10 Unforgiving Lies of History Questions | Mixed Bag Trivia Quiz

Answer: Egyptians

The myth that Jewish slaves built the pyramids is traced back to only 1977, when Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin said "We built the pyramids" on a trip to Egypt. The Greek historian Herodotus claimed that slaves built the pyramids, but he was born circa 484 BCE, while the last pyramid was built over 1,000 years before that. Professor Amihai Mazar of the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem pointed out in early 2010: "No Jews built the pyramids because Jews didn't exist at the period when the pyramids were built." However, their cultural ancestors, the Hebrews, did exist during this period.

In 1990, the first tomb of the pyramid-builders in Egypt was discovered by accident. These workers were not mummified, but were buried with their heads pointing west and their feet facing the east, and they each had provisions for the afterlife around their bodies. No culture would afford this ritual to mere slaves, showing that those who worked on the pyramids in Egypt were there on their own accord, and some historians think that the workers may have even been paid to be there. Whether or not they were paid, the remaining skeletons show that they received quick medical attention for any injuries and were relatively well-fed based on the amount of animal bones and fish scales found around the area.

Answer: Nero

Not only did Nero not fiddle while Rome burned, when he returned from Antium, he helped in the relief effort. For several days, he personally helped sort through the rubble for survivors while he paid for rebuilding with his own money. The main historians who make mention of the fire were Tacitus (who was nine years old at the time of the fire), Suetonius (born at least five years after the fire), and Cassius Dio (born in 155 at the earliest). Tacitus told of Nero's efforts following the fire, while the two who were not alive at the time attempt to even pin the start of the fire on Nero himself.

In some cases, history is not kind at all.

Answer: Richard III

After Edward IV died on April 9, 1483, his oldest son, Edward V, was appointed king despite only being 12 years old. Richard III (Edward IV's brother) was named as his Lord Protector, but quickly took actions to consolidate the throne for himself. On June 22, it was announced that Edward IV's marriage to his wife was illegitimate, and therefore his children were not fit to take the throne. Richard III was named king, and Edward V and his brother, Richard, Duke of York, disappeared forever from the Tower of London. Shakespeare later took Thomas More's twisted history of Richard III's acts and dramatized them to lead to the myth we know today.

Answer: Washington Irving

"The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus," published in 1828, is often regarded as historical truth. In the work, Irving notes that Columbus' voyages convinced Europeans that Earth was round, despite the popular thinking at the time that it was flat. No educated member of society even considered that Earth was flat, including Columbus himself. Even if the world believed the Earth was flat, Columbus still would not have proven anything, as he only made it to North America. Ferdinand Magellan's expedition, where 18 members of his crew successfully circumnavigated the globe (Magellan died in the Philippines), would have put an end to the argument.

One of the main reasons for reluctance to try to sail across the Atlantic from Europe was the much more down-to-earth reason that mariners had no idea how far they would have to sail before finding land, and feared that they would run out of food and fresh water.

Answer: George Washington

Mason Locke Weems published "A History of the Life and Death, Virtues and Exploits of General George Washington" after Washington's death, possibly because the man who he held in such high regard would have been able to dispute so much of it. Not only did Weems make out Washington to be a demigod, but he also claimed that angels considered switching their allegiance from God to Washington at the mere sight of him. With that kind of power, one wonders how the British lasted eight years fighting the American Revolutionary War.

Answer: Marie Antoinette

Supposedly, the phrase in question had been around for decades before Rousseau finally jotted it down in his work "Confessions." There, he wrote of a "great princess" who uttered the phrase, so even if he heard it, it could not have possibly been Marie Antoinette, as she was not royalty until she was 14 years old. Also, there were no famines during Louis XVI's reign, so the likelihood that the point ever came up would be slim at best. Several historians have actually claimed that Marie Theresa of Spain (Louis XIV's consort) originated the statement.

Answer: Teeth

The myth of George Washington's wooden teeth has lived on for a long time. While he did lose his teeth at a young age (in his 20s), the dentures he used to replace them, while incredibly uncomfortable, were not made of wood. The most famous was made of hippopotamus ivory and gold, and held together by springs.

It is said that due to the springs, he had to actively clamp down his jaw to keep the dentures from springing open, which might just explain why you never see a picture of him smiling.

Answer: Napoleon Bonaparte

There are several purported reasons why Napoleon is always remembered for being short, but the French-to-English measurements is generally the most accepted. Others say that he constantly surrounded himself with taller members of the Imperial Guard, and that his nickname ("Le Petit Caporal" - "little corporal") was taken too seriously as it was only meant as an affectionate nickname.

At any rate, the 'Napoleon complex' is generally accepted when a smaller person/animal becomes more motivated to accomplish a task to make up for being short. Had Napoleon really been short, one might argue that taking over continental Europe might be a clue.

Answer: Vincent Van Gogh

At the time of the quarrel, Van Gogh and Gauguin had only known each other for just over a year. However it happened, part of his ear was cut off and he was constantly hospitalized over the next few months for mental instability. Soon afterwards, he committed himself into another hospital, but continued to paint.

While committed, he painted "Starry Night" - perhaps his best-known work. However, just over a year later he would end his own life after another breakdown at the age of 37.

Answer: Albert Einstein

Insinuating that Albert Einstein failed in math as a child in 1935 would be the equivalent of saying Babe Ruth wasn't much of an athlete growing up. While it might be a nice, uplifting story to tell children that may be struggling in school, it's completely false. To theorize on quantum physics, you need a mind capable of doing vast computations that greatly exceed what most people can.

Not only did Einstein stay at the top of his classes throughout school, but did outstandingly well in math and physics throughout his collegiate career as we would expect.