Trivia

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Oprah

Oprah Winfrey's popular talk show debuted nationally on September 8, 1986, and quickly rose to become one of the top talk shows on TV.  Here are five things you didn't know about the queen of talk, Oprah Winfrey...

1. Winfrey Was Already Filming The Color Purple When Her Talk Show Debuted.

For many people, their first exposure to Oprah was her talk show, and then her role in the movie The Color Purple. However, she was already filming the movie when the deal for a national TV show appeared. Winfrey was already well-known in Chicago and friends with many in media at the time, so her involvement in the film was no fluke -- it just turned out, by coincidence, to be extremely well timed and no doubt helped raise her visibility with national audiences.

2. Her Approach to Talk Shows Had Not Really Been Tried Before.

Even though the inspirational talk show that results in improved lives is nothing new now, it was when Oprah debuted. While her show initially wasn't too different in subject matter from other shows like that of Phil Donahue's, her style was much more down-to-Earth. In fact, reviewers were pleasantly surprised by her realism and ability to connect with people. Her style was quickly emulated and is now the standard for many similar shows.

3. She Has Probably Launched More Futures for Others Than Many Realize.

Dr. Phil? Gayle King? Dr. Oz? All major figures, right? Well, at one point, they weren't, but Oprah was the one who pointed publicity in their direction and brought them into the spotlight. But that's not all -- and really, there are more who deserve attention. Winfrey started a girls' school in South Africa, focusing attention on female education in fields like medicine. She has also started networks and production companies that have inspired and provided platforms for many who might not have otherwise received those opportunities.

4. She's a Billionaire -- and the Continent's Only Black Billionaire, at That.

Mention billionaires and white men like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos likely come to mind. Media figures typically stay down in the millionaire range in popular imagery. But Winfrey herself is a billionaire, and she is the only black billionaire in the U.S. and Canada. She has a diverse media network and has put her fortune to charitable use.

5. She's Now Working With Apple.

No, she hasn't taken up coding or user design. Winfrey has signed on to create content for Apple's foray into entertainment programming. No word as of June 2018 what that content will be, but she'll have to come up with shows that draw people away from established online content providers like Netflix -- and it's a given that she will.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Jamestown

On September 10th, 1608, John Smith was elected president of the Jamestown, Virginia–the first permanent English settlement in North America.  Here are five things you didn't know about Jamestown...

Pocahontas Was a Nickname

Pocahontas is the name most people associate with the young Native American who visited Jamestown and eventually brought peace. However, that was just a nickname. It meant "playful one," and her real name was Matoaka (she was also given the English name Rebecka when she later married English settler John Rolfe). Her story is also not as cute as the one told in many movies; she was actually kidnapped when she visited Jamestown.

Jamestown Became the Site of the First Meeting of the Virginia General Assembly

The Virginia General Assembly is the state's legislative body; it's the Commonwealth's version of a state senate and house. And it's the oldest legal body that's still active in the Western Hemisphere. The Assembly was founded in 1619 in an attempt to create better laws (after years of martial law and in-fighting) and has continued to meet in Richmond.

Jamestown Wasn't Founded With the Greatest of Care

Real estate agents have it right when they talk about location. No matter how good the house, if the location stinks, the house will stink. And did Jamestown's location kind of stink. It was not coastal, so colonists had to travel several miles down a river to reach a port, and it was also on swampy ground that was basically bug central. The investors supporting Jamestown had ordered them not to take land occupied by Native Americans, and that left the colonists with little choice. Despite the land being unoccupied, the colonists still had to contend with attacks, too.

The Cannibalism Rumors Turned out to Be True

The first few years of the colony were marked by starvation, attacks, and awful rumors about cannibalism. No one really knew if those were true until archaeologists found human bones mixed in with animal bones—and the human bones showed knife marks that indicated the body had been stripped of flesh for food. The skull had been opened, too, to allow for removal of brain tissue. The victim appears to have been a 14-year-old girl brought over from England. Archaeologists are careful to say that they don't think she was killed for food. It's possible she died from other causes and was then just the only potential food source for survivors.

The Colony Was Also Key to the Slave Trade

Jamestown also ended up being the place where the first African slaves were brought to the country. They had been on a Portuguese ship that was attacked by the Dutch, and the Dutch brought the slaves to Jamestown in 1619 as part of the tobacco industry.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About the 9/11 Attacks

September 11, 2001, was the day that hijackers crashed four planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania.  Here are five things you didn't know about the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Remains Are Still Being Identified Years After the Attacks

Improving technology has allowed medical investigators to continue identifying remains of those killed in the collapse of the World Trade Center. The latest was in July 2018, when the remains of a 26-year-old analyst were positively identified. Previous to that, more remains were identified in 2017. The technology involves refined methods of DNA testing that have allowed investigators to re-test remains. As nearly 40 percent of the victims still don't have identifiable remains linked to their names, the testing will continue for as long as necessary.

Flight 93's Target Still Isn't Known

United flight 93 was the one where passengers learned about what had happened to the other hijacked planes. Since the passengers thought they would die anyway if they didn't do anything, they tried to take down the hijackers, resulting in the hijackers crashing the plane into a field in Pennsylvania. However, investigators still don't know where the hijackers intended to take the plane. All 44 people aboard were killed. Although its intended target is not known, but theories include the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland or one of several nuclear power plants along the eastern seaboard.

The Planes Had Far Fewer Passengers Than Normal

This is still no consolation to the families of those who were on the planes, in the Pentagon, or in the Twin Towers. But the planes did not have their usual passenger loads. For example, United 175 had only 56 passengers on board. Planes use the term "load factor" to describe how many people are on board, and for this flight, that was only 33 percent, instead of the 49 percent that was more typical of that type of flight. The unusual drop in passenger numbers, along with several stories of "near misses" that caused people to be late to work in the towers or to miss flights, brings to mind the speculation that people can sometimes unconsciously sense massive events, which influences their future actions.

One Plane Had Fewer Hijackers Than Expected

United 93's passengers and crew were likely more successful in fighting back, despite the low passenger load, because a hijacker was missing. One of the intended hijackers was prevented from entering the country in Florida because an immigration official became suspicious of him. That reduced manpower made the remaining hijackers on the flight less effective against a group of passengers and crew who learned they had nothing to lose by fighting back.

It May Have Been Predicted, but Not How You Think

Much was made during hearings of memos warning of potential attacks. But at Princeton University, a Random Number Generator, part of the Global Consciousness Project statistical analysis program, predicted a few hours before the attacks that something big and terrible was about to happen in the world. The project's purpose is to look at tons of random data from around the world to see if there is a way to detect patterns that allow event prediction due to changes in global consciousness.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About JFK's Marriage to Jacqueline Bouvier

On this day in 1953, U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy, future president of the United States, married Jacqueline Bouvier in a lavish ceremony in Newport, Rhode Island. To mark the anniversary of this happy occasion, here are five things you didn't know about JFK's Marriage to Jacqueline Bouvier...

