A survey from the American Historical Association shows that two thirds of people in the US think of history as nothing more than dates, names and events. We all know that history is so much more than that – it’s alive and full of excitement. Even if it wasn’t your favorite subject in school, there are some fun facts here that we’re sure will interest you!

We recently checked out the Blowing Facts Instagram page. It showcases interesting facts you didn’t learn in school. We encourage you to read them and “upvote” the facts that make you want to find out more about history. You can also read our conversation with history expert, Jaunting Jen!

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Learning something new can be a lot of fun! The Blowing Facts Instagram account (@blowingfact) is a perfect example of this. They’ve posted over 3,000 entertaining and interesting facts about a variety of topics, and it’s really popular – they have 3.9 million followers! Whether you’re learning about celebrities or plants, this account proves there are plenty of things to discover.

Blowing Fact is a fantastic account to follow on Instagram! You can get all the latest news and learn interesting things such as it’s not wise to feed a moose (unless it’s been fed before) and 7% of men think they could beat a grizzly bear in a fight. Stay informed and make sure you know facts that are good for your health, like that going without sleep for over 260 hours can cause long-term damage. Get plenty of rest, pandas!

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I’m embarrassed, but I never liked going to history classes in school. It was way too boring, and I never could remember the names and dates. I didn’t understand what the point was! But now I regret not paying more attention, because The Nation’s Report Card found that American 8th graders have been doing worse and worse on history and geography tests in the last few years.

Eighth graders are not the only ones having difficulty with their history and geography knowledge, as this is a nationwide issue. Natalie Wexler in Forbes recently wrote, “Many teenagers may not understand what the American Revolution was about, the difference between a city and a state, or where to locate the United States on a map. Even undergraduates at Texas Tech asked each other ‘Who won the Civil War?’ and got the answer ‘The South.’ Jimmy Kimmel tried testing random adults by asking them to identify a single country on a blank map of the world and not a single person, including a college graduate, was able to do it.”

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We asked Jaunting Jen, a blogger, traveler and history teacher, to tell us more about why studying history can be so wonderful. She shared that ever since childhood with paper pyramids in elementary school and her collection of National Geographic magazines, history has been a big part of her life. She remembers going to the Town Creek Indian Mound site in North Carolina and being amazed by it. According to Jen, history will always have something to offer, and everyone can enjoy it—no matter their age.

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We wanted to know if Jen had any particular interests when it comes to history, and she told us that her favorite periods of time were ancient Greece and Rome, as well as the ancestral pueblo people of the southwestern United States. Jen pointed out that not a lot of people know that there are still standing buildings in the US that have been around for more than a thousand years.

The history expert explains the importance of learning about the world’s past. “It can help us better understand and handle current events,” they state. Additionally, they emphasize that “history often repeats itself. Without an understanding of our background, we won’t know where we’re headed in the future.”

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If you want to learn more about history but don’t know where to begin, Jen suggests finding something that interests you and beginning there. It does not have to be a complicated scholarly article. There are lots of websites with helpful information about history. Jen’s favorite is the World History Encyclopedia. She also recommends visiting nearby historic sites, even if it’s not something that appeals to you. You’ll be amazed by all that you can learn from these places.

You can start learning from expert historian Jen by reading her blog, Jaunting Jen – be sure to check it out!

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Many Americans do not know much about the history of the United States. According to the New York Post in 2019, only 27% of people under 45 and 40% of all Americans could pass the citizenship test. Additionally, 25% of people surveyed did not know that the First Amendment ensures freedom of speech, and more than half did not know Woodrow Wilson was president during World War I.

Arthur Levine, president of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, believes the issue isn’t about whether high school history teachers are properly trained or if kids study American history. He told the New York Post that the problem is how American history is taught. It’s often made boring and takes away its natural ability to make sense of the current events, and our upcoming future.

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We previously spoke to Susan and Beckett, the co-hosts of The History Chicks podcast, about why they think it is so important to remember our past. The podcast focuses on taking a closer look at some of the remarkable women in history who have often gone unnoticed. They explained to us how the show began: “Beckett noticed there were no podcasts available on the topic she was interested in (Gilded Age Heiresses), and none about Women’s History in general. She thought to herself, ‘How tough could this be?’ – and then contacted Susan. Now, 12 years later, we both know how much work was actually needed to start the podcast. We look back and laugh at her question.”

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Susan and Beckett said that they liked learning about history because it shows how things in the past are connected to today. People from long ago weren’t that much different from us, they just lived in a different time, and everything they experienced still affects us today in amazing ways.

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Why is it important to learn history correctly? The History Chicks explained to Bored Panda that doing so will help us avoid continuing false information, misunderstandings, and lies. Knowing the history in its entirety is necessary. If we just repeat simplified versions of the data that don’t contain any perspective or context, then we merely think we know the story, but that’s not the case. Here’s a thought: Can history repeat itself if the history we are discussing is wrong and insufficient?

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Are you interested in discovering interesting historical facts, pandas? If so, take the time to look up more details. With your new knowledge, you can amaze your family and friends. Always vote for images that teach you something new. If you’d like to check out more interesting facts, you’ve come to the right place!

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