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History is sometimes labeled as boring, reminding people of school days spent memorizing endless dates and reading through textbooks. But what if it could be genuinely exciting?

There’s an Instagram account called ‘How History Looks’ that proves it can. With over 1 million followers, this page shares fascinating photos and intriguing facts from the past. Curious to see what George Washington’s teeth looked like, what you could order from an old McDonald’s menu, or how students lived in an early 20th-century dorm? Look no further: these pics and more are waiting for you below.

If history can indeed be interesting, why is it not commonly treated as such? Experts believe the issue lies in how it’s taught—mainly through textbooks. In his book Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, sociologist and historian James W. Loewen explains why they fail to capture our imagination:

“The stories that history textbooks tell are all predictable; every problem has already been solved or is about to be solved,” he writes. “Textbooks exclude conflict or real suspense. They leave out anything that might reflect badly upon our national character. When they try for drama, they achieve only melodrama, because readers know that everything will turn out fine in the end.”

#3

Follow (Us) @howhistorylooks To See Everything About History!🔎 Al Capone Is The Reason We Have Expiration Dates On Milk Bottles: After His Niece Became Extremely Ill From Bad Milk, The Powerful Chicago Gangster Lobbied Aggressively For Expiration Dates To Be Put On Milk For The Safety Of Children And Pregnant Women. #alcapone #chicago #mafia #didyouknowfacts #interestingfacts #historyfacts

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Tucker Cahooter
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm sure the initially reluctant CEO of the milk company came to the party once they found a cow's head in their bed

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“Textbooks also keep students in the dark about the nature of history. History is furious debate informed by evidence and reason. Textbooks encourage students to believe that history is facts to be learned,” Loewen adds.

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Studying it this way meets a certain need—“a need that should not exist”—to simply absorb information in order to pass standardized tests. “It is the need for teachers who are not, first and foremost, teachers of history or social studies,” Loewen says.

David Cutler, a teacher of history and journalism at Brimmer and May in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, calls textbooks intimidating. They’re typically massive, around 1,000 pages long. “With so much dense, mind-numbing text, too many students give up trying to understand what’s really important,” he says.

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“None of the facts is remembered, because they are presented simply as one damn thing after another,” Loewen notes. He drives the point with a simple metaphor, “While textbook authors tend to include most of the trees and all too many twigs, they neglect to give readers even a glimpse of what they might find memorable: the forests”.

#9

Follow (Us) @howhistorylooks To See Everything About History!🔎 #paramount #painting #viral #historical #60s

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Pollywog
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The artist's name is Dario Campanile. I had to look it up because I too thought he looked like Bob Ross!!!

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#10

A Mother And Her 8 Sons, All Served, All Came Home. #soldiers #usa #army #viral #explore

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John Nelson
Community Member
4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All 6 of my great uncles came home, but there were some close calls. One close enough that the Navy sent my great grandma the death telegram. Fortunately, he had sent her one at the same time to let her know he had survived his ship sinking.

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#11

Thoughts On This?🤔 #islam #historyfacts #didyouknow #historylovers #fyp #explore

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History truly comes alive when it feels tangible and allows you to make your own conclusions instead of blindly following someone else’s retelling of events. Photos, records, speeches, songs, even old newspapers, diaries, and letters—these are all ways to connect with the past in a personal and thought-provoking way.

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#12

In 2009 While Watching Stewart Little (1999), Hungarian Art Historian Gergely Barki, Saw The Painting “Sleeping Lady With Black Vase” By Róbert Berény. It Had Been Missing For 90 Years And Had Been Used As A Prop. It Was The Original. #artwork #didyouknow #interesting #viral #fyp

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Pollywog
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Makes you want to go through prop warehouses and see what you can find.

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#13

A Man Rides A Bus In Durban, Meant For White Passengers Only, In Resistance To South Africa’s Apartheid Policies, 1986. #southafrica #apartheid #blackhistory #didyouknow #explore

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T'Mar of Vulcan
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The first legal "mixed marriage" was also in 1986. Their names were Suzanne LeClerc and Protas Madlala. They decided to get married no matter what and the government got rid of the mixed marriages act just before they wed. (Not for them but it meant they were the first couple we'd after it was scrapped.)

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Kyle Blackmer, a humanities teacher at The Heights School, shows how just a few photos can turn history into an immersive experience. For example, when teaching about the American Civil War, he lines up portraits of generals and asks students to describe their personalities based on their appearance.

