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.

The Duryea Brothers produced America's first gasoline-powered automobile which could be built more than one at a time.

Fort Wagner was the garrison protecting the port of Charleston, South Carolina, at the beginning of America's Civil War.

Abe Lincoln lived at Knob Creek Farm, in Hodgenville, Kentucky, until he was nearly eight years old.

Abolitionists who wanted children to understand America's system of chattel slavery wrote books to communicate their message. One example is "A Pictur...

Born on the 12th of February, in 1809, Abraham Lincoln was America's 16th president. For many people, this man with humble beginnings was the greatest...

This illustration depicts the daughter ofCaptain Arthur Edward Kennedy, about seven years old at the time, distributing clothing to children and famil...

See Old Marley (who was “dead as a doornail”) pay Scrooge a ghostly visit.

Edgar Allan Poe published a poem entitled "Imitation," in 1827.

Mark Twain published his famous book, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, in Britain (in December of 1884) and in America (in February of 1885).

After he leaves the house, around midnight, Huck Finn joins his buddy, Tom Sawyer.

Huck Finn's father - whom his boy calls "Pap" - has not been in his son's life for awhile.

Huck Finn is sceptical about many things, but he is also a realist.

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