Vol. 1900s · No. 1906 · PRICE 25¢
The 1906 Times
AI-Generated Historical Illustration
April 18, 1906 | San Francisco, USA
Earthquakes, Reform, and the Dawn of Cinema
In 1906, nature showed its devastating power in San Francisco and Italy, while crusading journalists exposed societal ills to spark lasting legal reforms. Meanwhile, technology and art forged ahead with the birth of feature films, international wireless standards, and the modern Grand Prix.
Upton Sinclair Publishes 'The Jungle'
Upton Sinclair’s shocking exposé of the Chicago meatpacking industry horrified readers and galvanized a national movement for food safety regulation.
Passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act
President Theodore Roosevelt signed landmark federal legislation requiring ingredient labels and banning adulterated foods, paving the way for the FDA.
Also this year
Eruption of Mount Vesuvius
April 5, 1906 | Naples, Italy
A catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius devastated local Italian towns, causing hundreds of deaths and forcing Naples to redirect funds meant for the 1908 Olympics.
Exoneration of Alfred Dreyfus
July 12, 1906 | Paris, France
The French Supreme Court formally exonerated Captain Alfred Dreyfus of treason, ending a decade-long political scandal that split the nation.
First Feature Film: 'The Story of the Kelly Gang'
December 26, 1906 | Film / Australia
Australia saw the premiere of the world's first feature-length narrative film, revolutionizing modern entertainment by telling the tale of bushranger Ned Kelly.
SOS Standardized as International Distress Signal
October 3, 1906 | Berlin, Germany
The International Radiotelegraphic Convention established SOS as the universal wireless distress code due to its distinct, unmistakable Morse pattern.
The First Grand Prix Motor Race
June 26–27, 1906 | Le Mans, France
The Automobile Club de France hosted the world's very first Grand Prix near Le Mans, won by Hungarian driver Ferenc Szisz in a Renault.