100 yrs ago
By craftcatcher
@craftcatcher (3699)
United States
August 13, 2008 3:36am CST
I was reading an article earlier about the possibilities of humanity in the future and for some reason my mind started thinking backwards. It happens to me a lot! 
I started to think about how far technology, science, education, etc. has come just in my lifetime of almost 49 yrs. It boggles my mind sometimes. So I thought back even farther. What was happening in history 100 yrs ago? There was no tv, no household radio, cars were extremely rare, no paved roads, no commercial airplanes, movies had no sound, most average households had no electricity, telephones, or indoor plumbing. Thomas Edison was still inventing.... well everything! LOL
So I started doing some Google-ing and Wikipedia-ing and came up with some very interesting points in history for 1908. I thought some people might be interested.
In 1908:
A ball signifying New Year's Day drops in New York City's Times Square for the first time.
"In the Sultan's Power" is the first film ever completely made in Los Angeles,
California.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the first Greek-letter organization by and for black college women is established.
April 27 - The opening ceremony of the London Olympics is held.
A long-distance radio message is sent from the Eiffel Tower for the first time.
New York City passes a law, the Sullivan Ordinance, making it illegal for women to smoke in public, only to be vetoed by the mayor.
Robert Baden-Powell begins the Boy Scout movement.
Mother's Day is observed for the first time
At Masjid-al-Salaman in southwest Persia (became Iran in 1935), the first major commercial oil discovery in the Middle East is made. The rights quickly went to the UK.
June 30 - The Tunguska Explosion occurs in Siberia, Russian Empire. The largest Earth impact in recent history caused by an above ground explosion of a meteroid or comet which flattened 830 square miles, an estimated 80 million trees.
The Young Turk Revolution occured which was pretty much the end of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire began in the year 1299. What was left of it became The Republic of Turkey.
September 17 - At Ft Myer, Virginia, Thomas Selfridge becomes the first person to die in an airplane crash. The pilot, Orville Wright, is severely injured in the crash but recovers.
The United States Army announces plans to buy flying machines.
Henry Ford produces his first Model T automobile.
The Chicago Cubs won the World Series. It was the last time they won.
The song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" was written by Jack Norworth (lyrics) and Albert Von Tizler (music). Neither had ever seen a professional baseball game at the time.
William Howard Taft was elected president of the United States in November
Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid are supposedly killed in Bolivia
Child Emperor Pu Yi ascends the Chinese throne at the age of two. He was the last Chinese Emperor.
United States Attorney General Charles Joseph Bonaparte issues an order to immediately staff the Office of the Chief Examiner (later renamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation).
The first credit union in the United States begins operation in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Henri Matisse opens his own art academy.
Ernest Rutherford - The Father of Nuclear Physics won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Paul Ehrlich won the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Known for coining the term "chemotherapy" and developed one of the first "antibacterial" drugs.
The year by other calendars:
Armenian calendar 1357
Byzantine calendar 7416-7417
Hebrew calendar 5668 – 5669
Islamic calendar 1325 – 1326
Korean calendar 4241
To say the least it was an interesting and innovative year in history, but my how far we've come in just 100 yrs.
Do you ever think of what life was like 100 yrs ago or what it will be like 100 yrs from now? Got any ideas of what will be the next really major invention?
I started to think about how far technology, science, education, etc. has come just in my lifetime of almost 49 yrs. It boggles my mind sometimes. So I thought back even farther. What was happening in history 100 yrs ago? There was no tv, no household radio, cars were extremely rare, no paved roads, no commercial airplanes, movies had no sound, most average households had no electricity, telephones, or indoor plumbing. Thomas Edison was still inventing.... well everything! LOL
So I started doing some Google-ing and Wikipedia-ing and came up with some very interesting points in history for 1908. I thought some people might be interested.
In 1908:
A ball signifying New Year's Day drops in New York City's Times Square for the first time.
"In the Sultan's Power" is the first film ever completely made in Los Angeles,
California.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the first Greek-letter organization by and for black college women is established.
April 27 - The opening ceremony of the London Olympics is held.
A long-distance radio message is sent from the Eiffel Tower for the first time.
