Have you ever wondered how was life in the 1900s? Life back in the 1900s was so much different from our lives today. There was no electricity – people used candles or gas lamps to have light. People used to walk, travel by train or boat, or even use horses as a means of transportation, as there were no cars back then. 

Many people were poor and living in dreadful conditions, with no advanced healthcare back then. But as time goes by, everything becomes advanced and improved. Thanks to technology, life is simple compared to what it was before. 

But let’s look at early life in the 1900s and see how our lives are so much better and easier today. 

What were the Lives of Ordinary People in the 1900s? 

1. Standard of Living 

The standard of living before 1900 was not good. Since there were no electricity and healthcare were not that good, the life expectancy was low. But later, the standard of living improved. 

Healthcare began to develop, and electricity dominated. With that, food can be stored longer, and life expectancy increases. And since the population improved, public transport systems were also needed; there were many buses and trains already. 

Not only did transportation improve, but education also did. Children not only got educated, but many also landed jobs and got paid well. 

In our modern world today, most of these things are just normal. Electricity and education are standard everywhere. Medical services and healthcare are organized perfectly, and life expectancy increases. 

Our lives have become so easy. These days, we can do almost everything with the help of the internet. It doesn’t matter if it’s banking, shopping, hearing the news, or even receiving information. 

Work has also changed dramatically. There were no restrictions on the time you worked, free time, and payment, and if the boss wanted to get you fired, they must tell you weeks before so that you could look for new jobs. 

2. Leisure 

Around 1900, people began finding different kinds of companies to do their favorite sport in an organized way. In fact, in 1904, FIFA was founded, and later on, the International Lawn Tennis Federation in 1912. 

The communities even allowed people to compete in different leagues with rules that fixed them and even become professional sportsmen. Sports have become the top leisure events of people before. 

Also, summer holidays have become popular. People went by train to the nearby lake or sea and had some leisure time to relax from hard work. The reason is that this form of leisure was new to people, especially during the holidays. 

However, only rich people can afford to experience holidays. Others just stayed home and tripped or did other things. 

These days, leisure time isn’t as “valuable” anymore as it was in the 1900s. It’s normal to have paid holidays, yet people don’t usually go to any nearby place. But they travel for many hours or days to other places.

If you don’t have time to go anywhere else, then it’s not a problem. The good thing is that every city has a fun park or a zoo. Most already have cafes and cinemas where they can always spend their free time.

Related Posts

• Surprising List of the Most Common Medieval Times Food
• Cool Facts about the Roman Civilization
• What is Life Really Like in the World’s Largest Slum?

What was the Attitude of People in the 1900s? 

Back in the 1900s, people discovered that they could rule over nature, and that’s why they could do better things, unlike before. Many things and buildings have been built, such as ships, the Eiffel Tower, and even the development of the railroad. 

People even arranged the first-ever EXPO in Paris in 1900. They started inventing inventions that dominate our lives today, such as electricity. Many things were done for the first time, such as the channel from France to England and, later, flying to America.

These days, people already have different attitudes. They even believe that the important thing today is peace, liberty, and globalization. That’s why there are a lot of communities, such as the EU or NATO. 

They aim to have many countries together with one big partnership to keep the world “small.” 

Another important thing is the internet. It makes it very possible to communicate with everyone anytime. You may also get a news update that spreads very fast worldwide. 

Interesting Facts of the 1900s 

Since you already know how was life in the 1900s, here are some remarkable facts happening during the 1900s. 

The Great War Ended

In 1918, Germany signed the armistice agreement with their allies that signaled the ending of the 4-year global war that killed about 14 million people and wounded about 21 million others. Peace hasn’t lasted long, and World War II started two decades later.

Groceries were Cheaper 

In 1919, the average price of bread was about 10 cents, eggs went for about 63 cents, and butter cost 68 cents. However, the middle-class family only took $1,500 a year and saved about $100 annually. 

Alcohol was Illegal

In 1919, the prohibition of alcohol officially went into effect with the passage of the 18th amendment. The temperance movement cited concerns about the alcohol effects on political corruption, abuse of spouses, and public health, among all other consequences. But in 1933, it became legal, and even today, alcohol must always be present on special occasions. 

Movies were Silent

If today there were Oscars, people before flocked to theatres to watch silent movies. Stars like Douglas Fairbank, Mary Pickford, and Charlie Chaplin were the ones who founded the studio in 1919 with D.W. Griffith. Just imagine watching silent movies these days. Do you think you can enjoy it?

Related Posts

• 13 Interesting and Unusual Facts About INDIA – MUST WATCH
• Unbelievable Secrets Behind the Failure of the Taiwan Strait

Wrapping Up

How was life in the 1900s or whatever it was, let us be thankful that what we have now is so much easier and more accessible. But more than that, we must still appreciate life before and how the people survived that way of living. If not because of them, perhaps we can’t be where we are now. Let us just enjoy these things and advancements that we have and never abuse them. That way, we can always continue to live an easier life, than like living in the 1900s.