Trivia & Jokes

25 of the Funniest Ways People Became Scarred for Life

Science & History

The Most Important Things That Were Just Pulled Out of the Sea

Trivia & Jokes

20 Times People Accidentally Broke Up a Couple

Science & History

31 Predictions That Panned Out in Surprising Ways

Trivia & Jokes

35 Random Bits of Trivia to Set Loose in Your Brain Like a Bunch of Battling Beyblades

29 Wild Historical Moments That Didn’t Make the Cut in History Class

What dolt chose to leave these out of our history books?

29 Wild Historical Moments That Didn’t Make the Cut in History Class

February 13, 2024

Imagine compiling a history book and leaving out fun little gems like these! Didn’t those snobbish historians think that fun facts would help grasp our attention in class? Obviously not, because the snore-inducers they gathered up had us, well, snoring. No ZZZs today, kiddos. It’s time for the wild historical moments they foolishly left out!

Click right here to get the best of Cracked sent to your inbox.

29

The earliest pillows CRACKED.COM were made of stone. Ancient Egyptian Pillow Neck-rests from Tutankhamen's tomb Ancient Chinese Pillow Originally more about keeping the head away from crawling bugs or protecting an elaborate hairstyle during sleep than a cushion, they evolved into elaborate works of art for the wealthy. They only become a cloth-covered stuffing-filled accessory after the textile revolution. — Source

28

Ariel-1, Britain's very first satellite, was put into orbit on April 26, 1962. It was accidentally destroyed weeks later after the US military detonated a 1.4 megaton nuclear weapon called Starfish-Prime in the upper atmosphere. GRACKED.COM — Source

27

When people think of Joan of Arc being burned at the stake it's usually for the crime of being a witch. In actuality she was burned alive for wearing men's clothing, the only thing she was ever formally charged with. CRACKED.COM — Source

26

Like wearing pajamas? You have WWI air raids to thank. In WWI, people were being driven out of their homes by night-time air raids, and they needed warm, practical, and decent-looking sleepwear. So pajamas became hugely popular: they were loose, covered you up, and could be very stylish. CRACKED.COM — Source

25

Isaac Newton was a waiter. Until he got an undergraduate scholarship, he waited tables at Cambridge. CRACKED.COM — Source

24

Astronauts reported Santa BETTER WATCH OUT CRACKED.COM TO In December 1965, astronauts aboard Gemini 6A reported a UFO, with its pilot wearing a red suit. Then they rang bells and played Jingle Bells on the harmonica. — Source

23

Abandoned Rear HOLY SHIT AbundonadReis GRAGKED.COM In World War I, French villagers mistook a latrine pit labeled Abandoned Rear for an American grave. Decades later, they still maintained and honored the grave. — Source

22

The Shortest War NOT THE 100-YEAR WAR GRACKED.COM In 1896, a British warship fired on Sultan Khalid's palace in Zanzibar. By 9:40am, he lowered his flag. And so ended the Anglo-Zanzibar War, which lasted 38 minutes. — Source

21

The Kettle War SALTY SAILORS CRACKED.COM In 1784, Austria attacked the Dutch by sea. A small Dutch ship fired a single shot, which toppled a kettle of soup, soaking the Austrians and making them surrender. — Source

20

The Cornfield Bomber F-106 DELTA DART U.S.AIR FORCE GRAGKED.COM In 1970, pilot Gary Foust ejected after his jet entered a flat spin at 15,000 feet. The jet, on its own, recovered, landed smoothly in a field, then returned to service. — Source

19

Corporal Jackie IT WAS EARTH ALL ALONG CRACKED.COM During World War I, a baboon named Jackie was enlisted in the South African Infantry Brigade. Among other things, he would stand at attention and salute superior officers. — Source

18

The Lonely Tree FAILED DRIVING TEST CRACKED.COM The Tree of Ténéré in Niger stood totally isolated in the desert, the only landmark in 250 miles for 300 years. Until 1973, when a truck managed to crash into it. — Source

17

Battle of Chosin Reservoir 100tsie HOW MANY LICKS Roll® Tootsie us MADE OIL AVORS CRACKED.COM US Marines faced thousands of Chinese in North Korea and radioed for mortar shells, using the codeword Tootsie rolls. HQ misunderstood and dropped actual Tootise rolls. — Source

16

The Viking Hastein GET HELP CRACKED COM Hastein entered a Roman city by arriving on a stretcher with his men asking for aid. The Romans let them through the gates, then the Vikings sacked the city. — Source

15

Antonio López de Santa Anna LEGENDARY CRACKED.COM Mexico's 8th president needed his leg amputated when the French shot a cannon at him. Не gave the leg a full state funeral (then protesters dug it up again). — Source

14

William Shakespeare CRACKED.COM Shakespeare left the bulk of his estate to his eldest daughter but left his second best bed to his wife. Sounds weird, but this was common practice for the time, with children receiving the best of the furniture. — Source

