If you happen to think that we have studied everything in the classroom then you are entirely wrong! There are very many historical events we have not been taught about but that does not entirely mean that these events did not happen at all. Here are a few Historical events you never knew happened.
History as derived from Ancient Greek ἱστορία (historía) , meaning ‘inquiry or knowledge acquired by investigation’ is the systematic study and documentation of the human past
The period of events before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory.
“History” is an umbrella term comprising past events as well as the memory, discovery, collection, organization, presentation, and interpretation of these events.
A historical event is therefore defined as a particular incident in history that brings about a historical change. A Historical event is therefore an authentic event that once occurred at some point in history, and is fact as well as evidence-based.
Here are the most fascinating historical facts you never knew happened.
Historical Events you never knew Happened.
Los Desaparecidos (The Disappeared).
Early in September 1973 in Chille, Chile’s then-president was called. Salvador Allende. This President was overthrown in a coup assisted by the US government, and Gen. Augusto Pinochet took control of Chille, of course with the help of the United States. The newly elected president, Pinochet was a violent leader who wanted to instill fear in all those who opposed him.
Journalists, politicians, celebrities, and any others who publicly opposed him were known to suddenly disappear into thin air! Some were later found dead in alleyways or ditches throughout Santiago, the capital City of Chille, while others were never found at all.
Pinochet frequently used the National Stadium as a secret detention center where he rounded up those who opposed him and tortured or killed them. Around 40,000 people were tortured during his 17-year regime, and at least 3,200 were killed or disappeared.
The 1871 Chinese massacre in Los Angeles.
This happened in the city, Los Angeles. On October 24, 1871, a mob of 500 men raided Chinatown in Los Angeles, killing at least 20 Chinese Americans and stealing an estimated $1.5 million worth of property. The killings were in response to a shootout that had taken place the same day that killed a police Officer known as Robert Thompson.
The shootout caused a commotion, and people began shouting that the Chinese were killing white people, so chaos ensued. It was the start of a decade of violence against Asian American communities in the US and led to the passing of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which prohibited all immigration of Chinese laborers. My Oh My!
The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921.
In May 1921 in Tulsa Oklahoma, a Black teenager named Dick Rowland was riding in an elevator with a white woman, Sarah Page. There are various accounts of what happened in the elevator, but at some point the woman screamed and Rowland was arrested the next morning.
Rumors began to spread that Rowland had sexually assaulted Sarah Page, the story becoming more exaggerated as it circulated, and hence the result was that angry white mobs began to form.
For the next 18 hours, white mobs began flooding into Tulsa’s Greenwood District which was considered the Black Wall Street of the time burning, shooting, vandalizing, and terrorizing Black homes, businesses, and people. It is estimated around 300 people were killed, and countless more lost their livelihood as their homes and businesses were burned to the ground.
The Armenian genocide of 1915.
If you thought it was only Rwanda that experienced a Genocide, think again! Just Like many genocides throughout history, this one also started because of religious disputes. Armenia became part of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. Armenia was primarily a Christian country, which displeased Ottoman leaders and resulted in mistreatment of Christian Armenians, who were often taxed more heavily and given fewer rights.
When these oppressed Armenians began to protest, Turkish military officials began killing hundreds of thousands of the Armenian people. The massacres began in 1896, but it was in 1914, after the Turks entered World War I on the side of the Germans, that the real mass genocide began.
Military leaders felt that Armenians were traitors, and on April 24, 1915, they executed hundreds of Armenian leaders, which only led to more violence against the Armenian people. This continued until 1922. It is recorded that more than 1 million Armenians were killed between 1915 and 1922.
The Iranian Revolution of 1979.
This was a revolution that not only impacted Iran but also set in motion other major historical events, including the establishment of Hezbollah, the Shiite Islamist political party and militant group which was formed in Lebanon.
The Iranian Revolution began in January 1978 when thousands of young students took to the streets to protest against the unfair media reporting about Ruhollah Khomeini, a religious leader.
The protests spurred countless other violent acts against Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, which only led him to retaliate with military force. In February 1979, the shah backed down, ending the Persian monarchy and positioning Khomeini as the first leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Acadian expulsion.
The Acadian people, who were French descendants had settled in Novia Scotia in 1604. In the 1750s, as tensions began to rise between Britain and France, Britain wanted the Acadians to swear allegiance but yet the Acadians wished to remain neutral.
In June 1755, when the British captured Fort Beauséjour and Fort Gaspereau from the French, they ordered all Acadians to surrender their firearms or be considered rebels. In July of that year, British military leader Gov. Charles Lawrence then ordered all Acadians to be removed from Nova Scotia.
The role of Native American code talkers in World War I and World War II.
I bet you never learned the role of Native American code talkers in the two major World wars. Well, here it is! During World War I, many Native Americans from around 26 tribes were enlisted to fight on the Allies’ side. German troops were extremely adept at intercepting and interpreting the Allies’ code.
On Oct. 26, 1918, Choctaw soldiers were stationed as code talkers at field company headquarters. The Choctaw language was largely unknown to German troops, and the Allies were finally at an advantage. Once the tactic proved successful, the Allies began employing other Native soldiers.
In World War II, Native Americans were specifically recruited for the war as code talkers. The most complex code was developed by the Navajo and contained over 600 terms. It was also used in the Pacific theater which is the portion of the war fought in Asia. I bet this is one of the most significant event of the historical events you never knew happened.
https://facts.net/historical-events-facts/
“A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.”
Robert Heinlein, American author (1907-1988)
Frequently Asked Questions
What historical event killed the most humans?
The Influenza pandemic (1918-19). This pandemic registered 20-40 million deaths; black death/plague (1348-50), 20-25 million deaths, AIDS pandemic (through 2000) 21.8 million deaths, World War II (1937-45), 15.9 million deaths, and World War I (1914-18) 9.2 million deaths.
What are the biggest changes in human history?
In the history of human progress, a few events have stood out as especially revolutionary. These include the intentional use of fire, the invention of agriculture, the industrial revolution, possibly the invention of computers and the Internet.
What important event happened 10,000 years ago?
The Quaternary extinction event. This has been ongoing since the mid-Pleistocene, concludes. Many of the ice age megafauna go extinct, including the megatherium, woolly rhinoceros, Irish elk, cave bear, cave lion, and the last of the sabre-toothed cats.
What was the darkest time in history?
The ‘Dark Ages’. This was in the year 536 AD. Europe, the Middle East and parts of Asia were plunged into 24-hour darkness for 18 months. Summer temperatures plummeted between 1.5-2.5°C causing crops to fail and millions to starve to death.
What was the most violent time in history?
World War 2. The most violent time in world history are the years 1939-1945 as this was the time of World War II. The exact number of deaths that happened as a direct result of this conflict cannot be known, but the best estimates put the number around 75 million people.
