History Facts: 30 Surprising Stories They Didn’t Teach You in School

by Alex Questly

History is often thought of as dry dates and names, but dig a little deeper, and you’ll find it’s packed with bizarre, unbelievable, and downright fascinating moments. This collection of 50 history facts will take you on a journey through time, revealing stories that didn’t make it into your standard history class.


Ancient History’s Hidden Gems

  1. Cleopatra Wasn’t Egyptian
    Cleopatra VII, one of history’s most famous figures, was of Greek descent, tracing her lineage to Ptolemy I, a general of Alexander the Great.
  2. The Library of Alexandria Didn’t Burn Down All at Once
    Contrary to popular belief, the legendary library was destroyed in several stages over centuries, not in one catastrophic event.
  3. Ancient Romans Had Heated Floors
    Wealthy Romans used a system called hypocausts to circulate hot air beneath floors for heating their homes.
  4. Spartans Used Iron Bars as Money
    To discourage greed and theft, Spartans rejected gold and silver, using heavy iron bars as currency instead.
  5. The Great Pyramid Wasn’t Built by Slaves
    Evidence shows the laborers were paid workers who even had medical care and decent living conditions.

Medieval Oddities

  1. Knights Feared Snails in Manuscripts
    Marginal illustrations often depict knights battling giant snails—historians believe it symbolized slow but inevitable defeat.
  2. Animals Were Put on Trial in the Middle Ages
    Pigs, goats, and even insects were tried for crimes like theft or destruction and could be sentenced to death.
  3. King Henry VIII Had a Jousting Accident That Changed History
    A severe head injury in 1536 may have caused Henry’s erratic behavior later in life, influencing his infamous rule.
  4. Medieval Europeans Thought Tomatoes Were Poisonous
    Called “poison apples,” tomatoes were believed to cause illness when eaten off pewter plates, which actually leached lead.
  5. The Plague Doctor’s Beak Mask Had a Purpose
    The iconic mask was stuffed with herbs to filter “bad air,” which they believed caused disease.

Revolutionary and Modern History Surprises

  1. Napoleon Was Attacked by Rabbits
    During a rabbit hunt, the emperor’s men released tame rabbits, which swarmed him instead of running away.
  2. Abraham Lincoln Established the Secret Service on the Day of His Assassination
    Sadly, its original purpose was to combat counterfeiting, not protect the president.
  3. The Eiffel Tower Was Almost Demolished
    Meant as a temporary structure, the Eiffel Tower was saved by its usefulness as a radio transmission tower.
  4. During WWII, Great Britain Almost Used Exploding Rats
    A secret plan involved hiding explosives in dead rats to sabotage German facilities, though it was never fully implemented.
  5. Pablo Picasso Was Questioned About the Theft of the Mona Lisa
    In 1911, the artist was briefly suspected of involvement in the Louvre heist but was cleared.

Quirky Cultural Facts

  1. Shakespeare Invented Over 1,700 Words
    Phrases like “eyeball,” “bedroom,” and “swagger” first appeared in the Bard’s works.
  2. The Oldest Known Recipe Is for Beer
    A 3,900-year-old Sumerian tablet contains instructions for brewing beer, humanity’s favorite beverage.
  3. High Heels Were Originally for Men
    In 10th-century Persia, men wore heels while riding horses for better grip in stirrups.
  4. Christmas Was Once Banned in England
    From 1647 to 1660, Puritans outlawed Christmas celebrations, deeming them too indulgent.
  5. The First Known “Selfie” Was Taken in 1839
    Robert Cornelius, an amateur chemist, set up a camera to capture his own image, marking the dawn of selfies.

Bizarre Military Stories

  1. A Town Fought a War Against Emus—and Lost
    In 1932, Australia deployed soldiers to control an emu population but failed, as the emus outmaneuvered them.
  2. Carrier Pigeons Won Medals in WWII
    Pigeons like Cher Ami carried vital messages during the war, saving lives and earning recognition for bravery.
  3. The Battle of Los Angeles Wasn’t a Battle
    In 1942, nervous anti-aircraft gunners fired at what they thought was an enemy aircraft—likely just a weather balloon.
  4. The U.S. Planned to Nuke the Moon
    During the Cold War, a plan called Project A119 proposed detonating a nuclear bomb on the moon to demonstrate military superiority.
  5. The Pentagon Has a Secret Starbucks
    Unlike regular Starbucks locations, this one doesn’t require your name for an order—for security reasons.

Weird and Wonderful Inventions

  1. Albert Einstein Was Offered the Presidency of Israel
    In 1952, Einstein declined, saying he lacked the skills for politics.
  2. Velcro Was Inspired by Burrs
    Swiss engineer George de Mestral noticed burrs clinging to his dog’s fur and invented Velcro.
  3. Bubble Wrap Was Originally Wallpaper
    Inventors tried to market bubble wrap as textured wallpaper before realizing its packaging potential.
  4. The First Alarm Clock Could Only Ring at 4 a.m.
    Invented in 1787, the clock wasn’t adjustable, so it rang at the same time every day.
  5. Toilet Paper Was Considered a Luxury
    Until the 19th century, people used everything from corn cobs to wool for hygiene.

How to Use These History Facts

  • Trivia Nights: Impress your teammates with these lesser-known stories.
  • Conversations: Drop a historical fact to liven up any discussion.
  • Teaching and Presentations: Use these fun tidbits to keep your audience engaged.

Where to Learn More About History


What’s Next?

Next up: “Weird History Facts That Sound Too Crazy to Be True.” Dive deeper into the strangest and most unbelievable moments from history.

Which of these surprising stories is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments, and don’t forget to download our history trivia quizzes for even more fun!

Alex Trivia
Alex Questly

Hi, I’m Alex—your trivia-obsessed, fact-hoarding host of this little corner of the internet. Picture me in my tiny home office, walls lined with shelves buckling under the weight of old trivia books, science magazines, and a stack of half-filled notebooks. My desk is a chaotic mess—a chipped coffee mug holding an army of pens, my laptop precariously perched atop an outdated encyclopedia, and post-it notes with scribbled reminders stuck to everything in sight (including, somehow, the cat). Welcome to the madness!

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