led Zeppelin looking like the most epic rock stars ever in 1973.
17. This was the smallest shop in London in 1900. The 1.2 square meter shoe store packed a big punch.
18. Abraham Lincoln’s hearse.
19. The tiny staff at Microsoft,1978.
20. The progression of cell phones over the last 30 years.
21. Marilyn Monroe’s final photoshoot, featured in Vogue in 1962.
22. A powerful, earnest letter from Gandhi to Hitler.
23. Children eating turnips and cabbage, their only available Christmas dinner during the Great Depression.
24. A scantily clad Southwest Airlines flight attendant, 1972.
25. Planted in 1626, this bonsai tree actually survived the atomic bomb at Hiroshima.
26. Comanche, the only survivor of the Custer Massacre in 1876.
27. This 1884 De Dion, Bouton et Trepardou Dos-a-Dos is the oldest running car in the world.
28. A rare color photograph of Custer and troops in Virginia, 1862.
29. Construction of the capital of Brazil in 1960.
30. A family bicycle for everyone (sewing machine for mom included).
31. A worried reindeer looks on as WWII planes drop bombs somewhere in western Europe.
32. Leo Tolstoy spinning a yarn to his grandchildren in 1909.
33. Scenes from the Great San Francisco Fire and Earthquake in 1906.
34. Samurai, photographed somewhere between 1860 and 1880.
35. Arnold Schwarzenegger on the day he became an American citizen. Someone’s excited.
36. Second from the right: A 14-year-old Osama bin Laden.
37. Martin Luther King, Jr. removing a burned cross from his front yard while his son looks on.
38. Native American man viewing the transcontinental railroad in Nevada in 1868.
39. Siberian bear-hunting armor, created sometime in the 1800’s.
40. In the 1920’s, modesty was of the utmost importance, which is why these swimsuit police were charged with checking skirt lengths at the beach.
I disliked this video, because I've now seen most of these photos already five or six times, and captions are terrible and cover too much of the photos..
Stopped watching at #2. They were pouring it into their glasses. Not even on the street. Made up captions for each picture. Pathetic.
That reindeer pic was … touching.
Germany wasnt in prohibition. Why are the drinks illegal in 1929?
I just don't get the suicide music played behind your videos.
Tolstoy exaggerating the size of his dong
we have a poster of that led Zeppelin photo
I couldn't read the captions of the small ones , even full screen, with the tree background
Who in the world chose the music for this feature? It's not a funeral!!!!!!!
I don't recall being shown any historical photos in school.
seen some of these in your other video
whats is this music?
the music is starting to get annoying
The one with the jumping dog is my favorite
On 37 why did MJ do that?
31 This is amazing because the planes are the British Hurricanes that were given to the Soviets There aren't many pictures of them
Custer pics BS
Being so intrigued by these photos and set into a somewhat trance by the music, your video has grasped me more than enough times to be late into work… without that much of a care☺ Thanks for putting in the time to make these!
That deer was not worried, it was fucking shell-shocked
#24 😨Holy Moly
🐜 why are the last pictures shown as tiny postage stamps?
🐜 why are the last pictures shown as tiny postage stamps?
I think that picture 31 is in Norway, however those are hurricanes so they are not the ones dropping the explosives
sucks i didn't see the pictures was covered with cc you read the cc so the people enjoy your your pictures? bad bbbbbaaaadddddd try it again thanks
Most of these are already used in your other videos… And that's not Bin Laden, that's a woman… Second from LEFT?
Couldn't see the first Apple computer because the caption telling us that it was the first Apple computer was in the way! Fail……..
devil hidden in the likes😈😈😈
That Custer photograph is colorized. Not an original color photo.
This is shit
That reindeer photo was taken in Russia in 1941
I love the beach police, those were better days
Great to see pictures like this we should never forget our past as those created our future … But please move the box of the description or have it on another slide as you cannot see the full picture and this is what you are showing us right ?
Since when there have been reindeers in western europe? That reindeer photo (31) is either from Finland or Russia. From Winter War I think
If one of those girls would have picked up on Osama, we wouldn't have had 911.
steve jobs still lived in his parents basement… ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
half of these photos are featured in another video with completely different captions on some photos… why is this channel farming views by using the same content?
The bootlegger and the coke dealer in Berlin is the same fellow
"Rare" color photograph of General Custer?!?
Photo number 31 – Those are Finnish Air Force Hawker MK I Hurrican flying in group against russian Red Army first lines west of Leningrad. Finland bought 12 Mk I Hurricanes at the end of the Winter War, but lost two during the transit flight. The aircraft did not have much success (only 5½ kills). When hostilities began again on 25 June 1941, their use was quite limited, partially because they were worn out due to the scarcity of replacement parts available during the Interim Peace (13 March 1940 – 25 June 1941) and subsequent combat flying. One Hurricane Mk IIB was captured from the Soviets during the war and flown by the Finnish Air Force.