History is a continuous record of past events that relate to human existence. But if there's one thing you should never do, it is to believe everything you hear because not all historical narratives are grounded in reality.

In fact, most of the stories we grew up believing are scrambled up with so much misinformation that it's almost impossible, to tell the truth apart from fiction. And as these myths spread across each generation, wearing new skin, it becomes tasking to demystify history. So let's make it easier. Read on as we shed light on some of the most popular misconceptions in history.

The Cost of Manhattan

Have you heard about Manhattan and the Dutch colonists? Here's how that story goes: When the Dutch Colonists arrived in Manhattan in 1624, they set up a trading post on the southern part of the island. And in 1626, they offered the Native Americans $24 in exchange for ownership of Manhattan.

But in reality, the island was exchanged for goods worth 60 guilders, roughly $1000 in today's climate. And while this does not disprove the fact that the Dutch colonists paid a meager sum, the punchline is that the native Americans believed the payment was for rent, not outright ownership.

The Mysterious Stonehenge

Stonehenge has an elite status as the world's most famous prehistoric monument. And though it was erected in various stages, the first monument was built about 5,000 years ago. According to history, the stone circle came into being in the late Neolithic period.

Still, legends claim that Stonehenge was a work of the wizard Merlin. Others believe that the massive stones were assembled by invading Danes. Still, it's best not to assume that the stones in Salisbury Plain are the same monument built millennia ago because the structure is said to have undergone several restorations over the years to keep the stones from falling.

Hitler and the Autobahn

"Autobahn" is the fourth studio album by the German music band Kraftwerk. But as interesting as that little tidbit is, we're more concerned with the better-known Autobahn, Germany's federal controlled-access highway system. A popular myth surrounding the motorway is that Adolf Hitler invented it.

Of course, Hitler was many things. But nowhere in history books is he referred to as an engineer. Another reason why that piece of historical fiction makes no sense is that work on the Autobahn began in 1913 on the outskirts of Berlin. And Hitler came into power 20 years later and appropriated elements of the plan later to increase his influence.

Was the Titanic Really All That?

Almost everyone has heard of "Titanic," the epic romance movie written and produced by James Cameron. And the film's popularity may have more to do with the fact that it incorporated actual historical events than with the appearance of global heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio. But that's a story for another day.

Some sources claim that the real "Titanic" was ahead of its time and designed with technology to prevent it from capsizing. But that couldn't be further from the truth. It turns out the ship had many subpar features. And it even fell below the standards of many ocean liners operating in 1912.

The Truth About Christopher Columbus Expedition of 1492

Did people grow up believing that famous explorer Christopher Columbus set sail in 1492 to prove that the Earth was, in fact, round rather than flat? Yes. Should they go on believing that piece of historical fiction? Probably not. Because when Columbus set sail on his famous voyage, he knew the world was not flat.

According to history, long before 1492, scholars could see that the twilight glow formed an arc over the horizon. So what motivated Columbus's trip? The simple answer is profit. He wanted to find a direct route from Europe to India, China, Japan, and other lucrative parts of Asia.

George Washington and the Cherry Tree

George Washington is the focus of many famous tales. And as Founding Father and the first president of the United States, it doesn't come as a surprise that he would be the main character in many tales. The story of the cherry tree is one of the most popular.

It's even more interesting because the moral of the story is, to be honest. As the story goes, George Washington received a hatchet as a birthday present and used it to chop down his father's cherry tree. And when questioned about it, he admitted his mistake. Wait until you realize the entire tale was cooked up by one of Washington's biographers.

Paul Revere and the Ride of His Life

Like many figures in history, Paul Revere wasn't famous during his lifetime. But after his death, the story of his exemplary patriotism remains even today. After all, many believe that Revere yelled, "The British are coming! The British are coming!" as he galloped through Concord, Massachusetts, in 1775.

But that's only the remixed version of the actual events. On that day, Revere rode alongside Samuel Prescott and William Dawes. And of the trio, Prescott was the only one who made it to Concord to warn the residents of the arrival of the British. If anything, the poem "The Midnight Ride of Paul Rivere" should be discarded or modified.

