45 Historical Misconceptions

Whether you slept through history class or were a total history buff, we all have things we think we know about the past, but in reality, they're misconceptions. As historical knowledge passes on from generation to generation, it's easy to get caught up in the lies. Misinformation passes on like a virus and unless you really read up on this stuff, you are bound to take in some of the falsehoods. And then it can be difficult to discern from what you know and what you think you know.

It's not that you can't trust people and accept secondhand information...well, actually, it's exactly that. So if a subject interests you, it's usually better to educate yourself rather than take what someone says at face value and the follow facts are just proof of that. We've compiled a list of the most common misconceptions passed on mostly by word of mouth. You won't see these in the history books! At least the good ones anyway.

From cowboy hats to Columbus, there are some historical "facts" that are actually more fiction. Today, we're taking a look at 45 historical misconceptions we all fell for at one point or another. But no longer! Today, we're setting the record straight!