Grayson West
History is sometimes different from what it seems. Our perception of time can be surprisingly inaccurate, especially when it comes to historical events. These 15 facts challenge common assumptions about when things happened, revealing unexpected connections across centuries. Prepare to see history in a whole new light!
T-Rex’s Distant Cousin
The Tyrannosaurus Rex lived closer to our time than to the Stegosaurus. While Stegosaurus lived on Earth 150 million years ago, T-Rex only roamed 65 million years ago. This revelation throws doubt on our understanding of prehistoric times by highlighting the enormous scope of dinosaur existence.
Christianity’s Early Reach
By 635 CE, when Nestorian monk Alopen arrived in Chang’an, Christianity had spread throughout Western China. It took almost 400 years for Christianity to spread to Scandinavia, which happened in the 11th century. It points out some of our presumptions regarding the historical trajectory of religious spread.
From Wright To Moon
Wikipedia
Just 66 years separated the Wright brothers’ initial flight and Buzz Aldrin’s son’s lunar landing, which Buzz Aldrin’s father witnessed. The first flight by the Wright brothers took off on December 17, 1903, while Buzz Aldrin made his lunar landing during Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969.
Lincoln’s Assassination on TV
A witness to Lincoln’s end, Samuel J. Seymour, lived long enough to be interviewed on television in 1956. This fascinating connection bridges two vastly different eras of communication technology, linking a pivotal moment in American history to the modern broadcasting age.
Cleopatra’s Pyramid Time Warp
About 2,500 years after the Great Pyramid of Giza was constructed (c. 2560 BCE), Cleopatra passed away in 30 BCE. The time between Cleopatra and today (2,053 years) is less than that between Cleopatra and the Great Pyramid’s construction. Hence, she’s closer to iPhones than to ancient wonder!
Knights With Firearms
European knights began using it as early as the 1430s. In Japan, the arquebus was introduced in 1543 and quickly adopted by samurai. So basically, they adapted to technological advancements just like modern soldiers. This blurs the line between ancient and modern warfare.
Biblical Samaritans Today
The persistence of ancient culture in the modern era reminds us that history is not as distant as we think. The Samaritan people, famous for the biblical parable of the Good Samaritan, still exist today. They maintain their ancient traditions, including an annual Passover sacrifice on Mount Gerizim.
Contemporaries Across History
Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929), Anne Frank (June 12, 1929), and Barbara Walters (September 25, 1929) were all born in the same year. Despite their vastly different life experiences, they shared the world stage during the tumultuous 20th century.
Oxford Predates Aztecs
Oxford University was founded in the thirteenth century, but its oldest colleges weren’t established until 1096. By instructing students more than 200 years before the Aztecs built their civilization in 1428, this prestigious school questioned our conception of “old” and “new” world history.
Civil War Pensions
The US government was still paying Civil War pensions as recently as 2020. Irene Triplett, the last person receiving this pension, parted on May 31, 2020, at age 90. Mose Triplett was 83 when Irene was born, having served in both Confederate and Union armies.
Harriet Tubman’s Lifespan
Harriet Tubman lived from 1822 to 1913. She was born when Thomas Jefferson (d. 1826) was still alive and died when Ronald Reagan (b. 1911) was a toddler. Her 91-year lifespan bridged eras from the early U.S. presidency to the eve of World War I.
Shakespeare’s Modernity
Born in 1564, this English playwright, William Shakespeare, lived more aligned with modern times than the Middle Ages. He was strongly rooted in the modern era, having lived through the early phases of European colonization of the Americas and being a contemporary of Galileo.
Wild West’s Recent End
The “Wild West” era traditionally spans from 1865 to 1895. This makes us reconsider what we thought we knew about the American frontier. It reveals that the legendary era of cowboys and outlaws actually came to an end much more recently than we might have imagined.
Wheeled Luggage vs. Moon Landing
Neil Armstrong landed on the moon way before wheeled luggage was invented. The first lunar landing occurred in 1969, while wheeled suitcases weren’t patented until 1970. Hence, it is evident that wheeled luggage didn’t become popular until the Rollaboard was formally invented by Robert Plath in 1987.
Mayflower To Independence
Some individuals could have witnessed the Mayflower’s arrival in 1620 and the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. This connection spans the entire colonial period of American history within a single lifetime. Individuals like Benjamin Franklin (born 1706) could have known Mayflower passengers and Founding Fathers.