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45 Of The Funniest And Most Accurate Memes That Explain History In A Way That Textbooks Don’t (New Pics)
Recent surveys show people are less interested in learning about history. But perhaps if the information came in the form of funny memes, for example, it would be an entirely different story.
Enter the History Memes subreddit. All 11 million members and counting share the same fascination with events that happened at least two decades ago. Here, you’ll find visual puns and wisecracks about the German-Soviet pact of 1939, the Russian Revolution, and medieval battles, among many others.
We’ve picked some standouts that may ignite your curiosity or, at the very least, provoke some interest. Scroll through each one, and hopefully, you will enjoy learning a thing or two about significant moments in history.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Great Depression Farmers Were Based
#2
Historians Be Like:
#3
Habsburg Moment
Memes aren’t just about expressing mundane thoughts about daily life. Many educators are using them as a learning tool for students.
In an article for The Learning Scientists, cognitive science expert Dr. Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel explained that memes can provide students with visual and verbal content. Ultimately, this helps strengthen comprehension skills.
#4
Aviation History Is Relative…
#5
He Had To Ask
Michael Largey 2 months ago
English captain: "Oh, just wait a bit. Ammunition is definitely headed your way."
#6
Here We Go Again
TotallyNOTAFox 2 months ago (edited)
"I wouldn''t say liberated, more like under new management"
We tend to absorb information more easily if it is related to daily life. Dr. Kuepper-Tetzel states memes are concrete examples of abstract and complicated concepts.
Memes help extract ideas through the interplay of words and images. This, in turn, helps students understand the subject matter better.
#7
The Death Of Stalin
In 1953, Joseph Stalin suffered a stroke which would lead to his death. The chance of his survival were very low due to several reasons. “The Doctors Plot” had be occurring for the last two years, in which Jewish doctors in the Soviet Union were falsely accused of conspiring to kill high ranking Soviets. This led to the imprisonment and death of many of the Soviet Union’s doctors. In fact, the KGB were currently torturing Stalin’s own personal doctor. High Ranking Soviets were also very weary of calling any doctors that were left due to the fear that Stalin may accuse them of trying to usurp power or anything really and have them killed or imprisoned if he got better. Basically everyone was kinda sick of him and knew that eventually it would be them on the chopping block. When doctors were finally called, it was too late. Barely anyone dared to even enter his room. When his maid finally did, she found him face down on the floor.
#8
Nothing To See Here…
#9
Barrel Man Had The Right Ideas
Der Kommissar 2 months ago
Diogenes had a great sense of humor. When Alexander approached him, and asked if he needed anything, Diogenes replied " Stand aside to stop blocking the sun. "
In a way, memes also encourage critical thinking. To do this, Dr. Kuepper-Tetzel encourages teachers to create memes that allow students to link their knowledge to real-world observations.
In doing so, they explain concepts and break down big ideas using their own words. As Dr. Kuepper-Tetzel notes, elaboration using memes helps the overall learning process.
#10
Plot Armour Is Really Thick Here
Elliot Blumenau 2 months ago
This is in fact in the Jewish bible, and the reason it worked is because he was being watched over by god.
#11
Still Decoded Neanderthal Dna And Got The Nobel Prize In The End
Enuya 2 months ago (edited)
There was this curious criminal case in Germany. Woman's DNA showed up in *many* crime scenes, in wholly different parts of the country and so close in time that she wouldn't be able to travel to all of these places. Everybody was deeply disturbed, including considering paranormal activities. It turned out that one series of DNA sampling kits was contaminated by a factory worker. If you want more info, google Phantom of Heilbronn.
#12
Why Everybody Likes Ike
Educators can use memes in different ways to make schoolwork more relatable to students. High school math teacher Sharon Serano suggests using these eye-catching images to create class rules, learn new vocabulary, dramatize novels, and, as you’ve seen from this list, emphasize historical events.
#13
That Weird Time When Women Were Not Allowed To Take Part In Opera And Choirs So They Cut Boy's Balls For That
During much of the XVII and XVIII centuries women were not allowed to sing in choirs and opera. So in Italy boys who showed a lot of singing talent as kids were transformed into "castrati", in other words, they were castrated before puberty in order to prevent their voices to turn deeper so they could play women and characters with higher voices in opera, or be sopranos and mezzosopranos in choirs. In the process of castration many were administred near lethal doses of opium, causing many of them to die in the process.
