History
Discover facts about history. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
History
President John Quincy Adams was an incredibly early riser who maintained a daily routine of walking to the Potomac River, stripping completely naked, and swimming in the murky water.
President John Quincy Adams was an incredibly early riser who maintained a daily routine of walking to the Potomac River, stripping completely naked, and…
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Monsieur de Grandpré and Monsieur de Le Pique fought a deadly duel in 1808 while suspended high above Paris in two identical hot air balloons, purely over the affection of a famous opera dancer.
Monsieur de Grandpré and Monsieur de Le Pique fought a deadly duel in 1808 while suspended high above Paris in two identical hot air balloons, purely over the…
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Soviet engineers detonated the Tsar Bomba in 1961, a thermonuclear weapon so insanely powerful that it shattered glass windows in Norway and Finland, nearly a thousand miles away from the blast zone.
Soviet engineers detonated the Tsar Bomba in 1961, a thermonuclear weapon so insanely powerful that it shattered glass windows in Norway and Finland, nearly a…
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Two maritime ships accidentally collided in the harbor of Halifax in 1917, detonating over nearly three thousand tons of high explosives in a blast so massive it momentarily…
Two maritime ships accidentally collided in the harbor of Halifax in 1917, detonating over nearly three thousand tons of high explosives in a blast so massive…
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Ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes chose to live inside a large clay wine jar in the marketplace of Athens, completely rejecting societal norms while making a daily habit of…
Ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes chose to live inside a large clay wine jar in the marketplace of Athens, completely rejecting societal norms while making a…
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Mongol Empire founder Genghis Khan slaughtered so many millions of people across Eurasia during his violent thirteenth-century conquests that he actually caused a measurable drop…
Mongol Empire founder Genghis Khan slaughtered so many millions of people across Eurasia during his violent thirteenth-century conquests that he actually…
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Enterprising farmers in the early twentieth century actually mass-produced tiny, rose-colored plastic eyeglasses for chickens in a desperate attempt to stop the incredibly…
Enterprising farmers in the early twentieth century actually mass-produced tiny, rose-colored plastic eyeglasses for chickens in a desperate attempt to stop…
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Ancient Egyptians revered their feline companions so deeply that when a family pet cat died of natural causes, all the inhabitants of the house would shave off their own eyebrows in a dramatic display of mourning.
Ancient Egyptians revered their feline companions so deeply that when a family pet cat died of natural causes, all the inhabitants of the house would shave…
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Joshua Abraham Norton was a bankrupt businessman in San Francisco who completely lost his mind and publicly declared himself Emperor of the United States in 1859.
Joshua Abraham Norton was a bankrupt businessman in San Francisco who completely lost his mind and publicly declared himself Emperor of the United States in…
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Ancient Egyptian women genuinely utilized fermented crocodile feces as a primary form of birth control, mixing the horrific reptile dung with honey and sour milk to create a…
Ancient Egyptian women genuinely utilized fermented crocodile feces as a primary form of birth control, mixing the horrific reptile dung with honey and sour…
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Cuban dictator Fidel Castro developed a massive, borderline unhealthy obsession with dairy production, investing millions of state dollars into creating the ultimate breed of…
Cuban dictator Fidel Castro developed a massive, borderline unhealthy obsession with dairy production, investing millions of state dollars into creating the…
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Robert Kett led a massive medieval peasant revolt in 1549 because local wealthy landowners were aggressively enclosing public grazing fields and destroying the livelihood of poor English farmers.
Robert Kett led a massive medieval peasant revolt in 1549 because local wealthy landowners were aggressively enclosing public grazing fields and destroying…
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Millions of people genuinely believed the world was going to end in 1910 when Earth passed through the tail of Halley's Comet because astronomers discovered it contained poisonous cyanogen gas.
Millions of people genuinely believed the world was going to end in 1910 when Earth passed through the tail of Halley's Comet because astronomers discovered…
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European religious leaders completely panicked when forks were first introduced from the Byzantine Empire because they believed the tiny metal prongs were literal tools of the devil.
European religious leaders completely panicked when forks were first introduced from the Byzantine Empire because they believed the tiny metal prongs were…
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American and South Korean military forces launched an incredibly massive, heavily armed operation in 1976 simply to aggressively chop down a single poplar tree located in the Demilitarized Zone.
American and South Korean military forces launched an incredibly massive, heavily armed operation in 1976 simply to aggressively chop down a single poplar…
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United States government officials intentionally poisoned industrial alcohol supplies during the 1920s Prohibition era, leading to the brutal deaths of an estimated ten thousand American citizens.
United States government officials intentionally poisoned industrial alcohol supplies during the 1920s Prohibition era, leading to the brutal deaths of an…
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President William Howard Taft allegedly got his massive three-hundred-and-forty-pound frame completely wedged into a White House bathtub and had to be unceremoniously pried out with butter by his humiliated staff.
President William Howard Taft allegedly got his massive three-hundred-and-forty-pound frame completely wedged into a White House bathtub and had to be…
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Ancient historians documented that Alexander the Great's body mysteriously failed to decompose for six days after his death, which modern scientists now believe means he was tragically buried alive.
Ancient historians documented that Alexander the Great's body mysteriously failed to decompose for six days after his death, which modern scientists now…
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King Charles VI of France suffered from a bizarre psychological disorder in the late fourteenth century where he became completely convinced that his entire body was made of highly fragile glass.
King Charles VI of France suffered from a bizarre psychological disorder in the late fourteenth century where he became completely convinced that his entire…
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Millions of Japanese families celebrate Christmas every single year by feasting on a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken thanks to an incredibly successful corporate marketing campaign launched in 1974.
Millions of Japanese families celebrate Christmas every single year by feasting on a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken thanks to an incredibly successful…
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Roman Emperor Nero desperately wanted to be seen as a legendary athlete, so he entered the Olympic Games in 67 AD, aggressively bribing the officials to ensure he won every single event he participated in.
Roman Emperor Nero desperately wanted to be seen as a legendary athlete, so he entered the Olympic Games in 67 AD, aggressively bribing the officials to…
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Volcanic island Krakatoa exploded in 1883 with a force ten thousand times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, creating the loudest sound ever recorded in human history.
Volcanic island Krakatoa exploded in 1883 with a force ten thousand times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, creating the loudest sound…
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Joseph Stalin suffered a massive stroke in his bedroom in 1953, but his guards were so utterly terrified of being executed for disturbing him that they waited for hours to check on his well-being.
Joseph Stalin suffered a massive stroke in his bedroom in 1953, but his guards were so utterly terrified of being executed for disturbing him that they waited…
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Winston Churchill practically lived in his bathtub during World War II and frequently dictated incredibly important government documents while completely naked.
Winston Churchill practically lived in his bathtub during World War II and frequently dictated incredibly important government documents while completely…
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