In our history, there have always been weird facts about cities, landmarks, and even people. From the longest war to the shortest, and even a famous conqueror getting attacked by rabbits, we’ve gathered 30 historical facts that you’ve never heard before.
Egyptian Toothpaste
Toothpaste was invented 50,000 years ago by the Egyptians. Its ingredients were powdered ashes from oxen hooves, myrrh, egg shells, pumice, and water.
King -Almost- Forever
Louis XIV of France ruled for 72 years and 110 days, making him the longest-reigning monarch in history.
President Einstein
In 1952, Albert Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel, but he declined it to continue his career in science.
A Pet Bear
Lord Byron, an eccentric English poet, kept a bear as a pet while he was a student at Trinity College in the early 1800s because the rules wouldn’t allow students to have pet dogs.
Dancing Until They Dropped
In 1518, people danced uncontrollably in Strasbourg for days. It started when Frau Troffea began doing it; within days, dozens of others joined her, and the crowd kept growing until hundreds of people were involved. Some collapsed or even died from exhaustion, strokes, and heart attacks. The reason is still a mystery, some people say it was mass hysteria, while others suggest they might have ingested bread contaminated with ergot, a toxic fungus with similar chemicals as LSD.
Ketchup = Medicine
In the 1830s, people believed ketchup could cure indigestion, diarrhea, and even jaundice.
Modern Guillotine
In France, the guillotine was used as a method of execution until 1977.
Oldest Known Joke
It dates back to 1900 BCE and it was a fart joke.
The Great Interconnected Fortifications of China
The Great Wall of China is a series of interconnected fortifications due to how long it took to build, so the sections are also different based on the engineering and military practices of each time.
London Bridge, Lake Havasu City, Arizona.
Robert P. McCulloch bought the bridge in 1968 to dismantle it and ship the pieces to the US. Now, it’s a touristic attraction.
Pablo Picasso Etcetera
His name has 10 words. It’s Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno Crispín Crispiniano María de los Remedios de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz Picasso
The Oldest Written Laws
The Code of Ur-Nammu (2100 BCE) was written by a Sumerian king and covered protection of property, family law, and punishment for false allegations.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is Straightening
When it was feared that the tower was about to collapse, engineers worked to reverse the lean.
World’s First Computer Programmer, A Woman
Ada Lovelace designed a calculating machine and discovered it could carry out complex sequences of mathematical operations. The example she wrote in the 1800s is the first ever computer program.
Queen Elizabeth I owned 2,000 pairs of gloves
In her defense, most of her collection was given to her as diplomatic gifts.
Voting By Voice
Before the Revolutionary War, the American colonies would gather around in places like carnivals, and there’s a big chance people would have been drunk by the time voting happened.
From Temporary Structure to Timeless Icon
The Eiffel Tower was supposed to be dismantled after 20 years since it was only built for the 1889 World’s Fair.
The Statue of Liberty’s Real Purpose
It was originally built to celebrate the inauguration of the Suez Canal in Egypt, but they passed on that idea. Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi decided to gift it as a celebration of the US/French alliance.
A Horse Senator
Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus, also known as Caligula, made his favorite horse a Senator while ruling Rome.
First Recorded Police Force
In 3000 BCE, Egypt was split into 42 jurisdictions, and an official was appointed by the pharaoh to ensure justice and security.
First Vending Machine
It was invented by Hero of Alexandria in ancient Egypt to dispense holy water. You inserted a coin, pushed down a lever, and got your holy water!
Alexander the Great might have been buried alive
Historians now believe that he might have gotten an autoimmune disease that caused muscles to be almost unmovable, and doctors couldn’t notice he was still breathing.
The Loudest Sound
The eruption of Krakatoa, Indonesia’s volcano, made the loudest sound ever heard. Its explosion registers 172 decibels at 100 miles from it.
Tenochtitlan, larger and more sophisticated than many European cities
It had an estimated population of 200,000 to 300,000 inhabitants while London only had 50,000 to 70,000. The Aztec capital’s infrastructure was better, it had advanced aqueducts, causeways, floating agricultural fields, and even efficient waste management systems.
The Shortest War In History
In 1896, Zanzibar and Britain went to war for 38 minutes. When a pro-British Sultan passed away, the prince Khālid bin Barghash refused to let another pro-British ruler occupy the Sultan’s place. The Royal Navy fired on the palace, setting it on fire and killing 500 men.
Longest War In History
It lasted 335 years, it was between the Netherlands and the Islands of Scilly. No one was killed during the entire war.
Napoleon’s Biggest Enemies
While on a hunting trip, the conqueror Napoleon was attacked by a herd of rabbits. He had to escape them in his carriage.
Marie Curie, A Pioneer In Almost Everything
Not only was she the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, she was also the first and only person to win it for two different sciences (physics and chemistry).
Deaf Musician
Beethoven was able to compose music after becoming completely deaf at 40.
Humans’ First Flight
The Montgolfier brothers were the first humans to achieve a successful flight in 1783. They flew 3,000 feet above Paris for about 5.6 miles in a hot air balloon. The trip took 25 minutes and landed safely outside the city.
