Historical misconceptions.

[moonford]

Hitler was a vegetarian, he wasn't at all. He loved stuff pigeon, game and pork, he was advised to start a vegetarian diet due to health reasons by doctors, this is when the myth began.

Hitler was an atheist, this has also been disconfirmed by himself.

Mein Kampf (1925): "I am convinced that I am acting as the agent of our Creator. By fighting off the Jews, I am doing the Lord's work."

Napoleon Bonaparte was short, he was slightly above average, however he is around average in current years.

George Washington had wooden teeth, this is untrue he used materials such as gold or hippopotamus ivory and even slaves teeth.

Albert Einstein failed mathematics, this is also untrue as he debunks it himself.

"I never failed in mathematics... Before I was fifteen I had mastered differential and integral calculus."

Feel free to discuss these myths and misconceptions. ^_^

 

[DJStarstryker]

What about Christopher Columbus being some sort of land discovering hero? But then he gave the natives some blankets infected with smallpox.

 

[moonford]

What about Christopher Columbus being some sort of land discovering hero? But then he gave the natives some blankets infected with smallpox.

Yep, it was the Vikings who were the first foreign men and women to visit the Americas, this has been more commonly accepted throughout recent years and has much more proof.

 

[Cynicat]

The pyramids of Giza were built by slaves (not true) and Vikings didn't wore horns on their helmets contrary to what a lot of people belief

 

[lostineverfreeforest]

Napoleon Bonaparte was short, he was slightly above average, however he is around average in current years.

To add to this he surrounded himself with exceptionally tall bodyguards for intimidation. The English perpetuated the myth that he was short as a way to disparage one of their greatest enemies. I'd say it worked as many people believe it to this day.

 

[KaydeeKrunk]

Rosa Parks sitting on the front of the bus was staged, there was a pregnant black teenager, Claudette Colvin, who did it first, she challenged the laws, and it was even on the same bus system. Rosa recreated it because they thought she looked better, she was older, had a more refined looked, an "upper class" look that would look good in papers, so the black civil leaders prompted her to stage the same protest.

 

[Holly...]

I literally learnt most of these "facts" at school?? Like this isn't primary school, where you learn rubbish like 'captain arthur phillip saved the native australians'*, but high school, where all the teachers have masters degrees?

*yeah, we were taught that they 'helped' them by giving them houses and education and cows and stuff? Like ?? I can't even believe.

 

[KaydeeKrunk]

I literally learnt most of these "facts" at school?? Like this isn't primary school, where you learn rubbish like 'captain arthur phillip saved the native australians'*, but high school, where all the teachers have masters degrees?

*yeah, we were taught that they 'helped' them by giving them houses and education and cows and stuff? Like ?? I can't even believe.

yeah the education system literally builds its "history" to make the home country seem like the good guys no matter what the truth is, it's to try to brainwash the children into being patriotic tbh. Kind of sucks though, I really wish they told more about the Native American's in history because so many people are left SUPER uneducated on them because just like slavery we try to pretend it didn't happen.

 

[verb1999]

One of my favorite lines from metal band As I Lay Dying:

"What if everything I have been taught, is a lie? And all of my teachers have been wrong this whole time...?"

 

[tumut]

That Reagan was a good president. He made remarks in some leaked audio saying that because gays were a minority and not of God that AIDs shouldn't be dealt with. He also added a lot of money to the national debt despite the republicans being so anti-debt, his administration was corrupt af, he said trees made more pollution than cars, and he used money from the social security trust fund to pay off the national debt he made. Also he helped create Al Qaeda.

 

[Antonio]

Donald trump is actually becoming president and it's not a dream...

 

[moonford]

Donald trump is actually becoming president and it's not a dream...

That isn't a misconception or myth although I wish it was.

- - - Post Merge - - -

I literally learnt most of these "facts" at school?? Like this isn't primary school, where you learn rubbish like 'captain arthur phillip saved the native australians'*, but high school, where all the teachers have masters degrees?

*yeah, we were taught that they 'helped' them by giving them houses and education and cows and stuff? Like ?? I can't even believe.

Well good for you??* =P

I also learnt most of these from primary school too but some teachers aren't as good as others, so they don't give information like this to the students. (This goes without saying)

 

[Suhono]

I don't know where to start, since I spent six years studying history, but I'd say my biggest pet peeve/least favourite historical misconception is that history is basically a never-ending upward tilt toward inevitable social and economic progress. This myth really picked up pace about a century and change ago and refuses to die, even in some academic circles. Reverting to some earlier time isn't an option or even a good idea, but it's not all good when we make technological advancements.

Other myths/misconceptions I hate? Uhh. That the U.S. founding fathers were a monolithic entity that had a singular vision on everything, or indeed anything. That people living in medieval Europe were exceptionally unclean and never bathed. That American Indians/First Nations peoples were simply scattered groups living in the woods when Europeans settled North America. That the western Christian churches did nothing but impede scientific advancements from ancient times through the modern era. That the American Civil War was about any "state's right" other than slavery. etc. etc.