We only know what we’re taught, but what if the things we’ve learned are complete bunk? Lizzie was the first to find the body and alerted her maid to the discovery. Egypt is known for its many technological and social advances. Charles Lindbergh was not the first person to fly across the Atlantic in an airplane. Years later, in 1893, Michael Ahern, the reporter who wrote the story, admitted he had made it up. Despite the best efforts of historians, these bogus facts refuse to truly die. Sometime around 850 she managed to become Pope. 1. We hold major institutions accountable and expose wrongdoing. Sir Walter Raleigh's Cloak. In fact, the quote can’t properly be attributed to anyone in history, French or otherwise. However, not on the list is fiddling while the city of Rome was burned to ash. People actually lived well into their sixties. https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/12-common-historical-misconceptions He never specifically cites who said the famous line. Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicking over a lantern started the Great Chicago Fire. Obsessed with travel? His French height was recorded as 5'2", however Britain never adjusted for the difference. Educated Europeans at the time knew that the Earth was spherical, in fact it had been known since at least since the time of Aristotle. Their fashion was actually based on the late Elizabethan era, and they wore bright, solid colors (reds, greens, yellows, and purples). While the fire did begin in her barn, Mrs. O'Leary always maintained that her entire family was asleep in the house when it started. Written by NN – Copyrighted © www.weirdworm.com. Despite being found innocent by the jury, American folklore pins her as the murderer. 9. What’s more, the story comes from volume six, which was written when Antoinette was only nine. Egypt is known for its many technological and social advances. Many people crossed the Atlantic in an airplane before Lindbergh. Also, it would have been impossible for Nero to have played the fiddle; it did not exist at the time. Something for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity. French inches were longer than Britain’s imperial inches. More people are alive today than have died throughout history. A solid argument for checking your sources is the legendary ride of Paul Revere. Due to a lack of documented evidence of the event, history books have long used the poem as a means of evidence.

However, if Egyptians were so damned smart then why was their form of government so damned primitive? But interestingly enough, there’s no evidence of Marie Antoinette ever saying this. The reason for the confusion about his height stems from the difference in measuring systems between Britain and France at the time.

Napoleon’s official height was 5'7", which was above average height for the time period. In fact, the poem is the entire basis of the legend of Paul Revere. The Great Wall of China Is Visible from the Moon, 7. Much of the information we know about the event is taken from the poem Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, notable poet and non-historian. His ride started with two companions (their names lost to history though still widely debated) and soon included as many as forty other men as word spread. The ensuing trial was a media circus. While life expectancy in the Middle Ages was low, it did not mean that people died of old age in their thirties and forties.

Pilgrims wore all black, and their hats had a buckle on them. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The reason Columbus had a hard time getting support for his voyage was because scholars at the time disagreed with his estimate of the distance to India. Even if the Internet had existed during the Middle Ages, you wouldn't have been able to download nude pictures of Lady ... 2.

Weird & Wacky, Copyright © 2020 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company. The Great Wall of China Is Visible from the Moon, Witches Were Burned at the Stake in Salem. According to historians he was thirty miles away during the fire.

The costume designer, Carl Emil Doepler, created horned helmets for the Viking characters for use in the production. The infamous story goes that in 1888, Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, suffering from severe depression, cut off his left ear with a razor, wrapped it in a newspaper and then handed it to a prostitute named Rachel. But allegedly a woman managed to get one of the most strictly men-only gigs in history: the Papacy. Why Rely on Luck: 3 Tools from Famous Casino Cheats’ Arsenals, 8 Ways to Reduce Stress After a Long Day of Work. Until Longfellow’s poem was published and accepted as fact, Revere was barely remembered by historians for the event at all. Emperor Nero played the fiddle while he watched Rome burn. They also didn’t wear buckles on their hats (called capotains), shoes, or waists. Marie Antoinette said, “Let them eat cake.”. Much of Edison’s work was simply improving on previous inventions by other people. • Ancient Greek and Roman sculptures were originally painted bright colors; they only appear white today because the original pigments have deteriorated. While 20 people were executed, none of them were burned at the stake. Did Nikita Khrushchev Really Bang His Shoe in Defiance at the U.N.? The story goes that Marco Polo brought back pasta from his travels to China. For more, visit Cat’s blog. It has been suggested that about six … The Salem witch trials of 1692 led to the arrests of 150 men and women, of whom 31 were tried and 20 were sentenced to death. Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me! Despite this, AC managed to come out on top. However, what’s often forgotten is that another ax murder took place in the same neighborhood shortly after the trial ended and Lizzie moved, though this was never investigated. Marie Antoinette never said, “Let them eat cake.” The quote is commonly attributed to her, however it was actually from philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s autobiography, Confessions, in which he recalls a story he once heard of a great princess who when told that the peasants had no bread replied, “Let them eat brioche.”. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use our website. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When Nero heard about the fire he rushed back to Rome to organize relief efforts. Borden’s story was inconsistent and her behavior strange. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the entertainment industry. Some well-preserved statues still bear traces of their original coloration.

