Nineteenth Century Life Story Briefs

What made the 19th century an interesting but tumultuous time? What technological, cultural and social changes influenced life then? Explore those issues in this story collection.

Beethoven loved nature. He loved walking through the countryside. He enjoyed leaving the city for the country every summer (as he was able).

Abraham Lincoln originated America's annual Thanksgiving Day when he issued a proclamation, in 1863, declaring the last Thursday of November as a nati...

This painting - which Vincent van Gogh created during June of 1890 - is referenced in Hunters of Dune, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.

Sir John Hurt, who died on 25 January 2017, portrayed ''The Elephant Man.'' When thinking about character education, we'd do well to examine the life ...

During the American Civil War, the North had significant concerns about Britain and France helping the South.

In this story, based on his personal observations in 1902, Jack London describes ''Doss Houses'' and what it was like to live in them.

As a massive fire ravaged their town, people fled toward the Peshtigo River.

When do paintings tell the real story and when do they depict a romanticized view of events? Does it matter? How do we determine when a piece of art c...

Edgar Allan Poe's tale of The Tell-Tale Heart remains popular. This is an abridged version.

Learn about American slavery, slave auctions and the Underground Railroad (when people helped others to escape the horrors of chattel slavery).

Tiny Tim Cratchit, one of Charles Dickens' characters in "A Christmas Carol," has many physical challenges. Until Christmas Eve, when Scrooge has a gh...

Poor Laws, which Britain imposed on Ireland, caused many Irish people to lose their homes. Tim Downs was one of them.

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