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What Life Was Like 100 Years Ago in 1917

Created on Dec 28, 2017 by Kathy Pinna

In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson was just beginning his second term in office, and the United States entered the 'Great War' World War I which began in Europe three years earlier.

Women were still seeking the right to vote and labor and race disputes (and riots) were common. Tsar Nicholas II abdicated and Lenin and the Bolsheviks took over Russia, making it a communist country.

While technology and fashion have drastically changed, the challenges people face remain much the same. There was war, protests and strikes, racial unrest, and America began its path of "making the world safe for democracy" in the words of President Wilson. These are the pictures of everyday life in 1917.

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Photos of Everyday Life in 1917

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Army buddies, 1917

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Photo of James Gray James Gray
12 favorites
shared on 05/28/2016

Beautiful baby boy, 1917

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Vogue magazine, January 1917

That's Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, Gloria Vanderbilt's aunt - or for the younger crowd, Anderson Cooper's great aunt.
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58th Infantry, 1917

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Before going off to World War 1

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Nancy Combs
6 favorites
shared on 11/11/2015

Enid Oklahoma, 1917

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Joy Mehan
29 favorites
shared on 09/29/2014

Boy Scout band, Oklahoma

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NYC Subway Guard, 1917

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New Jersey wedding, 1917

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Photo of Richard Stauff Richard Stauff
36 favorites
shared on 01/21/2012

Michigan wedding, 1917

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Denise Bland
11 favorites
shared on 05/30/2003

Pennsylvania bride, 1917

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Suffragette Doris Stevens

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She spent 60 days in jail in 1917, protesting for the right to vote for women.

Subway worker

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New York City, 1917

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Red Cross burial packet, 1917

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Ireland, 1917

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Photo of Glenda Sharry Glenda Sharry
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shared on 05/13/2014

1917 First Communion, Chicago

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Protesting the high cost of food

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1917, East side New York. Today, we could protest the high cost of everything!

12 yr old Frances Moberg

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Thomas Winslow
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shared on 04/04/2011

Maxfield Parrish art, 1917

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Cleopatra

1917 Washington state

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Sylvia Hathaway
89 favorites
shared on 04/25/2007

Buy Liberty Bonds!

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"Your forefathers died for liberty in 1776 - What will you do for it in 1917?"

Hoffman family, 1917

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Photo of Anthony Corrao Anthony Corrao
39 favorites
shared on 08/19/2011

United Kingdom, 1917

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Vicki Cotterell
8 favorites
shared on 12/14/2005

Kathryn Beckel, 1917

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Class photo

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Jason Presley
16 favorites
shared on 04/13/2005

1917 Tennessee

Oklahoma City bride, 1917

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In 1917, the University of Oregon won the 3rd Rose Bowl and the Chicago White Sox were the world champions. The most popular names were Mary, Helen, Dorothy, John, William, and James.

Electricity and indoor plumbing were luxuries and everyone who could (including the middle class), had servants. Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Theda Bera were big movie stars in silent films. Jazz music was becoming popular (so scandalous!). Jeannette Rankin of Montana became the first woman in the U.S. House of Representatives after Montana had given women the right to vote in 1914.

Have photos that you'd like to see included? Share your photos or see photos of fashion in the 1910's on the next page.

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