Knights in Heavy Armor

The earliest mentions of plate armor can be traced to 1200AD, when warriors wore them beneath the gambeson‒a padded defensive jacket. But by the 1400s, knights had begun wearing full plate armor on their heads, shoulders, arms, legs, and torso. And usually, this armor was carved from bronze, iron, or steel.

We don't know how stories about the massive weight of plate armor began to spread. But somewhere down the line, people began to assume that warriors were trudging along the battlefield with such heavy pieces. When in truth, plate armor weighed between 33 and 55 pounds, providing the wearer with enough agility and mobility.

The Deceit of a Master Forger

Han van Meegeren is the name of a famous Dutch painter and portraitist. But his otherworldly skills as a forger set him on the map and spread his fame across the globe. Tired of being ridiculed by art critics, Meegeren became determined to prove his worth to his peers and the rest of the world.

In an ingenious move, he crafted a plot to copy the masterpieces of famous painters and pass them off as originals. Despite the deceitfulness of his methods, several people bought into his scheme, proving his talent. As you'd expect, he made quite a fortune off the forgeries.

How Did the Great Sphinx Lose Its Nose?

The Great Sphinx of Giza is a majestic limestone statue. And like the mythical creature in the Greek tradition, the sphinx has the head of a human and a lion's body. But the most telling feature of this statue is its missing nose.

For so long, people believed that Napoleon's troops shot off the sphinx's nose with a cannon when they arrived in 1798. But according to modern-day Egyptologists, more likely to blame for the damage is Arab historian and religious leader Muhammad Sa'im al-Dahr. Upset that the peasants were going worshipping a statue and making offerings to the sphinx, he defaced it to prove it was merely stone.

Mussolini and his Trains

Benito Mussolini's swift rise to power began in the wake of the First World War. And his goal was to create a fascist state that would end all forms of political corruption and misuse of labor but also maintain capitalism and private property.

The dictator achieved his goals to a large extent. But we wish people would stop saying, "Mussolini made the trains run on time." Because although Mussolini wielded a far-reaching influence over various industries, transportation wasn't one. Trains were so vital to commerce, and their capacity to function had nothing to do with some supernatural ability of his.

Julius Caesar and Cesarean Section

This is one funny misconception that should really die a natural death. Still, we can see how easy it was for people to draw a parallel between former Roman dictator Julius Caesar and the surgical procedure for delivery, the Cesarean section. But contrary to popular belief, Caesar was born through natural birth.

However, the procedure's name came from the Roman law, Lex Caesarea, which mandated that if a mother died during childbirth, the infant had to be retrieved from her womb. And if nothing, this proves that the practice had existed long before the first successful cesarean was performed in Switzerland.

A Man and His Wig

You'd be hard-pressed to find a picture or portrait of a man in the colonial era without a wig. Back then, it was actually fashionable for men to do so and powder their faces. While we can't disprove the prevalent fashion of those times, what we can do is clarify the myth that it was a widespread phenomenon.

In reality, members of the upper class and those in professional occupations could afford to splurge on such luxuries. However, the style and color of their false locks served as an indicator of their position. On the other hand, commoners could hardly afford such vanity on their low wages.

Spices Cost an Arm and a Leg

People often point to spices when asked to explain food storage before refrigeration became a thing. And it's not uncommon for them to mention the most popular ones like pepper, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and coriander. But it's wrong to assume that spices only served to mask the taste of bad meat.

Back then, spices weren't as available as they are now. And even the tiniest portions were expensive. So, to make up for the short shelf life of food, salt and other forms of preservation were commonly used. Still, those who could afford them used spices sparingly to improve the taste of high-quality food.

An Insensitive Princess?

If French history is your thing, then you should know of France's last king, Louis XVI. But this time, the king isn't the subject of one of history's biggest lies. Instead, his queen Marie-Antoinette takes the spotlight this time. Legend has it that during the bloody french revolution, the queen's response to news of widespread was "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche."