The Dress Was a Hit—And a Last-Minute Re-creation

The wedding dress wasn't Jacqueline Bouvier's favorite choice—and she didn't really like the dress, really—but she committed to wearing it. It turns out she almost wasn't able to because a burst pipe in the designer's studio ruined the original dress. The designer and her assistants had to work frantically for several days to replace the dress right before the wedding.

The Photo of Them Cutting Their Wedding Cake Doesn't Show the True Height

There's a very nice photo of the young couple slicing into a modest-looking wedding cake as family members look on. However, that photo does not show the true size of the cake. In keeping with the large size of the reception, the actual cake was four feet tall.

Jacqueline Bouvier Had to Seriously Think About Marriage to John—Because of an Allergy

Jacqueline Bouvier was an avid horsewoman. She adored her horses and couldn't imagine being with someone who couldn't be around the animals. But that's exactly what happened with John Kennedy, who turned out to be allergic to horses. The two married anyway and managed to work things out even though John couldn't go horseback riding, which was one of Jacqueline's favorite pastimes.

Jacqueline's Stepfather "Gave" Her Away—at the Last Minute

While the tradition of "giving" away the bride is starting to fall out of favor, back in 1953 it was still the normal thing to do at a wedding. However, the bride's father, who was originally supposed to have that duty, got very, very drunk the morning of the wedding. The bride's stepfather was able to step in.

John Learned the Hard Way Not to Play Around Right Before an Important Event

It's one thing to try to blow off steam when you're nervous about getting married. But playing touch football on the morning of the wedding (What is it with the morning of the wedding? Why is that the time when people do bizarre things?) is not a good idea, as John Kennedy found out. During the game, he was sent sprawling into a rose bush, resulting in scratches on his face. Luckily these did not cause any cancellations or postponements, but take Kennedy's injury as a warning not to do risky things on the morning of your wedding!

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Milton Hershey

On September 13, 1857, Milton Hershey was born and went on to found one of America’s favorite chocolate companies. Here are five things you probably didn't know about the man that founded the Hershey Chocolate Corporation and popularized chocolate candy throughout much of the world...

Milton Hershey and His Wife Were Scheduled to Travel on the Titanic

Hershey and his wife had already accumulated enough money to spend a little time enjoying themselves, so they booked passage on the 1912 maiden voyage of the Titanic to go spend some time in Nice, France. They had booked one of the staterooms onboard the ship for its return trip, which cost $300, a fancy price for those days. It included a parlor, bedrooms, private bath, deck and dressing rooms. Fortunately, either business or illness of Hershey’s wife interfered with their plans, and they ended up taking a German liner called the Amerika, arriving back home before the Titanic met its gruesome end.

Before His Interest in Chocolate, Hershey Owned a Caramel Company

Hershey began his caramel company in 1876 in Philadelphia and named it Crystal A. Caramels. When this and his next business in New York failed, he re-formed his caramel company, which became a success with more than 1,400 employees. In 1983, he became enthralled with the production of chocolate at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago and opened the Hershey Chocolate Company after he returned to Lancaster, selling off his caramel company for a cool $1 million.

Where the Name Came for Hershey’s Kisses Is a Mystery

Chocolate aficionados have been enjoying Hershey’s Kisses since 1907, but only Milton Hershey knows why they were named that, and he isn’t around anymore. One theory is that the sound made by the candy machine when the chocolates plop out sounds something like a kiss, and maybe that’s the reason for the name.

The Hersheys Founded a School for Orphaned Boys in 1918

The Hersheys never had children of their own but were devoted to making people’s lives better, so they started the Milton Hershey school, which was a free, private boarding school for poor children. The school is still in existence today, with around 2,000 students, both male and female.

Hershey Treated His Employees Well

Hershey looked upon his workers almost as family and treated them well over the years. In fact, he built a town with brick homes, lawns and flowerbeds, along with Hershey Park so they would have a place to go for fun. Hershey’s influence extends to the entire town, which smells like chocolate, and even the lampposts are in the shape of Hershey Kisses.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About The Star-Spangled Banner

On September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner,” a song that was adopted as America’s national anthem. Although most people are familiar with the lyrics, many don’t know the following things about our nation’s anthem...

The Patriotic Song Written by Key Was Unusual Because He Opposed the War

Key’s song was written about three weeks following the burning of the U.S. Capitol, the President’s House and the Treasury Building by the British. Unfortunately, the British forces heavily outweighed the fledgling American forces. Key sided with most Americans at the time in thinking negotiations with the British could avoid war. The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives had both voted for war on June 12, 1812, in the closest vote in the history of America.

He Was Aboard a British Ship When He Wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner”

Key was a lawyer who had boarded the British ship, Tonnant, in order to negotiate the release of William Beanes, a physician who had been arrested by the British after he confronted soldiers who were attempting to plunder his home in Maryland. The Americans on board the ship, Key, Beanes and a man named John Skinner, who was a prisoner exchange officer, could not leave the ship because the attack on Baltimore had begun, so they were forced to watch from onboard a British vessel. Eight miles from Fort McHenry, he saw the “red glare” and “bombs bursting.”

“The Star-Spangled Banner” Wasn’t the Original Name of the Song

The verse had been written by Key originally on the back of a letter to voice his relief that the American flag was still flying at the fort. He had only written a few lines and finished the poem after he arrived in his hotel in Baltimore, expanding it to contain four stanzas. The song had been titled “The Defense of Fort M’Henry, however, it was later changed to “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

The Song Is Set to an Old British Drinking Tune

The tune for “The Star-Spangled Banner” was taken from "To Anacreon in Heaven,” and was written for a British social club to celebrate women, song and wine. This wasn’t the only American patriotic song that borrowed the tune of another songwriter. “America” (My Country Tis of Thee) copies its tune from Britain’s “God Save the Queen,” and the tune for “America the Beautiful” came from an 1882 hymn, “O Mother Dear, Jerusalem.”

The Song Was First Heard at a Sporting Event in 1862

Sports fans all know that the national anthem will be sung at sporting events; however, many don’t know that the first time it was sung was in Brooklyn, New York, at a baseball game in 1862, during the Civil War. After it was named the national anthem in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson, it was played in 1918 at the World Series seventh inning stretch in the games between the Red Sox and Cubs (the Sox won). By the time World War II rolled around, baseball and football teams were playing the national anthem as a show of patriotism, and the tradition continues to this day.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About M*A*S*H

On September 17, 1972, the comedy series "M*A*S*H" premiered on CBS and ran from 1972 to 1983, much longer than the Korean War itself. Here are five other facts about this iconic television show that you probably didn't know....  

Baseball Contributed to Character Names

One of the problems of a long-running television show with many characters is finding names for all of them. This happened during season six and seven of "M*A*S*H," so in the earlier season, four of the patients treated at the 4077 were named after the infield of the California Angels in 1977 as Remy, Grich, Chalk and Solaita. Tony Solaita played first base, Jerry Remy played second, Bobby Grich was the shortstop, and Dave Chalk played third. In season seven, the names of players for the Los Angeles Dodgers were used.

A Number of Future Celebrities Appeared in Small Roles on the Show

A number of actors and actresses appeared on the show over the years, including Patrick Swayze, Laurence Fishburne, George Wendt and Shelley Long. The former Opie Taylor, Ron Howard, also appeared as a Marine who was underage. Even Andrew Dice Clay, the brash stand-up comedian, appeared on the show in 1982 as Cpl. Hrabosky in an episode titled “Trick or Treatment.”