13

Charles Dickens CRACKED COM Dickens was a very fashion-conscious man who instructed in his will that those who attend my funeral wear no scarf, cloak, black bow, long hat-band, or other such revolting absurdity. — Source

12

Napoleon Bonaparte CRACKED.COM In his very detailed will, he requested that his hair be preserved and made into several bracelets with a little gold clasp for his friends and family. — Source

11

Harry Houdini CRACKED COM Before he died, the magician and his wife created a secret way to communicate to test whether seances were real. After his death, his wife held unsuccessful seances for a decade. — Source

10

Frisbee Creator Ed Headrick WORLD KARA WORLD Through CLASS CHAMPIONS FLYING DISC 165 G. CRACKED.COM Per his request, Headrick's ashes were molded into frisbees and given to his family and friends. — Source

9

Henry Ford tried to end WWI by sailing to Europe on a Peace Ship. Не sailed with a group of pacifists and reporters, planning to convince European soldiers to go on strike. When they landed, they were greeted by eight college students in total. The half-million-dollar expedition ended in failure and ridicule. Ford told the pacifists he couldn't go on to Stockholm because he was sick, and then he sailed home on an ocean liner. CRACKED.COM — Source

8

Leonardo da Vinci fought for animal welfare. Leonardo had a habit of buying caged birds at the marketplace just to release them. Не was furious about the fact that humans raise animals just to slaughter them, and apparently refused to eat meat. CRACKED.COM — Source

7

CRACKED.COM THE FBI KEPT FILES ON... LUCILLE BALL The FBI had a 156-page file on the comedian. In 1936, she registered as a Communist Party member. During Hollywood's Red Scare, this haunted her career. — Source

6

CRACKED.COM THE FBI KEPT FILES ON... ARETHA FRANKLIN The FBI spent years surveilling Franklin's involvement in the civil rights movement. The Queen of Soul performed and attended events organized by the NAACP and SCLC. Her father C.L. Franklin, a close friend of Martin Luther King, Jr., was also closely monitored. — Source

5

CRACKED.COM THE FBI KEPTS FILES ON... MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. The FBI closely monitored and harassed the civil rights activist, going so far to send an anonymous letter (delivered to his wife) attempting to blackmail MLK into killing himself or they would release audiotapes of his sexual indiscretions. Consider that next time the FBI tweets meaningless well wishes on Martin Luther King Day. — Source

4

CRACKED.COM THE FBI KEPT FILES ON... JACKIE ROBINSON The baseball legend's files include his work for the civil rights movement and supposed potential Communist ties (that he publicly denounced). — Source

3

GRAGKED.COM THE FBI KEPT FILES ON... THE MONKEES The FBI started a file on the made-for-TV pop group in 1967 after they showed pictures and messages protesting Vietnam during a concert. There's a second document that's fully redacted that the last living member of the group is filing a lawsuit in order to see. — Source

2

CRACKED.COM THE FBI KEPT FILES ON... MUHAMMAD ALI An FBI break-in by activists led to exposure of the FBI's secret Counterintelligence Program which illegally targeted groups and people of interest in the civil rights movement, including Muhammad Ali. That break-in was ironically timed with The Fight of the Century, featuring Ali himself, with the assurance that the fight would keep the agents glued to their screens. — Source

1

CRACKED.COM THE FBI HAD FILES ON... JOHN LENNON The FBI started a file in 1971 when the former Beatle traveled to New York on a visa to meet up with anti-war activists. The FBI proposed that Lennon should be arrested, if at all possible, on possession of narcotics charges which would make him more immediately deportable. The file includes a wanted poster for Lennon, but, despite having one of the most famous faces, they used a photo of another guy who had similar glasses. — Source

Tags:

Visual

Scroll down for the next article

Must Read

Movies & TV

Richard Lewis and Don Rickles Starred in the Bizarro ‘Frasier’

Movies & TV

‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ Fans Just Started the Funniest JFK Conspiracy Theory Yet

Movies & TV

Kaitlin Olson Originally Passed on ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ Because Dee Wasn’t as Funny as the Guys

Trivia & Jokes

12 Trivia Tidbits for Thursday, May 9, 2024

Trivia & Jokes

40 Random Bits of Trivia to Quell the Tempest of Ignorance Brewing Inside of You

Trivia & Jokes

38 of the Funniest Tweets from Thursday, May 9, 2024

VIRAL ON CRACKED

1

21 Things You Used To Love (That Have NOT Aged Well)

2

40 Random Bits of Trivia to Quell the Tempest of Ignorance Brewing Inside of You

3

38 Random Bits of Trivia to Stir Into Your Brain Like a Packet of Kool-Aid

4

19 Mind-Blowing Facts That Seem Like Bullsh#t (But Aren't)

5

The 7 Most Horrifying Things Ever Discovered in a Human Body