If you're anything like me, you love studying important events in history and you're always the one to know the answers in some obscure history trivia. But no matter how much you know about history, you may be thrown off upon realizing what different things were happening at the same time.
We typically associate certain inventions and events as being the global staple for a certain time period, but often times humanity's breakthroughs don't represent how advanced our society was. Even in modern times, we have countries that are significantly socially and technologically developed than others.
1. Coca Cola was invented not long after Italy was founded.
Photo by Leighann Renee on Unsplash
Coca Cola was founded in in 1886, while Italy became Italy until 1861. If Coca Cola was founded just 20 years later, it would be older than Italy. Admittedly, the location of Italy was home to rich Roman culture for hundreds of years prior, but it's still fun to think about.
2. The Beatles were making music before segregation was outlawed.
Photo by Skitterphoto on Pixabay
After African Americans were emancipated from slavery in 1863, things didn't get much better until around 100 years later. Blacks were treated as second-class citizens who had to use separate bathrooms, sit on the back of the bus, and received poor education. Segregation was not abolished until 1964; just 53 years ago.
3. Betty White is older than television.
Photo by Classic Films on Flickr
It's always funny to see what Betty White predates.
Ironically, this tv personality was born before television was invented. Betty White came at just the right time to be a star in her prime years and is still iconic today.
4. Vitamins were invented the same year as the Titanic.
Photo by Nico Paix on Flicker
The early 1900s marked the major period of discovery. While some wonderful inventions came out of it, others obviously fell short. Thankfully, the Titanic served as a lesson that lead to safer boats in the future.
5. Nuclear weapons were invented before tacos.
Photo by Emily Simenauer on Unsplash
The first atom bomb was set off in 1945, while the taco wasn't invented until 1950. It's unfortunate that bombs were a priority over tastiness.
6. Nintendo was founded before bubblegum.
Photo by Aleks Dorohovich
Nintendo was founded in 1889. Gum has technically existed in a sticky sap-like form since the 1840s, but gum as we know it didn't come about until the 1920s.
7. Popcorn predates the pyramids of Giza.
Photo by dbreen on Pixabay
8. McDonald's was founded just days before prisoners were first sent to concentration camps in Auschwitz.
Photo by Niver Vega on Unsplash
This may not be as much of a timeline shock, but it's always eerie to think about what light-hearted events were happening at the same time as the Holocaust. The world was oblivious to the horrors happening at Auschwitz.
9. The first robot was invented before cars, smartphones, and even the typewriter.
Photo by Franck V. on Unsplash
The first robot was actually invented in 350 BC. Admittedly, it wasn't a humanoid figure that cooks, cleans, or talks; in fact, it was a mechanical bird. Still a robot nonetheless.
10. The Ottoman Empire collapsed during the roaring 20's in the US.
Photo by hbk1955 on Flickr
We don't normally associate the Ottoman Empire with the 1920's, but it actually spanned until 1922. While the Ottoman Empire was dissolving, Americans were partying it up. That was, until the stock market collapse of 1929.
History is a strange thing. The events we perceive as old sometimes happened a lot more recently than we think, which shows how the world can change drastically in the matter of years. Other things seem to have taken way too long.
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