Eras
100 years of American history in four chapters

1860–1899
The Gilded Age
From the aftermath of the Civil War through the explosive growth of industry, railroads, and cities. America transformed from an agrarian republic into an industrial powerhouse, while immigrants poured through Ellis Island seeking a new life.
146 photographs

1900–1919
The Progressive Era
The dawn of the American century — skyscrapers rose, automobiles replaced horses, and the nation grappled with labor rights, women's suffrage, and a world war that would reshape the globe.
454 photographs

1920–1939
Boom & Bust
The roaring twenties gave way to the Great Depression. Jazz, prohibition, and speculation defined the era's highs; breadlines, dust storms, and migration defined its lows.
236 photographs

1940–1960
The Modern Age
World War II galvanized the nation, and the postwar boom built the suburbs, the highway system, and the American middle class. A new world was taking shape.
164 photographs