Don't believe everything you read! (except this)
I'm reading this great book: "Made in America" by Bill Bryson. Bryson is an American who lived in England for many years. This book details how the UK and American came to speak two different versions of English. He really did his homework and released some great historical facts or, more accurately, disproved some facts that that have been taught in the States for decades.
Christopher Columbus
I think most people know that, not only did Columbus never "discover" America, but there were fisherman who were using the east coast beaches as a rest area on their way back to their homes for years before he ever left Spain. How else could the two Native Americans who taught the Mayflower travellers how to survive be reported to speak English fluently? Columbus was such a bastard that he insisted on the title "Admiral of the Ocean Sea" (anyone who deems themselves the "king" of whatever are jerks...Michael Jackson being the "King of Pop", Howard Stern being the "King of All Media" - how about the "King of All Assholes", Howard?). He also demanded to be the Viceroy and Governer of all lands conquered and wanted 10% of all wealth generated. He never set foot on any land he set out to find. He believed that Japan was close to the North American continent and that Cuba was part of the Asian mainland. Eight years later he was stripped of his titles, returned to Spain in shackles and died in such obscurity that no one knows where he is buried.
Amerigo Vespucci
I was taught that North and South America were so named in honor of Vespucci who actually found the New World. Vespucci was an Italian ship supplier who lived in Spain (Columbus was a customer). He made a few journeys over but as a passenger or seaman. In 1504 certain letters found told of Vespucci being the captain and leader of these journeys. A French college instructor was revising Ptolemy and, in honor of these accounts, renamed the continents America.
Patrick Henry
We were taught that Patrick Henry uttered the famous phrase: "Give me Liberty or give me Death". Well, not true. Henry, at that time, was a junior member of the Virginia House of Burgesses having taken his seat nine days prior. He was thought of as a hick, unread and poorly educated. He could speak powerfully about something but mostly he talked shit. A biographer, William Wirt, attributed that quote to Henry 40 years later.
Paul Revere
He possibly couldn't have hung the lanterns at the Old North Church because it was called Christchurch at the time. He made two rides, not one and never made it to Concorde having been arrested along the way.
Betsy Ross
We were taught that Washington asked Betsy to come up with a flag. Well, in 1776 the flag that was being flown was called the Grand Union flag and it consisted of alternating red and white horizontal stripes with the Union Jack in the upper left corner. In 1777 the Union Jack was replaced by stars but many flag makers, still feeling British, made the stars in the Union Jack pattern.
July 4, Independence Day
Did you know that the Declaration wasn't against Britain but against George III? They created some trumped up reasons to declare independence and, for fear of being found treasonous, the signers names weren't made public until January of 1777. Anyway, we were taught this story: we declared independence on July 4th, 1776 with the signing of the Declaration in Philadelphia. The Liberty Bell was rung causing the famous crack. OK, in reality, we declared independence on July 2nd. The Declaration first had to be transcribed onto parchment (hemp, to boot!). The signings started on August 2nd and was finally done when Thomas McKean of Delaware signed in 1781. The Declaration was read out loud on July 8th. There is no record of any bell being rung, let alone the Liberty Bell (which only got its name in 1847 when the entire incident was invented by a writer, George Lippard, for a book he was writing). John Dunlap, a Philadelphia printer, made up about 25 copies and dated them July 4th, hence the celebration.
Kinda opens your eyes, huh?
MADE IN AMERICA
by BILL BRYSON
Black Swan Books
Don't forget to give your money to the small Mom & Pop book stores...they need it more than the chains do.