20 Awesome Historical Photographs (And The Stories Behind Them)

An agglomeration of photo-historical awesomeness

If the internet is used for just one thing €” besides ogling cute cat videos €” it should probably be to get in touch with our planet's recent history. An infinite amount of brilliant, crazy and beautiful things have happened on this homely rock since photography was first realised, and the internet is a treasure chest brimming with documentation of such happenings. Unaware of just where their photographs would end up decades later, people have been capturing life in all its glory, on camera, for nearly two centuries (the first surviving photograph was taken in 1826). Luckily for us guys living in the modern day, a quick Google search means we can find, well, pretty much anything we'd like to marvel at assuming it exists. With the whole world able to contribute to the online portfolio dubbed the internet, the sheer expansiveness of fascinating historical photographs available should probably come as no real surprise. Some of the images available, however, simply cannot fail to stir you. Whether it's a perfectly timed capture of someone's last moments, a snap that typifies the human spirit, or a photograph of a nuclear weapon exploding, images were and are immensely powerful. Immerse yourself with some of the most intriguing ones floating around the internet found on the following pages.
 
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Recent English graduate and Newcastle United nut. Rom-Com enthusiast, Bob Dylan fan-boy and expert poacher of eggs.