“Seeing the proud, manicured, Napoleonic McClellan, the melancholic, humble Grant, and the anxious, intense Sherman all side by side is a great primer for studying the differences in leadership between these three and sets up a deeper look at their actions in the war,” he explains.

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Truth is, it’s natural for humans to be curious about the past. We have an innate drive to explore what came before us, something that 16th century British antiquarian William Camden described as a “back-looking curiositie”. Psychologists refer to this as epistemic curiosity—a thirst for knowledge that motivates us to discover new ideas and learn.

So when people have the opportunity to engage with history in an enjoyable way, their enthusiasm shines through. According to a survey by Conner Prairie, 91% of Americans are eager to visit history museums that promise to spark their curiosity and offer fun ways to learn. Moreover, 89% are interested in museums that help them feel more connected to the past, giving them insights into both today’s world and the future.

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Besides, research by Reach Advisors shows that history museums are considered the most trusted source of information in America. People crave authenticity, and museums, with their commitment to research and preservation, deliver a level of credibility that other sources can’t match.

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The desire to learn and stay informed about the past is strong; it just needs the right motivation. And we hope these posts offered a glimpse into a more exciting way to explore history. So, ditch the textbooks and embrace your curiosity!

#29

Did You Know This? 🍷 #france #wine #history #interestingfacts #facts #didyouknow #didyouknowfacts #learn #facts

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Binny Tutera
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Growing up, one of my favorite books was The Adventures of Caroline. It was a French book about a little girl and her friends (all animals ) and they all had wine at lunch! Never thought twice about it.

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#30

The Mummy Inside The Statue — The Only One Of Its Kind Ever Found — Is Believed To Be A Buddhist Master Named Liuquan Of The Chinese Meditation School, Who Died Around 1100 Ad. The Ct Scan And Endoscopy Revealed More Than Just The Mummified Remains Of Liuquan. #buddha #historyfacts #didyouknowfacts #interestingfacts #interesting

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alicia
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Somebody had to have the idea to do that, though, so must be nice to be proven right!

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#32

This Is Emperor Nero’s 2,000-Year-Old Bathtub. It’s Made Of Porphyry, An Extremely Rare Egyptian Marble That If You Were To Acquire That Much Of It Today, It Would Cost Around $1 Billion. #ancientegypt #ancient #facts #history #interestingfacts #didyouknowfacts

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Marie Clear
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not just porphyry, but imperial porphyry! It's purple and only found in one quarry in Egypt. It's in the Vatican Museum and apparently it's the most expensive item they have. Lately estimated to be worth closer to $2 billion.

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#35

That’s A Pretty Risqué Joke For The 1940s! #1940s #history #historymemes #viral

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#38

Thoughts? #mcdonalds #interesting #facts #didyouknow #viral #mcds #historylovers

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Lee Henderson
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was a child (born 1960) McDonalds had an ad where you could "feed a family of four for under five dollars".

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#40

They Forgot To Put Him In Prison… #prison #jail #usa #history #interesting #viral

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Green Tree
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You know that man was doing absolutely nothing wrong and being very quiet

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#42

A Soldier In A Trench During The First World War Writes Letters Home, 1914. #france #ww1 #worldwar1 #historic #historynerd

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Kristal
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow, time for bed. Before reading the caption I thought it was a dude under cows (probably milking them)

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#44

During The Economic Crises Of The Late 1990s, Russian Teachers Were Paid In Bottle Of Vodka Instead Of Rubles #interesting #facts #history #viral

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ILoveMySon
Community Member
4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anything to get through the day. Seriously though, this is sad.

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#45

A Dutch Woman Refused To Leave Her Husband, A German Soldier, And Goes With Him To Allied Captivity. Walcheren, November 1944 #ww2 #soldiers #history #viral #facts

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jonesnori
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Probably safer for her to go. I don't know about the Netherlands, but I have heard of some severe clapback toward collaborators elsewhere.

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#46

Former Beauty Queen, Miss Wyoming Winner Joyce Mckinney Being Arrested By Police After Kidnapping Mormon Missionary Kirk Anderson From His Church, Forcing Him To Be Her S*x Slave For 3 Days, 1977. #arrested #jail #didyouknowfacts #facts #explore

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Green Tree
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

With the help of a male accomplice and chloroform they chained him to a bed for three days and she raped him. At that time in the UK female rape of a male was not a crime. She and her accomplice fled to the US to avoid trial and never served time for the crime. She was caught stalking the victim years later. Recently she had been homeless and living in her pickup truck when she hit and killed an elderly man. She was found incompetent to stand trial and is now in a mental facility.