A Staggering Number of People Watched the Finale of the Series

The jaw-dropping finale of "M*A*S*H" still carries the record for the number of viewers who watched “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” at 77 percent of the entire population of the United States. Airing on February 28, 1983, it was seen by 121.6 million people. The 30-second commercials that were aired during the finale cost more than $1 million, and that year’s Super Bowl ads cost less.

Jamie Farr, Playing the Part of Klinger, Wore His Own Dog Tags

Actor Jamie Farr served for two years in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Japan and Korea. He wore his personal dog tags in the show that contained his name, religion and serial number. Farr was originally hired to work on "M*A*S*H" for one day in October 1972; however, after working on the show a number of times during the second season, he became a regular during the fourth season.

Only Three Actors in the TV Show Had Appeared in the Movie

The movie version of "M*A*S*H," released in 1970, starred Donald Sutherland as Hawkeye, Elliott Gould as Trapper John and Robert Duvall as Frank Burns. Gary Burghoff played as “Radar” O’Reilly, George Wood as General Hammond and Timothy Brown as Private Judson. The last three went on to act in the television version of "M*A*S*H," with Brown playing “Spearchucker” Jones.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Jimi Hendrix

On September 18, 1970, rock musician Jimi Hendrix died of a drug overdose at age 27 after he had already reached the status of rock and roll legend. Read on to find out the following things you probably don’t know about Jimi Hendrix...

Hendrix Makes the List of Other One Hit Wonders

Although Jimi Hendrix became a popular singer and was recognized as an innovative and explosive guitar player, he only had one record in the top forty. The song was “All Along the Watchtower,” which was included on the double record set, Electric Ladyland. This album was also his only one that reached the top position on the charts.

Pete Townshend of The Who Refused to Play After Jimi Hendrix

At the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967, the Jimi Hendrix Experience and The Who were both scheduled to play the first day but were rescheduled to play on the last day. Hendrix and Townshend tossed a coin to see which band would play first and The Who Won. After destroying their guitars onstage, they were followed by the Grateful Dead. Hendrix and his band played next, and he upstaged The Who by setting his Stratocaster on fire while he played.

He Could Play a Guitar Upside Down and Backward

Hendrix preferred to play a guitar left-handed but could play with either hand, according to the Rolling Stones’ guitarist Ron Wood. Although he preferred playing left-handed and was known to use a right-handed restrung guitar, his father thought playing left-handed was the Devil’s sign. Hendrix was also known to play with his teeth and behind his back.

Hendrix Wasn’t Supposed to be the Closing Act at Woodstock

The organizer of Woodstock, Michael Lang, had originally wanted cowboy crooner and TV star Roy Rogers to play “Happy Trails” to end the concert, however, Rogers declined the invitation. Instead, Hendrix was the final act, and this is where he played his long version of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Since the concert at Woodstock had run over the originally scheduled time, instead of playing to the half a million concertgoers who originally came, the crowd was down to about 200,000.

In 1968, Hendrix Was Named Performer of the Year

Despite having a career that lasted only four years among mainstream fans, Hendrix’ talent won him an award as Performer of the Year by Rolling Stone Magazine as well as recognition by others. Surprisingly, Are You Experienced, his debut album, was turned down by Decca Records, and was produced by Track, a company founded by Chris Stamp and Kit Lambert, managers for The Who. Decca executives probably regretted that decision since Are You Experienced staying on the charts for 33 weeks, reaching the number two slot.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About the Unabomber

On September 19th, 1995, The New York Times and Washington Post both published a 35,000-word document that would come to be known as the Unabomber manifesto.  Here are five things you didn’t know about the Unabomber...

The Unabomber Held a Math Degree From Harvard

Ted Kaczynski was only 16 years old when he began studying in Harvard in 1958 as a math prodigy. He was described as quiet, not particularly friendly and shy, and others at Harvard at the same time remembered he liked to play his trombone during the night. He graduated from the prestigious university in 1962 with a degree in math and went on to the University of Michigan to earn his Ph.D. For his 50th year reunion at Harvard, he listed his occupation as prisoner and awards as eight life sentences.

The Unabomber Wasn’t Captured for Nearly 20 Years

During the period when Kaczynski was mailing bombs, 23 people were seriously injured and three died. According to his voluminous essay of 35,000 words, Industrial Society And Its Future, Kaczynski believed people were controlled by a society that was immoral and ruled by machines. He escaped detection by authorities by hiding in a cabin in Montana that had neither running water nor electricity.

The FBI Couldn’t Track Down the Unabomber

While it would be common to track the parts used in the bombs to find the culprit, Kaczynski was cautious, building his bombs by hand and limiting the number of metal pieces. He also purchased parts a long distance from where he lived in the woods and removed any identifying marks such as serial numbers. He also traveled long distances to mail his bombs and left false clues to further confuse authorities.

His Brother Turned Him In

After reading the Unabomber Manifesto, which had been published in the newspaper, David Kaczynski realized that it matched information in letters he had received from his brother Ted. The FBI was notified by the younger Kaczynski, which gave them enough information to finally capture the notorious letter bomber. David Kaczynski was reportedly paid $1 million following his brother’s arrest.

Kaczynski Was Sentenced to Eight Life Sentences

The Unabomber was found guilty on three counts of murder and ten other counts that included transporting and mailing bombs. In return for a guilty plea, he was given life sentences instead of the death penalty. He is currently incarcerated at ADX Florence in Fremont County, Colorado.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About the Battle of the Sexes

On September 20, 1973, Billie Jean King triumphed in the Battle of the Sexes against Bobby Riggs in a highly publicized exhibition tennis game. Here are five facts you probably didn’t know about the tennis match between Riggs and King...

More Than 30,000 people Showed Up for the Match

The match between the misogynistic Riggs and social justice supporter King was sold out with an attending crowd of more than 30,000, including eccentric artist Salvador Dali. Around 90 million were watching the match at home between King, a five-time winner at Wimbledon, and Riggs, who was named the world’s best tennis player during the 1940s. King won the match against Riggs easily with scores of 6-4, 6-3 and 6-3, earning $100,000 for her efforts.

Riggs Beat Margaret Court Before Challenging King

In what became known as the “Mother’s Day Massacre,” Riggs had challenged Margaret Court, a top female tennis player, to a game on May 13, 1973. Unaccustomed to Riggs’ style of playing, he trounced her by using his drop shots, spin shots and a number of different lobs. He defeated Court 6-2 and 6-1, winning a $10,000 prize. After this match, he was determined to play against King.

Both Tennis Players Were Carried Onto the Court

King was carried into the Houston Astrodome, where the match was held, by four members of the track team of Rice University. Riggs, wearing his Sugar Daddy jacket, came by rickshaw and was surrounded by beautiful girls. The two tennis greats exchanged gifts: an enormous Sugar Daddy was given to King, while a baby pig was presented to Riggs.

