Top 20+ historical myths everyone believes
Historical myths are the product of erroneous information, forgotten details, and elided truths that persist because they’re often presented as proven historical facts. Here are 20 widely believed historical myths. Which ones have you fallen for?
Hitler invented the highway
While the highway is, indeed, a German invention, attributing it to Adolf Hitler is incorrect. The first highway, the Automobil-Verkehrs- und Übung-Strasse (AVUS), opened on September 25, 1921, long before Hitler came to power. The dictator did inaugurate a section of the Autobahn for the first time in 1935, however. These long, straight roads between Frankfurt and Darmstadt were first used to break car speed records, but Hitler saw them as an excellent way to move his troops quickly.
George Washington’s teeth were made of wood
Oral hygiene in the 18th century was certainly poor, and even the first US president wasn’t spared. This may explain why he never smiled. Indeed, by the time George Washington came to power, he had only one tooth left. While some argue that this former farmer had consumed too much sugar cane, others maintain that abuse of a mercury-laced drug used to treat malaria caused his tooth loss. To alleviate the problem, the president owned several dentures, one of which was carved from hippopotamus ivory and held together with gold wire and brass screws. Another included cow, donkey, horse, and human teeth (from slaves). None of them were made of wood.
