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35 Random Bits of Historical Trivia That Make Us Think Its Probably Best for A.I. to Take It From Here

We’ve had a weird run

35 Random Bits of Historical Trivia That Make Us Think Its Probably Best for A.I. to Take It From Here

January 13, 2025

After digging deep into the past, we have a sneaking suspicion that human history was all just one big fever dream. We can’t tell who this dreamer was, but they must’ve been watching some weird arthouse flick while dousing cheese in hot sauce right before bed. If we’re wrong, and this really is the best that humanity could come up with, then we’re open to a changing of the guard of sorts.

Someone (or something) with a more level head could make our future history a little more even-tempered, and that might be a nice change of pace.

35

Oysters

Oyster shells were repurposed in 1700s New York to build buildings. CRACKED COM Oysters in the 1700s were so overly abundant and popular in New York City that the discarded shells were repurposed into mortar paste to aid NY's building boom. — Source

34

Aztec Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is actually American (technically). The Aztecs and Incas of Mexico and Peru created peanut butter sometime between the 1400s and 1500s-so it is American food, but in the sense that it was invented by people from the Americas. CRACKED — Shyripa Alexandr/Shutterstock
WYTV

33

Contagious Disease

CONTAGIOUS DISEASE In the 1700s to the late 1800s, ignorant of bacteria and viruses, people blamed the recently deceased's spirit of killing their family members. So the community would open tombs to discover natural decay like bloating and bleeding from orifices and accuse them of being vampires. CRACKED — Source

32

Enrico Fermi

ACCIDENTAL DISCOVERIES NUCLEAR FISSION In 1934, Enrico Fermi made a chance discovery that changed the course of history: the slow neutron effect. This discovery was key to the development of nuclear chain reactions in 1942, and eventually to the creation of nuclear weapons. CRACKED — Source

31

Oxygen

Oxygen was 8 discovered by two O people in a span Oxygen of 2 years. 15.9994 In 1772, Carl Wilhelm Scheele was the first person to isolate oxygen, and he decided to name the element fire air. Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen in 1774, and he is often credited with the discovery because Scheele didn't publish his discovery until 1777. CRACKED.COM — 12 Uncanny Instances Of Simultaneous Invention

30

The Gold Rush

The discovery at Sutter's Mill did not start the gold rush in America. Kalal The first gold nugget in the U.S. was discovered in Little Meadow Creek,

29

The Renaissance

Greatswords aren't medieval. Two-handed greatswords became a thing in the late 1500s- during the Renaissance, not the Middle Ages. Terms like Zweihander are even more recent, and weren't used historically. — Source: The Association for Renaissance Martial Arts

28

Ancient Settlements

The discovery of the oldest human village rewrote our history. The discovery of the an- cient village of Karahan Тере has demonstrated that hunter-gatherers were building permanent settle- ments long before agricul- ture became popular around 10,000 years ago. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW — Source

27

Strange Old Games

CRACKED GOOSE PULLING People in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany used to enjoy this cruel sport that involved a tied-up goose and humans trying to yank its head. It was popular from the 1700s to the 1800s, but would - mercifully - be illegal now. — Source

26

The Middle Ages

Squirrel fur may have spread leprosy during the Middle Ages Red squirrels are the only known rodent that can carry leprosy, and researchers theorize that the disease may have come to the UK during the Middle Ages via Vikings who traded squirrel fur and meat. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW — Source: Smithsonian

25

Maple Syrup

Maple Syrup has a long history in Canada. MAPLE SYRUP A FAMILY TRADITION MAPLE SYRUP A FAMILY TRADITION First harvested from maple trees by Canada's first nation peoples, maple sap became a valuable commodity to Europeans settlers. Syrup and sugar became a major export for colonists in the 1700s and 1800s, and it's still a major Canadian industry today. CRACKED.COM — Source

24

Ancient Discoveries

The Antikythera mechanism, discovered in a shipwreck dating from around 100 ВСЕ, is incredible - a hand-cranked series of gears that predicts the movement of the planets. It was ,500 years before anyone else developed anything comparable. CRACKED — source

23

Nicholas Flamel

NICHOLAS FLAMEL The French scribe and manuscript seller from the Middle Ages isn't just a character from the Harry Potter books. Although he was a very real person with a very real tombstone, rumors started after his death that he discovered the Philospher's Stone and was immortal. CRACKED — Source: BBC