New York City passes a law, the Sullivan Ordinance, making it illegal for women to smoke in public, only to be vetoed by the mayor.
Robert Baden-Powell begins the Boy Scout movement.
Mother's Day is observed for the first time
At Masjid-al-Salaman in southwest Persia (became Iran in 1935), the first major commercial oil discovery in the Middle East is made. The rights quickly went to the UK.
June 30 - The Tunguska Explosion occurs in Siberia, Russian Empire. The largest Earth impact in recent history caused by an above ground explosion of a meteroid or comet which flattened 830 square miles, an estimated 80 million trees.
The Young Turk Revolution occured which was pretty much the end of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire began in the year 1299. What was left of it became The Republic of Turkey.
September 17 - At Ft Myer, Virginia, Thomas Selfridge becomes the first person to die in an airplane crash. The pilot, Orville Wright, is severely injured in the crash but recovers.
The United States Army announces plans to buy flying machines.
Henry Ford produces his first Model T automobile.
The Chicago Cubs won the World Series. It was the last time they won.
The song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" was written by Jack Norworth (lyrics) and Albert Von Tizler (music). Neither had ever seen a professional baseball game at the time.
William Howard Taft was elected president of the United States in November
Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid are supposedly killed in Bolivia
Child Emperor Pu Yi ascends the Chinese throne at the age of two. He was the last Chinese Emperor.
United States Attorney General Charles Joseph Bonaparte issues an order to immediately staff the Office of the Chief Examiner (later renamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation).
The first credit union in the United States begins operation in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Henri Matisse opens his own art academy.
Ernest Rutherford - The Father of Nuclear Physics won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Paul Ehrlich won the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Known for coining the term "chemotherapy" and developed one of the first "antibacterial" drugs.
The year by other calendars:
Armenian calendar 1357
Byzantine calendar 7416-7417
Hebrew calendar 5668 – 5669
Islamic calendar 1325 – 1326
Korean calendar 4241
To say the least it was an interesting and innovative year in history, but my how far we've come in just 100 yrs.
Do you ever think of what life was like 100 yrs ago or what it will be like 100 yrs from now? Got any ideas of what will be the next really major invention?7 people like this
14 responses
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
13 Aug 08
I think we willhave people living on other planets our own that is.
and I think of what I have seen in my years and then wonder what my grandma would think of all that has happened since she passed away in 1958.
SHe had written for the small toewn newspaper . I just wonder what she would think of the jets we have ,the cars we now have and the way the movies have gone .
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Aug 08
My mother-in-laws partner is 94 yrs old. I love talking to him about his childhood and what he did as a young man. He is so fascinated by new "gadgets" we take with us when we visit. We took our laptop computer last time and I got on Instant Messenger with my stepdad who was 500 miles away. He was standing there in awe. He's lived on the same farm for his entire life and I don't think he had ever seen a laptop computer before, except on tv commercials. It was impossible to explain to him because he just couldn't wrap his mind around the concept. But he was very interested and thought a computer was great thing. He was also intrigued by our cell phones and couldn't understand how I was typing messages to my friends back home and they could answer me... but no wires! LOL. He is fascinated but he doesn't want to own a cell phone. He said he could never understand how to work it anyway.
I thought about him as I was typing out my history list. Hard to believe I know someone who came from that era and can talk to him about it. It's wonderful.
Thanks so much for coming by my friend!
@Tasche (138)
• Ethiopia
13 Aug 08
Hello, that is an awesome idea to check what was... 100 years prior my birthday maybe.
I am thinking about it now and then too and you are right it is overwhelming how the world turned in just hundred years.
I hope in hundred years there are still trees on earth, that there is still a wildlife and that meanwhile there won`t be another world war. That we find a way to move our lazy bodies with hybrid-cars - flying would be great and last not least if the question comes up: "Which three things would you take to an island ?", in cause of global warming the answer is not: What is an island ?
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Aug 08
Hi Tasche! Wow that is quite a coincidence. You are replying to a topic about 100 yrs ago, and it is your myLot 100th post! I wonder what the odds are on that! 
I loved your last line, I hope that won't be a question either. I hope that we can turn things around very soon and move on to become a happier and healthier world. It probably won't happen in my lifetime but I have a great deal of hope for the future. For all our ups and downs, faults and fights, intelligence and stupidity we always seem to come out of it better than before.
