Strange historical facts that are actually true

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

It is true that there are many historical 'facts' that are anything but factual, but the opposite is also true. There are some very bizarre facts that indeed sound like they are made up. Except, they're not! Did you know, for instance, that forks were once considered sacrilegious? Or that Albert Einstein was actually offered the position of president of Israel?

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

In 1232, Pope Gregory IX wrote a letter called Vox in Rama (“A Voice in Rama”) to the king of Germany expressing his concerns about witches in Germany, whose rituals included cats.

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

But the reported cat killings may have contributed to the proliferation of rats, which consequently helped spread the plague!

'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

The real person was called Mary Sawyer, and indeed she took a little lamb to school in 1816.

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

A young man named John Roulstone witnessed Mary sneaking the lamb into school and wrote a poem about it. He then gave it to Mary.

Human alarm clocks

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

Before alarm clocks, people would pay "knocker uppers" to wake them up. They would do so by using long poles and knocking on people's windows.

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

Alternatively, they used pea shooters. Sounds like a fun job, right?

Heroin was used to treat children’s cough

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

In the 1890s, heroin was commercialized by the German pharmaceutical company Bayer as a cough remedy.

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

In fact, the company specifically advertised its use for children up until 1912.

Swearing parrot

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

However, the parrot started to swear, and mourners were obviously disturbed by it. The bird ended up having to be removed from the funeral.

Sacrilegious forks

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

Back in 11th-century Italy, forks were actually considered sacrilegious.

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

But why were forks offensive to God? Well, God created humans with fingers, which they used to eat, so they wouldn't need such a tool, right?

Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

The English novelist, best known for writing the Gothic novel 'Frankenstein,' actually kept the heart of her dead husband in a box in her desk.

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

Shelley’s husband, poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, drowned in a boating accident when he was 29.

Romans would use urine as mouthwash

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

Though there is some method to the madness. Urine is rich in ammonia, which has stain-removing properties. Maybe the Romans were onto something after all...

Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

Peter the Great decapitated his wife's lover, put his head in a jar, and placed it in Catherine's bedroom as a reminder of her affair.

Toilet meetings

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

He had a telephone installed in the White House bathroom so he could work while sitting on the toilet.

Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

The idea came from then-Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. Einstein eventually refused, but it makes us wonder what would have happened if he had accepted the role.

A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

García went on to be awarded the highest honor of service from both sides: the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross by the Nazis, and the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

Raising of Chicago

Pope Gregory IX deemed cats evil, 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' is based on a true story, Human alarm clocks, Heroin was used to treat children’s cough, Swearing parrot, Sacrilegious forks, Mary Shelley kept her dead husband's heart, Romans would use urine as mouthwash, Peter the Great made his cheating wife feel guilty every day, Toilet meetings, Albert Einstein could have been president of Israel, A double agent was awarded by both the Allies and Axis powers, Raising of Chicago

Chicago streets and buildings were actually physically raised by over four feet (1.2 meter) on jackscrews during the 1850s and ’60s.

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