12 Farm-Fresh Trivia Tidbits for Friday, November 22, 2024

The Complicated History of Billy Crystal’s Sammy Davis Jr. Impression

The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson Mourns the Death of the Brilliant ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ Composer Andy Paley

Exclusive: The Voice of Milhouse, Pamela Hayden, on Why It Was Time to Leave ‘The Simpsons’

35 of the Funniest Tweets from Friday, November 22, 2024

27 Lies We Were Fed With A Very Large Spoon

Quick question for our old history professor... How dare you?!?!

27 Lies We Were Fed With A Very Large Spoon

November 19, 2023

You don’t even know how lucky you are right now. While the rest of the world struts around believing that reaching 90-years-old is some new thing, you’ll know the truth. Evidence shows that it has been done for the past 160,000 years. So now that you know, you can immediately judge the people who don’t! It feels great!

27

BELIEF: George Washington had wooden teeth. Washington had bad TRUTH: teeth and wore dentures made of human and animal teeth and alloys. His dentures may have been stained, making them appear wooden. CRACKED.COM — Source

26

Pilgrims

BELIEF: Pilgrims wore all black and buckle hats. Pilgrims dressed mostly TRUTH: in earth tones and would wear hats but without buckles. The fashion stereotype is probably based on one man, Edward Winslow. CRACKED.COM — Source

25

BELIEF: Henry Ford invented the automobile and/or the assembly line. TRUTH: Henry Ford didn't invent either. However, the Ford Company developed the moving assembly line for automobiles. CRACKED.COM — Source

24

- Coca-Cola invented BELIEF: Santa Claus as we know him. TRUTH: In 1836, illustrator Thomas Nast originated the classic imagery of Santa Claus in a red suit, by combining him with Uncle Sam. CRACKED.COM — Source

23

BELIEF: Albert Einstein failed math classes. Einstein confirmed he TRUTH: never failed math and was at the top of his class. CRACKED.COM — Source

22

BELIEF: Many stock brokers jumped out of windows when the market collapsed. There were two jumping TRUTH: suicides between the crash and 1929. The myth of the common Wall Street suicide originated with a comedian's quip. CRACKED.COM — Source

21

Great Work, Mr. Stetson

BELIEF: Cowboy hats were worn in beginning of the Western American frontier. TRUTH: The cowboy hat didn't become popular until after the American Civil War, thanks to heavy advertising by the hat manufacturer John В. Stetson. CRACKED.COM — Source

20

CRACKED The Gettysburg Address was scribbled down in a rush. Abraham Lincoln took a lot of time to write the Gettysburg Address, talking it over with people he knew. There are five copies of the speech still around, and none of them are written on envelopes. — Source

19

CRACKED You-had- -to-be- borna knight. It's a common misconception that knights were born into their title. In reality, knighthood was a privilege that was earned through brave acts or service, and could even be bought or granted as a reward. — Source

18

The Middle Ages

CRACKED Iron-maidens were-used in the Middle Ages. People in the Middle Ages weren't as barbaric as people think. The idea that they used iron maidens was made up in the 18th century. — Source

17

CRACKED Old people used to be rare. Contrary to popular belief, people in the past could live to be quite old. Archaeological evidence and records show that humans have been able to reach their 70s, 80s, and even 90s for the past 160,000 years. — Source

16

CRACKED The Pyramids of Giza were built by slaves. It's not true that slaves built the Great Pyramids of Giza. Archaeological research has shown that the people who constructed them were paid workers, not slaves. — Source

15

CRACKED Napoleon was short. Napoleon was actually the same height as most Frenchmen during his time, which was a bit over 5'5. This misunderstanding probably comes from British artist James Gillray's cartoons, which made fun of Napoleon by making him look small and mean. — Source

14

Ancient Greece

CRACKED Ancient Greek- statues-were-white. Ancient Greek statues weren't just white marble. They were actually painted in bright colors and designs, which just vanished over time. — Source

13

CRACKED.COM MYTH: The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4th. It was drafted on June 11 and 28, presented to Congress on July 2, and revised on July 3 and 4. It was adopted by the Congress on July 4th. However, John Hancock didn't lay his big ol' signature down until August 4th. — Source

