Most Common Misconceptions in Human History

By Elizabeth Woods

Sometimes, it is difficult for us to distinguish fact from fiction of many historical stories because the factual information related to these events are muddled or colored by erroneous suppositions and myths. Below is five most common misconceptions that should be put an end.

Starvation was prevalent during the Great Depression

It is often believed that millions of families suffered from starvation during the Great Depression due to shortage of food and money. However, it is incorrect idea because at that time, people were able to earn the living by their ingenuity and Government’s financial supports.

The unemployed received free soup in a charity camp

The Egyptian pyramids were built by slaves

There are numerous pictures and graphic illustrations in movies or reading materials, which capture slaves building Egyptian pyramids, the great wonder of human beings. However, some excavation results show that these super structures were actually constructed by those who permanently worked for the pharaohs.

These Egyptians were very proud of their work

The Amazons cut off one of their breasts to shoot better with their bow and arrow

This ridiculous legend originated from misguided interpretations of the Amazons’ works during the 5th century when they dabbled in the dark craft of etymology. These people still shoot well without any change on their bodies.

The fact is that the Amazons didn’t cut off one of their breasts to shoot better.

Spanish flu

Contrary to common belief, the pandemic didn’t originate from Spain. It got its name mainly because at that time, Spain was home to the most transparent and reliable source of information about this disease.

Actually, Spain only provided major information related to the disease

Emperor Caligula appointed his horse as consul

The legendary love of Emperor Caligula for his horse, Incitatus has been famous from now and then but there is no evident showing that he appointed his horse as consul. Actually, he only treated the beloved horse with all luxury things that were fit for a high-ranked person.

The Incitatus was even served by many slaves

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About the Author:

I am 25 years old, and I study materials on education, likes reading and writing. In free time, I often join literature clubs and share my interest with others.

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World’s History Through Pictures

By Elizabeth Woods

World’s history encompasses the entire history of human race from early prehistory to present. Through the long history, there are so many timelines in all places on earth. Let\'s take a glimpse through the following pictures which describe the remarkable timelines of world’s history.

Cave of Lascaux

The Cave of Lascaux is well-known for its prehistoric paintings. The images show animals, hunts, and wars. The interesting fact of the picture can be described as: the hunts were drawn on the wall like a comic strip.

The stories are told from the left to the right, until the prey is captured.

Renaissance paintings

Renaissance is said to have started in the European civilization which marks the medieval period. In traditional sense, Renaissance is understood to be a zoom in the interest of classical learning and its values.

Sixteenth century witnessed the importance of artists and popular demand of movable pictures.

Photography

Louis Daguerre was a professional scene painter for the opera who had the leading intention about ways to keep the image still. Louis Daguerre formed partnership with Joseph Niepce to produce the first photographic image but the photographs quickly faded.

A few years later, Louis Daguerre himself developed “the daguerreotype” - a more convenient and effective method of photography.

Cinema

The first 49-second short “Danse Serpentine” captured a woman in very wide dress dancing on a wooden stage. Louis and Auguste Lumière successfully made flowing movements with ever changing, fascinating shapes.

The first 49-second short “Danse Serpentine” captured a woman in very wide dress dancing on a wooden stage.

The famous photo captured Lenin addressing his Red Army when they were about to go to the Polish front during the Russian Revolution.

During the summer of 1934, Philo Taylor Farnsworth (American inventor and television pioneer) together with Franklin Institute of Philadelphia conducted the first full scale demonstration of electronic television.

Charles Moore’s famous picture has strong impact on society. Captured during Birmingham Protests (1963), the sensible photo attributed significant influence to the Civil Rights movement.

Thanks to the development of photography, the whole world could graspe the ravages of Vietnam war.

The Hubble Space Telescope was sent to space in 2004 to site outside the filter of the Earth\'s atmosphere. Along with cosmological discoveries, Hubble captured visual revelations of the solar system with pinpoint clarity.

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About the Author:

I am the fan of news on society and culture. I am currently the lecturer in social major. In free time, I am fond of reading articles and joining social activities.

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Childhood of Greatest Geniuses

By Vanessa Ford

Thomas Edison, Isaac Newton, Einstein, and Napoleon are well-known worldwide as four of greatest geniuses in the world. There were many interesting stories happened during their childhood that you don’t know. For example, Newton hated farming, Einstein fell in love with his future wife when he was just a secondary school student, Napoleon was not good at French, and Edison sold newspaper and candies on a railroad.

Thomas Edison was a famous scientist who developed a lot of devices with big influences on our life. During Edison’s childhood, he was known as an inquisitive child but a poor student because his mind often wandered. Therefore, just after three months of formal education, he was pulled out of school and studied at home with his mother.

