History is filled with remarkable events, surprising discoveries, and incredible twists of fate. Some facts may leave you in awe, while others might challenge what you thought you knew. Here are some of the most intriguing facts from history that you probably didn’t learn in school.
1. The Great Fire of London Killed the Plague
The Great Fire of London in 1666 was a catastrophe that destroyed much of the city. However, it had an unexpected benefit—it helped end the bubonic plague. The fire burned down the crowded and unsanitary areas where rats and fleas (which carried the plague) thrived, effectively stopping the spread of the disease.
2. Napoleon Was Once Attacked by Bunnies
Napoleon Bonaparte, the famed French military leader, was once ambushed by an army of rabbits. His men had gathered thousands of rabbits for a grand hunt, but when released, the rabbits didn’t flee. Instead, they ran towards Napoleon, overwhelming him with sheer numbers. It turned out that his attendants had mistakenly collected tame rabbits, which associated humans with food rather than fear.
3. Ancient Egyptians Had the First Known Labor Strike
Workers in ancient Egypt building the tombs of pharaohs weren’t always treated fairly. In 1159 BCE, during the reign of Ramses III, laborers at Deir el-Medina stopped working because they had not received their wages—mostly grain. They staged what is considered the first recorded labor strike in history by refusing to work until they were paid.
4. The Eiffel Tower Can Grow Taller in Summer
One of the most famous landmarks in the world, the Eiffel Tower, actually changes height! Due to the expansion of iron when exposed to heat, the tower can grow up to 6 inches (15 cm) taller in the summer. Similarly, it shrinks in winter as the metal contracts.
5. The Shortest War in History Lasted Only 38 Minutes
The Anglo-Zanzibar War of 1896 holds the record for the shortest war in history. When the British Empire demanded the Sultan of Zanzibar step down, he refused, leading to a military conflict. The British forces bombarded his palace, and within 38 to 45 minutes, the war was over, with the Sultan surrendering.
6. Hitler Was Once a Time Magazine Man of the Year
In 1938, before World War II escalated, Time magazine named Adolf Hitler as its “Man of the Year.” The title was not meant as an honor but rather as a recognition of the most influential person of that year, regardless of whether their influence was good or bad. The next year, the title went to Joseph Stalin.
7. Cleopatra Lived Closer to the Moon Landing Than the Pyramids
When people think of ancient Egypt, they often imagine Cleopatra and the pyramids together. However, Cleopatra (69–30 BCE) lived closer in time to the Moon landing in 1969 than to the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza (built around 2560 BCE). That’s a span of about 2,500 years between the pyramids and Cleopatra, but only 2,000 years between her and modern space travel.
8. Vikings Reached America Before Columbus
Long before Christopher Columbus set foot in the Americas in 1492, Norse explorer Leif Erikson had already arrived. Around 1000 CE, Erikson and his Viking crew landed in what is now Newfoundland, Canada, nearly 500 years before Columbus. The settlement, known as Vinland, didn’t last long, but it proves that Europeans had reached North America long before Columbus’ famous voyage.
9. Tomatoes Were Once Considered Poisonous
In the 1700s, many Europeans believed tomatoes were toxic because people who ate them would get sick and sometimes die. The real issue was not the tomato itself but the pewter plates used by the wealthy, which contained lead. The acidic tomatoes would leach lead from the plates, causing poisoning. Meanwhile, the lower classes, who ate from wooden plates, had no such issues and continued eating tomatoes without harm.
10. A Man Survived Two Atomic Bombs
Tsutomu Yamaguchi is officially recognized as a survivor of both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings during World War II. He was in Hiroshima when the first bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945, and suffered burns but survived. He then traveled to Nagasaki for work—just in time to witness the second bombing on August 9. Despite these horrific experiences, he lived until the age of 93.
Conclusion
History is full of fascinating and unexpected twists. From Viking explorers to strange royal mishaps, these stories remind us that the past is anything but boring. Which of these facts surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments!
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