12

CRACKED.COM MYTH: Immigrants' last names were Americanized on Ellis Island Officials at Ellis Island didn't record names onto paper. Changes to names were made later, by the immigrants themselves. — Source

11

CRACKED.COM MYTH: Martin Luther King Jr. was a beloved leader during his life. King was an incredibly famous yet divisive figure. At the year of his death, he had an unfavorable rating of 63%. The FBI even attempted to blackmail him to commit suicide. Within civil rights circles, he was criticized for both being too radical and not radical enough. — Source

10

CRACKED.COM MYTH: Betsy Ross created the first American flag There's no evidence to suggest this, aside from her grandson's account. Historians have confirmed that she made flags for the Pennsylvania State Navy Board. — Source

9

CRACKED.COM MYTH: The Pilgrims definitely landed on Plymouth Rock It wasn't until 121 years after William Bradford & Co. set foot on land that there's any mention of the granite. A son of a Pilgrim told of its signification, but the only surviving firsthand accounts make no mention of it. — Source

8

CRACKED.COM MYTH: The Founding Fathers were Christians. No matter who you include as a Founding Father, not all of them were Christian. Deism (which prioritizes human experience and rationality over religious dogma and texts) had a huge influence during their time. — Source

7

CRACKED.COM MYTH: Cowboys are uniquely American The original cowboys were Mexican cattlemen, known as vaqueros, who predate America cowboys. They taught future American cowboys how to do everything that's now considered classic cowboy, and eventually one in three cowboys were Mexican vaqueros. — Source

6

CRACKED BURNING AT THE STAKE AT THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS People often think that witches were burned at the stake during the Salem Witch Trials, but that's not true. In reality, 19 of the accused were hanged and one was pressed to death with heavy stones. — Source

5

CRACKED MARIE ANTOINETTE SAYING LET THEM EAT CAKE Marie Antoinette supposedly said this when she heard peasants were very hungry. But it's likely that something like this phrase was actually said by Maria Theresa, the Spanish princess who married Louis XIV a century before Marie Antoinette's time. — Source

4

CRACKED CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS PROVING THE EARTH WAS ROUND. Christopher Columbus didn't set out to prove the Earth was round, because educated people already knew it was a sphere in the 15th century. — Source

3

The Middle Ages

CRACKED EVERLAST CHASTITY BELTS IN THE MIDDLE AGES In the Middle Ages, people talked about chastity belts as a way to keep women faithful. But the truth is, not many of these belts actually existed back then. The references to them in writing were probably just symbolic. — Source

2

CRACKED VIBRATORS AS TREATMENT FOR HYSTERIA It's a common misconception that Victorian doctors used vibrators to treat female hysteria, but there's no proof that this was ever a regular medical practice at all. — Source

1

CRACKED THE DESTRUCTION OF THE LIBRARY OF ALEXANDRIA The Library of Alexandria wasn't destroyed in one big event, but over a long period of time. Fires, lack of care, and the fact that papyrus scrolls were becoming outdated all played a part in its destruction. — Source

Scroll down for the next article

Must Read

Science & History

The Christmas Song That’s Actually a Thanksgiving Song — No, the Other One

Trivia & Jokes

23 of the Funniest Art Pieces Made by Kids

Trivia & Jokes

45 Random Bits of Trivia to Pull-Start Any Conversation Like A Rickety Old Lawnmower

Comedy

Anthony Jeselnik Says Tony Hinchcliffe Is ‘A Troll Basking in the Shadow of Joe Rogan’

Movies & TV

Spinal Tap Reveals What They’ve Been Doing Since the First Movie

Movies & TV

21 Supposedly Good Guys Who Were Worse Than Villains

VIRAL ON CRACKED

1

22 Popular Products That Were Clearly Designed By Idiots

2

The Vast Wealth Inequality of Late Night

3

15 Dead Characters That Nobody Mourned

4

35 of the Funniest Tweets from Friday, November 22, 2024

5

Gilbert Gottfried’s Five Best Dirty Jokes, According to His Widow