Random History Facts

    107 facts tagged with History Facts

    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
    In 1700s, the deer skin was a common medium of exchange between the trading settlers and the native Red Indians in America. This is how a buck became a slang for a dollar.
    28
    1054 AD Supernova
    1054 AD Supernova
    In the year 1054 AD, there was an explosion in the sky so bright that it was visible for 23 days straight, even during the day.
    42
    Pierre Jaquet-Droz, a watchmaker, 240 years ago invented a robot that could write, and the parts could be interchanged to say whatever you want.
    13
    In Ancient Greece, small penises were desirable, and big ones were for ‘old men and barbarians’
    22
    In 1799, a boy found a 17lb. rock in a creek in North Carolina and used it as a doorstop. It was actually gold.
    34
    Alexander Selkirk
    Alexander Selkirk
    Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish sailor, was left stranded on a deserted island in 1704, but survived for over 4 years, partly by using feral cats to protect him from ravenous rats that attacked during the night.
    49
    An underwater forest off the coast of Alabama that is 50,000 years old was uncovered by Hurricane Katrina.
    16