PreviousDays✦THE WIKI
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1900–1945

A world transformed, for better and worse.

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MOMENTS FROM THIS ERA

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4 illustrated stories · growing daily
An imagined 1938 radio studio with microphones, script pages and a glowing radio dial.Arts & Culture

The War of the Worlds broadcast: October 30, 1938

On October 30, 1938, Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre presented a radio adaptation of H. G. Wells’s alien-invasion novel. Its simulated news bulletins alarmed some listeners, but the familiar account of nationwide mass panic exaggerates what the evidence establishes.

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An imagined 1930 football scene with a stitched leather ball, leather boots and wooden stands.Sport & Culture

The first FIFA World Cup begins: July 13, 1930

The inaugural men’s FIFA World Cup began in Montevideo, Uruguay, on July 13, 1930. Its opening day featured two matches: France defeated Mexico 4–1, while the United States beat Belgium 3–0. France’s Lucien Laurent scored the competition’s first goal.

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An imagined 1913 theatre performance with angular ballet poses and an orchestra pit.Arts & Music

The Rite of Spring premiere: May 29, 1913

Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring premiered in Paris on May 29, 1913, with choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky. Its challenging music and unfamiliar movement divided the audience. The resulting disturbance became legendary, sometimes overshadowing the artistic collaboration behind the ballet.

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An imagined first flight of the wood-and-fabric Wright Flyer above the coastal sand.Invention & Exploration

The Wright brothers’ first flights: December 17, 1903

On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright made four powered flights at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Orville’s first covered 120 feet in 12 seconds. Their achievement combined a pilot, engine power and sustained control in a heavier-than-air aircraft.

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