A German Colony In Texas?
Back in the early 1800s, there was a massive flow of German immigration to the USA, most of whom settled in the Far West. By the 1840s, a group of German immigrants funded the Society for the Protection of German Immigrants, commonly known as Adelsverein.
Adelsverein's goal was to establish a "new Germany" in what is now Texas. How crazy is that? These guys went as far as to buy nearly 4,500 acres of land, which were supposedly destined for the foundation of the future colony. However, due to accumulation of debts, the plan proved to be a big fat failure.
A US President Dated His Teacher
If you paid close attention to your high school history lessons (then again, must of us probably didn't!), Millard Fillmore was the 13th American president and his mandate lasted from 1850 to 1853. But here's a curious fact that teachers never tell you!
In 1819, Fillmore fell in love with his teacher, Abigail Powers, and the two ended up getting married! Seems as if it came straight from a Hollywood movie, right? When they met, he was 19 while she was 21, but it was not until they were 26 and 28 that they got married.
The Truth Behind The Democratic Party's Symbol
Did you know that the symbol of the Democratic Party is a donkey? But have you ever wondered why that is? The real reason will definitely surprise you! The reason dates back to the 1820s, when former US president Andrew Jackson founded the Party.
Jackson's political rivals would usually call him "jackass" as an insult, and jackass is another word for donkey, so... you do the maths. As regards the Republicans, they adopted the elephant as the symbol of their Party.
The Man Who Butchered 200 People
In 1861, one of the most infamous men in the history of the U.S. was born. We're talking about H.H. Holmes, one of the most ruthless serial killers in history. On the occasion of the Chicago World's Fair held in 1893, Holmes designed a hotel that was purposely built for murdering dozens of people.
The hotel featured rooms equipped with secret gas lines, aimed to kill many people at once. It also included a large room with nothing but a trapdoor in the ceiling, where many people were trapped and then starved to death. All in all, it is believed that he killed up to 220 people. Yikes.
A Special Type Of Carnivore Plant
Have you ever heard of Venus flytraps? This is a very rare species of carnivore plant that can only be found on the East Coast of South Carolina and North Carolina. But do these plants really eat meat?
Well, kind of. Obviously, they don't eat human beings, but they do eat insects such as flies and spiders. When an insect makes contact with the plant's hairs (those white things that look like teeth), it will wait for 20 seconds. If the insect makes contact one more time during those seconds, then the trap-like structure will snap shut. Just in case, never poke one of these plants with your finger!
A Mummy Was Paraded Through Town
Elmer J. McCurdy, aka "The Man Who Wouldn't Give Up", was an American train robber who was shot by the police while robbing a Katy Train in 1911 in Oklahoma. His body was then mummified, which sounds gross, but this is not even creepy part!
The bandit's mummified body became one of the main features on the American traveling carnival circuit for nearly 4 decades! That's right, from the 1920s to the 1960s, his dead body was paraded through different towns. It was not until 1976 that his body was finally buried in a cemetery.
The First Submarine Attack Ever
One would think that submarines started being used in the 19th or early 20th century, but you know what? They were invented as far back as 1620! And here's another fun fact: the first submarine attack ever took place precisely in the United States, in September 1776.
In the peak of the Revolutionary War against Great Britain, an American submarine attached a time bomb to the hull of a British flagship in New York Harbor. Ever since that day, submarines started being used in warfare all over the world.
People Took Photos Of Their Dead Relatives
You know how parents love to post pictures of their newborn babies on Instagram every week? Well, back in the Victorian days, people had a much creepier habit: they took pictures of their dead relatives or friends, but once they were dead!
Historians have many theories regarding the reason behind such a disgusting custom, though many historians agree on the fact that since photographies and cameras were so pricey, people couldn't afford to take pictures all the time. Therefore, each time a loved one died, they would take only one picture, just to have something to remember them by.
A Church Exploded During Choir Practice
On March 1950, the famous West Side Baptist Church in Beatrice, Nebraska, exploded during choir practice. Nobody knows the exact reason behind the tragedy, though the most accepted theory is that it was a natural gas explosion.
By twist of fate, the 15 members of the choir were all late, and for the most random of reasons. One choir member, for instance, arrived late because he was behind with his geometry homework, while another member had been finishing a letter.
Jimmy Carter Filed A UFO Report
Jimmy Carter served as the US president from 1977 to 1981, and he'll always be remembered as the man who reported spotting a UFO in 1969 while delivering a speech at a Lions Club meeting in Leary, Georgia.
During the middle of his speech, he and one of the guests spotted a weird object that was, in their words, "as bright as the moon". It was not until 1973 that Carter officially filed a report of the sighting. As crazy as it sounds, this was a topic of public opinion during quite a long time, and many ufologists were interviewed by different media outlets.
