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.

Within five years of Jesse James'' death, publishers were releasing young-adult stories about the famous outlaw.

Creede, Colorado was originally known as "Jimtown. It was the hometown of the famous American boxer, Jack Dempsey.

By 1904, when people begin to worry about the potentially addictive effects of coca leaves, John Pemberton has to change his Coca Cola formula.

Joseph Roulin was a good friend of Vincent van Gogh's when the artist lived in the yellow house at Arles.

How did his contemporaries view the job performed by Judge Isaac Parker (sometimes known as "The Haning Judge" of Ft. Smith, Arkansas? Take a look at ...

When the Irish potato famine caused people to lose their homes, some individuals - like Judy O'Donnel - found "habitation" under a bridge.

Until the 1960s, English translations were not completely faithful to Jules Verne's famous writings. How did this happen?

Several ships are at sea, in the vicinity of Krakatoa, when the volcano dramatically erupts on August 26, 1883. Ships are in danger from the volcano's...

After Krakatoa's stupendous explosion - on the 27th of August, 1883 - the volcano spewed out another monstrous pyroclastic flow.

As a result of the Krakatoa eruption and resulting tsunami, the Fourth Point Lighthouse meets a terrible fate.

W.A. Rogers, an artist whose illustrations depict scenes from the American West, created several drawings of cowboys in action.

Krakatoa's tremendous volcanic eruption causes a devastating tsunami on August 26, 1883. It also produces the loudest-ever-reported sound when the isl...

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