24 iconic photos that left their mark on history

• Some of the most iconic photos in history have captured major moments in humanity, including war, political unrest, and scientific achievements.
• Photographers have left their marks on the world by capturing major moments in scientific discovery, international politics, and major world tragedies. 
• Here are some of the most iconic photos that have shaped our conception of history. 

Photos from major sports milestones, moments of political unrest, and unexpected tragedies have gone down in history as some of the most significant artifacts depicting human struggle and progress. 

Here are some of the most iconic photos that captured joy, defeat, and devastation, throughout history:

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1932: This image of 11 construction workers sitting on a beam of what is now the GE Building 850 feet above New York City began as a publicity stunt but became an iconic early symbol of the building boom at the height of American industrialization.

Source: Smithsonian Magazine

1937: The Hindenburg, a German airship, publicly crashed to Earth in a fiery explosion caused by static electricity, killing 36 and embarrassing the Nazis, who attempted to use the ship as an example of their engineering skills and as a propaganda aid.

Source: Business Insider

1945: Joe Rosenthal snapped four US Marines raising the American flag atop Japan's Mt. Suribachi after the battle for Iwo Jima on February 23, in what would become an iconic image of American military determination recreated in statues and icons in the following decades. Only three of the men would make it back to the US.

Source: CNN, USA Today