It Was Rumored That the Match Was Rigged

ESPN reported that there were rumors that the match had been fixed by the mob because Riggs was in debt to them for a large amount of money. Although Riggs is known to have been taking large numbers of vitamins before the match, he hadn’t practiced in months, and his son, Larry, did not attend the game because he felt his father wasn’t taking it seriously.

King’s Fame From Winning the Match Propelled Her Into Superstardom

Following the match with Bobby Riggs, King received a number of endorsements from companies such as Adidas, Wilson, Sunbeam and Colgate. By the next year, her income reached almost $1 million. By the time of her retirement in 1983, she had won 12 titles, including four in the U.S. Open and six at Wimbledon.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Benedict Arnold

On September 21, 1780, American General Benedict Arnold met secretly with British Major John Andre to discuss turning over control of West Point to the British in exchange for a large financial reward and a high position in the British army.   Here are five things you didn't know about Benedict Arnold...

Arnold Was a Hothead

You'd think a traitor attempting to work out a deal with the other side would be a cool, calculating sort of person. And it's true that Arnold was a good soldier and generally a good strategist (when given the right support—more on that later) who initially believed in the revolutionary cause. But he was also supersensitive emotionally and could lash out to the point of challenging people to duels. A number of his engagements in revolutionary battles were essentially improvised after an angry reaction to something; for example, after news of battles at Lexington and Concord made their way to Arnold, he marched off with volunteers to join the battles. And his tendency to take everything too personally also played a role in his betrayal.

He Switched Sides Partly Because He Felt Overlooked

Arnold was continually overlooked when it came to promotions and glory, even though he was well-respected by key people in the military, such as George Washington. He also had to deal with a lack of respect from townspeople in Philadelphia who didn't like him and who certainly didn't like his wife, whose family was closely tied to the British. The growing rejection by Americans, the growing anger at lost promotions, the growing political antagonism (he was court-martialed twice, but cleared both times), and a growing amount of debt all made Arnold amenable to teaming up with the British, who seemed more open to giving Arnold the higher ranks that he sought.

He Still Saw Action as a British Military Commander

After Arnold made his deal, he didn't flee to England immediately. He did leave Philadelphia when his connection to the betrayal of West Point was discovered, but he then helped the British take over Richmond, Virginia, and New London, Connecticut, as a brigadier general. It wasn't until after the war that he and his family moved to England—where he found that people still didn't trust him and he still didn't get the recognition he wanted.

He Had a Contemporary American Supporter

Bill Stanley, who was from Norwich, Connecticut, which was Arnold's hometown, was a former state senator and huge city history fan who became a champion of sorts for Arnold. Stanley was born in 1929, and so, obviously, did not know Arnold. But Stanley firmly believed that Arnold had done a lot of good for the revolutionaries before his betrayal and supported the idea of Arnold as a key player in Norwich history. Stanley paid for a new headstone for Arnold in England. Stanley died in 2010.

He Once Tried to Take Over Canada—and Later Ended up Working There

Remember that earlier mention of good support leading to good strategy? Arnold was skilled at winging it during battles, such as when he managed to take over Lake Champlain while many of his allies dove into plundered liquor supplies. However, even Arnold had his limits, and his attempt to take over Canada was a good example. At the time, the British were reinforcing their presence in Quebec. The Americans thought, for whatever reason, that Canadians didn't like that and would want to join up with the Americans. So, Arnold and some troops were ordered to attack Quebec City. Seems straightforward enough, right? Unfortunately, the plan was half-baked. Inaccurate maps, dwindling supplies, adverse weather, and finally, British troop reinforcements that included German mercenaries turned the plan into a disaster.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About the Emancipation Proclamation

On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued an order now known as the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that slaves in Confederate states that still sought secession would be freed.  Here are five things you didn't know about the Emancipation Proclamation...

Before the Emancipation Proclamation, the Civil War Wasn't Popularly Linked to Slavery

The Civil War started out as a war of secession only in the minds of Lincoln and his cabinet. Lincoln actually thought he did not have the authority to free slaves, even though he supported the abolition of slavery. It wasn't until the Proclamation was issued that the abolition of slavery moved front and center in the war.

The Proclamation Was an Executive Order, Not a Law

When the Proclamation was issued, it was a directive (similar to those executive orders issued by modern-day presidents) created to address a growing problem during the Civil War—but it wasn't a law passed by Congress, and its constitutionality was also suspect. The increasing calls for the abolition of slavery allowed the order to remain in effect during the war with less opposition than it might have faced in peacetime, but Lincoln was concerned that the end of the Civil War might cause the order to be eliminated. Toward the end of the Civil War, Congress approved the 13th Amendment, making emancipation official.

It Didn't Free All Slaves

In fact, it didn't free even a majority of slaves. The Proclamation is popularly seen now as this wide-ranging reform, but all it really did was say that the slaves in states that were still rebelling as of January 1, 1863, would be freed. Not the slaves in states that decided to stop rebelling, or slaves in states that had never rebelled, or in those in Union territory, but only those in about ten states that still had a chance to give up fighting. However, the Proclamation was a vital step toward expanding emancipation for all slaves.

Escaping Slaves During the Early Years of the War Led to the Proclamation.

Lincoln did not go into the Civil War with ending slavery as the main goal because he was concerned about how states in the North, but along the border, would react. However, escaping slaves forced him to face the problem. Shortly after the war started, slaves in Virginia started escaping across the border into the North, leading to disagreements about whether the slaves were fugitives, and thus subject to return under the Fugitive Slave Law, or whether they were "contraband of war," and thus able to stay in the North. Congress began passing laws that ended the requirement that fugitive slaves be returned and that also abolished slavery in the District of Columbia. Some Union commanders even issued mini-emancipation-style proclamations of their own in different territories. Eventually, Lincoln had to come up with something that addressed the messy but expanding situation.

Lincoln's Own Cabinet Nearly Derailed the Proclamation

While some in Lincoln's cabinet supported the proclamation—they knew that the freed slaves could become soldiers and help fight against the Confederacy—others were not happy about the potential effect that former slaves would have on society. One cabinet member was very opposed to any sort of equality for the former slaves, for example, while at least one other cabinet member thought the move would cost them the next election. Still others thought the move looked desperate, given that the Union hadn't been doing too well in battle (one member told Lincoln to wait to announce the measure until after a substantial Union battle victory; Lincoln concurred). In the end, though, the proclamation was released, changing the political landscape of the Civil War. 

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Neptune

On September 23, 1846, German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle discovered the planet Neptune, the eighth planet in our solar system. To celebrate this landmark event in astronomical history, here are five things you probably didn't know about the planet Neptune...

If It Weren't for Uranus' Orbit Misbehaving Mathematically, Neptune Might Not Have Been Spotted Until Later

No one was really searching for a new planet in 1846. However, astronomers who were trying to calculate the orbit of Uranus noticed that they couldn't easily pin down the planet's location mathematically—many times the calculations were off by several degrees. One theory was that another planet was exerting a gravitational effect on Uranus, and two astronomers were able to calculate the existence of this supposed planet, which turned out to be Neptune. Had Uranus' orbit been predictable, no one would have thought to look for another planet just beyond Uranus.

