History will always be doomed to repeat itself if folks don’t take the time to properly educate themselves. Sometimes, that’s not the worst thing in the world. Plenty of beautiful, wonderful, and impressive things have gone down in history over the years. By the same token, there has also been a slew of jacked-up moments in history the world would prefer to forget altogether. American history alone is full of some jaw-dropping gems that leave people questioning everything about our modern world.
Beyond America, there are loads of attention-grabbing historical facts from other countries that are difficult for anyone to wrap their head around. In elementary school, middle school, high school, and college, students are given endless opportunities to absorb historical facts that have impacted today’s world in a significant manner. Still, tons of facts that definitely should be explored further have been swept under the rug in major academic settings.
As mentioned before, society must take time out of their busy schedules to get informed about different aspects of history to prevent unfortunate events from occurring all over again. On the bright side, it’s also a great idea to take note of some of history’s most iconic highlights. That way, seeing which patterns should be put in place for certain highlights to come back again full circle becomes possible. While we’re on the subject of history, click here for 19 common American history facts that are actually totally false.
To gather this list of weird history facts you’d never believe, 24/7 Tempo consulted several insightful sources. These include History Extra, Explore the Archive, The Fact Site, National Archives, and History Daily.
Albert Einstein could’ve been president of Israel
circa 1955: Mathematical physicist Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955) delivers one of his recorded lectures. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
When people think about Albert Einstein’s life, it’s easy to reflect on how brilliant and inventive he was. In fact, many would argue that Einsten was the most influential scientist to walk the Earth between 1879 and 1955. Despite the fact that he wasn’t born in Israel, he was a practicing Jew.
Because of his religion, Einstein was offered the opportunity to become the president of Israel. He turned the offer down in 1952 with a gentle explanation about his inability and unpreparedness to take on such an official and political position. It’s abundantly clear that Einstein didn’t have to become the president of any country to leave a mark on history.
The first lottery took place in China around 205 BC
For long time, government systems everywhere around the globe have been well aware that lottery games are a great way to pull money from citizens. Around 205 BC, the people of the Chinese Han Dynasty were welcome to participate in the earliest ever lottery. It geared them up to win various prizes.
As of now, it’s unclear what those exact prizes were, but the Chinese government used money contributed to the lottery to fund big projects. One of those projects was the Great Wall of China. Without the lottery game in place back then, it’s unclear if the Chinese government would have had the finances needed to complete one of the world’s most beloved and noteworthy structures in history.
Vlad the Impaler inspired the fictional character of Count Dracula in 1897
Dracula is recognized as one of the creepiest fictional characters of all time. In 1897, a talented author named Bram Stoker wrote and published a haunting book highlighting the escapades of Dracula. The book covered Dracula’s insatiable thirst for human blood. Interestingly enough, Stoker didn’t come up with his idea for Dracula without a little inspiration.
Stoker was inspired by a man named Vlad the Impaler who ruled as the Monarch of Wallachia. Vlad was in charge of a Romanian region in Transylvania. He handled his business with mercilessness and disturbing fear tactics. Whenever he’d get his hands on an enemy, he would kill them by impaling their bodies with long, sharp sticks.
Then, he would the impaled bodies use as decorations around his castle. He wanted everyone to know how vicious he was so no one would get on his bad side. When Stoker caught wind of Vlad’s intense methods, he was motivated to create Dracula — a vampire with no respect for human life.
The Hollywood industry as we know it was originally meant to be in New York
In the 1800s, the movie industry was starting to gain traction in New York. Filmmakers, actors, and actresses migrated to New York in troves to make their dreams come true. Thomas Edison got in the way of all of that, though. He started enforcing patents on more than 1,000 pieces of technology required to create a blockbuster films.
Edison set it up so that movie makers had to go through him if they wanted to thrive in the entertainment industry. Movie makers decided to abandon New York altogether by fleeing to California. It was their way of escaping Edison’s control. Fortunately for entertainment industry dreamers, Edison couldn’t control California the way he was controlling New York. The freedom allowed movie makers to effortlessly move forward in what we now know as Hollywood.
Urine was used as mouthwash in Ancient Rome
As icky as this might sound, urine was once used as mouthwash for the Ancient Romans. In Ancient Rome, it was widely believed that urine was a fabulous substance for freshening the mouth. That’s because it’s full of Ammonia, which is one of the most powerful cleansers in the world. People back then simply didn’t take the unsanitary factor into consideration. They must not have realized how gross swashing urine in their mouths was.
As of now, tons of mouthwash brands are readily available on store shelves for people to get their hands on. Mouthwashes are jam-packed with ingredients like fluoride, xylitol, Eucalyptol, and hydrogen peroxide. Mouthwash wasn’t officially invented until the late 1800s, which means the people of ancient Rome certainly didn’t have access to it.
A war on cats was declared by Pope Gregory IX
People seem to be obsessed with cats in this modern era. There are tons of social media pages across different platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter that are fully dedicated to cats. Users simply spend time posting cat memes and silly videos of kittens tussling around.
