I Have Come to Doubt All I Once Held to Be True
Abraham Lincoln once said, "If information technology'southward on the net, then it must be truthful, and you can't question it." At least, that'southward what the random internet bulletin would accept y'all believe. Of form, the internet didn't even exist until more than 100 years later, but that'southward just nitpicking.
Pop culture has long taken history and added its ain spin. As a result, most people don't know what's actually truthful and what's completely fabricated. Did George Washington really cut down a cherry tree? Did Thomas Edison actually invent the lightbulb? Proceed reading to learn more about thirty historical myths you always thought were truthful — and the real facts backside them.
The Showtime Thanksgiving
For Americans, Thanksgiving is ingrained in every kid's identity. American kids grow up learning that the pilgrims barely survived a particularly harsh winter before receiving aid from friendly natives. Together, the white men and the Indians produced a bountiful harvest, and they all got together and made the offset-ever Thanksgiving dinner to celebrate.
In reality, more than half the Pilgrims died by March 1621, and well-nigh all their crops failed. At the cease of that summer, they held a Harvest Festival consisting mostly of game and fish. They were joined by several Wampanoags, but it certainly wasn't a celebratory meal.
Sacagawea was a brave hero who saved Lewis and Clark'due south crew from sure disaster. If it wasn't for her guidance and her assistance negotiating with cruel natives, the men would take died. At least, that'south what you were ever told.
In their journals, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark do mention Sacagawea as a helpful presence — just that's it. The Shoshone woman was actually the wife of a French-Canadian trapper named Toussaint Charbonneau who acted as the outfit's guide. She occasionally served as an interpreter and in one case facilitated trading with members of her family unit, but that was the extent of her involvement with the mission.
Jesus Was Built-in on Christmas 24-hour interval
Many people — Christian and otherwise — abound up believing that Christmas is Jesus' birthday. Some families even make altogether cards and cakes or put special decorations on their Christmas tree, simply to celebrate their savior's birth. Ane slightly odd (and slightly disturbing) tradition is to tiptop the tree with a "Christmas nail."
As it turns out, Christmas is more of a symbolic birthday than annihilation else. Scholars believe the historical Jesus was born between 6 and 3BC, sometime between spring and fall. When the Christian church needed a vacation to celebrate the birth of Jesus, they appropriated the pagan festival of winter solstice, a traditional time of gift-giving, family and celebration.
People Were Burned at The Stake During the Salem Witch Trials
The Salem witch trials are a notorious piece of American history. In the 1600s, pretty much annihilation could get someone accused of witchcraft — red hair, infidelity, arrogance, you name it. Innocent men, women and children were often accused past jealous or biting "friends" and put on trial. Many were sentenced to expiry.
While the process was harsh, it wasn't quite what popular-civilization makes it out to be. Many movies and books depict victims beingness burned at the stake. This never happened during the witch trials — or at whatever time in American history. How did they execute accused witches? Nearly of the convicted were hanged, although one was pressed to death.
Albert Einstein Was Bad at Math
You've probably heard that Albert Einstein was bad at math. The speech communication unremarkably goes something like, "Don't worry if you can't figure out algebra. Fifty-fifty Einstein was bad at math, and wait at what he accomplished!" Some people even endeavor to say he had a learning disability, only that's simply directly-up not true.
Although Einstein wasn't e'er the best educatee, it was likely because certain subjects didn't involvement him. However, based on his accomplishments, it should exist obvious he excelled in math and physics, fifty-fifty if he failed in other areas. Later on all, this is the man who developed the groundbreaking Theory of Relativity!
Anybody Was Killed at the Alamo
In the ballsy 1960 pic The Alamo, John Wayne stars as Davy Crockett, defending the sick-blighted fortress. In the cease, all the Texans are killed, save for one woman and i kid. The story is a familiar 1, and Americans love to tell the tale of the ambushed fort and how everyone perished. Information technology'due south an ode to American grit.
In reality, Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna did wreak accented havoc on the fort. All the men defending the fort were killed, just more than a dozen women and children survived — non only i lone pair. Women and children were present during the boxing, of form, only they were viewed as non-combatants and spared.
Walt Disney Created Mickey Mouse All on His Ain
Mickey Mouse is i of the most widely-recognized drawing characters in the globe. Prior to his introduction, Walt Disney struggled to find a stable foothold in the animation industry. After things went south with his Oswald the Lucky Rabbit graphic symbol, Walt and his studio needed a new serial — and a new star.
While near historical accounts notation that Walt thought up the idea for a drawing mouse while on a train ride from New York to California, some don't highlight that information technology took a team to bring the character to life. One of Walt's top animators (and closest friends) Ub Iwerks — along with a young animator named Les Clark — helped Walt excogitate the starting time-known drawing of Mickey Mouse. Iwerks then went on to do the bulk of the blitheness for the start few Mickey Mouse cartoons.