When loosely translated, it means "Let them eat cake." Of course, that's an insensitive statement to make. That declaration was a sharp detour from her well-known generosity to social causes. In reality, according to French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the statement was made by another princess in 1767.

Execution Method at the Salem Witch Trials

Women today fare better than their contemporaries centuries ago. And one aspect of the lives of women in the 17th century is how easily they earned the tag 'witch.' Between 1692 and 1693, several trials took place in Salem, Massachusetts, for suspected witches. And in the end, 30 persons were found guilty.

We won't be surprised if your heart goes out to how the poor women were burnt or drowned to death. After all, those were the preferred methods of executing witches back then. It's not much consolation that they didn't die either through burning or drowning. Instead, their executioners hung them. One man, Giles Corey, was crushed to death.

Father of the Light Bulb

For decades, we've repeated the rhetorics of Thomas Edison being the inventor of the incandescent light bulb. And this photo of him posing with his invention lends credence to that assumption. While there's some element of truth to it, it's false. Still, we must recognize Edison's contribution to refining the light bulb.

In reality, there were over 20 inventions of similar concepts before Edison's lamp. Names like Sir Humphrey Davy and Warren De la Rue beat Edison to it. But once his first lamp with a cotton thread filament produced 13 hours of light, he made further modifications that yielded as much as 1,200 hours of lighting.

The Truth About Einstein's Mathematics Proficiency

No one who takes physics seriously can claim they've never heard of the name Albert Einstein. Some of us may have read articles that claimed the scientist wasn't good at mathematics. And we've since gone ahead believing we could become geniuses even if we flunked maths too. True, not everyone needs mathematics to become an inventor.

Sadly, we're here to debunk that rumor. Of course, records show that Einstein wasn't a straight A student, but mathematics was never a weak point. And if the celebrated physicist himself says so, who are we to say otherwise? According to Einstein, by 15, he had mastered integral and differential calculus.

The Truth About Magellan's Last Voyage

If you asked history buffs to mention one famous explorer, we're sure they'll gladly blurt Christopher Columbus. But there's one explorer who should be the second most common answer, Ferdinand Magellan. And today, most people know him for leading the Spanish expedition in 1519.

While that circumnavigation was a success, it would be tragic for Magellan. Because during their time in the Philippines, he lost his life in the Battle of Mactan in 1921. You'll be surprised that Magellan was the first European to explore the Pacific ocean. And by naming the water body after the Latin word "Pacificus," he etched his name in history books.

Don’t Blame the Pathogens

Everyone and their mother is familiar with Irish potatoes. But a little-known fact is that they don't originate from Ireland as their name suggests. However, that's not the myth we're about to debunk. Today, history buffs remember the Great Famine that ravaged Ireland in 1845.

While a deadly pathogen caused the crop to fail, that's not the whole story. Sadly, Ireland lost as much as 30% of its population, but that figure should have been less. One key factor that worsened the tragedy was English overlords, who rejected boatloads of food sent to Ireland to ease the effect of the famine.

Wall Street Related Suicides?

Ask anyone who survived the global financial crisis of 2007-2008, and you'll hear tales of how devastated they were. Of course, media houses don't hesitate to blow the effects of such periods out of proportion. After all, bad news sells, right? But before the crisis that ushered us into the 21st century, there was the Wall Street Crash of 1929.

From tabloids to TV, the consensus was that suicide rates were rising in the aftermath of the crash. Although that theory seems plausible, the truth was that the opposite was the case. One possible explanation was that people realized the importance of living in the face of adversity.

The Trojan Horse

It's the 8th century BC, and the Trojan war is happening between the city of Troy and the Greeks. As legends have it, the Greeks decided to play a fast one with a wooden gift known as the Trojan Horse. Around 30 Greek warriors led by Odysseus hid in the belly of what appeared to be a gift.

But once the statue was in the city, the warriors emerged from where they hid and sacked the city. While the story is compelling and tells the story of an excellent strategy, it's nothing but a myth. After all, Homer's Iliad, which recorded notable events of that period, doesn't mention any horse.