The obsession with cats likely isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. One historical figure in particular didn’t exactly have warm and fuzzy feelings about kittens, though. The former head of the Catholic Church was Pope Gregory IX. He was in charge until his death in 1241. He didn’t always use his platform in the most wholesome ways.
At one point, he declared a war on cats. He was especially disturbed by black cats because he was convinced they were devil worshipers. In his mind, they needed to be slaughtered. To this day, black cats have a reputation for being unlucky, cursed, or haunted. Still, folks today aren’t willing to execute black cats the way Pope Gregory IX once demanded.
Dentures were once designed with human teeth
When toothless people wear dentures in 2024, they’re wearing fake teeth made of porcelain, acrylic resin, nylon, or bleached metal. Dentures are super believable these days. In fact, they’re so realistic that it’s difficult to decipher whose teeth are real and whose teeth are completely fake. In the 19th century, folks who wanted dentures had to be willing to wear pieces made out of human teeth.
Teeth would be extracted from the corpses of dead soldiers and sold to dentists. From there, dentists would link the soldier’s extracted teeth together to sell to their patients. Since oral hygiene wasn’t a hot topic of conversation in the early 19th Century, plenty of people dealt with rotting teeth falling out left and right. Dentures made of soldier’s teeth were the only option.
Europe experience something similar to a zombie apocalypse in 1494
These days, the Hollywood industry has zombie entertainment lovers in a chokehold. There are tons of zombie movies hitting theaters every year. Loads od zombie TV shows are added to just about every streaming platform also. Back in 1494, Europe experienced something similar to a zombie apocalypse when the French army brought in a disease called “the great pox.”
Since antibiotics didn’t exist back then, the disease spread like wildfire. It was horrific since it covered people’s skin with peeling ulcers. The festering ulcers caused flesh to rot before eventual killing whoever was infected. In some of the most gnarly cases, facial body parts like the nose and lips would completely fall off.
Adolf Hitler was a full-fledged drug addict
In order to get through World War II, Adolf Hitler and his Nazi army were heavily dependent on drugs. Hitler was the definition of a full-fledged drug addict during that period of time. One of the most common drugs he and his army would use was methamphetamine. It helped them keep weight off, handle their daily obligations, and function without much sleep.
It also helped members of the army stomach the horrors of World War II. Aside from that, Hitler loved getting high on a combination of cocaine and oxycodone. Young people who love partying in 2024 might think of cocaine and oxycodone as drugs perfect for dancing the night away. Hitler turned to those drugs to press on with his murderous rampages.
Turkeys were seen as powerful gods to the Ancient Mayans
In Ancient Mayan culture, human beings weren’t the only ones praised as gods and goddesses. Ancient Mayans were enamored by turkeys for some bizarre reason. Nowadays, people think about Thanksgiving festivities in conjunction with turkeys. That wasn’t the case for the ancient Mayans, though.
They were wholeheartedly convinced turkeys carried some sort of symbolic influence on their religion and culture. The Mayans had deeply ingrained beliefs that turkeys Would wreak havoc in their nocturnal dreams if they didn’t honor turkeys while they were awake. Only the wealthiest individuals in Mayan culture owned turkeys in 300 BC. Turkeys were domesticated back then so they could be included in various rituals.
A deadly molasses flood spread in Boston in 1919
When you think of floods, you probably think of watery waves crashing into cityscapes. Back in 1919, Boston experienced a deadly flood, but water wasn’t the liquid everyone was afraid of. Instead, two and half million gallons of molasses flooded through the streets from an accidental tank release.
The molasses rolled out of the tank in a manner similar to a title wave. It reached a terrifying 15 feet into the sky. 21 people died that day and another 150 people were injured. Tons of homes and structures were displaced after being crashed into by the thick, sugary substance. It was difficult for emergency responders to locate victims who were stuck in the sticky sludge after the initial wave of molasses came down.
Athletes in Ancient Greece were forced to perform naked in the ancient Olympics
The Olympics is known as one the most iconic and impressive sporting events in our modern world. Athletes who dominate at different sports from various countries show up in one place to compete every four years. It’s a chance for athletes to showcase the skills they’ve been practicing with dedication and determination.
In Ancient Greece, athletes performed in the Olympics completely nude. One of the reasons they skipped clothing was because they wanted to imitate gods and goddesses. Another reason is because they believed clothing caused toxins from their sweat to be trapped against their skin. By shedding their garments, they stopped any “toxins” from reabsorbing into their skin.
The Aztec Empire hasn’t been around as long as the University of Oxford
When thinking about some of the oldest colleges and universities in history, you probably wouldn’t guess that any school could be older than the Aztec Empire. In reality, the University of Oxford designed way before the Aztec Empire came to be. T=For some context, the University of Oxford was established in 1096.
