Modern (1800 CE - 1950 CE)
Balzac’s The Chouans
Novelist Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850) was a giant of nineteenth–century European literature. In his multivolume The Human Comedy, he investigated the general desire for social advancement in the post–revolutionary world.
Dickens, Tale of Two Cities
Charles Dickens’s (1812–70) novels generally appeared in serial form in popular newspapers.
Hugo, Ninety–Three
Victor Hugo (1802–85) was an ardent republican and defender of the revolutionary legacy who went into exile during the Second Empire (1852–70). He lived long enough to become an icon of the Third Republic.
Debris of the French Army Returning to the Fatherland
Here, as in other critical images, reversal plays an important role. Proud soldiers have given way to a bedraggled collection of men, far removed from their former glory.
Statistics on Polish Catholicism in the Communist Era
The information presented in this table highlights some of the ambiguities regarding the position of the Roman Catholic Church in the Polish People's Republic. The basic message in these data is that Catholicism thrived between WWII and the 1990s.
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War I was intended to usher in a world of peace based on the principle of national self-determination. World War II broke out 20 years later.
Puerto Rican Labor Movement and the 1940 Census
This particular census table describes the types of jobs done by men and women. It illustrates how roles are assigned on a gendered basis. After the Great Depression of 1929, the world economy was in crisis.
Wooden Crosses
Photograph of wooden cross taken in forest at Obelusat Cemetery near Lake Stanovoi, Solovki.
Little Women, "Amy's Valley of Humiliation"
Little Women is one of the most beloved works of American literature.
Little Women, “The Valley of the Shadow”
Little Women is one of the most beloved works of American literature.