History Facts

    Random History Facts

    There are 163 History Facts!

    Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history: spades - King David, clubs - Alexander the Great, hearts - Charlemagne, and diamonds - Julius Caesar.
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    Napoleon Bonaparte thought torture should be abolished because the information obtained from it is worthless.
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    Candle Clocks
    Candle Clocks
    Before clocks, there were candle clocks that when burned, indicated the passage of periods of time. To set an alarm, you pushed a nail into the desired point and the nail would fall and clank on the metal holder.
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    585 BC Solar Eclipse
    585 BC Solar Eclipse
    In 585 BC, a solar eclipse occurred in the middle of a battle between the Lydians and the Medes. They promptly ceased fighting and signed a peace treaty.
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    In Ancient Egypt, some people paid their taxes in honey.
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    English sailors were referred to as "limeys" because sailors added lime juice to their diet to combat scurvy.
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    Roman Farting Edict
    Roman Farting Edict
    After hearing of a man who almost died from holding in farts whilst dining, Emperor Claudius is said to have proclaimed an edict that allowed Romans to fart at the dinner table.
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    Modern humans first appeared about 200,000 years ago, but record keeping didn't begin until about 6,000 years ago. That means about 97% of human history is lost.
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