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The historical narrative that began with one Italian scholar and lasted for centuries.
Misconceptions
Ernest Hemingway is famous for his drinking, but he never said "write drunk, edit sober." Discover the true, surprising origin of this legendary literary myth.
Most of our ideas of what ancient Greece was like come from Hollywood's misrepresentations.
Life on the American frontier was filled with dangers, and many settlers relied on strange beliefs to make sense of them.
In medieval Europe, couples sometimes got married without attending their own wedding. Here's how proxy marriages actually worked.
That motivational Henry David Thoreau quote might actually be a dupe. From "go confidently in the direction of your dreams" to "happiness is like a butterfly," these lines were never said by Thoreau at all.
Stories of pioneer life have been told through books, movies, and TV shows. But what are the myths?
From Mulan to William Tell, these icons started movements and starred in Disney movies...but weren't actually real.
While Game of Thrones showed the worst side of the bedding ceremony in its third season, the historical tradition is a little more complicated.
Frida Kahlo has become heavily mythologized, but some misconceptions—including her birth year and the idea that she was unknown during her life—are especially persistent.
From secret messages to the Liberty Bell, some of what you might believe about July 4, 1776 and the Declaration of Independence may be entirely incorrect.
Some of the Founding Fathers spread misinformation and owned slaves. Here are five false beliefs you might have about the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin.
From insects to the moon, people have mistaken very Earthly phenomena for UFOs many times.
The word 'honeymoon' has been around for centuries, and there are several theories about its history.
The image of Princess Diana that most people have is not entirely accurate. Here are some myths parading as facts about the former Princess of Wales.
From "I used to think I was the strangest person in the world..." to "You deserve a lover who wants you disheveled," we’re debunking the most popular quotes frequently misattributed to Frida Kahlo.
Chlorine actually has a neutral smell—so if your pool smells strongly of chlorine, it's actually not a good sign.
Did Yoko Ono break up the Beatles, and did they all really hate each other following the band's dissolution? Learn the truth about six major Beatles misconceptions.
June 19 marks Juneteenth National Independence Day. Learn more about the history here.
From "Semi-Charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind to Hanson's "MMMBop," these deceptively cheerful '90s songs hid dark messages behind upbeat music.
Was Marilyn Monroe a "dumb blonde"? Did she get fired for being difficult? We debunk five common misconceptions about the Hollywood legend.
More From the History Section
Cursing their enemies was a common pastime of the ancient Greeks.
The word “clue” has a surprising origin story involving a ball of thread, Ancient Greece, and Theseus’ legendary battle with the Minotaur.
Cruentation was a long-held belief that a corpse would show specific signs in the presence of its killer.
From one of Clara Bow's earliest films to a lost BBC horror show pulled off the air for being "too scary," these five historic films were believed to be lost forever.
Life on the frontier wasn't just beans and biscuits. Discover six foods families commonly ate during the 'Little House on the Prairie' era.
More than 2,000 years ago, the myth of Narcissus gave us a word we still use today. Here’s the story behind “narcissist.”
The term 'gaslighting' dates back to a 1938 play. Here's what gaslighting means, what it's not how to recognize the signs, and what to do if you are being gaslit.
The phrase "elephant in the room" wasn't always about awkward topics. Here's how the idiom evolved over the past two centuries.