Thomas Edison

When Thomas Edison was around 12 years old, he started to lose his hearing. He also started selling newspaper and candies on the Grand Trunk Railroad from Port Huron to Detroit.

In 1997, Life magazine placed Edison first in its list of 100 Most Important People in the Last 1000 Years

Einstein was considered as the father of modern physics who is best known for his development of general relativity. Einstein was said to face early speech difficulties, but he was very excellent at the first school that he attended.

Einstein posed with his younger sister

Einstein had gradually shown his talent for mathematics. At secondary school, Einstein resented with school’s authorities and teaching method. He even was expelled from school in late 1895.

Einstein fell in love with his future wife Mileva Marić when he was a secondary school student.

Isaac Newton, the famous scientist who found the theory of gravity, was born three months after his father’s death. When Newton was born, he was so small that could have fit inside a quart mug (about 1.1 liters)

Isaac Newton

When he was about fifteen years old, his mother tried to encourage him to be a farmer. However, Newton hated farming, so he attempted to persuade his mother to send him back to school and became the top-ranked student.

This is the document about the moment when Newton discovered the theory of gravity

Napoleon was known as a French military and political leader during the latter states of the French Revolution. However, his French was not very good during his childhood. He never learned to spell French properly. Napoleon was teased by other students for his accent, so he applied himself to reading.

Napoleon was famous as Emperor of the French

Napoleon had always been distinguished for his talent in mathematics, history and geography as well.

Napoleon is considered as one of the great military in history.

Childhood of Greatest Geniuses: Thomas Edison

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About the Author:
Studying materials on education, Eric Giguere prefers reading and writing. In his spare time, Eric often joins literature clubs to share his interest with others.

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Most Astonishing Unknown Facts in World War II

By Phoenix Rose

There are many unknown events in the history of the World War II including death match, first Shot, Horst Wessel Song, ‘The third Reich’ and so on. Here is the list we compiled about the most astonishing unknown facts in WW2.

The death match

“Death Match” is one of the interesting unknown facts about World War II. The Death Match was the Soviet propaganda name for a non-official association football match in 1942 between the local workers of a bakery factory, former professional footballers from Dynamo Kyiv and Lokomotyv Kyiv called FC Start and soldiers of the Nazi German Wehrmacht named Flakelf. This is the nickname for a football match which took place on August 9, 1942 between FC Start and Flakelf. Eager to prove the superiority of the Aryan race, the Nazis forced the team to play against their Flakelf and threaten them to lose their lives if they disagree. The match was very unfair and the players of FC began to know the consequences of winning a game against the Nazis. However, they do not accept the loss of voluntarily and so the game ended 5-3 for FC Start. Then many of the Ukraine players were later arrested and sent to a labor camp.

The death match is unfair match ended with a score line that was almost guaranteed to lead to tragedy and death during the World War II

Horst Wessel Song

Horst Wessel was a 19-year-old member of the Nazi party, one of the first to join this organization. He is famous for having composed the song ‘Fly the Flag high’, which was later changed into ‘the Horst Wessel song’. It became the national hymn of the Nazi Germany and its importance was so great that a citizen was executed for keeping its hands in the pockets while the band was playing this song. The young Nazi died at the age of 23 by the hands of a jealous man, an ex-lover and pimp of his wife, a former prostitute.

Horst Wessel

Most Astonishing Unknown Facts in World War II: Horst Wessel Song

Stalag Luft III

Stalag Lust was a Luftwaffe run prisoner-of-war camp during World War II that housed captured air force servicemen. An escape Committee counting 600 persons planned to dig tunnels which were completed on March 24th 1944 after having made huge efforts and endured great dangers. However, the escape was discovered and nearly 77 prisoners managed to run away, only to be caught hours or days later. Three men only got away with it while 50 were executed.

This incident is actually not one of the unknown facts and the simple reason is that it was made into a movie, ‘The great escape’, in 1963

The Nurses

The important role of women in World War II was working mostly as nurses who were learned not to feel disgusted by the horrible wounds they had to deal with. For their courage and devotion, they were awarded around 1,619 medals as well as other types of recognitions

The Ni’ihau Incident

One of unknown facts in World War II is the Ni’ihau Incident happened on December 7, 1941, when a Japanese Zero pilot crash-landed on the Hawaiian island of Ni’ihau after participating in the attack on Pearl Harbor

The first Shot

The first shot of World War II is the name of a German training warship. With the aim of honoring the German sailors who died on a cruiser named Magdeburg in 1914, the ship was on the runway to Poland. In the early morning of September 1, 1939, the ship made a battle against the Westerplatte, composed of the Polish army barracks and ammunition storage. After that, the order “Fire” was launched and World War II begun.