Hundreds Of Skulls Were Found In A Lake
I hope you're ready, cause you're about to learn about one of the freakiest facts in American history! It was the late 19th century, when a team of surveyors discovered piles of skulls in the depths of Lake Okeechobee, Florida. The exact number is unknown, but reportedly there were nearly a thousand of them.
But the thing is, nobody knows what those skulls were doing there in the first place. There were no recorded cemeteries or burial sites near the lake, so how did they end up there? Many historians believe that they were killed by a hurricane.
Women Drank Beaver Ball Potion As Birth Control
1960 will always be remembered as the year in which the pill was introduced to the market, representing a major step towards sexual and reproductive freedom, especially for women. But ever wondered which birth control methods women resorted to before the pill?
As disgusting as it sounds, women in the USA and Canada would brew tea out of beaver testicles, which supposedly provided androgen and thus helped decrease fertility. Let's just say it's a good thing we weren't born in the 16th century!
Victorians Made Jewelry Out Of Body Parts
We've already seen how Victorians used to take photos of their loved ones after they died. However, it turns out this wasn't the only gruesome habit of theirs. To remember their deceased relatives and friends, they would also do this.
According to many historians, people in those days would make jewelry from their loved ones' body parts, including bones, teeth, and hair. They would call them "memorial jewelry". We're lucky that's no longer a thing.
Two Presidents Died The Same Day
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson are both household names, right? They were two of the Founding Fathers of the American nation, and served as the second and third presidents of the U.S., respectively.
Both leaders witnessed one of the most crucial political events in US history: the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But they have another thing in common: they died on the same day! That's right, Adams and Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826, exactly half a century after the independence.
An American Author Predicted The Sinking Of Titanic
Morgan Andrew Robertson was an American author most famous for his wide range of short stories and novels. Amongst his most famous works is Titan, written in 1898. There's something about this book that makes it eerily fascinating.
Believe it or not, in this book, the writer predicted the sinking of the British ship RMS Titanic. According to the plot of the novel, a British ship named the Titan hit an iceberg and sank, and most of the passengers died due to a lack of lifeboats. Coincidence? I don't think so!
Dentures Were Made With Soldiers' Teeth
It's a widely known fact that prosthetic teeth are made out of different materials, including nylon, acrylic, or metal. However, such elaborate prosthetic dentures became a thing towards mid 19th century. But what about before? What happened then?
Back in the days of the American Civil War, Americans would make dentures from the teeth of the deceased soldiers. That's right, they would literally pull out the teeth from the soldiers and place them in artificial gums. Ouch!
Liberty Island Was A Haven For Pirates
Liberty Island is one of the most visited islands in the world, mainly because it's home to the Statue of Liberty. Famous for its panoramic views of New York City, Liberty Island may now seem like a very picturesque place, but this was far from the case a couple of centuries ago.
Back in the late 19th century, Liberty Island was a complete haven for pirates and treasure hunters, as it was believed that a treasure was buried in some unknown spot. Apparently, in 1892, two pirates landed on the island and unearthed a mysterious box, but when they opened it, a demon was set free.
Where Was The Declaration Of Independence Written?
If you listened at least once to your high school history teacher, you must probably remember that the Declaration of Independence of the United States was signed on the 4th of July, 1776. But here's a wild fact that you probably didn't know!
Crazily enough, the official copy of the Declaration of Independence still exists to this day, and it was written on animal skin. However, some of the drafts were written on hemp paper! That's right, they used cannabis plants to write the Declaration of Independence!
6 People Killed By A Balloon
Even though the USA was involved in the Second World War, none of the battles were fought in American soil. In fact, there were barely any casualties on American territories as a result of the war. Almost none, except for these 6 unlucky people.
In 1945, a Japanese aircraft dropped a balloon in the middle of the forest, but inside the balloon, there was a bomb. The balloon landed in Oregon, and it was discovered by a woman and 5 children, who tragically died from the explosion.
The Civil War Led To A Growth In Sex Work
The American Civil War faced the northern industrialists and the pro-slavery South and it lasted from 1861 and 1865. The social consequences of the war were catastrophic, leaving over a million casualties and nearly half a million wounded.
In may large cities such as Nashville, hundreds of women began working as prostitutes, resulting in an exponential growth in sex work nationwide. For instance, the amount of sex workers in Nashville alone grew from 207 in 1961 to 1500 in 1962.
John Adams Loved Going On Skinny Dips
John Quincy Adams served as the second president of the United States, from 1797 to 1801. Before becoming the Head of State, he was one of the main leaders of the American Revolution. He was a brave political and military leader, sure, but wanna hear something funny?
It appears to be that Adams enjoyed having some leisure time early in the morning, and he would always go for a swim... naked! That's right, skinny dips were Adam's cup of tea. Who would've imagined?