Donald Trump was the first President in 168 years not to have a pet in the White House. The only other Presidents not to have a pet there were James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson. – WTF Fun Facts
History
Weird history facts all gathered right here under our history category. Once you have had your fill of history facts head over to our random fact generator to learn more random factoids!
WTF Fun Fact – WWII Hero Mime
World-famous French mime Marcel Marceau used his acting skills to save over 70 Jewish children during WWII. He smuggled them over the Swiss border and would mime to keep them happy and get them to stay quiet. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: The French Resistance’s Secret Weapon? The Mime Marcel Marceau – HISTORY
WTF Fun Fact – Amazing Mayan Temple Trick
The Mayans constructed their temples so that a handclap at the base of the temple produces an echo that sounds like the call of the sacred Quetzal bird, which they believed was a messenger of the gods. The technique is now known as a “Bragg diffraction grating.” – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Here’s How This Ancient Mayan Pyramid Makes Bird Calls (gizmodo.com)
WTF Fun Fact – Crassus’s Fire Brigade
The first ever Roman fire brigade was created by Marcus Licinius Crassus. During fires, they would arrive and Crassus would offer to buy the burning building from the owner at a very low price. They would put out the fire if the owner agreed, but if they refused then they would simply let it burn. – WTF Fun Facts
WTF Fun Fact – Antimony Pills
In the 1700s, pills made out of the element antimony were taken orally as a laxative to relieve constipation. Once they passed through, they were retrieved from the excrement to be used again. Some families passed down the same pill from one generation to the next. – WTF Fun Facts
WTF Fun Fact – What Happened To JFK’s Presidential Limo?
The car President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in was cleaned and upgraded to include a permanent bulletproof roof and then put into service as the presidential limo for Presidents Johnson, Nixon, Ford and Carter before being retired in 1977. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: What Happened to JFK’s Assassination Car? | Houston Press
WTF Fun Fact – Winchester Geese
In 1161, the Bishop of Winchester was the largest brothel owner in the UK and his prostitutes were known as the “Winchester Geese.” – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Liberty of the Clink – Wikipedia
WTF Fun Fact – Spitfire Beer Keg Delivery
A few days after the Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day, British Spitfire planes were used to carry kegs of beer to those on the front line. – WTF Fun Facts
WTF Fun Fact – Nabta Playa
The world’s oldest known astronomical site, Nabta Playa, was built in Africa and is 2,000 years older than Stonehenge. Located in the Sahara desert, the 7,000-year-old stone circle was used to track the summer solstice and the arrival of the annual monsoon season. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Nabta Playa: The world’s first astronomical site was built in Africa | Astronomy.com
WTF Fun Fact – Deaf Flights
“Deaf flights” were prescribed by doctors to cure hearing loss in the 1920’s and 30’s. Stunt pilots would take unsuspecting passengers up in planes and terrify them with loops, barrel rolls, and dives. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Doctors Once Prescribed Terrifying Plane Flights to “Cure” Deafness | History | Smithsonian Magazine
WTF Fun Fact – Rare Book Chopping Block & Coaster
One of the oldest known books of English poetry, the Exeter Book, which was inscribed in the 10th century, appears to have been used as both a coaster and chopping block at two different points in time. – WTF Fun Facts
WTF Fun Fact – Convict Leasing
In 1898, nearly 75% of Alabama’s entire annual state revenue came from convict leasing to private railways, mines, and large plantations. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Convict leasing – Wikipedia
WTF Fun Fact – Hotmail Eh Password
In 1999, a group of hackers identified a vulnerability in Microsoft’s Hotmail which allowed access to ~50 million email accounts. There was a login script called “start” which used “eh” as the password. – WTF Fun Facts
WTF Fun Fact – King George Beheaded And Melted
After George Washington read the Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1776, the crowd was so moved that they toppled the statue of King George III, decapitated it, and then later melted the body to make bullets. The head eventually made it’s way back to England. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/declaration-of-independence/
WTF Fun Fact – Fabergé Potato
Peter Carl Fabergé, creator of the 50 Imperial Easter eggs known as Fabergé eggs, also carved a single Fabergé potato from pinkie-brown agate. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Caroline Scheufele on a Fabergé potato | The Economist
WTF Fun Fact – Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan
A poor 19th century Chinese man failed the civil service exam, fell ill, reread a Christian pamphlet he had earlier ignored, and dreamed that he was Jesus’ brother. He led a cult/rebellion that conquered much of southern China, crowning himself as “Heavenly King.” – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Hong Xiuquan – Wikipedia
WTF Fun Fact – Long Speech Short Reign
The longest US presidential inauguration speech was made by William Henry Harrison at 8,445 words. The speech was so long, and the weather so awful, that Harrison caught pneumonia and died on April 4th, making him the shortest reigning US president ever. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Henry_Harrison
WTF Fun Fact – How Ancient Egyptians Mourned A Cat
Ancient Egyptians loved their cats so much that members of a household would shave their eyebrows as a sign of mourning when their cat passed away. They would only stop mourning once their eyebrows had grown back. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: The Worship of Cats – King Tut Boston (kingtutexhibition.com)