I appreciate you stopping by to comment and glad you enjoyed reading the history!
I loved your last line, I hope that won't be a question either. I hope that we can turn things around very soon and move on to become a happier and healthier world. It probably won't happen in my lifetime but I have a great deal of hope for the future. For all our ups and downs, faults and fights, intelligence and stupidity we always seem to come out of it better than before.
I appreciate you stopping by to comment and glad you enjoyed reading the history!1 person likes this
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
13 Aug 08
Wow, awesome post. It shows indeed how far we have come in 1oo years. Some of the old fogies (like me) are already left behind and cannot keep up with modern technology.
Life was hard 100 years ago, especially for women since they were totally responsible to look after the welfare of the family. Men brought in the money, there was no refrigeration so women had to put up food for the winter, make preserves, pickles, jams and grow enough vegetables for the root cellar, as well as look after the babies and children in the family. They had to administer folk medicine and look after the sick, wash iron and mend the clothes, make sure there were enough duvets and bedclothes. There was not much leisure time. In the summer both men and women worked long hours. In the winter repairs were done and some creative arts and crafts. Since there was no electricity it was early to bed and early to rise.
I think life 100 years from now will allow equality between men and women, those societies and religions that do not allow it will vanish. There will be more electronic exchange of information and cars and other moving machinery will run on alternative fuels. As oil runs out nations will seek independent solutions for their fuel needs
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Aug 08
Thanks so much for stopping by Linda! Don't feel alone at being left behind. I used to be up to date on all the new computer technology and all the newest gadgets on the market. Just in the last 6 or 7 yrs I've fallen behind the times. It's all moving sooooo fast I can't keep up!
I like your view of the future and agree 100%. I think we're seeing a lot of the societies and religions vanishing now. Societies that are hanging onto the past for dear life are not going to survive, they simply can't. In some ways I think that's good for bringing the world together and yet sad for losing a lot of the cultural history. But then again, it's a lot of the cultural history that is causing major problems around the world. I hope a lot of them can find a happy medium between culture and technology. If not they will truely vanish into the pages of history. On the up side it will also give us a lot fewer things to fight about and give us incentive to work together. That is definitely what I want to see but I don't think I'll be around long enough to see much of it. I just have to have an optimistic view of the future to imagine it.
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
13 Aug 08
In 1908 some cars were only getting 15 mpg. We were still moving west in covered wagons. My grandfather talked about traveling from Oklahoma to Nebraska in a covered wagon. He was 6 at the time. When I was a kid and studying history it felt like the history at the turn of the century and the settling of the west was hundred and hundreds of years ago. but as I got older and related some of that history to family it didn't seem like so long ago. It is amazing what has been accomplished in the last 100 years. Like going to the moon and now all the space exploring and the space station. The diseases that have pretty much been eradicated. Our lives being so much more comfortable than our ancestors was.
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Aug 08
Hi Dee! 1908 was the real beginning of automobile age. Ford's Model T went into mass production that year which made it affordable for the average household. But there were still more covered wagons and true horse power!
It is awesome to think about, in 100 yrs we've gone from covered wagons and horses, to flying around the world in a matter of hours, to walking on the moon in a matter of days, we've landed a vehicle with a camera to explore Mars, and we've sent probes to Neptune, the farthest planet in our solar system, to take pictures. we have a man made satellite, the space station, which for short periods of time humans can call home.
It really boggles the mind. It's a far cry from when innovations such as making copper axes and progressing to iron tools took many centuries.
I much prefer the conveniences that our ancestors didn't have!
@revdauphinee (5703)
• United States
13 Aug 08
I have been thinking of what has happened in just my lifetime Im 68 I was born in england and remember no electricity in out home we lit by gas lamps no tv but we did have a radio run of a large battery sort of like A car battery !oh how far we have come the thing to think about is while these things make life easier were they all for the good of society or not
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Aug 08
It's been a volatile and creative time that's for sure. I remember visiting my Great Grandfather on his little farm in Iowa when I was a kid. He had indoor plumbing but we kids were not allowed to use it. So we had to use the outhouse for our daily business. We also had the chore of pumping our own water out at the well and hauling it into the house one bucket at a time for cooking, bathing and doing dishes. They didn't want the indoor pump to wear out too fast so as long as there were kids around to haul the water the indoor pump wasn't used. That darn hand pump was taller than me at the time so it was not an easy job. My younger brother was too small to be much help so I got stuck doing 90% of it.
