10 Random Historical Facts

10 Random Historical Facts

1:The Titanic's Owners Never Said the Ship Was "Unsinkable"

Despite what James Cameron's iconic 1997 film may have you believe, the owners never said that it could never sink. Historian Richard Howells said that "the population as a whole were unlikely to have thought of the Titanic as a unique, unsinkable ship before its maiden voyage."

2:There Were More Than 600 Plots to Kill Fidel Castro

Yes, 600. The Cuban dictator was targeted to be killed by a large range of foes, including political opponents, criminals, and even the United States, among many others. Tactics included everything from an exploding cigar to a poisoned diving suit.

3:President Abraham Lincoln is in the Wrestling Hall of Fame

Before the 16th president took office, Abraham Lincoln was declared a wrestling champion. The 6'4" president had only one loss among his around 300 contests. He earned a reputation for this in New Salem, Illinois, as an elite fighter. Eventually, he earned his county's wrestling championships.

4:John Adams Was the First President to Live In the White House

While the White House was under construction during Washington's term, he never lived there. It wasn't until John Adams took office that a president lived there. Interestingly enough, George Washington is the only president to date who has not lived in the White House.

5:Cars Weren't Invented in the United States

No, it wasn't Henry Ford's Model T in 1908. The first car actually was created in the 19th Century when European engineers Karl Benz and Emile Levassor were working on automobile inventions. Benz patented the first automobile in 1886.

6:Columbus Didn't Actually Discover America

No, this European explorer did not discover America. Columbus was 500 years too late. In fact, it was the Norse explorer Leif Erikson who landed on American shores during the 10th century. Erikson could be considered the first European to discover America.

7:Witches Weren't Actually Burned at the Stake In Salem

The witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts, lasted between February 1692 and May 1693. Nearly 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft, including the homeless, the elderly, and a four-year-old girl. The majority were jailed, and some were hanged. But none of these people ever got burned alive.

8:Marie Antoinette Never Said, "Let Them Eat Cake"

A version of this quote originally came from the autobiography of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, where it was mentioned a princess said this phrase. It would later be attributed to Antoinette. Though it's highly unlikely she actually said it.

9:Basically Everything About Thanksgiving Is a Lie

You know that happy meal between Native Americans and the Pilgrims where everyone bonded? Well, the real story of Thanksgiving is awful, and actually consisted of plagues and violence and murder. Also, there's no evidence turkey was actually served—or that native people were invited to the meal.

10:Turkeys Were Once Worshipped Like Gods

While the turkey is currently America's favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal, in 300 B.C., these big birds were heralded by the Mayan people as vessels of the gods and were honored as such, so much so that they were domesticated to have roles in religious rites. They were symbols of power and prestige and can be found everywhere in Maya iconography and archaeology.