Moreover, Walt had wanted to call the mouse "Mortimer." Luckily, his married woman Lilian Disney vetoed that idea. ("Mickey" is just much more charming, right?)
300 Soldiers Held Off the Persians at Thermopylae for 3 Days
If you lot've ever seen the Frank Miller-produced action flick 300, you know that it's admittedly ballsy. Gerard Butler, in the function of Greek full general Leonidas, leads his greatly-outnumbered men into battle confronting the Persian regular army. Although there are simply 300 of them, they are able to hold off an enemy of thousands for three whole days without backup.
So, what really happened? Yes, Leonidas' army of 300 Spartan soldiers went into battle, but they were supported by more than 5,000 allies. As a result, the Greeks were able to concord off tens of thousands of Persians for three days — until they were betrayed past one of their own and the enemy outflanked them.
Nero Played the Dabble While Rome Burned
When a devastating burn down swept Rome in 64 Advertizing, Nero was emperor of the aboriginal urban center. You've probably heard that he gleefully played the dabble while Rome burnt, merely that'due south non accurate at all. For ane, the fiddle was invented in the 11th century — a good 1,000 years after Nero's time.
Instead, it's more of a metaphor: Nero was seen every bit a ruthless tyrant who didn't care if the people of Rome were suffering. Sure, playing a dabble during a fire really captures that indifference, but how'd that myth start? Roman historian Tacitus claimed Nero sang while flames engulfed the city.
Other sources claim Nero actually rushed in to aid, merely, regardless of the emperor's intentions, citizens certainly blamed him for the Dandy Burn down of Rome.
Thomas Edison Invented the Calorie-free Seedling
Fact: Thomas Edison did not invent the light seedling. In reality, he has been accused of stealing the idea for the bulb and several other inventions created by lesser-known scientists. Two inventors, Humphrey Davy and Joseph Swan, both developed working electric lights years before Edison — and Swan actually won a patent lawsuit against Edison.
The problem was that neither Swan's nor Davy's low-cal bulbs worked very well. Edison simply took inspiration from their designs and improved the engineering. Edison's seedling included an upgraded filament and had a lower voltage than the others, resulting in a bulb that could last for hours and didn't cost an arm and a leg.
Orson Welles Reading State of war of the Worlds Caused Total Panic
In 1938, Orson Welles' public broadcast reading of War of the Worlds (ironically by H.G. Wells) nearly acquired the breakdown of gild. Convinced the world was being attacked past conflicting creatures, people took to the streets with shotguns and other weapons. It was complete mayhem — or so the story goes.
Truth? Some people may have been convinced the Earth was most to be destroyed by conflicting invaders, merely not very many. In fact, just a modest portion of the population even heard Welles' broadcast at all. A ratings poll found that only 2% of all radio listeners were tuned in to his show that night. That's hardly plenty to kickoff a worldwide panic.
Feminist Hippies Burned Their Bras
During the 1960s, women fought for equal rights and demanded equality with men. They wanted equal pay, access to contraceptives and a voice in the political arena. The media would have you believe ane of their master forms of protestation was to stand in forepart of a crowded arena and fire their bras.
This misinterpretation of the "hippie feminist" dates back to the 1968 Miss America Pageant, when several women threw their bras, corsets, mops and cookware into a garbage can as a means of protest. The media took artistic license and turned the women into "bra burners" to create a more sensational story. The stereotype has stuck effectually for decades.
The American Civil War Was the First Time Americans Fought Each Other
Americans don't like to believe there's been a long history of strife amidst fellow Americans. The Civil War is ordinarily presented as a one-off occurrence that never happened earlier and would never happen again. Americans are seen every bit a united people, with a common love of freedom and freedom — simply that's not entirely historically accurate.
During the American insurgence against King George III of England, there were just equally many people who opposed freedom as those who fought for it. In reality, the colonists fought viciously against i some other during the American Revolution, with countless people trying to finish the uprising against the crown. Fortunately, the true American patriots won.
Vincent Van Gogh Cut Off His Unabridged Ear
Vincent van Gogh is regarded as one of the greatest painters of all fourth dimension. He was besides completely mad, of class. Years later, he'south known for his struggle with mental illness well-nigh as much as he's known for his fine art. Case in indicate: He cut off his ain ear. But did he really?
That myth was put to rest in 2016 when a drawing of his dissected ear, created by the medico who treated him, came to lite. In reality, van Gogh only cutting off the lower portion of one of his earlobes, which he so gifted to a sexual activity worker whom he had just met. Still bizarre, but not quite every bit bad!
