The Encyclopaedia Britannica/Getty Images History of the World in Photographs

Encyclopædia Britannica, one of the world's most respected reference publishers, and Getty Images, the largest photographic collection in the world, have joined together to create this groundbreaking visual journey through more than a century of world history. Beginning in 1850'”the year Harriet Tubman guided members of her family to freedom via the Underground Railroad, Charles Dickens published David Copperfield, and Levi Strauss began selling dry goods to California miners'”this comprehensive volume of facts and photographs chronicles 150 years of human progress. Through dramatic images and an innovative timeline, it offers both a sweeping overview of history and in-depth information on key people, places, and events. Organized by decade, 6,000 timeline entries culled from the archives of Encyclopædia Britannica cover events year by year in the categories of science, medicine, and technology; religion, philosophy, and education; history and politics; business and commerce; daily life and society; and the arts. In addition, 300 spotlight articles explore, in greater detail, the most intriguing events of each decade. Augmenting Encyclopædia Britannica's authoritative text are thousands of photographs, as well as drawings and paintings, from the unparalleled collection of Getty Images. Rare portraits of such luminaries as Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin, Emily Dickinson, Vladimir Lenin, and Billie Holiday share the page with images of the most unforgettable historical moments, including the Charge of the Light Brigade (1854), the advent of flight (1903), the attack on Pearl Harbor (1941), the moon landing (1969), the fall of the Berlin Wall (1989), and Hurricane Katrina (2004). Fascinating artifacts, such as one of the first letters carried by the Pony Express (1860) and the $7,200,000 check that the United States used to purchase Alaska (1867), are here, as well as ephemera of everyday life, such as an ad for Singer's sewing machine in Scientific American (1851) and a reproduction of Emile Zola's open letter, J'accuse, to the president of France (1898). Beyond the thousands of photographs in the book are 20,000 more images on an enclosed CD. Direct online access to gettyimages.com provides links to an additional 2 million photographs, and a link to Britannica.com allows access to millions of additional historical facts. This unique opus from two trusted leaders in historical information is truly the history of the world at your fingertips.Encyclopaedia Britannica Publishers, Inc. Staff is the author of 'The Encyclopaedia Britannica/Getty Images History of the World in Photographs' with ISBN 9781579125837 and ISBN 1579125832.