Amazing Historical Photos That Offer a Unique Perspective on the Past

This article appeared in cleverclassic.com and has been published here with permission.

When you think about the past, sometimes it's hard to picture the words you heard or read accurately. However, as far as recent history goes, we have a little help with that. After all, since the invention of the camera, we have a few first-hand accounts of what was happening in the past. These historical photos might really change your perspective on everything!

A Familiar Likeness

Family genetics can often be really strong, which is why you might notice that a child has their parents' features or that two siblings look alike. Even if you go a few generations back, you might see signs of your features in your ancestor.

This person overlapped their profile with their great-great-great-great grandmother's whose picture was taken back in the 19th century. It looks like the pair still look a lot alike, even centuries apart!

Sweet Sixteen

Today, it's easy to share pictures of yourself with your friends and family. All you have to do is snap a picture and upload it to social media.

For another perspective on their teen years, though, don't be afraid to check out the family photo albums! This person just celebrated their 80th birthday but she also took a moment to share a picture of her when she was only 16 years old. What a put-together picture!

Shocking Fashion

Fashion has always been a widely debated topic. What's appropriate for a certain situation and what comes down to personal preference can vary from situation to situation.

In retrospect, these women don't look too shocking. Yet, Les Nouvelles Meirveilluses in the spring of 1908 shocked the watching crowd at Paris' The Longchamp Racehorse. While these outfits don't look too scandalous now, they were called a "monstrosity" by some at the time!

Helping Out

When you read about history, you might not read about everyday life. After all, the people in this picture weren't creating some ground-breaking invention, for example.

On the other hand, it seems like this person directing traffic was more than happy for the chance to help this mother cat. This photo was taken in 1925 and it's just what it looks like - this officer is stopping traffic so that this cat and the kitten she's carrying get across safely.