21 Popular Historical Truths That Are Actually False

History is filled with stories we’ve all come to accept as truth, but many of these widely held beliefs are actually myths or misconceptions.

The past is not always as it seems. By debunking these inaccuracies, we can gain a more accurate understanding of the events and figures that have shaped our world.

Here, we expose the most misleading historical facts that are commonly accepted but are, in reality, quite inaccurate.

The Pilgrims Held the First Thanksgiving

The widely accepted story that the Pilgrims held the first Thanksgiving in 1621 is more myth than fact. While the Pilgrims did hold a harvest celebration with the Wampanoag people, it wasn’t the first Thanksgiving in North America; earlier ceremonies of thanks were held by Spanish settlers and English colonists in Florida and Virginia. The modern Thanksgiving tradition as we know it today wasn’t established until centuries later, blending various cultural practices and evolving over time.

Vikings Wore Horned Helmets

The image of Vikings wearing horned helmets is a creation of 19th-century romanticism, not historical reality. Archaeological evidence shows that Viking helmets were simple and practical, without horns, which would have been impractical in battle. The horned helmet myth was popularized by artists and later perpetuated by Hollywood, but it has no basis in historical fact.

Napoleon Was Extremely Short

Napoleon Bonaparte is often depicted as being exceptionally short, leading to the term “Napoleon complex,” but he wasn’t unusually short for his time. Napoleon was around 5’6″ or 5’7″, which was the average height for a Frenchman in the 18th and 19th centuries. The misconception likely arose from confusion between French and English measurements, as well as British propaganda that sought to belittle him.

Marie Antoinette Said, “Let Them Eat Cake”

Marie Antoinette is famously attributed for saying, “Let them eat cake,” when told that the French peasants had no bread, but there is no historical evidence that she ever uttered these words. The phrase was actually coined decades earlier by philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau in his book “Confessions,” and it was likely attributed to Marie Antoinette to further tarnish her reputation during the French Revolution. This inaccurate quote has since become one of history’s most enduring myths.

The Great Wall of China Is Visible from Space

It’s a common belief that the Great Wall of China is the only man-made structure visible from space, but this is inaccurate. Astronauts have confirmed that the wall is difficult to see from low Earth orbit without aid, and it’s not visible from the Moon at all. The myth likely originated from a time when space exploration was still in its infancy and has persisted in popular culture.

The Emancipation Proclamation Freed All Slaves

While the Emancipation Proclamation is often credited with freeing all slaves in the United States, it only applied to the Confederate states actively rebelling against the Union. Slavery persisted in border states and areas under Union control until the 13th Amendment was ratified in December 1865. The proclamation was a crucial step toward abolition, but its scope was limited, and its impact was more symbolic than immediate.

Columbus Discovered America

Christopher Columbus is often credited with discovering America in 1492, but he never actually set foot on the mainland of what is now the United States. Instead, he landed in the Caribbean islands, and the existence of the Americas was already known to the indigenous peoples living there. Additionally, Norse explorer Leif Erikson reached North America nearly 500 years before Columbus.

George Washington Had Wooden Teeth

It’s widely believed that George Washington had wooden teeth, but this is a myth. Washington did have dental problems and wore dentures, but they were made from a combination of materials, including ivory, gold, lead, and even human and animal teeth, not wood. The misconception likely arose from the appearance of the stained, aging dentures, which may have looked like wood.

The Salem Witch Trials Burned Witches at the Stake

Contrary to popular belief, none of the accused witches during the Salem Witch Trials were burned at the stake. In fact, the preferred method of execution was hanging; 19 people were hanged, and one man was pressed to death with heavy stones. Burning witches at the stake was a practice more commonly associated with European witch hunts, not the American colonies.

Einstein Failed Math

It’s often said that Albert Einstein failed math as a child, suggesting that even geniuses can struggle academically, but this is false. Einstein was actually a strong math student and had mastered calculus by the age of 15. The myth likely originated from a misunderstanding of his school records, where a change in the grading system made it appear as though his grades were poor.

Medieval People Thought the Earth Was Flat

A common misconception is that people in the Middle Ages believed the Earth was flat, but scholars and educated individuals in medieval Europe knew the Earth was spherical. This knowledge dates back to ancient Greece, and by the time of Columbus, educated Europeans were well aware that the Earth was round. The myth of the flat Earth was popularized in the 19th century to criticize the so-called “Dark Ages.”

