History
Discover facts about history. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
History
Why Herbert Hoover spoke Mandarin in the White House
Nothing screams 'healthy work environment' quite like needing a secret language to speak to your spouse. Hoover and his wife learned Mandarin while living…
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Charles V reportedly staged his own funeral
Why let people mourn you organically when you can direct the entire emotional experience? Charles meticulously staged a fake funeral for himself while…
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Mary Queen of Scots married three times before 25
Mary speed-ran through royal matrimony at an astonishing pace. By her mid-twenties, she had managed to wed a French King, an English Lord, and a controversial…
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James Monroe practically ran unopposed for his second term
Modern political campaigns are vicious, but Monroe experienced absolute administrative peace. He was so universally accepted that he ran for reelection…
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The former king who built an estate in New Jersey
After his brother's massive European empire totally collapsed, the former King of Spain needed a quiet place to hide. He logically chose the remote woodlands…
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John Locke wrote passionate letters to a married philosopher
The brilliant mind behind modern liberal theory was incredibly messy in his personal affairs. Though he outwardly remained a staunch bachelor, he spent years…
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The president who swore his oath on a law book
In a rare display of literalism, the sixth president decided that swearing an oath to uphold a constitution should probably be done on a book actually…
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The preserved body that attended university meetings
Leaving a massive financial endowment to a university usually comes with simple strings attached. Bentham, however, strictly mandated that his physical…
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Elizabeth I named her heir without speaking
Nothing ensures governmental stability quite like completely refusing to tell anyone who takes over when you die. Elizabeth was so stubbornly opposed to…
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The president who burned his own papers
Future historians were deeply inconvenienced by Arthur's absolute dedication to privacy. Before leaving office, he casually ordered multiple garbage cans full…
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How Gerald Ford became president without an election
Ford managed to achieve the ultimate political life hack: reaching the absolute top without anyone ever officially voting him into the executive branch.…
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Franklin Pierce recited his inauguration from memory
Why read from notes when you can subject an entire crowd to a flawless, deeply concerning display of rote memorization? Pierce didn't use a single piece of…
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How Maria Theresa turned her children into alliances
Why negotiate complex treaties when you can just export your offspring? Maria Theresa viewed her sixteen children as highly effective chess pieces, marrying…
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Abraham Lincoln fiercely refused to hire relatives
Nepotism is usually a cornerstone of historical power structures, but Lincoln firmly rejected it. He openly mocked family members who asked for official…
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The king who collected holy relics
While other leaders focused on administration, Henry was aggressively collecting supposed holy artifacts like an eccentric museum curator. His obsession…
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Richard the Lionheart barely lived in England
Despite being immortalized as a legendary English icon, Richard spent a laughably small fraction of his reign actually on the island. He viewed his kingdom…
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The French president who died during a tryst
The pressures of the French presidency take a toll, but Faure found a uniquely embarrassing exit. He suddenly expired in his official palace office while…
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Bill Clinton sent only two emails as president
Serving eight years during the massive explosion of the internet age, Clinton managed to send a grand total of two electronic messages during his entire…
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The first U.S.-born president wasn't Washington
Despite being the eighth person to hold the office, Van Buren is the first one who wasn't technically born a British subject. Everyone before him was a…
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Why George Washington avoided handshakes
Long before basic personal space was a trend, the first president firmly believed touching other humans was beneath his dignity. He preferred a stiff bow to…
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Why Harry Truman's middle name is just S
Bureaucratic indecision peaked at this man's birth when his parents simply could not agree on a middle name. To appease two grandfathers, they just slapped…
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Ulysses S. Grant kept a name he never chose
Born Hiram Ulysses Grant, this eventual leader just accepted his fate when a nominating official accidentally wrote down the wrong initials. Instead of…
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Why Descartes refused to rise before noon
The father of modern philosophy fiercely believed that getting up early was detrimental to intellectual thought. He completely refused to leave his bed before…
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Taft swore in two of his successors
After losing the highest office, Taft happily took a massive career pivot into the judicial branch. He became Chief Justice and ended up formally…
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