Isaac Newton and the Apple

English scientist Isaac Newton made so many discoveries in physics. And while we may argue about what discovery trumps others, his theory on gravity ranks high. Still, the story of how he discovered the phenomenon is even more rousing. According to legend, Newton discovered gravity when an apple fell on him in his mother's garden.

However, the problem is that the tale contains one exaggerated piece of information. Newton was sitting in his mother's garden, true. And an apple did fall. However, the said apple never hit him. Today, our understanding of gravity helps us understand things like the trajectory of comets.

Egypt’s Pyramids Built by Slaves or Aliens?

One doesn't need to have visited Egypt to know about its pyramids. And even today, people marvel at them. If you've seen films like "Prince of Egypt," you buy into the narrative of slaves constructing the pyramids. Still, some conspiracy theories say aliens are responsible.

So, the excavation of a pyramid builder's tomb debunked the rumors. In addition, the manner of burial of these builders indicates they were held in high regard. After all, the shaft contained bread, jars of beer, and other items. Interestingly, archaeologists discovered the tomb in the '90s. And years of research culminated in sharing their findings in 2010.

The Romanov Who Survived an Execution

This myth concerns the family of Russia's last Tsar, Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov. In 1918, he and his family met an untimely death at the hands of Bolsheviks. Although a burial site contained the Romanov's remains, the body of Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov was missing.

And for decades, impostors like Anna Anderson would claim to be the Duchess. Of course, several persons held on to the possibility of a surviving member of the Romanov family. Even books and movies fueled those rumors. But in 2007, an archaeologist found a nearby burial site with two skeletons. And DNA tests concluded they belonged to Anastasia and her brother Alexei.

The Mystery of the Black Sox

What went down amongst the Chicago White Sox players in 1919 is still a subject of much debate. During the 1919 World Series, eight Chicago White Sox baseball players deliberately lost against the Cincinnati Reds for $100,000 paid in installments.

Once it became public knowledge, the players were indicted on nine counts of conspiracy and informally dubbed the 'Black Sox.' But to date, no one knows how the records of their confessions conveniently vanished, causing the court to acquit them of all charges. And instead, the members of the 'Black Sox' were permanently banned from playing Major League Baseball. Talk about a slap on the wrist!

The Greatest Showman

Avid fans of Hugh Jackman may have seen his 2017 musical titled, 'The Greatest Showman." And a simple google search would reveal that the film is a highly sanitized and overly exaggerated version of actual events that took place during the 1800s.

Still, that movie fails to reveal that Phineas Taylor Barnum wasn't the sympathetic taskmaster we all believe him to be. In reality, his legacy is one of exploitation, and a thousand white lies used to cover up the fact that he exploited people to gain wealth and privilege. One good example was Joice Heth, who Barnum falsely paraded as George Washington's former nurse.

Cuba and the Soviet Union Plot

Today, we know the Soviet Union as the country that committed several atrocities. Luckily, some of those wrongs were nipped in the bud before they could result in a worldwide catastrophe. And the Cuban missile crisis of the early '90s is one of those that are worthy of mentioning.

At the time, the Soviets assured the United States of their intentions to send defensive weapons to Cuba. But the truth was, they had snuck several missiles into Cuba and tried to conceal them. Luckily, the plot became public knowledge. And after intervention from the U.S., the then-Russian leader, Nikita Khrushchev, agreed to return the missiles to Russia.

Tell a Lie to Win a War

The 2019 war film "Midway" is just one of several movies that attempt to depict the events that led up to the Battle of Midway during the Second World War. And believe it when we say that the film is probably one of the most accurate depictions of that historical event.

So how do you win a war with a lie? Here's how the American Military Intelligence did it. When their attempts to decipher the codes used by the Japanese failed, they decided to send out a false encrypted message to test their theories. This way, they decrypted the code and prepared for the Japanese attack on Midway.