The Caesarean Department Was Named After Julius Caesar
Legend has information technology that Julius Caesar was built-in via the start-ever Caesarean section, and that's why the surgical procedure has the proper name it does today. In reality, historical records bear witness that Caesar was likely built-in via natural childbirth in the customary way.
The Caesarean department birthing process is actually named after Lex Caesarea (the law of Caesar). The aboriginal text stated that a child was to be cut from the womb if the mother died during childbirth. It should exist noted, however, that the first written record of a c-section birth comes from Switzerland in 1500 when a pig farmer, Jacob Nufer, performed the operation on his wife.
Magellan Sailed Around the Earth
In 1519, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his coiffure set sail for destinations unknown. His goal was to circumnavigate the globe for the showtime time — and nigh people believe that he did. However, the story is just half true. Although Magellan organized the trip and his crew ultimately made it effectually the earth, he did not.
Magellan was killed near halfway through the trip during the Battle of Mactan in the Philippine islands. He was succeeded past his second-in-control Juan Sebastian Elcano. Despite a series of mishaps and lots of bad atmospheric condition, eighteen members of the crew eventually made it back to Spain, completing the first-e'er circumnavigation of the globe.
The Freedom Bell Was Croaky on July iv, 1776
Philadelphia locals will tell you the Liberty Bell was cracked on July 4, 1776, when the townspeople rang information technology to celebrate the nation's newfound independence. Prior to that, it was often sounded as a manner of proclaiming liberty and freedom for the American people.
Unfortunately, in that location aren't whatever records to support that story. In fact, Congress didn't celebrate the country'due south independence until July 8, 1776, and the artifact wasn't publicly referred to as "The Liberty Bell" until a grouping of abolitionists called information technology that in 1839. The bell gained its electric current notoriety subsequently the publication of Legends of the American Revolution in 1847, but not much of that work has any ground in fact.
Christopher Columbus Discovered the Americas
The myth that Christopher Columbus discovered America has duped more people than whatever other story on this list. There's even a federal holiday celebrating his accomplishments! The truth is the Americas had natives living in them for thousands of years before whatever white men arrived — and Columbus wasn't even the beginning European to find them.
Leif Erickson, a Norse missionary, landed on Canadian soil almost 500 years before Columbus "discovered" the New World. Erickson was an explorer and a merchant who too hoped to convert unsaved natives to Christianity. He spent a few months in North America before setting sail for Greenland and condign chieftain of the settlement there.
Queen Isabella Pawned the Royal Jewels to Fund Columbus' Mission
Another long-standing myth on the Columbus front end is that his entire mission was funded by Queen Isabella of Espana, who had to sell her jewels to come up with the cash. No 1 knows how this story got started, but it'southward entirely untrue.
When Columbus first approached Isabella and Ferdinand, it's true that their funds were tied up elsewhere. That simply meant he had to wait, and once the crown accomplished victory over the Muslims in Granada, they had the funds to finance his explorations. By that time, Columbus had already covered roughly half of his trip through private investors, just the monarchs paid the remaining costs.
The Island of Manhattan Was Purchased for $24 Worth Of Beads
Today, Manhattan is ane of the globe'southward largest metropolises. The land is undoubtedly worth more than any single living person could probably afford, which is probably the reason people dearest to tell the story that the little island was caused for only $24 worth of chaplet back in the solar day.
Great tale, only is it true? Not really. Manhattan was purchased from the Lenape Nation in 1626, but no 1 tin can really say for sure how they were paid. Historians think the items traded were worth roughly 60 guilders, or most $g in today's money. The same cost was paid for Staten Island. Still a bargain, but not quite as impressive!
George Washington Chopped Down a Cherry Tree
George Washington is a legend among men. He was the nation's first president and one of its greatest generals. As legend has it, he was incapable of dishonesty, every bit proven past the tale of chopping down his male parent's cherry tree when he was a half dozen-year-old boy. When asked about it, he supposedly said, "I cannot tell a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet."
Many adults today wouldn't fifty-fifty admit to cut downwardly someone else'south tree. As it turns out, neither did Washington. The fabled event never happened and was fabricated by biographer Mason Locke Weems. That's ane manner to sell a book, but when it comes to Washington, you have to wonder why the author ever thought alpine tales were necessary.
The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
If information technology wasn't for Paul Revere, the entire American Revolution would accept fallen apart. Why? Because he spotted a signal sent with lanterns in Boston'southward Erstwhile Northward Church and rode his horse like the devil (in the middle of the night) to warn his brethren that the "British were coming." Or did he?
Information technology seems he did effort some sort of midnight ride, but he only made it as far equally Lexington, where he warned Sam Adams and John Hancock they were most to be arrested by British troops. Of class, he also alerted the militia along his mode, but shortly thereafter, he was arrested by British troops who confiscated his horse — leaving him unable to complete his mission.