Also, as the United States did not yet exist, residents of the colonies would have largely considered themselves to be British, making such a warning pointless. Contrary to popular belief, slaves were not forced to build the pyramids in Egypt. Pilgrims did not wear all wear black clothing with square white collars and cuffs. Let he without sin stitch the first bitch. A short list of his greatest hits includes: • Taking his mother as his mistress • Having his mother/mistress put to death • Appointing his horse to the Roman council. The Salem witch trials lead to people being burned at the stake. His actual message, “The regulars are coming,” was told discreetly. 8 Ways to Make Your Moving Day Less Stressful, 6 Most Common Door Lock Problems and how to fix them. However, if Egyptians were so damned smart then why was… Wikimedia. People during the Middle Ages had a low life expectancy. What follows are seven of the most common misconceptions about history, historical figures and ancient cultures you’ve probably encountered (or even believed) in your lifetime. A good number of minor figures helped Revere over the course of his ride, but the matter of the fact remains that Revere himself wasn’t very important to the event itself. As the story goes, a woman went undercover as a priest to study. The evidence seemed to go both ways; while bloody clothes were never found in the home and Lizzie’s own clothes were entirely clean at the time of her arrest, a hatchet head and handle were found in the basement. This was almost 600 years before Marco Polo was born. The image we associate with Pilgrims was actually created in the 19th century, when buckles became a kind of emblem of quaintness. Cat Dennis is a history graduate living and writing in Canterbury. In addition to the taste groups of bitter, sour, salty, and sweet, your tongue can … California residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data. It doesn’t help that they’re commonly perpetuated by the media, either. Lady Godiva's Naked Ride. Soon after her stepmother’s body was found in the basement brutalized in the same manner. One of the most common misconceptions about Edison’s career is that he was responsible for AC power.

There is no evidence that Vikings wore horns on their helmets during battles. Contact Us - Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy. the Editors of Publications International, Ltd. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. A story published in the Chicago Republican stated that Mrs. O’Leary was milking a cow in her barn and that the cow kicked over the lamp, which caused the fire. I just don’t know what to believe anymore. Ultimately, however, it just isn’t plausible. You have entered an incorrect email address! It’s often cited that Egyptians didn’t have democracy because they were poorly educated, at least in the lower class, and wouldn’t understand it. Excavated tombs near the pyramids support the theory that they were paid Egyptian laborers, who took great pride in their work and serving the pharaoh. The quote first appears in the very inaccurate autobiography Confessions by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Mainstream education is riddled with factual errors that have stood the test of time to enter common knowledge. The story first appears in the 13th century and has had a major resurgence in the past decade or two.

Our modern image of Vikings wearing horned helmets originates from an 1876 production of the opera Der Ring des Nibelungen. “And let them wipe their faces with bouffant hair-do’s!”. Take a trip down memory lane that’ll make you feel nostalgia AF. One of America’s sweethearts in the world of criminology, Lizzie Borden is fondly remembered as having killed her own parents with a hatchet. Now you can be that Debbie downer that ruins your friend’s anecdotes! Thomas Edison is perhaps the greatest of America’s inventors, but he would perhaps be better remembered as a strong-armed businessman, a thief and kind of a douche-bag. Nineteen of the victims were hanged, while one was crushed to death under heavy stones, in a method known as peine forte et dure. And why did everyone walk around like a bunch of waitresses?

Christopher Columbus proved that the Earth was round. Her father was found dead thirty minutes after he returned home, his skull having been crushed by a hatchet and his left eye split open. The reality is that he didn’t slice off his entire ear, just a portion of his left lobe. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. One of the most famous quotes in French history was supposedly said by Marie Antoinette when she was told that her people had no bread to eat. Medieval scholars thought the Earth was flat. The love of Christ indeed. Famously, he set up demonstration where he electrocuted cats, dogs and even an elephant with AC power to demonstrate that it was more dangerous than DC.