Cracked Archive - History

Diving Into The Dumb Legal Mystery Over A Missing $10 Million Painting
A painting disappeared from a rich heiress' home one day. It popped back up 15 years later, and no one knows who took it.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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6
4 Stupid Real-World Origins Of Mythical Monsters
A lot of monster myths began with something really, really stupid.
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- By Amanda Mannen
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31
A Man Changed His Name To George George, And Thought He Had A Good Reason
He was the son of Rube Goldberg, who feared for his family's safety.
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- By Ryan Menezes
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13
That Time Coors Tried to Sell Non-Alcoholic Water (And Failed)
In the early 1990s, Coors tried to get in on the growing bottled water market. It didn't work.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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11
5 Of The Most Badass Ways Cultures Used To Treat Their Dead
Dying can be a stylish, luxurious affair.
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- By Ivan Farkas
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11
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The Polar Bears: The Americans Who Fought (Their Allies) Russia In WW1
Woodrow Wilson sent a bunch of dudes from Michigan to fight the Russians. Confused?
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- By Steven Assarian
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22
The 'Stiff' Drink's Dark, Disgusting Creation
"Hey, let's get a couple of cold ones."
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- By Oona O'Brien
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9
The Cave Animation Work Of Pre-Historic Walt Disneys
Animation began with cave paintings from 19000 B.C.E.
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- By Oona O'Brien
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2
Playboy Bunnies Helped with A (Controversial) Vietnam War Evacuation
In April 1975, the US government evacuated orphans from Vietnam, and a plane owned by Playboy founder Hugh Hefner helped.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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3
The Tale Of The '40s Evangelical 'Doctor' Officially Dubbed 'King Of The Quacks'
Curtis Springer once convinced everyone that he was a highly trained medical professional.
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- By Oona O'Brien
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13
History's Dumbest Explorers: The Burke And Wills Expedition
The qualifications for embarking on a major continental expedition were beyond lacking.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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12
Was Shakespeare The Father Of Modern True Crime?
Did the Bard write the first true crime adaptation that also sounds like a story the Coen Brothers would do? Possibly so.
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- By Zanandi Botes
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0
How The Original (And Literal) Snake Oil Salesman Got Started
The real start to fake quackery.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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14
5 Business Tricks That Were So Devilish, We Ain't Even Mad
Man, we wish we thought of these.
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- By Ryan Menezes
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30
Lawyer Richard Nixon's First Case Went So Badly, He Almost Got Disbarred
"Mr. Nixon, I have serious doubts whether you have the ethical qualifications to practice law."
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- By Ryan Menezes
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15