It Only Recently Completed Its First Orbit Since Its Discovery

Neptune takes 165 Earth years to complete one orbit around the sun. That means that Neptune only completed its first orbit in 2011 since its discovery.

The Controversy Over Who First "Discovered" Neptune Was Somewhat Manufactured

Three people are currently credited with discovering Neptune. Two are scientists who worked independently of each other on calculations to prove a planet was affecting Uranus' orbit. These were British mathematician, John Couch Adams, and French astronomer, Urbain Le Verrier. Adams didn't share his results widely, but Le Verrier openly tried to find people to check out his numbers. German astronomer Johann Galle did so a day after receiving the information, and sure enough, he spotted Neptune just one degree away from where Le Verrier had predicted it would be. (Adams' predictions were off by a few more degrees, by the way.) Now, all three are credited with the discovery, and at the time, Adams treated Le Verrier as the true discoverer of Neptune. However, other British scientists weren't about to let the potential victory go to a rival Frenchman and made some noise about who really discovered Neptune. So the controversy wasn't so much about who had the better timing as it was about British egos.

It's the Only Planet in the Solar System (so Far) Whose Discovery Was Predicted Mathematically

So far, every other planet in the solar system has been spotted first and then become the subject of mathematical calculations about orbital position. Neptune was the reverse; first, the math said something should be in a particular spot, and then a human found the planet almost where it was predicted to be.

An Italian Was Really the First Person to Spot Neptune

As usual, there's a caveat to all this "first person to spot" business. An Italian was actually the first person to see Neptune, even before its existence was calculated—but he thought it was a star and thought nothing more of it. That Italian was Galileo Galilei, back in December 1612.

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that was very interesting about  GALILEO

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About F. Scott Fitzgerald

September 24th marks what would have been F. Scott Fitzgerald's 122th birthday, and you know how we feel about birthdays here at Trivia Today.  Here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about the famed author of “Tender Is the Night” and “The Great Gatsby.”

He Was Named After Francis Scott Key

Fitzgerald’s name was Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, and he was named after the poetry-writing lawyer who penned “The Star Spangled Banner” during the siege at Fort McHenry in the War of 1812. Key was a distant cousin of Fitzgerald, and the author mentioned his cousin at least once when driving by a statue of Key sometime in 1934.

Fitzgerald’s Most Famous Book Didn’t Sell Many Copies Initially

Although his famous book from 1925 “The Great Gatsby” got glowing reviews, it was not well received during his lifetime. It only sold about 20,000 copies, a much lower sales rate than his first novels. The book gained popularity during World War II because copies were shipped overseas to U.S. servicemen, and it now sells about half a million copies every year.

Fitzgerald Was a Great Writer and Terrible Speller

Although he had a talent with the written word, Fitzgerald was known as a poor student all throughout his school days and tended to cut classes while he was attending Princeton University. He was also known as a bad speller. and it has been speculated that he might have been dyslexic. According to Edmund Wilson, a former classmate and literary critic, Fitzgerald’s original “This Side of Paradise” was full of misused words and illiterate.

The Play He Wrote Was a Big Failure

Back during the 1920s, Fitzgerald wrote a play called “The Vegetable,” which was a dig at the American public’s mania to get ahead by featuring a man who wants to become a postman but dreams he is the president. Because of Fitzgerald’s dim view of the American Dream, the audience was unappreciative of his efforts. The play was only performed once in 1923 in Atlantic City.

His Last Book Was Left Unfinished

Fitzgerald’s last novel was titled “The Love of the Last Tycoon,” which was about his work in Hollywood. One month after he wrote to his wife, Zelda, about the new novel’s promise, he had a heart attack and died. The unfinished version was published later to critical acclaim as Fitzgerald’s most impressive work.

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5 Things You Should Know About the Bill of Rights

On September 25, 1789, the Bill of Rights that spells out the liberties and civil rights for American citizens was sent to the state legislatures for approval. Find out the following things you should know about this important document that is part of the foundation of America.

The Bill of Rights Could Have Had 19 Amendments

James Madison pioneered the bill that originally contained 19 amendments. The House of Representatives approved 17 of the amendments on August 24, 1789. It was changed by the Senate to 12 amendments, whittled down further to 10 and passed December 15, 1791.

One of the Discarded Amendments Was Added in 1992

Amendments had to be ratified by three quarters of the states to take effect, and the second, which restricted the ability of Congress to vote itself a pay raise or cut in salary, was never passed. A college student, Gregory Watson, who was attending the University of Texas, found that the amendment had never been approved by the state legislatures. Starting a campaign of letter writing to each of the states, they finally ratified the amendment May 20, 1992.

Two Original Copies of the Bill of Rights Are Missing

There were 14 handwritten official copies of the Bill of Rights authorized by Congress and President George Washington, however, two are missing. It turns out that New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Georgia misplaced their copies over the years; although it is believed that the New York and Georgia copies burned, the first in a fire in 1911 and the second in the Civil War. A lost copy was believed to have been located in 1945 and is at the Library of Congress while a second copy was obtained by the New York Public Library, which resides for part of the year in New York and part of the year in Pennsylvania.

North Carolina’s Copy Was Stolen During the Civil War

The copy of the Bill of Rights held by North Carolina was reported as stolen from the capitol in 1865 by a soldier with the army of General William Sherman. After changing hands an unknown number of times, it came into the possession of Wayne Pratt, who was an antique dealer. It was seized by the FBI and toured North Carolina before being returned to its home in Raleigh.

The Third Amendment Has Been the Least Contested

While the first amendment and second amendment have been cited most often in by the judiciary, the third amendment has been cited the least number of times. This amendment states that soldiers, during peacetime, cannot be housed in private residences without the owner’s consent, or during wartime unless it has been prescribed by law. The seventh amendment, a right to trial by peers, is also rarely cited in the courts.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About the Kennedy-Nixon Debate

On September 26, 1960, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon squared off in our country's first televised presidential debate. Take a look at the these surprising 5 facts you probably didn’t know about the first televised presidential debate in American history...

The Kennedy-Nixon Debate Was the First One Aired on Television

Although television stations had begun broadcasting much earlier, it wasn’t until 1960 that the first debate between presidential candidates was aired, with Kennedy being declared the winner. More than 66.4 million people watched the Kennedy-Nixon debate, among the highest numbers watching a broadcast in the history of television. Since the population in 1960 numbered around 180.7 million, the numbers translated into today’s population would be at about 324.7 million viewers.

The Candidates’ Look and Comfort Level on Television Influenced Voters

At this first of the four debates between the two candidates, Kennedy appeared confident, healthy and well-groomed. Nixon, on the other hand, had just gotten out of the hospital two weeks previously, recovering from an injured knee, and looked tired, pale and unshaven. Nixon was sweating throughout the telecast while Kennedy appeared tanned and handsome.

Both Men Were Reported as Refusing to Put on Makeup

Neither of the candidates wanted to have makeup professionally applied before their debate, but both did something privately. It is unknown what Kennedy did, but Nixon had Lazy Shave applied to try and hide his unshaven look. In addition, Nixon wore a light-colored suit that made him look even more washed out, while Kennedy wore a dark suit that brightened his appearance.

