Cracked Archive - History
Winston Churchill Had A Doctor's Note To Avoid American Prohibition Laws
Winston Churchill usually had a drink in his hand, and thanks to a doctor's note, he even got past Prohibition laws.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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0 The Woman Who Took On All Of New York City (By Smoking)
In 1908, New York had a short-lived ordinance. One woman was arrested for violating it.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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How Stalin Weaponized Old-School Photoshop To Eliminate Rivals
Thousands of doctored photos show Soviet officials that Joseph Stalin made "disappear."
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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- 10
Victorian Doctors (Wrongly) Thought Beards Could Prevent Diseases
For a brief period in the 1850s, some people believed that beards could act as masks to keep germs out.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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The Last Duel In Canada Was Appropriately Apologetic
In 1873, two dumb friends in Newfoundland decided to settle a dispute in a duel. Both of them were sorry about it.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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Sisters Made Motorcycle History (Then Got Arrested For Wearing Pants)
In 1916, two sisters rode across the country on motorcycles to make history.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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America Killed A Cuban Cow With A Failed Satellite Launch
"With cows or without cows, the revolution will win," said Cuba.
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- By Ryan Menezes
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'Jingle Bells' Eyebrow-Arching History And Creation
Turns out the guy who wrote about how fun it is to ride and sing some sleigh song also wrote Confederate anthems.
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- By Zanandi Botes
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5 Strange Details Of Japan's 19th-Century UFO
They didn't have a word for it, but we'd call it a flying saucer.
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- By Cezary Jan Strusiewicz
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The Astronaut Who Was Allergic To The Moon
NASA's Harrison Schmitt was in for a rough surprise when he found out that he was allergic to moon dust.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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The Day That Had No News: April 18, 1930
On a news broadcast in 1930, the BBC officially reported that there was no news.
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- By Ethan Tyrrell
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A Joke Election Led To Our First Woman Mayor (And Prohibition)
Kansas drunks bit off more than they could chew.
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- By Nathan Williams
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Remembering The Cabbie Who Tossed A President Into Pig Poop
Let's go, Buren.
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- By Ryan Menezes
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5 Nice-Sounding Government Policies With Secret Racist Origins
The government never does anything out of the kindness of its heart.
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- By Michael Dawson
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The Plan To Move The White House And Capitol To St. Louis (By Train)
This way, they'd avoid those D.C. mosquitos.
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- By Ryan Menezes
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- 4
