20 historical facts that are stranger than fiction
1. Before dentures were invented, teeth were pulled from the mouths of dead soldiers and used as prosthetics.
2. Roman Emperor Gaius, also known as Caligula, loved his horse so much that he wanted to make him Senator.
2. Roman Emperor Gaius, also known as Caligula, loved his horse so much that he wanted to make him Senator.
3. In 1929, researchers at Princeton University claimed that they had turned a living cat into a telephone.
4. Heroin was once a perfectly acceptable medicine prescribed by doctors for everything from coughs to headaches.
5. Charlie Chaplin entered a Charlie Chaplin look-alike competition in San Francisco and came in 20th place.
6. Before alarm clocks existed, there were “knockers-up”. They were paid to shoot dry peas from a blow-gun at people’s windows in order to wake them up in the morning.
7. In ancient Egypt, servants were smeared in honey to attract flies away from the pharaoh.
8. Before Abraham Lincoln became President, he was a champion wrestler.
9. In Renaissance France, women could take their husbands to court if they were impotent.
4. Heroin was once a perfectly acceptable medicine prescribed by doctors for everything from coughs to headaches.
5. Charlie Chaplin entered a Charlie Chaplin look-alike competition in San Francisco and came in 20th place.
6. Before alarm clocks existed, there were “knockers-up”. They were paid to shoot dry peas from a blow-gun at people’s windows in order to wake them up in the morning.
7. In ancient Egypt, servants were smeared in honey to attract flies away from the pharaoh.
8. Before Abraham Lincoln became President, he was a champion wrestler.
9. In Renaissance France, women could take their husbands to court if they were impotent.
10. Elvis Presley died while pooping.
11. Tug of war was an olympic competition between 1900 and 1920.
12. During World War II, a dentist convinced the President to bomb Japan with explosives attached to thousands of bats. The project was scrapped after some of the armed bats were accidentally released and destroyed the testing facility.
13. Romans used urine as mouthwash.
14. The American flag was designed by a 17 year-old for a school project. He got a B-.
15. It became so common to accidentally bury people alive during the 19th century that a safety coffin was invented for the "dead" to alert people above ground that they were still alive.
16. Lord Byron kept a pet bear in his dorm room while studying at Cambridge University.
17. Albert Einstein was offered the Presidency of Israel when it was formed. He declined the invitation.
18. The Anglo-Zanzibar war (August 27,1896) between the United Kingdom and the Zanzibar Sultanate is the shorted war in recorded history. It lasted 38 minutes.
19. Marie Antoinette never said "let them eat cake".
20. Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin were all nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
11. Tug of war was an olympic competition between 1900 and 1920.
12. During World War II, a dentist convinced the President to bomb Japan with explosives attached to thousands of bats. The project was scrapped after some of the armed bats were accidentally released and destroyed the testing facility.
13. Romans used urine as mouthwash.
14. The American flag was designed by a 17 year-old for a school project. He got a B-.
15. It became so common to accidentally bury people alive during the 19th century that a safety coffin was invented for the "dead" to alert people above ground that they were still alive.
16. Lord Byron kept a pet bear in his dorm room while studying at Cambridge University.
17. Albert Einstein was offered the Presidency of Israel when it was formed. He declined the invitation.
18. The Anglo-Zanzibar war (August 27,1896) between the United Kingdom and the Zanzibar Sultanate is the shorted war in recorded history. It lasted 38 minutes.
19. Marie Antoinette never said "let them eat cake".
20. Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin were all nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
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