Top Ten Historical Misconceptions
We all grew up learning the same stories in school and hearing the same tales of explorers, pilgrims, colonization, and expansion. Many of those stories are not historically accurate though. Some were taken from authors who intentionally used creative license to sell their works while others were due to mistranslations and misunderstandings.Below are some of the biggest historical misconceptions with the descriptions being the more accurate account of what happened. Let's try to keep history accurate and historical instead of the propaganda it has become.
In fact, Napolean was slightly taller than the average Frenchman of his time. The problem comes from the difference between French inches and English Inches. He was actually about 5 foot 7 inches tall.
This could be a result of there being so many tall men being use in the military, so that he appeared short in comparison.
Napoleon was actually around 5'6 / 5'7 which was actually pretty average for his time.
While people did typically live shorter lives back then than we do now, the average age of 30 comes mainly due to infant mortality rates. Once a person survived childhood, their life expectancy was usually around 64 years total.
His dentures were made of gold, hippopotamus ivory, lead, animal teeth, and probably human teeth from slaves.
There is no evidence that Iron Maidens ever existed in the Middle Ages or that they were used for torture. Instead they were pieced together in the 18th century from several artifacts found in museums in order to create spectacular objects intended for (commercial) exhibition.
Another invention taken from Tesla. Tesla sued him for that and won the battle and the rulling said he is the true inventor of the radio.
This came from use of the word "Vomitorium" which people assume meant a room for vomiting. In fact, it just means an entryway like those used at modern day stadiums. You walk through a vomitorium every time you enter or exit a large stadium.
If they actually did that in real life, it would be dangerous!
Knowledge of a round Earth dates back to ancient Greek philosophers and was common knowledge by most intellectual Europeans.
Its just the people before Columbus era and the Flat Earth Society nowadays.
Besides the Vikings, it was a probably true that Phoenicians and Polynesians made it.
Most existing chastity belts are now thought to be deliberate fakes or anti-masturbatory devices from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Most theologians believe he was born in the Spring.
In fact, Einstein said, "I never failed in mathematics... Before I was fifteen I had mastered differential and integral calculus." He did fail the entrance exam to the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School his first time but then again he was 2 years younger than his peers and scored exceptionally well in math and science.
By the time Coca-Cola began using Santa Claus's image in the 1930s, Santa Claus had already taken his modern form in popular culture and had been used extensively by other companies in their advertising.
Let's be real here, Lincoln didn't care whether or not slaves were freed as long as the Union held together. The war was really about the Northern and Southern elites fighting over which economic system would prosper. On the contrast, Robert E. Lee was a far bigger opponent of slavery who only sided with the Confederates because it was too painful to betray his homeland.
There are no records of people being burned at the stake during the Salem Witch Trials. The Accused were either hanged or died while in prison.
More died in prison than were hanged.
He Actually never existed, he's a fictional character that was created by the founders of "his" school.