The last of the castrati was a man called Alessandro Moreschi, who used to sang in the vatican choir. He died in the 1920s, and in fact he recorded himself singing in the early 1900s, leading to the only surviving archives of a castrati.
#14
It Stood For 300 Years In One Of The Harshest Environments On Earth
Context: The Tree of Ténéré was considered to be the most isolated tree in the world. The tree survived for around 300 years in one of the harshest environments in the world. It resided in the Sahara Desert where it was the only tree around for 250 miles. The tree overcame all odds by spreading it’s roots 100 ft below the surface in order to reach the water table that laid below. It was notable for being a well known landmark for travelers in a harsh and unforgiving environment. It also stood as a testament to the once green Sahara that later became the barren wasteland we know today.
In 1973, a drunk driver smashed into it, snapping its trunk, killing the tree. The driver became known as the man who managed to crash into the only obstacle in miles.
#15
Heart Warming To See Romans Capable Of Love
As an experiment, Serano encouraged her students to create math memes using their preferred app or website. She was surprised by the turnout, with 38 of her students submitting more than 100 memes.
In her article for the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), Serano said, “Memes are a great educational device for teachers and students alike to promote clarity, pedagogy, and humor.”
#16
Happens Too Often
#17
Always The Same Pattern
Fabian Bernard 2 months ago
''Independance'' in post colonial French Empire was quite a point of view. Search for ''Jacques Foccart'', you'll learn
#18
Definition Of "Know Your Enemy"
BoredHouseKitty 2 months ago (edited)
Indonesian here. He was a serial womanizer with countless wives and lovers. He was once married to a Japanese woman, and then not long after he married another Japanese woman. Because of that, the first Japanese woman ki11ed herself in anger and sadness. Not proud of him. Because of other things too.
Now it’s your turn to share insights, dear readers. Which of these memes caught your attention the most? Did any of them pique your interest and make you want to learn more? We’d like to hear about them in the comments!
#19
It's Just Less Cool Huh
#20
Maybe, Just Maybe, There’s A Reason They Told You Not To Eat That
#21
And They All Had A Great Time Doing It
Connie Hirsch 2 months ago
Proof that being a nice person who is fun to work with, is one path to success.
#22
It Really Doesn't Change Much
Dragons Exist 2 months ago
It's like when people say that Hitler was vegan, cause that clearly cancels everything else out
#23
Imamura Hitoshi -- War Criminal
"Imamura was detained at Rabaul by the Australian Army, as he and troops under his command were accused of war crimes, including the execution of Allied prisoners of war. One infamous example highlighted how the prisoners captured in eastern Java were locked up in bamboo cattle cages and thrown overboard into shark-infested waters. In April 1946, Imamura wrote to the Australian commander at Rabaul, requesting that his own trial for war crimes be expedited in order to speed the prosecution of war criminals under his command. Imamura was charged with "unlawfully [disregarding and failing] to discharge his duty ... to control the members of his command, whereby they committed brutal atrocities and other high crimes ...". He was tried by an Australian military court at Rabaul on 1–16 May 1947; he was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for ten years. Imamura served his imprisonment at Sugamo Prison in Tokyo until he was released in 1954. As he found that his imprisonment was too light with respect to his responsibility for the crimes of his subordinates, he had a replica of the prison built in his garden, and he stayed there until his death.
#24
I Feel So Bad For The Poor People
#25
A Cheap And Easy Way To Boost Worker Productivity
#26
Darker Than You Think
One of unit 731 many experiments was to freeze people then splash them with boiling water they figured out the best temperature for treatment.
#27
Remember Kids, Was Never Cool
#28
Truly Disgusting Experiment
#29
The Cruelty Humans Are Capable Of Is Frightening
#30
Chad
Karl der Große 2 months ago
Some say he earned the name because of his broad chest, but others say it was because of his broad forehead.
#31
Spaniards Could Use A Shower
Der Kommissar 2 months ago
Why do you think the French invented perfume? They didn't bathe much.
#32
Larry Bird Was A Menace
CrazyKnitter 2 months ago
Hi! I'm a non-basketball fan who has absolutely no idea who that is!! 👋🏻👋🏻
Rahul Pawa 2 months ago
That is Larry Bird, he played on the Boston Celtics in the 1980's. He is regarded as one of the best basketball players of his time, and he was also a notorious trash talker and a*****e on the court.
