We’ve all grown up hearing captivating stories about history that seem pretty accurate. But in reality, many of these stories and so-called historical facts have turned out to be exaggerations, half-truths, or just completely false. Did Eistein really fail math? And was Napoleon really that short? Myths like these span generations, but luckily, historians have worked long and hard to separate the facts from fiction. In this list, we explore 32 of history’s longest-standing “facts” that have slipped into pop culture and classrooms even though they aren’t actually true.
#1 Ninjas Wore Black Outfits
While you’ve most likely seen ninjas wearing all-black outfits in countless movie scenes, this depiction is far from accurate. Ninjas in Kabuki theater may have been dressed in black as a stage direction device, but in reality, actual ninjas opted for dark brown and even dark blue. These colors were more common and inconspicuous at the time, making them perfect for blending in.
Image source: George Dagerotip, Kaleidoscope of Books
#2 Greek And Roman Statues Were White
Despite what you may have seen in photos and museums, Greek and Roman statues weren’t initially white. It has been proven that the statues were intricately painted with bright colors. But since it took hundreds of years for them to be discovered and excavated, their pigments had long faded, ultimately leaving the statues white.
Image source: DomeRandomDude, Following Hadrian
#3 Einstein Failed Math
Albert Einstein is known as one of the greatest physicists of all time. Oddly enough, despite this, there was a longstanding rumor going back as far as the ‘30s that he wasn’t the best at math. However, Einstein himself cleared this rumor up when he told a rabbi at Princeton, “Before I was fifteen, I had mastered differential and integral calculus.”
Image source: Ferdinand Schmutzer, Britannica
#4 Marilyn Monroe Was A Size 16
Marilyn Monroe was an actress and model best known as the “blonde bombshell” of her time. It comes as no surprise that her curvy figure was the beauty standard in the Golden Age of Hollywood. While Monroe may have been the definition of curvy back then, her measurements by today’s standards wouldn’t be a size 16, but actually around a size 4.
Image source: Milton H. Greene, The Marilyn Monroe Collection
#5 Ferdinand Magellan Was The First Person To Sail Around The World
Even though Ferdinand Magellan initiated one of the most important voyages around the world, he didn’t live to complete the expedition, tragically passing away while in transit in 1521. After Magellan’s passing, about 40 of his surviving crew members on the Victoria ship, led by Juan Sebastián Elcano, completed the voyage in 1522.
Image source: Library of Congress, National Geographic
#6 Marie Antoinette Said “Let Them Eat Cake”
Marie Antoinette was the last queen of France before the French Revolution took place. As it turns out, the popular phrase “Let them eat cake,” that has long been attributed to the infamous queen, was likely never said by her at all. Historians dug up some evidence in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Confessions from the 1760s, long before Marie Antoinette became queen, that another “great princess” had coined the notorious phrase.
Image source: Workshop of Elisabeth Louise Vigee Le Brun, Wikipedia
#7 Cleopatra Was Egyptian
Despite popular belief, Cleopatra wasn’t actually Egyptian. While her family ruled Egypt for nearly 300 years, they were ethnically of Greek/Macedonian descent. The misconception that she was Egyptian probably persisted because she could speak the Egyptian language and also fully embraced the culture.
Image source: Frederick Arthur Bridgman, Wikipedia
#8 Spanish Influenza Originated In Spain
Although it’s called the “Spanish Flu,” this influenza pandemic never actually originated in Spain. Evidence suggests that it may have originated in a Kansas army camp in the United States during World War I. The incorrect assumption that it began in Spain likely came about because it was one of the only countries to widely report on the effects of the outbreak. Other countries chose to censor the news to keep spirits up during the war.
Image source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Wikipedia
#9 Abner Doubleday Invented Baseball
The claim that American Civil War general Abner Doubleday invented baseball was just a myth spread by the Mills Commission in 1908. This was after the commission received a diagram of a baseball field that Abner Doubleday had drawn; however, the idea that baseball emerged from this drawing remains speculative. In reality, baseball was likely an adaptation of the older, much simpler English game known as rounders.
Image source: atthew Brady or Levin Corbin Handy, Wikipedia
#10 Neanderthals Were The Only Other Human Species To Exist Alongside Homo Sapiens
As it turns out, Neanderthals weren’t the only other human species to co-exist with Homo Sapiens. Four other human species existed alongside modern humans, namely, Denisovans, Homo Erectus, Homo Heidelbergensis, and Homo Floresiensis. These groups actually interacted with each other and some even interbred, which is why modern humans have traces of Neanderthal DNA in their genomes.
