10 Weird and Wonderful Facts About America That You Probably Didn’t Know
A few things you were never taught in history class
Hello and welcome to my first article in this new publication. I started it because of my passion for history and facts. The plan is to fill up this publication with lots of interesting and fun facts on many subjects. Hope you enjoy it. Let’s get started.
The United States of America is a country built on heritage and tradition, but many of the things that are so ingrained in American culture might not actually be as true as you think they are. Most Americans believe they are reasonably knowledgeable about their country’s history. They’d probably be able to tell you that Abe Lincoln was the 16th president or that Richard Nixon was impeached.
However, when you look beyond the scope of history textbooks, you’ll discover that there’s a lot they don’t teach you in school. The average American is probably unaware of many odd facts and fascinating tidbits from American history. Here are 10 fun facts about America that most Americans may not know about their own country.
Fact #1: George Washington Wasn’t the First President to Live In the White House
No, John Adams and his wife Abigail lived in the White House, not the first president of the United States. While Washington did supervise the building of the house, he never lived in it. It was built in 1792 but did not become inhabited until 1800. Since Adams, each president who has occupied the White House has made their own additions and changes. They did, after all, live there.
Fact #2: The Original Capital of the United States Was Philadelphia
Washington, D.C. was not always the nation’s capital. According to the Residence Act, Philadelphia was designated as the temporary capital of the newly formed United States of America between 1790 and 1800, while Washington, D.C. was being constructed. Many famous pieces of early American history can still be found in and around Philadelphia today.
Fact #3: Lincoln Created the Secret Service the Day of His Assassination
The president, who was assassinated on April 14, 1865, signed legislation to establish the United States Secret Service just hours before leaving for Ford’s Theater. However, even if the Secret Service had been established in time, it would not have saved Lincoln because its original purpose was to combat widespread currency counterfeiting. It wasn’t until 1901 that it became known for protecting the president.
Fact #4: Russia Sold Alaska to the United States for Pennies
Alaska is the largest state in the United States, and it was sold for $7.2 million, or about 2 cents per acre. In 1867, the state was purchased. America made their $7.2 million investment back more than 100 times over in the 50 years that followed. Talk about a good investment.
Fact #5: The Word “Pennsylvania” Is Misspelled on the Liberty Bell
Regrettably, spellcheck did not exist 300 years ago. I am kidding, of course, because the spelling used was an accepted form at the time the bell was engraved. Here are some more interesting facts: The Bell’s strike note is E-flat, and it weighs a whopping 2,080 pounds!
Fact #6: The Library of Congress Has Hundreds of Miles of Bookshelves
Talk about having a much larger collection than your local library: 838 miles of bookshelves containing over 39 million books. Every working day, the library receives approximately 15,000 items. These bookcases are long enough to stretch from Houston to Chicago.
Fact #7: The Constitution Wasn’t Original
You’d be mistaken if you thought Ben Franklin and the founding fathers came up with the constitution on their own. They actually modeled it after the Iroquois confederacy of Native American tribes’ constitution. It’s just one of many Native American facts you probably didn’t learn in history class.
Fact #8: Independence Day Could Have Been on July 2
One thing that many people don’t realize about Independence Day is that Congress declared its independence from England on July 2, 1776. We observe the holiday on July 4th because it was on this date that John Hancock became the first man to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Fact #9: George Washington Didn’t Have Wooden Teeth
Most of us have heard that George Washington had teeth made of wood, but this is not true. Although he did use dentures due to tooth loss early in life, forensic research has proven that his teeth were made from a combination of donkey, horse, and human teeth, which is one of 11 surprising facts about President Washington you didn’t learn in history class.
Fact #10: Harriet Tubman Was a War Hero
Harriet Tubman had escaped slavery, but that wasn’t enough for her, especially since so many other people were still enslaved. She became an Underground Railroad conductor, putting her life on the line to lead hundreds of people to freedom.
Many people are unaware that Tubman fought and led soldiers in the Civil War. In fact, she was the first woman to lead an armed expedition during the war, liberating 700 slaves in the Combahee River Raid.
Final Thoughts
There are still lots of facts about America that most Americans don’t know. How many of these facts did you know? Do you think that your fellow citizens know these facts?
What do you think is one weird fact about America that all Americans should be aware of? Thanks for reading. I hope you found some new fun facts to share with your friends and family. For more facts about lots of subjects, check out my YouTube channel called Interesting Facts. I think you will enjoy it.
