Genghis Khan exempted the poor and clergy from taxes, encouraged literacy, and established free religion, leading many peoples to join his empire before they were even conquered.
28
Ma Yu Ching’s Bucket Chicken House in Kaifeng, China is considered the world’s oldest operating restaurant, first opening in 1153 AD during the Jing Dynasty.
12
"Yo momma" jokes/insults were invented by Shakespeare.
39
Beethoven, was told by a music teacher that he had no talent for music. In fact, this teacher once remarked, “As a composer he is hopeless.”
184
Instead of McDonald's tearing down a ~200-year-old Georgian mansion, citizens of a small NY town forced them to renovate it instead, resulting in a uniquely historic franchise location.
8
Just before the US started bombing Baghdad, nearly $1 billion dollars was stolen from the Central Bank of Iraq and is now the largest bank robbery in history.
158
Shakespeare invented over 1,700 words that we use today.
17
An underwater forest off the coast of Alabama that is 50,000 years old was uncovered by Hurricane Katrina.
16