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Becky Klebe 2 months ago
I've watched a bunch of videos on youtube of his opponents commenting on his trash talking - hilarious. Larry Legend.
Virgil Blue 2 months ago
I only know off him because his name was on an old one on one basketball game.
John Harrison 2 months ago
One On One: Dr. J vs. Larry Bird. Had it on my Commodore 64.
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Roy Phillips 2 months ago
Well, there was Rick Barry. 'Around the league, they thought of him as the most arrogant guy ever… Half the players disliked Rick. The other half hated him." Billy Paultz
Joanne Mendonza-Earle 2 months ago
I grew up in Mass during the Larry Bird era and I don't remember this about him at all.
Mary Jaye 2 months ago
national basketball association. i don't watch but my brother are Celtic fans. they loved Larry b.
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Pamela Christie 2 months ago
Me too. I have no idea who this is, and even less idea what you're talking about.
Mary Jaye 2 months ago
I guess since we don't watch we don't know much about him. I only know a little because my brothers are Celtic fans forever
Load More Replies... #33
That's Really Sad To Be Honest
Annik Perrot 2 months ago
In the schools in Brittany at the time, there was a poster saying "It's forbidden to spit on the ground and to speak Breton"
#34
The "Clean Emperor" Myth
Jeffrey Diehl 2 months ago
Yup. The Showa Emperor was a war criminal indeed. His record was scrubbed.
#35
I Think They Hoped Everyone Forgot About That
Jrog 2 months ago
Coco Chanel also was a nazi spy. She lived with an officer for Abwehr in the occupied Ritz Hotel, and used her contacts with british and french diplomats to pass information to the German Intelligence under the codename "Westminster". In exchange, she got a few friends freed from German prisons, and was promised ownership of a perfume factory taken from a jewish fragrance manufacturer.
#36
What Was The Point Then, Lenin
Connie Hirsch 2 months ago
Substitute 'Trump', 'USA', and 'January 6th' and it plays out the same.
#37
It Happened An Uncomfortable Amount Of Times
#38
A True Scientist Keeps Experimenting Even In The Last Seconds Of Their Life
#39
They Ain’t Getting Away That Easy
Jrog 2 months ago (edited)
For who's not a military history buff. The Texas, a m***o huge-a*s battleship, decided to join the landing and closed in to about 1.5 miles of the shore to pound the Germans with its 10 guns firing 500kg high explosive shells, happily shelling bunkers, artillery, tanks, infantry, sniper nests and nazis in the general vicinity. At some point, the close targets were all done for, and she decided to FLOOD HER STARBOARD SIDE to tilt the ship and get just slightly more elevation to f**k up some more nazi stuff that was outside her normal -but already impressive- 20 km firing range.
#40
They Weren’t All Stupid
#41
It’s Been A Bumpy Ride, But I Would Say Britain And France’s Relationship Ended Up In A Pretty Good Spot, All Things Considered
#42
Hook Me Up With More Of That History Of Textiles!
#43
It'd Be Like Messi And Ronaldo Fighting To The Death
Laura 2 months ago
This is not entirely true. Most gladiators were slaves.They only could gain their freedom by receiving the rudis,a wood sword after an exceptional combat or career or by buying it with their savings. It’s true that free romans signed fixed term contracts to fight as gladiators,to pay theirs debst or for fame,but they were the minority. Please correct me if I'm wrong,not an expert :)
#44
If Only Religious People In My Childhood Knew This
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Shaun Coleman 2 months ago
Because they're like potato chips. Once you start, you can't stop until you're done.
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Jackie Lulu 2 months ago
Great thread! Now back to studying history so I'll know what the h*ck was going on back then.
A Corny Bard 2 months ago
Please tell me you censored that on purpose. Let me test it. Heck! Heck heck heck.
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Queen Mab 2 months ago
These threads are always wonderful and I eagerly drop everything and read them. Like everything on BP these are sooooo clever and smart. Keep it up.
Shaun Coleman 2 months ago
Because they're like potato chips. Once you start, you can't stop until you're done.
Load More Replies... Jackie Lulu 2 months ago
Great thread! Now back to studying history so I'll know what the h*ck was going on back then.
A Corny Bard 2 months ago
Please tell me you censored that on purpose. Let me test it. Heck! Heck heck heck.
Load More Replies... Queen Mab 2 months ago
These threads are always wonderful and I eagerly drop everything and read them. Like everything on BP these are sooooo clever and smart. Keep it up.
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