It wasn’t just a shabby singular classroom placed on a random hill, either. A full campus was built with three resident halls and student housing options. Young adults who wanted to pursue higher education clamored for opportunities to enroll. As of now, the University of Oxford has been labeled the oldest university to continue operation… in history. The Aztec Empire wasn’t established until 1428.
King Tut’s parents were most likely brother and sister
When people think of King Tut, they often think of the influential young pharaoh who took over as an Egyptian leader in 1332 BC. He snagged the position when he was still just a young child. As a reminder, King Tut was only nine years old when he was given the responsibility of guiding his people. His life served as inspiration for an attention-grabbing exhibition that currently exists inside the Luxor Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
One bizarre history fact, many people wish they didn’t know was that king Tut’s parents likely happened to be siblings. Tut had a slew of health issues and he such a short life. Because of those clues, it’s widely believed he was born out of an incestuous relationship. Tut bit the dust at 19 years old – and dying at 19 was a bit young, even by 14th century BC standards.
Alexander the Great was accidentally buried alive
Alexander the Great Monument in Skopje - Macedonia
Alexander the Great was only 32 years old when he died. The method in which he died was extremely disturbing to think about. In 323 BC, he got severely sick and endured 12 days of debilitating pain. The physical hardships he went through were so excruciating that the people around him thought he died.
Since the individuals in his space believed he was dead, they proceeded to bury him. The reality is that Alexander wasn’t actually dead… yet. He was completely mentally aware, but physically paralyzed. Because of that, he was unable to communicate with anyone. When he was buried alive, he knew exactly what was happening – but he was unable to stop the horror in its tracks.
The man who tried to save President Lincoln ended up murdering his wife
Portrait of American President Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865), the sixteenth President of the United States, dressed in a suit and bow tie, April 9, 1865. Five days after this portrait was taken President Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth while attending a performance of 'Our American Cousin' at Ford's Theater. (Photo by Alexander Gardner/Getty Images)
When former U.S. president Abraham Lincoln was murdered, it became a stain in American history books. On the night of Lincoln‘s death, a man named Henry Rathbone was present. He jumped into action as the assassination was taking place. After John Wilkes Booth fired the first shot, Rathbone attempted to tackle him to the ground — but he was too late.
The damage was done and Booth still got away. The guilt of failing to protect Lincoln began eating away at Rathbone. His mind began deteriorating and he eventually murdered his wife before attempting to kill himself. His suicide attempt was unsuccessful, and he was checked into a mental institution where he stayed until his own death.
A woman named Ching Shih was the world’s most successful pirate
Plenty of people might assume that the most successful pirates in history would be men. That’s actually incorrect. Ching Shih grew up in South China and worked as a prostitute in her adulthood. She got by that way until crossing paths with the Commander of the Red Flag Fleet. His name was Zheng Yi and he was instantly enamored by her.
In 1801, Yi paid for her in full so he could marry her when she was 26 years old. He had a lot of respect for her so he didn’t treat her like she was subhuman. Instead, he taught her how to thrive as a full-fledged pirate. She ended up garnering tons of respect from other pirates and she successfully raided more than 300 warships.
Death by elephant was a popular form of execution in 19th century Asia
The idea of getting murdered by an elephant sounds alarming and horrific. In 19th Century Asia, death by elephant was a common method of execution to rely on. Government officials used it on people who’d been sentenced to death. Death by elephant wasn’t a quick way to go, by the way. It was actually an extensive form of torture.
The Asian government realized how easy it was to train elephants to do their bidding. They taught elephants how to slowly twist off limbs, crush skulls, break bones, and use their tusks to puncture different body parts and organs. Getting accused of a crime and getting sentenced to death in 19th Century Asia would have been a nightmare for just about anyone.
Cleopatra’s death by suicide likely didn’t happen from a cobra bite
For years, people have been convinced that Cleopatra committed suicide by inviting a cobra to bite her. Her suicide went down in 30 BC, but it is highly unlikely that a bite from an Egyptian cobra was the fatal strike to do her in. Instead, historians now believe she stabbed herself with a hair pin that was dipped in a poisonous ointment.
Cleopatra felt the need to end her own life in such a swift and abrupt manner. It was because she felt extremely threatened by an emperor named Octavian. He had ruthless plans to parade her through Rome as his prisoner. She avoided any potential for such humiliation by killing herself before that could happen.
The Vikings “discovered” America before Christopher Columbus did
Tons of students are taught that Christopher Columbus was the first European explorer to discover America. In reality, European Vikings discovered America before Columbus ever actually showed up. In 1000 A.D., a Viking chief named Leif Eriksson of Greenland guided his people to America for the first time. It was already populated by Natives Indians, but Eriksson still made his way over there before Columbus.
The Vikings took their explorations even further and ended up discovering parts of Canada as well. Somehow, Columbus has continued to gain notoriety and credit. With all these bizarre history facts on the brain, questioning events of the past is impossible. Click here to uncover details about the 33 weapons that shaped World War II history.