Marie Antoinette Said, "Let Them Eat Block"
Marie Antoinette, the terminal queen of France before the French Revolution, was notoriously indifferent to the troubles of the masses. Many of the people blamed the country'south apple-polishing poverty on her lavish spending. According to legend, when there was no bread for the poor to eat, she responded, "Let them eat block."
Although she was thoroughly disliked, this never fifty-fifty happened and certainly wasn't the reason. The queen did like to live the high life, merely she was also a generous patron to charities and was moved by the plight of the poor, which would accept made such a argument completely out of graphic symbol.
Robert Due east. Lee Was a Improve General Than Ulysses Southward. Grant
Some people (especially those in the South) would like to believe that Ulysses S. Grant only bested Robert E. Lee through sheer luck. Afterwards all, Lee was clearly the better full general and never should have lost to Grant.
It is true that Robert Due east. Lee was a brilliant strategist and full general — simply and then was Grant. Both men were accomplished soldiers, famed tacticians and love by their men. When Lee charged into battle confronting Grant, he met his equal on the field. After Chancellorsville and the death of Stonewall Jackson, he never won some other major battle again. He wasn't duped; he was simply outmaneuvered.
Joseph Kennedy Sr. Was a Bootlegger
Joseph Kennedy Sr. — father to President John F. Kennedy — was an incredibly wealthy man, with a personal fortune that was said to take totaled near $180 million (or $3.29 billion in today's money). How did he earn it? Fable says he made his money bootlegging during Prohibition.
In reality, Kennedy's story is a lot less sordid. No evidence exists that he consorted with gangsters or participated in selling illegal alcohol. Instead, about of his fortune came from real estate, motion pictures and playing the stock market. His only connexion to alcohol came after Prohibition, when he used his inside connections to gain a lucrative importing contract and started legally selling to customers.
The Jumpers of 1929
In the stock market crash of 1929, thousands of bankers, stockbrokers and other financial professionals lost their fortunes. In total, 9,000 banks failed during the next 10 years. Information technology would make sense to believe that many of those people collapsed under the pressure and took their ain lives.
Oddly enough, the suicide charge per unit really dropped later on the stock market crash of 1929, although no one tin can really say why. One theory is that great tragedy makes people realize the value of life, and they push harder to survive. Although the press liked to print sensationalized stories near devastated bankers jumping from their part windows, it really only happened twice during the unabridged Depression.
Napoleon Bonaparte Was Ridiculously Short
Napoleon Bonaparte was a military machine genius who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and eventually became the Emperor of France. He was besides incredibly short. In fact, it's ofttimes theorized that much of his assailment and ambition stemmed from the fact that he was trying to compensate for his small-scale stature. (Napoleon complex, anyone?)
In reality, he wasn't really all that small. Napoleon was nigh v′ 7″ — non unusual for a man of his time. So why all the rumors about his top? It seems that Napoleon made other people feel insecure, and his complete dominance on the battlefield left them wanting to undermine him in any style possible — even via foolish personal attacks.
Medieval People Believed the Globe Was Flat
It's a common theme in history class: Europeans believed the World was flat until Christopher Columbus sailed the sea blueish and proved them wrong. However, historians acknowledge that people knew the Globe was circular for hundreds of years prior to Columbus' beingness.
The earliest mention of a spherical Earth dates to the fifth century in the writings of ancient Greek scholars. In addition, Ptolemy'southward Geography, the text most explorers turned to for information, conspicuously stated the Earth was round. These theories were confirmed in a physical sense past the later circumnavigation of the globe by Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastián Elcano in the early 16th century.
Gun Fights Happened Daily in the Wild Due west
Hollywood Westerns are famous for their fast and frequent gunfights. They make it seem like whatever perceived slight in the Old Westward led to whipping out your revolver and gunning someone down. It makes for swell movie house, but gunfights were really few and far betwixt in the West.
Accurate facts about the Wild Due west are difficult to come by, but most historians agree the duels and barroom fights depicted in television and movies didn't actually occur. When a gunfight did occur, it was usually all-out mayhem, with lots of shots were fired and the intended target often non hit — guns just weren't very accurate dorsum in the day.
There Are More than People Alive Today Than Accept Died Throughout History
Fact: The globe today has a ton of people living on information technology — more than seven.4 billion, actually. Popular myth would take you believe only most half-dozen billion people take died upwardly until this point, which would be about a billion less than are alive right now.
And then, does the current world population really add up to more people than have ever lived before, in the entire history of mankind? Not really. Those estimates are based on the time that has passed since the Egyptians built the pyramids, so that's non an authentic starting betoken. Billions more people died earlier and so, then the world hasn't quite reached this betoken yet.
Source: https://www.reference.com/history/top-30-historical-myths?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740005%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex
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