2. The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels (1848): This pamphlet outlines the basic principles of Marxism, which became a major influence on the labor movement and socialist revolutions.
3. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (1861): This novel explores the social and economic conditions of Victorian England, including the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the lives of the poor and working class.
4. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (1906): This novel exposes the unsanitary and dangerous conditions in the meatpacking industry in the early 20th century. It led to public outcry and the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906.
5. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (1793): Franklin was a leading figure of the American Enlightenment and the American Revolution. His autobiography provides valuable insights into the social, cultural, and economic changes of the 18th century.
6. Letters from a Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963): Written while King was incarcerated following his participation in the Birmingham Campaign, this letter responds to criticism of his nonviolent protests against segregation. It is a powerful statement on the importance of civil disobedience and the struggle for social justice.
7. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (1947): This diary, written by a Jewish teenager during the Holocaust, offers a firsthand account of the horrors of Nazi persecution and the resilience of the human spirit.