Although the first shot is not a very important moment in history, this is one of the unknown facts of World War II

Japanese Fire Balloons

Fire Balloons which was made out off paper and filled up with explosives was released by Japanese in the fall of 1944. A total of 9,000 balloons were launched until April 1945, but only 1000 reached their destination and caused 6 casualties.

Japanese Fire Balloons was an unknown event of the World War II which is worth remembering as one of its few funny stories

‘The third Reich’

The first Reich (or Empire) originated in 962 A.D when Otto the Great became the Emperor of the Holly Roman Empire. Otto Von Bismarck’s Second Reich was named in 1871 after overthrowing France in the Franco-Prussian war. After that, in 1918, William II abdicated and Hitler’s third Reich lasted 12 years and four months from 1933 to 1945 when Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany.

Nazi Germany, officially the Greater German Reich or the Third Reich, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945 when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party

The Vision of a Franco-British Union

The Vision of a Franco-British Union was named by two great men, Churchill and De Gaulle. It was said to be a reasonable decision in those desperate moments, when France was about to give up. The official ‘Declaration of Union’ was “France and Great Britain shall no longer be two nations, but one Franco-British Union. The constitution of the Union will provide for joint organs of defence, foreign, financial and economic policies. Every citizen of France will enjoy immediately citizenship of Great Britain, every British subject will become a citizen of France." Unfortunately, despite a full support of the Prime Minister Paul Reynaud, the proposal was rejected by the French Cabinet, becoming one of the unknown events.

The Vision of a Franco-British Union, one of the most fascinating secrets about World War II is a concept for a union between the two independent sovereign states of the United Kingdom and the French Republic

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About the Author:
Mary Rose is currently a lecturer on society. In her free time, Mary is fond of joining social activities. Her goal is to provide up-to-date news and articles on society and culture.

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British Royal Members: Then and Now

By Vanessa Ford

The British royal family is expecting a newcomer, Kate Middleton, after the wedding between Prince William and her plans to take place at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. Let's discover images of some British royal members then and now to know how they changed through the time.

During the post WWII period in the 1950s, Queen Elizabeth was regarded to be a fairytale Queen. She is now 85 years old and plans to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee in 2012 that marks 60 years as Queen. This powerful woman is on the way to become the longest-reigning queen regnant in the history.

Queen Elizabeth in her wedding ceremony in 1947 and now

Prince Charles studied history, archeology and anthropology at Trinity College in Cambridge and then spent time in the navy and air force. His early life became center of the press. He got married twice and now lives with Lady Camila.

Prince Charles has concentrated on environmental causes, architecture and inner-city renewal

Duchess of Cornwall, Camila, and Prince Charles met at a polo match in 1970 and officially became husband and wife in 2005. Since then, she has accompanied Prince Charles on his official obligations and contributed to various charities.

In 2007, Camila refused to attend the anniversary memorial service for Princess Diana because she didn’t want to divert attention from the life and service of Charles’s first wife

Prince Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip and the Duke of York, joined the Royal Navy and experienced pilot training in his early years. He got married Sarah Ferguson in 1986 but they divorced ten years later. They have two daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie.

Prince Andrew is now the UK's special trade representative and a promoter of British business around the world

Sarah Ferguson worked for a public relations firm, an art gallery and a publishing company in her early life. She got married Prince Andrew in 1986 and became the Duchess of York. After their divorce, she is rumored to be in debt for unpaid legal fees.

She used to be dubbed “Duchess of Pork” by the tabloid press because of her overweight

Prince William, the firstborn son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana of Wales, spent much time of his early life in the military. He got engaged to his long-time girlfriend, Kate Middleton, in October 2010 and plans to walk down the aisle on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey.

Their wedding is believed to be among the most extravagant in modern times

Middleton, 30, met Prince William at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Her exact title will not be announced until the day of her wedding but she is likely to be known as a Duchess.

Kate Middleton at the age of three on a family holiday in the UK’s Lake District and now

During the teenage years, Prince Harry was regarded as the “wild child” of the royal family. The 27-year-old is a lieutenant in the British Army. He is also Counselor of State and will serve as the best man at his brother's wedding.

Prince Harry wasn’t allowed to serve at the front line in Iraq because he was a high-value target

Princess Beatrice, the first daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah Ferguson, studies history at Goldsmiths, University of London. She is famous for her contribution to charity work.

She has already visited Russian children infected with HIV and supported the Teenage Cancer Trust

About the Author:
Mary Rose is currently a lecturer on society. In her free time, Mary is fond of joining social activities. Her goal is to provide up-to-date news and articles on society and culture.

