History Facts

    Random History Facts

    There are 163 History Facts!

    There's no evidence that pirates made people walk the plank.
    151
    Knocker-Up
    Knocker-Up
    Until the 1920s, there was a profession called 'knocker-up', which involved going from client to client and tapping on their windows (or banging on their doors) with long sticks until they woke up.
    46
    Shortest War
    Shortest War
    The shortest war on record was fought between Zanzibar and England in 1896. Zanzibar surrendered after 38 minutes.
    540
    In 1918, after the treaty of Versailles (end of WWI), the French Commander-in-chief said "This is not a peace. It is an Armistice for 20 years." 20 years and 65 days later, WWII happened.
    31
    A baboon called Jackie became a private in the South African army in World War I.
    65
    The handbook issued to US soldiers in Britain during WW2 included the line "The British don't know how to make a good cup of coffee. You don't know how to make a good cup of tea. It's an even swap."
    23
    Ancient Greeks believed that redheads turned into vampires after they died.
    40
    No one knows how many people died during the sinking of the Titanic.
    11