How Alan Turing Turned the Tides of World War 2

The codes used by the Japanese weren't the only ones that posed some difficulty to the American Military Intelligence and the Allied Forces during World War 2. For example, the Nazi Enigma code was so unbreakable that it kept the Allies scrambling while German U-boats sunk supply ships.

But one man rose to the challenge. In 1941, British mathematician Alan Turing helped design the machine that deciphered and cracked the Enigma code, revealing the positions of German submarines. While his efforts in solving the codes eventually contributed to the Allied victory, Turing also helped lay the groundwork for modern computing.

The Pentagon Papers

It's okay if the subject of the pentagon papers is new to you. After all, not everyone can be privy to the secret history of America. But here's a helpful breakdown to help assuage your curiosity. Several years ago, a series of classified documents titled "The Pentagon Papers" were leaked to the press, shocking the world.

After all, some of its content included secret plots, plans for coups, and the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War. And among the big names mentioned, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, and President Lyndon Johnson were the most notable. You bet the government had trouble justifying its involvement in the Vietnamese War.

Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Propaganda

One thing most charismatic leaders have in common is their ability to compel people to accept and propagate some beliefs. And it doesn't matter to them if the sentiments they spread are valid or not. The second thing those so-called charismatic leaders have in common is how they became some of the world's most brutal dictators.

A perfect example would be Adolf Hitler. With a fanciful combination of mass manipulation, violence, and terror, he created the fiction that Jewish people were the enemy of society and the root cause of all evils. And unfortunately, the lies he told resulted in the deaths of over 17 million people.

The Chernobyl Disaster

Decades after its fourth reactor exploded during a botched safety test, sending clouds of radiation across a large portion of Europe, the infamous Chornobyl plant remains radioactive to date. To put things in perspective, the explosion at the power plant was 400 times the size of the nuclear warhead that dropped on Hiroshima.

But at the time, Soviet authorities were hesitant to reveal the magnitude of the situation. So, it took 18 days before they disclosed the extent of the damage from the incident. Although the death toll is difficult to pinpoint, the international community says the disaster cost the lives of 31 people.

Gillette Invented Shaving for Women

The year was 1915, and Gillette released the Milady Décolleté shaving stick for women. At the time, men were the ones who had to shave. So, the general thought is that Gillette invented the idea of women shaving. Unfortunately, history doesn't agree with that notion.

As far back as the stone age, hair removal has been a thing for both genders. Another example is in renaissance Europe, where women would pluck their eyebrows and edges to appear to maintain a prominent forehead. Of course, Gillette remains a pioneer in the industry, and Milady Décolleté made shaving easier; they didn't invent the idea of women shaving.

People Today Live Twice as Long

If you're interested in history like we are, you may be part of some Facebook group. And a common notion you'll find is that we live twice as long as people in the past did. It's almost like we have it better now, and old age was a rarity some centuries ago.

That looks like the case on paper, but it ignores one factor; child mortality. But thanks to advances in the medical field, several illnesses are diagnosed and treated conveniently. Unfortunately, people back then didn't have that luxury. So, bar child mortality, the life expectancy of both eras isn't too different.

How Short Was Napoleon Bonaparte?

One doesn't need to be French to know who Napoleon Bonaparte was. Not only was he a military leader, but he was also France's leader and King of the Italian Republic. Today, his military conquests are the basis for poems and films. And why not? He fought around 60 battles, only losing seven.

One repeated tale is that Napoleon was short. After all, 5' 2" isn't tall by any standard. However, the problem with that assumption is the two inches mentioned were in France's 'pounce.' By today's standards, he was 5' 5". Who knows? The rumors of his diminutive stature could have been propaganda to spur his enemies to battle.

The Library of Alexandria's Actual Importance

It'll be a faux pas to mention some of the notable libraries in history without adding the Library of Alexandria. According to legend, the Egyptian library held up to 400,000 scrolls. To further boost its reputation, scholars like Archimede and Callimachus studied there at some point.

So, the library's fame and impressive collection of books would make it seem like the only source of knowledge in the ancient world. However, the Library of Pergamum and the Library of Antioch were just some examples of alternatives. And when the Egyptian King Ptolemy III banned foreign scholars from Alexandria, they had to make do with several options.