The Candidates Were Neck and Neck Before the Debate

Because the debate pre-empted the popular Andy Griffith Show, it may have helped erase Nixon’s lead in the polls over Kennedy. In the 1960 election, Kennedy won 303 electoral votes over Nixon’s 219. The popular vote was much closer with 34,227,096 for Kennedy and 34,107,646 for Nixon.

Voters Were Influenced by the Kennedy-Nixon Debate

Americans voted in record numbers in the 1960 election, and polls showed that more than 50 percent had been impacted by the television debate. Six percent of the voters said that watching the debate itself had influenced them in their choice between the candidates.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About the Battle of Yorktown

After a long and bloody war, the final main battle of the American Revolution began at Yorktown, Virginia, on September 28, 1781.  Yorktown proved to be the turning point that made the British agree to discuss terms of peace and separation. Here are five things you didn't know about the Battle of Yorktown…

The Battle of Yorktown Wasn't the Last Physical Battle.

The Battle of Yorktown is usually called the decisive battle that made the British surrender and that caused the revolutionary war to end. However, that's not quite true. It was the decisive land battle. While it did spur on negotiations, additional battles at sea continued. In fact, the opposing countries didn't officially have anything resembling a treaty until 1782, with final treaties signed in 1783.

The British Were Amazingly Trusting of Their Opponents

Whether they were just tired or whether they severely underestimated the revolutionaries, the British messed up in a major way by believing the information they saw from George Washington. The British were intercepting communications from the Americans (as one does in war), so Washington decided to send fake communications that detailed a desire to attack New York and not Yorktown. Technically, the British had no reason to think the communications were fake, but if you've got a large portion of your troops in one place, it would be a good idea to be suspicious of anything that said those troops weren't targets.

The Revolutionaries Had an Unexpected Ally

You know the French helped the Americans, and German mercenaries fought on both sides. But the Americans had one other very unexpected ally: malaria. The mid and southeastern Atlantic coast of the U.S. is humid, and, at that point, was prone to malarial outbreaks. The Americans had grown up in that environment, so they had been able to develop a resistance to malaria and didn't react when bitten by mosquitoes. However, British troops who had come directly from England or areas without malaria did not have that resistance. They ended up decimated by the disease, which no doubt helped the Americans gain the upper hand.

Treaties Had to Wait—for Other Countries

The revolutionary war is often seen, popularly, as a discrete war, separate from other international conflicts. This is not the case. The revolutionary war was but one part of a larger international war going on between the colonies, Britain, France, and Spain. While the Battle of Yorktown convinced the British that the game was up and they had to start negotiating an exit, other agreements already in place meant that no British-American treaties were going to work until the terms of the other agreements were met. For example, Britain and Spain had to settle disagreements and come up with a treaty before Britain and France could make any treaties because France and Spain had an agreement as part of their alliance stating that would be so. And the alliance between France and the colonies stipulated that Britain and France had to create a treaty before Britain and the Americans could put their treaty into effect. And the Treaty of Paris, the final treaty that ended the war and made the U.S. independent, was contingent on Britain and the Netherlands reaching agreements.

British Troops Didn't Leave the New United States Until Over Two Years Later

Yorktown's British troops may have been captured by Washington's men, but all of the British troops in the colonies didn't leave until November 25, 1783. That's when the last troops in New York finally left to go home. 

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5 Things You Didn't Know About the U.S. Army

On September 29, 1789, Congress approved legislation that provided for the creation of an army under the terms of the recently ratified U.S. Constitution. To celebrate its official birth, here are five things you didn't know about the U.S. Army...

The U.S. Almost Didn't Have a Standing Army

Before the establishment of a U.S. military force, colonists had to deal with the British Army—and the colonists were not pleased about having an additional standing military force suddenly come into being. The fear was that the American military would begin to take over everything and become tyrants once the British were out. Most people who fought were used to doing so for only short periods of time as part of a militia. The colonies needed an army for the duration of the war because militias did not have the discipline and skills to fight on their own, but the Continental Army (the army that served during the revolution) kept its enlistment terms short so that soldiers could get home relatively quickly, and so that there was less of a risk that long-time soldiers would take over the government.

The Army Technically Existed Before the Actual Country Came Into Being

While the official U.S. Army came into being in 1789, the Continental Army, its predecessor, was created in 1775, well before the United States actually came into being. The Army still treats that as its birthday. The Continental Army, as mentioned, was created to have a steady, skilled, cohesive military force to fight the British, and it was the first standing army in the colonies.

The Air Force Used to Be an Army Division

Travel around the country and you'll see naval air bases and marine air bases—so why aren't there army air bases? There are—or were. The Air Force used to be part of the Army, known as the Aeronautical Division. This division was formed in 1907 and later became known as the Air Corps and then the Army Air Forces. The U.S. Air Force officially became its own military branch in 1947 through the National Security Act, which also created the Department of Defense and the National Security Council. So while the Navy and Marines have their own air divisions, the Army's air division spun off into its own department.

The Draft Has Reappeared a Few Times

Mention the draft and most people will think of Korea and Vietnam, and the end of the draft in the 1970s. However, the draft, or conscription, has appeared and disappeared a few times throughout the country's history. The first draft was during the Civil War, and it was kind of a disaster; enlistees could get bonuses for signing up, which led to "bounty jumpers." Those who were conscripted and who did not want to fight could pay other men to enlist for them, leading to a lot of unofficial draft dodgers. That draft ended after the Civil War was over, but another draft started up during World War I. This time the government avoided bounty/incentive systems and expanded draft ages to those between 18 and 45. That draft ended when the war ended. The next draft, though, was unusual. The previous two had started in response to a war, but the next one started in peacetime in the U.S. World War II was already happening in Europe, but in 1940, before the U.S. joined the war, the government created the Selective Service system, which required men to register in case of a draft. The Act expired after the war but was reinstated quickly so that military numbers would always be at action-ready levels. The associated draft lasted until 1973, as protests against involvement in Vietnam continued to escalate. The Selective Service Act also expired and was not reinstated until 1980, though this time without a draft.

The Army Acted as Cartographers

When not fighting, the Army was directed toward other tasks like taking over land and also mapping terrain. In fact, Lewis and Clark were Army officers, and their expedition team was known officially as the "Corps of Discovery." This group was created in 1803 specifically to explore and map the northwestern portions of the United States and territory out in Oregon.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Cheers

On September 30th, 1982, Cheers debuted, ringing in at 77th place out of 100 in that week's Nielsen ratings. Of course, that show went on to become one of television's most memorable sitcoms.  Here are five things you didn't know about Cheers...

Cheers Almost Didn't Make It

That line about crashing at its debut wasn't a joke. The first episode of Cheers was near the bottom of the ratings. A score like that was more than enough for the network to dump the show, but it was saved by the network president. The show went on to become a very good example of why you don't want to remove a show after only one episode.