Image source: Fahrtenleser, PMC
#11 Ancient Egyptians Worshipped Cats As Gods
Cats may have been revered as embodiments of the goddess Bastet and seen as symbols of protection, but they were hardly worshipped as Gods in Egypt. The animals were used to protect the Pharaoh from harmful pests and venomous snakes, leading to their sacred status in the kingdom. Due to this status, cats were even mummified upon their passing, and harsh punishments were dished out to anyone who tried to harm them.
Image source: Levi Meir Clancy, Wikipedia
#12 Napoleon Was Short
Contrary to popular belief, Napoleon Bonaparte wasn’t short; British political cartoons just made him out to be. They often depicted him as power hungry and aggressive, attributing these traits to his short height. However, Bonaparte’s actual height was between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 7 inches (1.68 to 1.7 meters), a pretty standard height for French men in the 1800s.
Image source: Marie-Guillemine Benoist, Wikipedia
#13 Vikings Wore Horns On Their Helmets
The idea that Vikings wore horns on their helmets is a 19th-century myth that was perpetuated by the costume design in Richard Wagner’s Norse operas. Even now in the 21st century, Vikings are always portrayed wearing horned helmets. But in reality, the Vikings wore simpler skullcaps meant to protect their heads from impact.
Image source: Joe Mabel, History Extra
#14 The Taj Mahal’s Builders Were Mutilated
Many believe the story that Emperor Shah Jahan disfigured the arms of his builders to prevent them from working on other building projects. However, this story is largely considered a myth because there’s no historical evidence that shows that the builders were ever harmed after completing their work on the monument.
Image source: Sylwia Bartyzel, Wikipedia
#15 Christopher Columbus Discovered America
While Christopher Columbus certainly introduced the Americas to Europe during his voyages between 1492 and 1502, he wasn’t the one who discovered America. Indigenous people were already inhabiting America at the time. Columbus can, however, be credited with shifting global history and culture with his expeditions.
Image source: L. Prang & Co., Boston, VOA
#16 World War I Was The Most Lethal War In History
While World War I is considered one of the most devastating wars in history, resulting in approximately 22 million fatalities, it certainly doesn’t top the list of the world’s most lethal wars in history. The war in the top spot is actually World War II, which caused massive destruction and well over 70 million fatalities.
Image source: Kathe Buchler, Wikipedia
#17 The Brothers Grimm Wrote Many Famous Fairytales
The Brothers Grimm are well known for fairy tales such as Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, and even Cinderella. But what most people probably don’t know is that they never actually wrote these stories themselves. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm collected the stories from oral traditions, printed sources, and even acquaintances, then edited and published them in their famous collection, Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
Image source: Hermann Biow, Wikipedia
#18 The Great Wall Of China Is Visible From Space
While the Great Wall of China is definitely something to marvel at, the claim that it’s visible from space with the naked eye isn’t true. Because it’s narrow, the Great Wall blends in with the environment, making it virtually impossible to see from space without a high-powered lens. Yang Liwei, China’s first astronaut who went on an orbital flight in 2003, has also confirmed that he couldn’t see the Great Wall from space.
Image source: akaguglielmo, NASA
#19 Rome Was One Of History’s Largest Empires
The Roman Empire was certainly powerful and dominant in its time. However, at its peak, it spanned approximately 1.9 million square miles, which was far less than the larger empires, such as the British and Mongol Empires. So, while it was on the list of one of the largest empires in history, it didn’t top the list.
Image source: BackFire, Rare History World
#20 Pirates Regularly Buried Their Treasure
If you were thinking of using a metal detector to search for treasure chests buried on the beach, you’ll be disappointed to know that you probably won’t find anything. This is because the claim that pirates buried treasure is just another popular myth. Surprisingly, only one pirate in history, Captain William Kidd, is known for burying some of his loot on Gardiners Island.
Image source: bjornpierre, Nautic Ed
#21 Betsy Ross Designed The American Flag
While Betsy Ross was a flag designer who made flags for the Continental Army, the idea that she designed the first official American flag is highly speculative. The claim initially came from her grandson, William Canby, in 1870 when he presented a paper to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. It’s said that her only contribution to the flag design was changing the stars from six points to five.
Image source: Edward Percy Moran, Wikipedia
#22 Captain Cook Discovered Australia
Even though Captain James Cook was the first European to map and document the east coast of Australia, he didn’t actually “discover” Australia. His information did, however, lead to the formation of the British penal colony. In reality, Indigenous Australians had already inhabited the land for thousands of years before his voyage in 1770.