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#48

This Is How Dentistry Was Done At Home In The 1920s. #dentistry #dentists #historyfacts #interestingfacts #didyouknow #explorepage

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UncleJohn3000
Community Member
4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My modern dentist was doing the final seating on a titanium screw for a permanent implant when I looked up at him and said, "That sounds suspiciously like a tiny ratchet." He pulled it out and held it up. It was a tiny ratcheting torque wrench.

smugdruggler
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember my grandad, who grew up in a small town in North Wales, telling me how a dentist came to the market place once a month. He'd have a drummer with him to let people know he was there, and to bang it every harder while he worked. Apparently all he did was pull teeth without anaesthetic and the drumming was to cover up the screaming. Grandad had two teeth out like that, said the pain was unbelievable.

Sandy D
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've had stubborn baby teeth pulled with needle nose pliers. If they were even slightly loose I'd convince my dad to yank it out!. I wanted tooth-fairƴ money. Usually only a dime, rarely a quarter. Not much money, but back then penny candy still existed if you went to the right store.. you could get a bunch of sugar in your little-kid energy tank! Whee

Spittnimage
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My grampa pulled a couple of my teeth with pliars (I consented).

Sinnsyk Jakte
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, well, then my female progenitor was old fashioned in this sense.

Weasel Wise
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother would take me to an old school dentist that did almost exactly the same thing to me with the exception of having a hygienist keeping me pressed to the chair. Had six teeth that weren't ready to fall out ripped from my mouth with plyers and no anesthesia.

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#49

During The 90s, North Korea Leader Kim Jong-Il, And His Son And Future Leader Kim Jong-Un Used Fake Brazilian Passports To Travel To Disneyland #interestingfacts #facts #historyfacts #viral #explore

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Vanessa Panerosa
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What losers. That’s the only thing that comes to mind. I hope they waited in line for hours. I hope they were next and the ride shut down. I hope it rained unexpectedly and they got soaked to the bone. I hope their expressions looked exactly as miserable as everyone else’s I see at the “happiest place on earth”

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#52

U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Hart H. Spiegal Tries To Communicate With Two Very Young Japanese Soldiers Captured During The Battle Of Okinawa, June 17, 1945. #usarmy #army #usa #japan #interesting #history #facts #didyouknow #learn

U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Hart H. Spiegal tries to communicate with two very young Japanese soldiers captured during the Battle of Okinawa, June 17, 1945.

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#53

Born With A Rare Condition That Caused Her Knees To Bend Backward, Ella Harper A.k.a. “Camel Girl,” Received A $200 Per Week Salary As The Star Of A Touring Freak Show Act In The 1880s. #didyouknow #facts #historyfacts #explore #interesting

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#54

A Captured Soviet Soldier Receives Water From A Ukrainian Woman After Being Captured (1941). #sovietunion #soldiers #war #historyfacts #didyouknow #fyp #explore

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PFD
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a puzzling caption. At the time Ukraine was part of the USSR (7 million or so Ukrainians served in the Red Army during WWII). Is the caption supposed to mean that the woman was working in a Nazi POW camp, or what? Who's supposed to have been captured by whom?

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#58

A Man Convicted Of Murder Is Imprisoned In A Wooden Cage On A Street In China. He Will Be Left To Die Of Thirst, Starvation And Exposure. Circa 1930 #china #history #interesting #jail #viral #didyouknow

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Tyranamar Seuss
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The thirst and all that sounds bad but what would torture me would be not being able to sit down.

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#59

In 2011, A 29-Year-Old Australian Man Discovered An ATM Glitch Enabling Him To Withdraw Cash Far Beyond His Account Balance. Over A Span Of 5 Months, He Splurged $1.6m Of The Bank’s Funds On Lavish Parties, Private Jets, International Vacations, Even His Friend’s University Fees. #didyouknow #interesting #interestingfacts #facts #explore

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PFD
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He kept it up for those 5 months then when it seemed unlikely to stop, turned himself in - he realised that if he kept going, he'd have to stop just having fun and hoard money, leave the country, go into hiding etc. and he didn't want to do that. He was sentenced to a year in jail, another 18 months under a CCO and repayment of $250,000. After release he ended up working in bars again but told the press that it was an amazing time and he had no regrets about the whole thing.

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