Cleopatra Was Egyptian

Cleopatra VII, the last Pharaoh of Egypt, is often portrayed as quintessentially Egyptian, but she was actually of Greek descent. She was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which ruled Egypt after Alexander the Great’s conquest, and spoke Greek rather than Egyptian. Cleopatra’s reign is more accurately described as the end of ancient Egyptian civilization under Greek rule.

Vincent van Gogh Cut Off His Entire Ear

The widely accepted story that Vincent van Gogh cut off his entire ear is actually a misconception. Van Gogh only severed a portion of his left ear, likely the lower lobe, during a period of mental distress. The exact circumstances of the incident remain unclear, but the dramatic image of a completely earless van Gogh has persisted in popular imagination.

The Death of Nero Ended the Roman Empire

While the death of Nero marked the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, it did not lead to the immediate fall of the Roman Empire. The empire continued to exist for over four centuries after Nero’s death in AD 68, enduring various dynasties and internal challenges. The final collapse of the Western Roman Empire occurred in AD 476, long after Nero’s demise.

The Spanish Inquisition Was Unprecedented in Brutality

While the Spanish Inquisition is infamous for its cruelty, it was not as unique in its brutality as often portrayed. Other inquisitions and religious persecutions across Europe, such as the medieval inquisition and the witch hunts, were similarly harsh, if not more so. The Spanish Inquisition has gained a notorious reputation partly due to propaganda and historical exaggerations over time.

Magellan Circumnavigated the Globe

Ferdinand Magellan is often credited with being the first person to circumnavigate the globe, but he did not complete the journey himself. Magellan was killed in the Philippines in 1521, and the expedition was completed by his second-in-command, Juan Sebastián Elcano. The credit for the first successful circumnavigation should rightly be shared with Elcano and the remaining crew.

The Battle of the Alamo Was Fought for Texas’s Independence

The Battle of the Alamo is frequently cited as a pivotal moment in Texas’ fight for independence from Mexico, but the motivations were more complex. While the battle was indeed part of the Texas Revolution, it was also driven by issues of federalism, immigration, and cultural differences between the Mexican government and Texian settlers. The battle has since become symbolic of the struggle for independence, but its historical context is often oversimplified.

Betsy Ross Sewed the First American Flag

The story of Betsy Ross sewing the first American flag is widely accepted, but there is little historical evidence to support this claim. The tale was popularized by her grandson nearly a century after the flag’s creation, and there is no definitive proof that Ross designed or sewed the flag. While Ross was a skilled seamstress, the true origins of the first American flag remain unclear.

The Hundred Years’ War Lasted Exactly 100 Years

Despite its name, the Hundred Years’ War between England and France actually lasted 116 years, from 1337 to 1453. The war was a series of conflicts over the French throne and territorial disputes rather than a single, continuous war. The name “Hundred Years’ War” is a later historical term reflecting the prolonged and complex nature of the conflict.

The Trojan Horse Was a Real Wooden Horse

The story of the Trojan Horse, as told in Homer’s “The Iliad,” is often taken as historical fact, but it is likely a myth or metaphor. Archaeological evidence does not support the existence of a giant wooden horse, and many historians believe the story was a poetic invention to symbolize a cunning military strategy. The Trojan Horse remains a powerful symbol in Western literature, but its historical accuracy is doubtful.

Isaac Newton Was Inspired by a Falling Apple

The story of Isaac Newton discovering gravity after being hit on the head by a falling apple is a charming anecdote, but it’s likely apocryphal. Newton did discuss the idea of gravity in relation to an apple falling from a tree, but there is no evidence that the apple actually struck him. The tale was popularized by later biographers, and it has since become a symbol of scientific inspiration.

The Boston Tea Party Was a Protest Against High Taxes

The Boston Tea Party is often remembered as a protest against high taxes, but it was specifically about taxation without representation. The Tea Act of 1773 actually lowered the price of British tea in the colonies, but the colonists opposed the principle of being taxed by a government in which they had no representation. The event became a symbol of American resistance to British rule, but its motivations were more about political power than economic burden.