History Facts That Are Really Myths

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE WAS SHORT.  He was 5'7''.  He was average height in Europe during the early 19th century.  COLUMBUS THOUGHT THE WORLD WAS FLAT.  He was traveling west to the East Indies.  West to East.  He knew the Earth was round, just not how big the planet was.  KING GEORGE'S DIARY.  On July 4, 1776, King George III wrote in his diary "Nothing of importance happened today."  He may have ignored America's independence, but it was not in a diary.  King George III never kept a diary.  THE UNITED STATES HAS 50 States.  Virginia, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania are all commonwealths.  It is basically the same.  It just sounds fancier.  THOMAS JEFFERSON SLEPT WITH HIS SLAVES.  In 1998, DNA shows Sally Hemings youngest son was fathered by someone in the Jefferson line.  Media ran with the story claiming it was Thomas Jefferson.  More than 2 dozen Jefferson men were living in Virginia at the time.  We may never know who the father is.  GLADIATORS OFTEN FOUGHT TO THEIR DEATH.  They were rarely forced to their deaths.  They were too valuable.  300 SPARTANS HELD OFF A PERSIAN HOARD AT A NARROW PASS FOR 3 DAYS.  4,000 Greek allies fought alongside the Spartans before retreating.  1,500 stood with the Spartans during their epic stand.  THE POLISH CALVARY CHARGED AGAINST GERMAN ARMED DIVISIONS DURING WWII.  This is most likely the work of Joseph Goebbels' propaganda.  It was a myth made by the Nazis because they were poorly equipped to have done such a thing.   VIKINGS WORE HORNED HELMETS, RIGHT?  Medieval depictions of Viking warriors show Norsemen bareheaded or clad in simple helmets likely made of iron or leather.    Scout.com