22

King Herod

WORST HISTORICAL CHILDCARE A SPECIAL DAY FOR BEATING KIDS In Medieval England, kids were given a beating on December 28th to remind them of how cruel King Herod was. That was the day that King Herod commanded for all babies under two years old to be killed. CRACKED — Giotto/Wiki Commons
History Learning Site

21

Roast Battles

In medieval England and Scotland, public insult battles were all the rage. It was called flyting, and it was basically the rap battle of its day people would insult each other in all kinds of funny and clever ways. NOW YOU KNOW CRACKED.COM — Source

20

Men’s Shoes

CRACKED.CON Men shoes 1600s Now

19

Bread Bowls

MEDIEVAL CUISINE Bread bowls aren't a recent invention Some people in the Middle Ages used pieces of breads as plates. Trenches were pieces of bread (often stale) that were slightly hollowed out before holding food. CRACKED.COM — Source: British Library

18

Spider Webs

In ancient Greece and Rome, doctors used spider webs to make bandages. CRACKED.COM Spider webs suppos- edly have natural anti- septic and anti-fungal properties, which can help keep wounds clean and prevent in- fection. — Source

17

The Blind King

A blind king fought and died in a battle during the Hundred Years War. CRACKED.COM Blind King John of Bohemia ordered his men to tie their horses to his and guide him into the battle. As the battle turned sour, he was advised to flee but he replied Far be it that the King of Bohemia should run away. — Radio Prague

16

Ancient Advertising

Ancient advertising Ancient poster ads IKAPIOC AIONYCOOAKAH Rome used mosaics to advertise businesses, and archaeologists have found signs like a property rental and a tavern ad on a wall in Greece and Italy. CRACKED — Sytilin Pavel/Shutterstock
The Daily Star

15

The Hundred Years’ War

When the Hundred Years' War started, the blind King of Bohemia wanted to fight. So he got his men to tie their own horses to his horse, and to lead him into battle. Не refused to retreat, and died in battle. CRACKED.COM — Source

14

Hatshepsut

She married her half brother CRACKED.COM At age 12, Hatshepsut married her half-brother, Thutmose II, and became queen of Egypt. When he passed away unexpectedly, she became regent for her stepson, the infant Thutmose III, and assumed powers of rulership over all of Egypt. — Source

13

Purple Pigment

It became Jewish law that any woman could divoce her husband if he became a dyer. CRACKED.COM Making a purple pigment used to dye clothes for royal- ty in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome involved harvest- ing the pigment from rotting snails, which smelled so bad that the divorce law was spe- cifically written. — Source

12

Iron Maidens

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. — Marco Rubino/Shutterstock
Live Science

11

The Civil War

During the Civil War, generals were 50% more likely to die in battle than privates. Unlike modern warfare, generals back then had to lead by example - by being the first person to charge into battle. CRACKED.COM — Source: 18 Perspective-Shifting Historical Statistics

10

Ancient Greek Battles

Ceramic Fragments ANCIENT GREECE Ancient Greeks used to sometimes write the names of their enemies on the shards. BRB writing some choice Congress mem — Source: Scientific American

9

Egyptian Cats

The first named cat- that we know of, anyway - comes from Ancient Egypt. The cat was named Nedjem (sweet, or pleasant), and lived at some point between 1479 and 1425 ВСЕ. NOW YOU KNOW CRACKED.COM — Source

8

Ancient Egypt

There were a bunch of minor, petty kingdoms throughout Ancient Egypt. They all had varying degress of independence, and some of them later provided rulers that ruled over all of Egypt. NOW YOU KNOW CRACKED.COM

7

Female Artists

Blue pigment found in the tooth of a medieval skeleton shows women were artists During the Middle Ages, women, not just monks, may have painted illuminated manuscripts. NOW YOU KNOW CRACKED.COM — NPR

6

Ancient Greek Punishment

35 Random Bits of Historical Trivia That Make Us Think Its Probably Best for A.I. to Take It From Here

5

The Middle Attic

35 Random Bits of Historical Trivia That Make Us Think Its Probably Best for A.I. to Take It From Here — Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography

4

Jordan

The capital of Jordan used to be... Philadelphia. Macedonian ruler Ptolemy Philadelphus named it after himself, some time in the 200s BC. Today, it's

3

Ancient Sausage

Sausages are older than the Bible. The first written mention of sausages is in 4,000-year-old texts from the ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia. CRAGKED

2

Roman Death Sentences

35 Random Bits of Historical Trivia That Make Us Think Its Probably Best for A.I. to Take It From Here

1

Roman Slaves

Slaves in ancient Rome weren't necessarily physical labourers or gladiators. There also were teachers, doctors and accountants.

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