Advertisement
Advertisement
Years
Updated: March 15, 2025
29
29
Share and discover the people and places from your past
20th Century
20th Century
Photos of the 1900's which brought us from the industrial age to the technological age.
From 1900 through 1999 we witnessed the beginning of flight to a man on the moon and a Mars Rover. We went from using phones tethered by cords and computers that filled rooms, to carrying the equivale... 
1900-1909
After the "Gay Nineties", 1900 - 1909 was a quieter time
This decade began with a lot of changes: After 63+ years on throne, Queen Victoria died. William McKinley was assassinated and Teddy Roosevelt became President. Wilbur and Orville Wright flew the fir... 
1910s
Discover the 1910's - a decade of upheaval.
World War 1, the Mexican Revolution, the Russian Revolution, the Easter Rising in Ireland . . . the sinking of the Titanic and the Lusitania. Spanish flu killed well over 20 million people world wide ... 
1920s
The 1920s Changed Our Daily Lives & Not How You Might Think . . .
In the 1920's life changed drastically for the average American and for people all over the world. Airplanes began to be a mode of transportation and communication. Automobiles, rather than horses, ... 
1930s
The decade of the worldwide Great Depression
The 1930's were a decade of severe stress: the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, the rise of Nazism. But it was also the end of Prohibition, the beginning of the change of land management (poor farm ... 
1940s
The 1940's - a decade of hard work
Coming out of the Great Depression, the world faced another challenge in the 1940's: World War II. Although the war began in the 1930's, it expanded and gained in ferocity (and atrocities) in the 194... 
1950s
The Eisenhower Years - A Time of Optimism and Growth
After the Great Depression and World War II, everyone was ready to take a breath and have fun. Population boomed, families moved to the suburbs, television (by the end of the decade) would be in most... 
1960s
The 1960's - years of chaos and change
The 1960's were years of great change: Protests (Vietnam War, Free Speech, Civil Rights), assassinations (JFK, Martin Luther King Jr, Bobby Kennedy), conflict (the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Cold War, ... 
1970s
The people and places that defined the 1970's
Disco, polyester, Nixon and Watergate, equal rights, the "new right", the rise of terrorism . . . oh what a decade. Not much was resolved but a lot happened! 
1980s
The 1980s were the beginning of modern technology, globalization, new music, & 'New Hollywood'
The 1980s was the birth of the Millennial generation. Reagan, Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher. The end of the Cold War. The fall of the Berlin Wall. The Internet. Terrorist attacks in Beirut, Lockerbie... 
1990s
The decade when electronics came into their own
Grunge and hip hop. "Slackers" and "Valley Girls". The continuing spread of the Internet. The Gulf war. Rwanda. The first World Trade Center bombing and the Oklahoma City bombing. Presidents Bill Clin... Eras
1800s
The 1800s where the end of the industrial revolution and the birth of scientists.
The Industrial Revolution began around 1760 and ran through the 1840's. Then began the birth of the profession of science. Louis Pasteur, Charles Darwin, Michael Faraday, Thomas Edison, and Nikola Te... 
1700s
Paintings of our ancestors - we didn't have photographs yet!
Paintings of people who lived in the 18th century. So much happened in their lives - the steam engine was invented, the first steps of the Industrial Revolution were taken, the American revolution, th... 
1600s
While photography didn't exist in the 1600s, these photos and paintings give us a glimpse into the people of the 17th century.
The 1600s was a century of great change and important historical events. It was a time of growth, expansion, and new discoveries. The 1600s was a crucial period in the development of many societies ar... 
2010s
Yeah, it's not ancient history, but time flies and the 2010s will be looked back upon like the 1910s soon enough!
Ancient
Truly ancient pictures from before 1600
We didn't have photos before the mid 1800's, but we do have paintings and sculptures. These are some of the representations of people and places before 1600. 