Frasier Happened Only Because NBC Didn't Understand Seinfeld

When Cheers ended, NBC was understandably worried. They were losing a major show and didn't know where their next hit would come from. As a result, they demanded spinoffs, and Frasier was the result, becoming a popular show in its own right. However, had NBC known what they already had in their hot little hands, Frasier might never have moved to Seattle to start his own radio show. Already in its fourth year was the show Seinfeld, which was about nothing and was apparently too baffling to soothe the nerves of a lot of TV execs. Seinfeld aired for five more years after Cheers ended.

There's More Than One "Lost" Episode

By now it's become rather well-known among fans that there is a short "lost episode" of Cheers that was made as a savings-bond promotion. However, there's another "lost episode," or rather a lost scene, that was made and aired specifically as a Super Bowl tie-in. The scene is about—of course—the Super Bowl and ends with the usual arguments among the characters. The scene has never been released on VHS or DVD and is really only available if you can find someone who managed to tape that Super Bowl.

The Show Took Drunk Driving Very Seriously

A show about a bar risked glamorizing drinking and possibly driving afterward. After all, the customers had to get home somehow, especially after nursing several beers. The producers decided to have the show constantly mention calling cabs and having designated drivers. No episodes had drunk patrons driving themselves.

Kirstie Alley's Audition Was So Good That Producers Auditioned Other Actresses out of Disbelief

When Shelley Long decided to leave the show, producers were in a bind. Long's chemistry with Ted Danson was one of the main drivers of the show (and one of the main drivers in getting Danson cast). The producers immediately set out to find another woman for the show, creating a few parameters for her, such as no blondes (like Long) and no waitress characters (like Diane Chambers, Long's character). The first actress to audition was Kirstie Alley, then known mainly for playing Lieutenant Saavik in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Alley's audition was so on point that the producers purposefully auditioned more performers in an attempt to convince themselves that Alley hadn't, in fact, nailed the part, because they just couldn't believe that the first audition was the best. It only proved to them that she was the perfect choice.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know about Johnny Carson

On October 1,1962, Johnny Carson made his debut as The Tonight Show host, a career that would span decades. Check out the following things you probably didn’t know about talk show host Johnny Carson...

Groucho Marx Introduced Carson as the New Host of the Show

On Carson’s first night as host of the show, replacing Jack Paar, he was introduced by legendary comedian Groucho Marx, age 72. Six years later, Marx honored Carson at a roast held at the Friars’ Club in New York. Guests appearing on Carson’s opening show were Tony Bennett, Joan Crawford, Rudy Vallee and a new comedy writer, Mel Brooks.

Carson Accidentally Caused a Nationwide Shortage of Toilet Paper

After reading aloud an article about a shortage of toilet paper in 1973 and making jokes about it on air, Carson accidentally contributed to a shortage of America’s favorite use for wood pulp around the country. Shortages of gasoline and onions were happening in 1973, so the public rushed out and bought toilet paper after Carson's segment, causing another shortage. Some stores even began rationing the precious paper by the end of the year.

Carson Assisted Orson Welles in a Magic Act During World War II

In 1943, Carson, 18, went into the U.S. Navy where he was assigned work in communications decoding encrypted messages. He performed magic as a hobby, usually for shipmates, but was invited to perform as an assistant to Orson Welles during a performance to entertain the troops aboard the U.S.S. Pennsylvania. Welles was also assisted by his beautiful wife, Rita Hayworth, whom he cut in half during his magic act.

Appearances on The Tonight Show Launched a Lot of Careers

The show was such a success it was renamed The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and Carson was responsible for launching many careers throughout his 30 years on the show. Carson was responsible for helping to launch big names such as David Letterman, Tim Allen, Joan Rivers and Ellen Degeneres to Jeff Foxworthy and Jerry Seinfeld, to stardom.

Comic Actor Bob Crane Was Offered the Job as Host of The Tonight Show

Crane had worked interviewing celebrities for several years on KNX-CBS Radio in Los Angeles. He was offered a number of jobs as a talk-show host on television, including The Tonight Show to replace Jack Paar, which he turned down. However, he did appear on the show as a guest and hosted as a fill-in for Johnny Carson from time to time.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Thurgood Marshall

On October 2, 1967, Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as the first African-American justice to take a seat on the United States Supreme Court. Here are 5 things you probably didn't know about Thurgood Marshall...

Thurgood Marshall’s Birth Name Was Thoroughgood.

Thurgood Marshall was born Thoroughgood Marshall. He was named after his paternal grandfather, who had chosen the name “Thoroughgood” when he enlisted as a private in the Union Army during the Civil War. Marshall went by Thoroughgood until he shortened it to Thurgood in second grade, saying he “got tired of spelling all that out.”

He Was Asked By The United Nations and United Kingdom To Help Write The Constitutions of Ghana and Tanzania.

After they won independence from European imperial powers, Ghana and Tanzania were in need of a constitution. The UN and UK asked Thurgood for help – they felt that his success fighting for America’s oppressed minority would help protect the rights of the minority white citizens in those nations. Both constitutions are still in use today.

He Has An Airport Named After Him

The major airport serving Baltimore and the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC, was renamed the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on October 1, 2005. The airport is named after Thurgood Marshall, a Baltimore native who became the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.  He would remain on the Supreme Court for 24 years before retiring for health reasons.

He Represented And Won More Cases Before The United States Supreme Court Than Any Other American.

Arguing before the nation’s highest court didn’t faze Marshall. Before his nomination to the United States Supreme Court in 1967, he served as Solicitor General; during that time, Thurgood Marshall won 14 of the 19 cases he argued before the Supreme Court. Combine that with his many wins at SCOTUS as a lawyer for the NAACP and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (he argued 32 cases and won 29) and Thurgood holds a record that’s as unlikely to be broken.

He Was Voted “Least Likely to Succeed”

Thurgood’s friends describe him as loud and the life of the party. He joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and enjoyed drinking, smoking, and playing cards.  After joining the Alpha Phi Alphas, Marshall reveled in fraternity life. He pulled wild pranks on other students and was expelled for a short while when one went too far.  His wild and boisterous behavior gave him the reputation as 'apparently the least likely to succeed' among his classmates. But Marshall turned his studies around quickly. He had a knack for debate, shined as an orator, and was known for his energetic football rally speeches.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About the O.J. Simpson Trial

On October 3, 1995, O.J. Simpson was acquitted of the charge of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and a visitor at the house, Ron Goldman, following a trial that had viewers glued to their television screens. See if you know the following facts about the murders and the trial.

Simpson and His Wife Had Divorced Three Years Before the Murders

Simpson and Brown married in 1985, and the former football star was charged four years later with spousal battery, although his wife dropped the charge. Simpson paid a fine and stated that neither was hurt in the altercation, although his wife had bruises and a cut lip, a photo of which was presented as evidence in the trial. In 1992, irreconcilable differences were the grounds for the divorce filed by Simpson; however, following their separation, they still spent time together.

The Dog Alerted Neighbors That Something Was Wrong

The murders of Brown and Goldman occurred Sunday night, June 12, 1994. Brown was slashed and stabbed repeatedly and 25-year-old Goldman was stabbed around 30 times. It might have been longer before the bodies were discovered if it weren’t for Brown’s Akita. The pet was covered in blood and howling, and that attracted the attention of a neighbor, who entered the house and found the bodies.

