Funny/Wierd History Facts

Sims2789

Fool me once...
Joined
Oct 26, 2002
Messages
7,874
Location
California
well, here we go...

California is the only state to rebel against the government alone(1848). I heard that in 1850 we declared independence, but withdrew our claim 3 months later after feeling that we had made our point, but that source is questionable.

The guy on the $10 bill is from Jamaca.

Nazi Germany originally oposed Japans invasion of China in 1931. The USA and Germany both sent military advisors to China. The US also sent air support(The Flying Tigers).

The Mughal Empire and the United States co-existed.

The Confederate Army wasn't segregated. Some 50,000 blacks fought for them, 13,000 in combat roles. By the end of the war, however, they had created all-black units.

The slang word "hooker," which means prostitute, was gotten from the US civil-war general Joseph T. Hooker. He hired prostitutes for his army to keep up troop morale. They started being called, "Hooker's girls" which was eventually shortened to "hooker." The name stuck.
 
The slang word "hooker," which means prostitute, was gotten from the US civil-war general Joseph T. Hooker. He hired prostitutes for his army to keep up troop morale. They started being called, "Hooker's girls" which was eventually shortened to "hooker." The name stuck.

Funny one who obsesses over pimps would mention that.;)\

Anyways: Here's an interesting fact:

French Fries were made in Belgium, but they were called "French Fries" cuz they looked like French-cut green beans.
 
The can opener was made after the can. The original cans weighed more than the contents of the can.

The Navy helped design the first tank.

The director of the US Patent Office in 1899 said that "Everything to be invented has been invented." Four years later, 2 bicycle shop owners flew the first plane and changed our world forever.

The first VHS player was built in the 1950's and was the size of a piano.

Hitler let some Jews stay in the Navy.

Stalin, an alterboy, banned Russian Orthodox.

Portugal once moved their capitol to Rio de Janero.

Central America used to be one country.

The only time Mexico put troops into foreign territory(unless you count the raids on the Republic of Texas) was against Japan. 1/6 of all Mexican airmen who fought died during WW2. this sounds like a lot, but Mexico sent only 31 pilots(5 of which died). They flew US-made P-47 Republic fighters and were intergrated into an American unit, yet had the Mexican flag on them. They were burried next to 6 cadets who died, ironicly, fighting US imperial invaders.
 
Hitler let some Jews stay in the Navy.

From what I remember, they discovered files after the war pertaining to senior officers in the army who had Jewish backgrounds and had been effectively "pardoned" for the "crime" by the state in order to continue their roles.
 
Originally posted by sims2789


The director of the US Patent Office in 1899 said that "Everything to be invented has been inventer. Four years later, 2 bicycle shop owners flew the first plane and changed our world forever.



I think his family moved to Australia and worked his great grand kids worked for Tandy, cos a bloke in Tandy said games would never need more than 640K Ram ... :)
 
Have a history teacher explain this if they can.....

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.
John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.

Both wives lost a child while living in the White
House.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.

Both Presidents were shot in the head.

Now it gets really weird.

Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy.
Kennedy's Secretary was named Lincoln.

Both were assassinated by Southerners.
Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in
1808.
Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in
1908.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born
in 1839.
Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born
in 1939.

Both assassins were known by their three names.
Both names are composed of fifteen letters.

Now hang on to your seat

Lincoln was shot at the theater named "Ford."
Kennedy was shot in a car called "Lincoln" made by
"Ford."

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their
trials.

And here's the "kicker":

A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe,
Maryland.
A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn
Monroe.

Lincoln was shot in a theater and the assassin
ran to a warehouse.

Kennedy was shot from a warehouse and the assassin
ran to a theater.

Creepy, huh?
 
Originally posted by Pariah
Have a history teacher explain this if they can.....

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.
John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.


Creepy, huh?

Unbelievable. :eek:
 
It is better rendered when it is said that "Kennedy was in Marilyn Monroe". ;)
 
A pattern such as this could indicate a nefarious situation beyond normal understanding.
 
Originally posted by sims2789
Nazi Germany originally oposed Japans invasion of China in 1931. The USA and Germany both sent military advisors to China. The US also sent air support(The Flying Tigers).
Germany wasn't under control of the Nazi's in 1931. Hitler didn't become Chancellor until 1933.
 
The Zero Year Presidential curse:
EVERY PRESIDENT since 1840 that was elected in a year ending in "0" was either shot or died in office:

William Henry Harrison - elected 1840, died of pneumonia after 1 month in office.