Related Articles
AncientFaces
380k+ followers 411 favorites
05/16/2023
Hitler Youth Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
This photo of a former member of the Hitler Youth - Hitlerjugend - being sentenced for espionage in 1945, has made waves online over the years. It shows 16 year old Karl Arno Punzeller, a leader in the Hitler Youth organization, listening as he is told that his death sentence has been commuted to life imprisonment. Karl had been reporting American troop movements to the Nazis and a German court had convicted him of espionage, giving him the death sentence. The photo and the story behind it is sad, while also interesting. See some of the propaganda - from both sides - that dominated during World War 2. It's no wonder that people had very strong opinions and feelings that their side was right.
AncientFaces
380k+ followers 411 favorites
05/03/2023
Before Child Labor Laws: Every Boy & Girl had a Job
You may be surprised to know that until the Great Depression children were an important part of the work economy in the United States. In textile mills and coal mines where their small size was an asset, in canneries, and on farms (not just family farms), children performed many vital tasks. Working conditions were rough, and thanks to photographers like Lewis Wickes Hine we have these photos to document what these children endured. We were shocked by these photos, and think you might be too.
AncientFaces
380k+ followers 411 favorites
05/03/2023
Life in the 1940s
From World War 2 through the declaration of peace and into the birth of the Baby Boomers, life in the 1940's wasn't easy. But our parents and grandparents lived their lives with courage, honor, and great optimism about the future. The war and the Great Depression was over, the Dust Bowl was gone - almost 20 years of tough challenges - and life was good again. These are some of the many 1940s photos that shows what the previous generations lived through, and what they did to thrive.
AncientFaces
380k+ followers 411 favorites
01/17/2025
1918 - 1919 Spanish Flu Pandemic Killed Millions
While called the Spanish flu because Spain was where the first outbreak was reported, one current suspicion is that the origin was in China - or maybe even France - but no one knows for sure. Since World War 1 was still being fought there was a blackout on news in many locations. Wherever it originated, it exploded in the European theater where soldiers were in close proximity and quickly spread to other parts of the world. Just as World War 1 was ending in 1918, a new even more devastating killer emerged. While these are photos are of a pandemic 100 years ago, change the fashion and a few details, and you will see many familiar sights.
AncientFaces
380k+ followers 411 favorites
05/03/2023
Does This 1950’s 4th of July Homemade Video Bring Back Childhood Memories?
This home movie below is of a neighborhood 4th of July celebration in Rockaway Beach, MD that could have been taken anywhere in the U.S. in the 1950s. Decorated bikes and trikes, lots of balloons and flags, parents goofing off (remember the Conga line?), kids playing baseball... Movie cameras were new technology in most homes and there was no better time to show off for the camera than the 4th of July. If you're a Boomer, enjoy this video of your childhood. If you're not, you'll see your parents, grandparents, and great grandparents having fun. (Without sound - there was no sound with old movie cameras. The music has been added recently to this video.)
AncientFaces
380k+ followers 411 favorites
05/03/2023
Presidential Scandals - 1776 through early 1900's
We all have our favorite Presidents based on how we feel about them as individuals and their particular politics. But do you know about the criminal (or less than moral) Presidential administrations of the past? We like to think that we elect Presidents whose associations are beyond reproach yet that is rarely the case. In fact, some of the more corrupt administrations (remember Iran-Contra?) have been the most popular. Whether it involves their sexual escapades (almost half of Presidents - including George Washington - were rumored to have mistresses, and two were rumored to be gay or bisexual) or outright crimes, some of the more outrageous Presidential missteps are highlighted below.
AncientFaces
380k+ followers 411 favorites
02/14/2025
History of Valentines Day - Sweethearts & Romance
Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to remember the ones who made your heart skip a beat. The parents who nurtured you, the spouses and partners who stood by your side, and yes even the exes who taught you valuable lessons. So many emotions are shared every day on AncientFaces, but some of our favorite memories to relive are those of love. These photos of old Valentine's cards, sweethearts, and couples from the past are a beautiful reminder of all the loved filled memories we all have.