In 1850, the population in the US was 23 million. 3.2 million were black slaves.
Fact of the Day
Indian surgeons from as far back as 600 BC knew how to reconstruct a nose, as a common punishment for adultery was having one’s nose cut off.
The Frankish King Charlemagne (747ish AD – 814), was believed to be about 6’ 4 inches tall. His father was known as Pepin the Short.
Smallpox inoculations were used in India as early as 550 AD.
After Indians player Ray Chapman was killed by a pitch in 1920, the spitball was ruled illegal, although the rule has been difficult to enforce.
The father of the French Impressionist painter, Claude Monet (1840 – 1926), disapproved of his son being a painter. He wanted him to be a grocer.
In ancient Egypt, the week was ten days long; eight days of work followed by two days off.
Francis Scott Key wrote the words of the poem Star Spangled Banner during the War of 1812. He then set it to the tune of a popular drinking song. It was made into the U.S. national anthem in 1931 by President Herbert Hoover.
The population of Athens in the fifth century BC consisted of 50,000 citizens and 100,000 slaves.
William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) signed his name with many different spellings, including “Willm Shaksp,” “William Shakespe,” “Wm Shakspe,” “William Shakspere,” ”Willm Shakspere,” and “William Shakspeare.”