Abraham Lincoln - elected 1860, shot dead in 1865, a few months into his second term.

James Garfield - elected 1880, shot July 2, 1881, died September 19th due to complications from his wounds.

William McKinley - elected 1900 to a second term. Shot dead in 1901.

Warren Harding - elected 1920, died of food poisoning 1923.

Franklin Roosevelt - elected 1940 to his third term (should have quit while he was ahead!) Died of a stroke in 1945 during his 4th term.

John F. Kennedy - elected 1960. Shot dead 1963.

Ronald Regan - elected in 1980. Shot while exiting his limo in 1981. Regan survived the asassination attempt. Did this break the curse?

George W. Bush - elected 2000. February 7th a former IRS agent was found just outside the White House with a handgun. Several shots were fired before Secret Service disabled the man. George Bush was indeed in the White House at the time. Does this count? Is the curse broken? Who knows. But it is creepy.

And sure other Presidents have had attempts on their lives, but the only successful asassinations were with presidents elected in zero years!

P.S. "Kennedy was in Marilyn Monroe." :lol: Hee hee.
 
Regarding the curse, I think it's called Tecumesheh's curse, and was supposedly placed for his vengence. Of course, it's kinda helpful that the first prez killed off was W.H.Harrison...

Personally, I believe the curse got broken. One more reason people love Reagan, I guess. ;)
 
Pariah, whilst your information is interesting, it is also not that unusual. I seem to recall an article on either snopes or urban legends which made a mockery of the idea that the two being linked was so unlikely as we all think.
 
Originally posted by Pirate
The Zero Year Presidential curse:
EVERY PRESIDENT since 1840 that was elected in a year ending in "0" was either shot or died in office
George W. Bush - elected 2000. February 7th a former IRS agent was found just outside the White House with a handgun. Several shots were fired before Secret Service disabled the man. George Bush was indeed in the White House at the time. Does this count? Is the curse broken? Who knows.

One thinks George W. Bush is the more deserving of a bullet than most Presidents. Let's hope the curse holds a little longer...
 
Originally posted by sims2789
The Navy helped design the first tank.
No "help" involved. The first tanks were designed, developed and built by the Royal Navy at the instigation of the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill.

BTW, consider the following definitions:

tank, n. 1. A vessel or cistern for holding liquids. 2. An armored fighting vehicle (AFV).

You might think that the two definitions had nothing to do with each other. But you'd be wrong.

One of the major problems with trench warfare in WWI was supplying drinking water to the trenches. Water is heavy (1 liter=1 kilogram/1 gallon=8 pounds) and every drop had to be carried to the trenches by horse or man. So when the British were developing AFVs, they put out a cover story that they were developing self-propelled water tanks. Everyone involved with AFVs was told to call them "tanks" and stick to the cover story. As it happens, the Germans heard the cover story and, since they had similar problems providing water to their front-line trenches, had no problem believing the story.

Since the name "tank" was so pervasive, AFVs have been called "tanks" ever since.
 
No "help" involved. The first tanks were designed, developed and built by the Royal Navy at the instigation of the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill.

And were orginally called "Land Battleships" :)


Hitler let some Jews stay in the Navy.

Not surprising, he let some 600,000 Jews and Half-Jews remain in the Army.

California is the only state to rebel against the government alone(1848). I heard that in 1850 we declared independence, but withdrew our claim 3 months later after feeling that we had made our point, but that source is questionable.

I wonder if thats connected to Emperor Norton I, self-declared Emperor or America(edit, nope, he "rose" to power in 1859). He lived in San Francisco, outlawed the Republic, fired Lincon and arrested Andrew Jackson, course noone outside of San Francisco took him seriously, except the rest of the world. He planned on getting married to Queen Victoria, Czar Alexander II sent his congratulations while the President of France tha such a marriage could be disastrous to world peace.
 
the Californian Army, made up of pro-Mexican Californians, who fought against the USA after the Mexican-American War ended. When the Californians made their last stand, the USA had only 2 companys to fight them. the Californians had a larger army, although the numbers are unkown. the USA only lost 16 men. thus ending the so-called Californian-American War(although it was really between Mexican Nationalists and the US occupiers).
 
more immigrants used to go from the United States to Mexico than the other way around. but they got their revenge against the Gringo's!!!

Bowie(inventor of the Bowie knife. i forgot his first name) who fought for Texas during the Texas Revolution and died at the Alamo fighting Mexico, died a Mexican citizen.
 
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