I remember thinking it was kind of fun and different than what I had at home, but I don't think I would have enjoyed living like that all the time! I didn't mind hauling water so much but hated that stinky outhouse... phewwww!
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Aug 08
I'm so glad you enjoyed it Cher! The early 20th century was an incredible time. Such a mix of past and future in those years.
@peaceful (3294)
• United States
13 Aug 08
100 years from now, I'll probably figure out how to REALLY celebrate my Birth Month in style! :) LOL!
I really enjoyed this discussion, Crafty - And I feel that you deserve a little present for bringing us a refreshing moment of reflection during these fierce and reactive times...
100 Years To Live! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJN9YIOl1xE&feature=related
And Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire..."-- You'll love the way this done! :)
http://yeli.us/Flash/Fire.html
Thank you again, and have an excellent day! :)
@peaceful (3294)
• United States
13 Aug 08
It's a total nightmare to try singing that Billy Joel tune without a prompter, Crafty!
Now that you know the tune, I'm now sure that I can fully expect to see your performance of it on SingSnap any day now! :)
http://www.singsnap.com
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Aug 08
Hey there cuz 
. I know you will do it with style, good food, good drinks and lots of friends.... and lots of toys to play with!!!
Those videos were great! I love it. I finally know all the words to that darn Billy Joel song. I never could figure out a lot of it and never took the time to look up the lyrics.. pictures do help. Excellent.
Glad you liked our little walk through time, here's to the next 100 yrs.... Cheers!
. I know you will do it with style, good food, good drinks and lots of friends.... and lots of toys to play with!!!
Those videos were great! I love it. I finally know all the words to that darn Billy Joel song. I never could figure out a lot of it and never took the time to look up the lyrics.. pictures do help. Excellent.
Glad you liked our little walk through time, here's to the next 100 yrs.... Cheers!1 person likes this
@gberlin (3836)
•
13 Aug 08
Thanks for the history lesson. Wow, who knows what major invention could happen next. We have had so many in the last 100 years that new inventions seem almost commonplace. Cars that drive themselves would be really cool. You could take a road trip without having to worry about driver fatigue. Of course, I guess you could always just take a train.
@gberlin (3836)
•
14 Aug 08
You are still young! At the rate new inventions are happening it will happen in your lifetime. I was gone on vacation for the whole month of July. My wife and I spent 2 weeks in Hawaii and then 2 weeks with my son in Montana. Now I am ready to start teaching. Our school begins this Monday!
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
14 Aug 08
What a great picture of you two. I see you decided not to grow the beard back! That beach looks like paradise. I've always wanted to visit Hawaii. Maybe some day. I have been to Montana several time though. We have friends there and used to go every year. Haven't been there in a while. I love the mountains and the wide open spaces. They don't call it Big Sky Country for nothing! Thanks for sharing the pic!
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Aug 08
Hi Greg! Long time no see! Thanks so much for stopping by.
I know what you mean, things are moving so fast and furious it's hard to keep up with everything. Seems like every day something new and wonderful is coming on to the market. I just wish I could afford them all! I love new toys .
They've been talking about magnetic strips in the road for cars to follow and with the help of a computer they could drive themselves. Just tell them where you want to go. Wouldn't that be wonderful. No more accidents, falling asleep at the wheel would be ok, no more speeding tickets, maneuvering around slow drivers or gridlocked streets. I wish I could live long enough to see that!
.
They've been talking about magnetic strips in the road for cars to follow and with the help of a computer they could drive themselves. Just tell them where you want to go. Wouldn't that be wonderful. No more accidents, falling asleep at the wheel would be ok, no more speeding tickets, maneuvering around slow drivers or gridlocked streets. I wish I could live long enough to see that!1 person likes this
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
13 Aug 08
This was really interesting. Some of it I knew but a lot I didn't. Don't know what the next big invention will be but I sure hope it's some good form of alternative energy.