Image source: Nathaniel Dance-Holland, Wikipedia
#23 George Washington Had Wooden Teeth
Although George Washington did in fact have dentures, the claim that they were made of wood is largely false. His dentures were actually made from a variety of materials, such as ivory, gold, lead, and even human teeth. The myth probably came from the fact that his dentures became discolored over time, giving them a wood-like appearance.
#24 A Cow Kicking Over A Lantern Caused The Great Chicago Fire
The 1871 Great Chicago Fire was one of the most devastating disasters to hit the city. Interestingly, there’s been a longstanding rumor that the fire was caused by Mrs. Catherine O’Leary’s cow kicking over a lantern in the family’s barn. While the actual cause of the fire has never been determined, the reporters who started the rumor later admitted to making up the whole story.
#25 President Kennedy Told A Crowd He Was A Jelly Donut
It’s a popular misconception that President John F. Kennedy accidentally told a crowd he was a German jelly donut when he said the phrase “Ich bin ein Berliner” during a speech in 1963. This is because outside of Berlin, a Berliner does indeed refer to a jelly-filled donut. However, because Kennedy gave his speech in West Berlin, the public probably didn’t associate his statement with a donut but rather support for Berlin, as the statement would have directly translated to “I am a citizen of Berlin” at the time.
Image source: Leffler, Warren K. (not the actual photo), Wikipedia
#26 Gladiator Contests Were Always Fatal
Despite what you may have seen in the Gladiator movies, an actual gladiator match was hardly ever fought till an opponent lost their life. In reality, gladiators were considered high-value property to their “owners,” so most of the fights would usually come to an end without a fatality. Ultimately, a contest would generally be considered over when either one of them threw in the towel, was severely injured, or was too tired to continue.
Image source: Internet Archive Book Images, BBC
#27 The Aztecs Thought Hernán Cortés And The Conquistadors Were Gods
While the Aztecs may have viewed Hernán Cortés and the conquistadors as powerful, it’s largely a myth that they thought of them as Gods. In 1552, Francisco López de Gómara, Hernán Cortés’ secretary, spread the rumor that the Spaniards had conquered Mexico because they were seen as gods by the indigenous people. However, even Cortés’ own letters say nothing of this claim.
Image source: Museum Purchase, 1900, Library of Congress
#28 Julius Caesar Was Emperor Of Rome
Surprisingly, Julius Caesar wasn’t the first emperor of Rome. He ruled as a dictator before the Roman Empire was formed. While Caesar didn’t rule for long before his passing, he established the imperial system and was considered the founder of the one-man rule. The first official emperor was his great-nephew, Augustus.
Image source: George E. Koronaios, TLS
#29 The Pilgrims Didn’t Host The First Thanksgiving
The Thanksgiving we know today originated from the 1621 harvest celebration that the Pilgrims of Plymouth had with the Wampanoag people. After a successful harvest, the 53 surviving Pilgrims were joined by Massasoit, the Wampanoag leader, and about 90 of his men for a three-day feast. This feast is now known as “The First Thanksgiving”.
Image source: Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, Pilgrim Hall
#30 Paul Revere Yelled, “The British Are Coming!”
It’s a popular misconception that Paul Revere yelled “The British are coming!” during his 1775 ride to deliver warnings that British Troops were approaching. In reality, to maintain the secrecy of his mission and evade loyalists in the area, it is likely that he actually yelled “The Regulars are coming” instead.
Image source: Hleavell001, Biography
#31 Medieval People Thought The World Was Flat
The claim that people in the Middle Ages were flat-earthers has turned out to be a historical myth. In reality, there’s evidence, going back to the ancient Greeks in the 5th century BC, that shows Medieval scholars accepted and understood that the Earth was a sphere. From the late Middle Ages onward, virtually no scholars believed the Earth was flat.
Image source: Camille Flammarion, Wikipedia
#32 The Pyramids Were Built By Slaves
Hollywood films have led us to believe that slaves built the pyramids in ancient Egypt for the longest time, but in reality, they weren’t actually built by slaves. Archaeologists who worked on the site from 2005 found extensive evidence that proved the builders were paid laborers and skilled workers who were respected for their work. From good food to decent housing, it’s likely that the builders were treated well, unlike the slaves of that time.
Image source: Getty Images, Science Focus
Follow Us