Simpson Had Trouble Explaining the Cut on His Hand

Police noticed that Simpson had a badly cut hand, which he had difficulty explaining. At first, he said he could not remember how it happened. Later he said it might have happened when he was reaching into his Bronco on the same night the murders happened. The interview with police failed to follow up on pertinent lines of questioning, so it wasn’t helpful to either prosecutors or defense lawyers and was never introduced as evidence in the trial.

Authorities Were Alerted When Simpson Did Not Turn Himself In

Simpson was scheduled to turn himself in on June 17 by 10:00 a.m., the day after Nicole’s funeral, but he didn’t show up. When officers and Simpson’s lawyer went to his home, they found him gone, and he was discovered riding in A.C. Cowlings’ Bronco in what was probably the slowest police chase in history. Soon, the area was full of police cars, helicopters and private citizens wondering where it would all lead, but Simpson was finally taken into custody in the driveway of his home.

A Glove Found Near the Crime Scene Contained Simpson’s DNA

Shoe prints and a glove were found at the murder site, and the prints from the shoes matched the size and type worn by Simpson. His blood also matched some of the drops found at the crime scene, and it was known that he had bought a stiletto. Following Simpson’s inability to put on the glove in front of the jury, a passionate plea by defense attorney Johnny Cochran that “if it doesn’t fit, you must acquit,” may have helped sway the jury into presenting a verdict of not guilty in the sensational trial that lasted 252 days.

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5 Things You Didn't Know about Mount Rushmore

On October 4, 1927, work began on the monument at Mount Rushmore dedicated to four of America’s greatest presidents. To mark the anniversary of the project's start, here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about Mount Rushmore…

It Took 14 Years to Complete Carving the Likenesses

Carving a mountain is a Herculean task, but sculptor Gutzon Borglum was up to it when he began carving the likenesses of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt in 1927. Dynamite was used to remove 450,000 tons of rock before the sculptors began carving. The finish work was done by lowering bosun chairs, supported by steel cables, so the drillers or finishers could complete their tasks, and the project was completed in 1941.

A Secret Chamber Was Blasted Out in the Mountain

Behind Abraham Lincoln’s head is a secret chamber, which was meant to be a Hall of Records containing the history of the United States. With the death of Borglum in 1941, the project remained unfinished, but later in the 1990s, it was completed and holds panels of the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence as well as Borglum’s biography. The carved panels were placed in a titanium vault, which was sealed as the ultimate time capsule for discoverers in the distant future.

A Historian in South Dakota Came Up With the Idea for Mount Rushmore

Doane Robinson’s original idea was to contract a sculptor to place carvings on the Needles, which are eroded rock pillars in the Badlands of South Dakota, and to use the likenesses of Western heroes such as Lewis and Clark, Red Cloud and Buffalo Bill Cody. Borglum, who was friends with prominent sculptor, Auguste Rodin, wanted to sculpt something more impressive, and it was he who suggested using the mountain itself. Borglum also chose the four presidents who are depicted on the monument.

Mount Rushmore Was Named After a Lawyer

New York lawyer Charles E. Rushmore went to the Black Hills in South Dakota in 1885 to check property titles for a mining company. He supposedly asked what the mountain was named and was told it didn’t have a name, so they would call it Rushmore. The name was officially recognized in 1930 by the U.S. Board of Geographic Names.

Adding a Woman to Mount Rushmore Was Suggested

In 1936, a bill introduced to the House Appropriations Committee would have approved the addition of Susan B. Anthony to the sculptures on Mount Rushmore. Borglum and his assistants were still in the process of working on the sculptures, and the proposal to add the figure of Anthony was turned down. Borglum himself objected to the addition, saying it did not fit in with his vision of the monument and suggested the Hall of Records as a compromise. However, with his death, that project was left unfinished.

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5 Things You Didn't Know about McDonald's

On October 5, 1902, American entrepreneur Ray A. Kroc was born. Kroc rose from humble beginnings and built McDonald's into the most famous and successful fast-food restaurant in the world.   Here are five things you probably didn't know about McDonald's.

McDonald's Was Originally a Barbecue Joint

By the time Kroc first visited the restaurant, it was serving a small assortment of burgers, sides, and drinks. However, between its creation in 1940 and 1948, McDonald's was actually a barbecue joint, serving ribs and meat-based sandwiches. Even in that incarnation, it was incredibly popular with the local teens and quickly became a hangout. In 1948, the founders of McDonald's, two brothers named Dick and Mac McDonald, actually closed the restaurant for some massive menu overhauls. They reopened as a burger joint with a unique ordering and cooking system that was light-years more efficient than other restaurants.

 

McDonald's Created Its Drive-Thru Specifically to Help Soldiers

McDonald's was not the first restaurant to have a drive-thru; that honor goes to Red's Hamburg in Missouri (the story that In-N-Out had the first drive-thru isn't quite correct—it's not the oldest overall, but the chain is the oldest existing company with a drive-thru). But in 1975, the manager of the McDonald's in Sierra Vista, Arizona, introduced a drive-thru as a solution to a vexing problem: The fact that the local soldiers at Ft. Huachuca couldn't come into the restaurant in uniform. An old decorum rule stated that soldiers couldn't wear uniforms in public and off-base, which meant the soldiers couldn't waltz into the restaurant for a burger. The manager heard that another McDonald's was toying with the idea of a drive-thru when it occurred to him (the Sierra Vista manager) that the drive-thru would be a perfect compromise. Soldiers could order, but they wouldn't have to get out of the car, and thus they technically wouldn't be in public in their uniforms.

 

McDonald's Didn't Have In-Restaurant Seating Until the 1970s

Until the 1970s, McDonald's locations were pretty spartan. There were a few outdoor benches, but the custom was for people to eat in their cars or take the food home. In the 1970s, though, McDonald's and other fast-food places began adding indoor seating when they found out that people wanted to eat there, but in a sheltered environment (rain-soaked fries are no fun), much like they would at a full-service restaurant. Interestingly, in 2016, the chain both expanded and reduced its restaurant-like offerings; some locations are playing with a remote ordering system and table service, while others are going back to the takeout-only model with no indoor space for customers.

The Longest-Running McDonald's Still in Existence Was Independent of the Chain Until 1990

The original location is now a museum, but the oldest running McDonald's marched to its own drummer for decades. Kroc originally came on board to help the McDonald brothers with franchising, and one of those franchises, in Downey, California, signed a special agreement that basically freed it from the dictates of the main corporate office. The company took over the location in 1990, but until then, the restaurant didn't have to add the same menu items or have the same decor. Even now, while it's part of the main chain, the location still serves the beloved deep-fried apple pie, which was discontinued in 1992 and replaced with a baked version.

McDonald's Was an Unwitting Player in One of the Biggest Game Scandals of the 20th Century

In July 2018, the Daily Beast ran a story that amazed readers. It detailed how the Monopoly game run as a promotion for McDonald's became the center of one of the biggest scandals of the 20th century. Employees who were supposed to handle the security for the prize pieces instead took those pieces for themselves, giving them to friends, relatives, and acquaintances who they thought they could trust. The scam ran for 12 years until the FBI was able to stop it.