Cracked Archive - History

The Baffling Santa-themed Town (Built In A Desert)
Santa Claus, Arizona tried (and briefly succeeded) to bring the wonders of Christmas to the desert.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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4
George Washington Was One Of America's Top Whiskey Producers
After stepping down from the presidency, George Washington found a new calling: opening a whiskey distillery.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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3
Winston Churchill Demanded Orange Cats, Into Perpetuity
He said his home must always have an orange cat, and so it always has.
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- By Ryan Menezes
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7
Canadian Children Marched To Protest The Rising Price Of Candy
It was called the candy bar protest, or The Chocolate Bar Strike.
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- By Ryan Menezes
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8
The Odd Origin Of The World's First Sci-Fi Convention
In the late 19th century, people were really getting into their sci-fi.
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- By Zanandi Botes
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1
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Six Boys Washed Up On A Desert Island, And They Survived A Year Just Fine
They even built their own farm and gym.
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- By Ryan Menezes
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13
4 Stupid Life-Threatening Dangers People Once Had To Deal With
Sometimes common historical dangers were so stupid that whoever they had instead of a properly licensed coroner back then had to chuckle.
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- By Amanda Mannen
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7
Hundreds Of People On The Titanic Had To Share A Single Bathtub
They probably just skipped bathing that week.
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- By Ryan Menezes
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13
When A Congressman Tried To Change The U.S.A.'s Name And Failed
In 1893, an American Congressman tried to add an amendment that would change the name of the country.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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8
5 Discoveries That Archaeologists Wish They Never Found
Yes, these stories involve some real evil spirits.
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- By Michael Dawson
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34
5 People With Wild Past Lives They Kept Hidden
A fair number of these tales involve Nazis.
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- By Zachary Frey
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25
The Historically Incompetent Reign Of Sultan Ibrahim The Mad
Sultan Ibrahim spent his childhood locked in a cage, and he came to power because everyone else was dead.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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4
Computer History's Unsung Hero: An Ode To Dennis Ritchie
Dennis Ritchie might not be a famous name, but he is responsible for major technological innovations.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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6
The Grifter Who (Twice) Sold The Eiffel Tower, Then Scammed Al Capone
Victor Lustig was a legendary con artist who managed to sell the Eiffel Tower unsuspecting victims twice.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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1
Education Became Mandatory In The U.S. Thanks To Satan
During the 1600s, religious folk saw illiteracy as the Devil's plan.
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- By Zanandi Botes
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11