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Seven Real Legendary Pirates of the Caribbean

By Vanessa Ford

The famous fictional character Captain Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" isn’t possibly unfamiliar to people, especially cinema-goers. But long before this character hit the box office, some real legendary pirates controlled the Caribbean.

Blackbeard Edward Teach

Edward Teach, who got nickname “Blackbeard” due to his long and black beard, is not only one of the characters in the 2011 blockbuster “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" but also among real legendary pirates ever of the Caribbean. He possessed a 300-ton frigate with 40 guns and often arrested rich ships to build his wealth.

In 1718, Teach and his crew were attacked by experienced naval commander Lieutenant Robert Maynard, who was commissioned by Governor of Virginia, Alexander Spotswood. As a result, the pirate was killed in the raid.

More than 20 wounds from gunshots and swords were found on his body after his death

Henry Morgan

Henry Morgan, who was born in Wales in 1635, was regarded as the most notorious buccaneer of all time though he was also known for his bravery and leadership. Morgan moved from his mother land to Jamaica to seek fortune and fame when he was a young man.

The pirate earned his wealth, led an army and developed his reputation in campaigns against the Spanish and Dutch by arresting enemy ships and sacking their towns.

Morgan retired peacefully and died in 1688

Black Bart

Bartholomew Roberts, also known as Black Bart, established the reputation as one of the most successful pirates in history by capturing almost 500 ships during his career.

Besides, he was notorious for his ruthlessness. In one case, for example, he punished the captain of a slave ship, who refused to pay a ransom, by setting fire to the ship with all of the slaves still inside.

In 1722, Roberts died during a battle with the HMS Swallow

William "Captain" Kidd

The history of piracy witnessed violent attacks of Captain William Kidd, who was born in 1645, and his crew. He even killed his own gunner, William Moore.

In January 1698, Kidd captured a ship that belonged to British East India Company, loaded with gold, silver, silks and other valuables. The pirate was arrested in Boston after traveling to the city with the false promise of clemency for his crimes.

Kidd was sentenced to hang on May 23, 1701

Anne Bonny and Mary Read

Anne Bonny and Mary Read were two typical examples to prove that they could do as well as men did. Anne Bonny, whose husband was Captain John "Calico Jack" Rackham, was well-known for her success as a pirate and her effectiveness in combat though she didn’t command a ship.

In 1720, Bonny and Rackham allowed Mary Read to join their crew. But the fall of the same year, the trio were captured. Rackham was executed while Bonny and Read could keep their lives because they were pregnant.

Read was killed by complications from a fever related to childbird. Anne Bonny was unknown after she escaped from the prison

Francois L'Ollonais

The most bloodthirsty pirate title belonged to French buccaneer Francois L'Ollonais, who was notorious for the manner he treated his prisoners. For instance, L'Ollonais cut out the heart of one of his Spanish captives and started taking bites out of it in front of his other prisoners to imply that he would kill and eat them all if he didn't get the information he wanted.

Some months after the event, he was ironically killed and possibly eaten by a native tribe

Blackbeard: One of Seven Real Legendary Pirates of the Caribbean

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About the Author:
Mary Rose is currently a lecturer on society. In her free time, Mary is fond of joining social activities. Her goal is to provide up-to-date news and articles on society and culture.

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French Designer Louis Reard and History of Bikini

By Elisa 11

A daring two-piece swimsuit was unveiled by French designer Louis Reard at Piscine Molitor on July 5, 1946. The name bikini was inspired by a news- making U.S atomic test. European women began wearing these suits in the 1930s. In the United States, the swimsuit first appeared during World War II.

In 1946, French designers came up with fashion to match the first war-free summer in years. Reard created a smaller bathing suit and called it the bikini which was named after the Bikini Atoll. Micheline Bernardini exotic dancer modeled his creation. However, his new swimsuit was not welcomed due to public beliefs especially in Spain and Italy. In the 1950s, the swimsuit became popular on European beaches. In the 1960s, Brian Hyland sang "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini" to immortalize the swimsuit. Since then, bikini has continued to become more and more popular.

First two-piece bathing suits consisted of a halter top and shorts in the 1930s

Western Europeans joyously greeted the first war-free summer in 1946.

French designer Reard encountered difficulty in finding model for the debut of his new swimsuit.

Stripper Micheline Bernardini modeled one of the first modern bikinis

The bikini was a hit, especially among men

Marilyn Monroe

In 1957, Brigitte Bardot wore bikini and danced in the film "And God Created Woman"

Bikini has continued to become more and more popular

French fashion historian Olivier Saillard believes that the bikini is perhaps the most popular female beachwear around the globe.

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About the Author:
Louis Brown lives in California, where he enjoys writing articles on a variety of subjects, especially lifestyle. By trade, he is a user interface designer.

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