How Intense Was the Rivalry Between Mozart and Salieri?

For every field of human endeavor, it's normal to expect rivalries. Whether it's boxers Frazier and Mohammed Ali, musicians John Lennon and Paul McCartney, we've had our fair share of rivals. Sometimes these men and women may not be enemies in the real sense, but that doesn't stop fans from blowing the embers of discord.

While everyone knows Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonio Salieri was another brilliant composer of the Classical period. During their time, rumors persisted about their rivalry. But in reality, the competition between them was healthy. Unfortunately, those rumors went as far as claiming Salieri poisoned Mozart. Ironically, Salieri and other composers educated Mozart's youngest son.

Countries in the Soviet Union Enjoyed the Annexation

The Soviet Union is history today. But at its peak, it included Russia and 14 neighboring countries. To help you grasp the USSR's power, its 8.6 million square miles made it the largest country by land mass. But a common misconception is that those countries enjoyed being members of the Soviet Union.

But if the 2022 conflict between Ukraine and Russia proves anything, it's that some countries still bear a grudge. There were punishments for those who displayed flags of their original countries. In addition, freedom of speech was a novelty. So, when the USSR fell in 1991, several member nations exited pronto!

Iceland’s Interesting Name Choice

Most of us know Iceland as the Nordic country located in Europe. But few people know that it's Europe's most sparsely populated country. And it's easy to believe its low density if you've Icelandic tales are your thing. According to legend, Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson named it Iceland to discourage extra settlers.

After all, this was the era of Vikings who were always searching for new territory. What's the appeal of a 'land of ice,' right? The truth is that Vilgerðarson and other settlers arrived during winter. And when they climbed a mountain and spotted a fjord full of icebergs, they aptly named the territory what we know it as today.

The Confederacy's True Intentions

For every country, there's an event in its past that would change its current state had it ended differently. And for the United States of America, the Civil War of 1861-1865 remains that event. On one side, the North remained loyal to the Union. While on the other side, the South or Confederacy sought succession.

According to some persons, the Confederacy was fighting for "states' rights." However, that whitewash is too glaring and weak. After all, the Confederacy constitution clearly stated that whites were superior. In reality, the South hated the plans to abolish the slave trade, and succession was their last stand.

Was NASA's Pen Extravagant or Worth It?

You can purchase NASA's Fisher Space pen for less than $30 today. And while it has impressive features, it was once a source of ridicule for the space program. According to urban legend, the space agency spent millions of dollars on a biro while its Russian counterparts used pencils.

NASA did opt for a privately-developed Fisher Space pen. One issue with pencils was the risk posed by graphite particles from them. In addition, the flammable nature of wood was another reason why NASA used the Fisher Space pen in 1965. Ironically, the Russians also switched to the biro for subsequent space missions.

Just How Beautiful Was Queen Cleopatra?

Cleopatra VII Philopator was Queen of Egypt's Ptolemaic Kingdom from 51 BC to 20 BC. But most of us know her name because of the tales about her beauty. Her relationship with men like Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony lends credence to her reportedly ethereal looks. So, it's no wonder how paintings, statues, and books harp on her appearance.

In reality, Cleopatra came from a line of Ptolemies who were known for incest. As a result, members of the family looked odd. While Cleopatra was good-looking compared to her family members, she didn't possess the supernatural beauty legend says she did. Instead, her wit, education and personality stood out.

Just How Tight Were Corsets?

The Victorian era is notable for several things, and the corset tops that list. The undergarment helped women achieve an hourglass figure with relative ease. However, these days corsets have evolved into training corsets. But if you've seen movies like "Bridgerton," you'll think they are very uncomfortable.

Rumors have it that they caused internal organs to squish and move. And they were reported to cause fainting. But corsets aren't that bad. In fact, they had lacing in the back, and users had the option to leave some room to breathe. Tightlacing, on the other hand, involved wearing extremely tight corsets to achieve astonishingly slender waists.