Our world is full of amazing stories just waiting to be shared and discovered. Researchers, historians and archaeologists have given us so much information about our collective past and many times what we learn is simply touching! Here is a list of amazing history information for kids that you can share in your classroom. Some of it is absolutely incredible!
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Surprising history information for kids
1. Ketchup was once sold as a medicine.
In the 1830s, it was believed that the spice could cure almost everything including indigestion, diarrhea and even jaundice. Here’s a quick video about it!
2. Ice pop was accidentally invented by a kid!
In 1905, when 11-year-old Frank Epson left water and soda powder outside overnight, there was still a wooden stir-cup. When he discovered that the mixture had solidified, Epsicol was born! A few years later, the name was changed to Popsicle. Here is a reading video of the book The Boy Who Invented the Popsicle.
3. Tug-of-war was once an Olympic sport.
Many of us have played tug-of-war, but did you know that it was an event at the 1900 to 1920 Olympics? It’s a separate sport now, but it was included in the track-and-field athletics program!
4. Iceland has the oldest parliament in the world.
Founded in 930, the small Scandinavian island of Althing continues to serve as the country’s acting parliament.
5. Say “Prune” for the camera!
In the 1840’s, “Cheese!” Instead of saying, “Prince!” When they are photographed. This was deliberately to keep the face taut in the photographs as the big smile was seen as childish.
6. The dance cap was used as a sign of intelligence.
It was believed that a pointed cap could be used to spread knowledge from the tip of the brain – at least 13th-century philosopher John Dans Scottus thought so! About 200 years later, though, they became a joke and were used for the exact opposite reason!
7. A horse became a senator in ancient Rome.
When Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus became emperor of Rome at the tender age of 24, he made his horse a senator. Unfortunately, he will be remembered as one of the worst rulers in the city. Here is an interesting video about Incitatus, the famous horse itself!
8. Buzz Aldrin was the first to urinate on the moon.
When astronaut Edwin “Buzz” became the first man to walk on the moon in 1969, the spray-collecting cover in his spacesuit broke, leaving him with no choice but to pee in his pants. We have come a long way since then. Here’s a video about today’s space toilets on shuttles!
9. More than 75 million Europeans were killed by rats in the Middle Ages.
The Black Death, which wiped out more than a third of Europe’s population, was actually spread by rats.
10. 3 Musketeers were named for the taste of the candy bar.
When the original 3 Musketeers Candy Bar first came on the market in the 1930s, it came in a three-pack with a variety of flavors: vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. However, they had to lose a taste when World War II made rations too expensive.
11. The Vikings discovered America.
About 500 years before Christopher Columbus, the Scandinavian explorer Thorvald, brother of Leif Erickson and son of Eric the Red, died in battle in modern Newfoundland.
12. There are 887 huge head statues on Easter Island.
At just 14 miles long, Easter Island (or Rapa Nui as it is also called) is known as Moai, covered by hundreds and hundreds of gigantic volcanic rock statues. Incredibly, each of these statues weighs an average of 28,000 pounds!
13. The two presidents died within hours of each other.
Here is one of the most intriguing and tragic history information for children! On the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, its two central figures, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (who were close friends), died just hours apart.
14. Let’s dive Titanic Was predicted.
Who could have guessed drowning Titanic? It turns out that the author may have Morgan Robertson! In 1898, he published the novel The wreckage of Titan Where a huge British Ocean liner, with a lack of lifeboats on board, hit an iceberg and sank in the North Atlantic Ocean. That’s great!
15. President Abraham Lincoln’s top hat had a purpose.
Ever heard of functional fashion? Abraham Lincoln can be a guide! The president’s top hat was more than just an accessory – he used it to hold important notes and papers. It is said that he even wore the hat when he went to the Ford Theater on the night of April 14, 1865.
16. The Eiffel Tower was originally for Barcelona.
The Eiffel Tower looks just right at home in Paris and is the most popular tourist attraction in the French city কিন্তু but it wasn’t supposed to be there! When Gustav Eiffel presented his design to Barcelona, they thought it was too ugly. So, he identified it as a temporary landmark for the 1889 International Exhibition in Paris and it has been there ever since. Unfortunately, many French do not like it!
17. Napoleon Bonaparte was attacked by a group of rabbits.
He may be a famous winner, but Napoleon may have missed his match while hunting a rabbit. At his request, the rabbits were released from their cages and instead of fleeing they went straight to Bonaparte and his men!
18. Oxford University is older than the Aztec Empire.
In 1096, Oxford University welcomed students for the first time. In contrast, the city of Tenochtitlan on Lake Texaco, which is associated with the source of the Aztec Empire, was founded in 1325.
19. The Leaning Tower of Pisa has never been straight.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is famous for leaning more than 4 degrees. Many assume that the landmark has moved slowly over time but the truth is that it was moved during construction after the third floor was added. No one understands why they left it, but scientists believe it was built on soft clay. Here is a video about why it doesn’t read
20. Before toilet paper was invented, Americans used corn seedlings.
Sometimes we find history facts for kids that kind of obese. We allow our modern bathrooms, obviously, since we can use periodicals like corn husk or Farmer’s Almanac, we use less expensive toilet paper instead!
21. “Albert Einstein” is an anagram for “ten elite brains”.
When you think about it, it’s pretty fitting!
22. In ancient Rome there were female gladiators!
Although they were extremely rare, there were female gladiators who were called gladiatrix or gladiatris. Girl talk about energy!
23. In ancient Egypt, New Year’s celebrations were called vepet rainpets.
When we celebrated the New Year on January 1, the ancient Egyptian tradition was different every year. Which means “opening of the year” Weppet Rainpet was a way to mark the annual flooding of the Nile River, which usually occurs in July. The Egyptians tracked Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, for their festival.
24. Empire State Building has its own zip code.
The landmark is so huge that it deserves its own postal title — it’s the exclusive home with the 10118 zip code!
25. The Statue of Liberty was a lighthouse.
For 16 years, the glorious statue served as a functional lighthouse. Lady Liberty was perfect for the job — her torch was visible for 24 miles! Watch this video about the secrets of the Statue of Liberty!
26. The last letter added to the alphabet was actually “J”.
Alphabetical letters have not been added in the order you can guess based on the songs we learned as children. Instead of “Z”, it’s actually “J” which last joined the alphabet!