Major occurrences documented by contemporary accounts.
Based on contemporary newspapers and official accounts, this article reconstructs how the May 7, 1915 sinking of the Lusitania was reported, the confusion of initial headlines, the outrage that followed, and what contemporaries knew and feared.
Drawing on the letters of Caroline Henderson, the memoir of Lawrence Svobida, and the diary of Ann Marie Low, this article reconstructs the Dust Bowl as it was lived and recorded by farmers in the 1930s, revealing the fear, despair, and resilience of those who endured the storms.
Drawing on letters, newspapers, and official reports from 1918, this article reconstructs how the Spanish flu was experienced, reported, and feared by those who lived through it, revealing a world caught between war and an invisible enemy.
A vivid reconstruction of the Lusitania disaster using only primary sources—newspaper reports, survivor interviews, and first-hand memoirs—showing how the world experienced and interpreted the tragedy in 1915.
Drawing on contemporary press coverage, this article explores how the Suez Crisis of 1956 was reported, manipulated, and perceived in Britain and abroad, revealing a world on the brink of division.
Drawing on front pages from American and British dailies, this article reconstructs how the Apollo 11 moon landing was reported, read, and remembered in July 1969—from the launch to the splashdown—capturing the awe, anxiety, and pride of the era.
Drawing on letters, diaries, and newspaper reports from 1918–1919, this article reconstructs the Spanish flu pandemic as experienced by those who lived through it—their fears, misunderstandings, and daily struggles—offering a vivid primary-source portrait of a world in crisis.
Drawing on firsthand accounts, photographs, and letters from the era, this article reconstructs how Americans experienced the Great Depression—the shame, the struggle, and the resilience—through the voices of those who lived it.
A look at how American and British newspapers covered the Space Race from Sputnik to Apollo 11, revealing the fear, predictions, and perspectives of the time.
Drawing on contemporary newspaper reports and official accounts, this article reconstructs the bloodless coup that toppled King Farouk in July 1952, the hopes and fears of Egyptians at the time, and the revolution’s lasting impact on the Arab world.