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Aug 08
Hello irish! I agree the next big thing will have to be something in alternative energy. I'm very encourage by the new wind power project that I've been seeing on tv and on the internet. It looks like a very promising source of energy, non polluting, and abundant in supply... you can always count on the wind being there! I just hope it doesn't take too long.
@eaforeman6 (8979)
• United States
13 Aug 08
I think the inventions will be related to energy because good inventions on better fuel resources is where big money will be.I think we will see this in cars and many other things that conserve also.Inventions that save people money and time will also prosper. There will be big changes in all these areas, many of the best ideas will be launched into marketing within the next ten years. I dont think that the world will end in 2010 0r 2012 because the bible says that no man will know the hour that he is coming.
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Aug 08
I also believe that the next big step will be in the fields of energy and transportation. We simply cannot continue our current modes. Thanks so much for your comment ea!
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
13 Aug 08
I think growing freshwater algae to make fuel would be a pretty major invention, and having just read an article about people who are studying that possibility makes me think that it is something that can also solve what may, in the future, become a problem of how to dispose of the nutrient solution discarded in hydroponic gardening, where huge installations are concerned about their runoff contaminating the streams. If algae were farmed for fuel production, it could eat the discarded nutrients and then recycled into fuel. I think we are in for some exciting times in the near future, scientifically.
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Aug 08
Hi Ann! Good to see you. That would be an exciting next "big thing" and relatively easy to grow. Those little algae are great oxygen producers and carbon dioxide consumers as well. Now they just need to invent a way to turn it into cheap useable fuel. They've been talking so much lately about turning crop waste into ethanol for fuel. We produce so many crops in the US and have an abundance of plant waste available but so far it's just as difficult and as polluting as any other fuel. I don't know why we don't take a hint from Brazil! They seem to have the system down to a science and import virtual no oil for fuel. They make all their fuel from sugar cane. I don't see why we couldn't do the same.
As far as vehicles go, I'm still holding out hope for hydrogen fuel cells. Zero emissions would definitely be great. Some new inventions are needed for more efficiently producing the electricty needed to extract hydrogen. But I'm very encouraged by this new wind power project I've been seeing on tv. It looks very promising and a lot of people (very rich people) seem to be backing it. That would be so perfect wouldn't it!! Wind power for electricity, zero emission cars. Biofuel for heating and jet fuel. I hope I live long enough to see it.
1 person likes this
@lyzabelle (1668)
• Philippines
13 Aug 08
OMG, this is a great post. It reminds me how is it
100 years before. I'm glad I was born later I mean
at this present era where the technology is very
exciting.
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Aug 08
I am too lyzabelle. Things have moved forward so fast and it's been an exciting time to be alive. I'm sure there are lots of new things to come too. Technology is advancing faster now than any time in history and I wouldn't have it any other way. I see great things for the future.
I'm glad you enjoyed the post!
1 person likes this
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
13 Aug 08
Hi craftcatcher,
It is incredible to think how far we have come since the last 100 years. I wonder how would people cope if they they were transported back 100 years no cell phone hooray!! I think in the next 100 years Bill Gates, Richard Branson will be in the history books and flying cars will be commom everywhere. I would like to come back in 100 years time. Oh what fun.
1 person likes this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
13 Aug 08
I agree with you Tamara! I would love to come back in 100 yrs and find out how much farther things have progressed. So much creativity and knowledge has pushed us so incredibly far in the last 100 yrs, I almost can't imagine how fast things will move over the next 100. Definitely.. oh what fun!!
I'm glad you stopped by and enjoyed the little trip thru time!
@wenczmastah (640)
• Philippines
14 Aug 08
well my conclusion abt the future (which is 100 years from now) is ppl will invent the astral bike and the flexible cellular phone (i saw this on youtube and nokia company will produce this technology 7-14 years from 2006) and about the astral bike.. well its pretty cool when i look at it and so advanced vehicle.. and i think ppl will reach another planet if that time comes :)
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
14 Aug 08
Flexible cell phones wouldn't surprise me. Astral bikes.. that would be very cool!
