Imagine the police officer’s surprise. Washington, D.C. Officer William West was on routine patrol on M Street when he saw a vehicle approaching at a dangerously fast speed. He conducted what he […]
The President With a Lead Foot
Was Elizabeth I Poisoned By Her Makeup?
”If looks could kill…” No, we’re not talking about the imperious glare for which Queen Elizabeth I was feared. The killing looks in this case refer to the appearance of Her Majesty. […]
Progress Occurs When Leaders Lead
Harry S. Truman was born on May 8, 1884. The man from Independence, Missouri rose from unlikely circumstances to become the 33rd President of the United States. Although he was one of […]
Fun Fact: The Original Idea For The Lincoln Memorial
Today we feature one of our favorite blogs, Neko Random — a great place to visit for quick and informative fun facts. While the Lincoln Memorial is one of the most popular […]
A Silly Candidate With a Silly Name for Silly Times
Most candidates for political office have lofty goals for the betterment of society. They put themselves through the ordeal of a campaign with aspirations of influencing policy and making a difference. John […]
Why Nevada Created a County With No People, Buildings, or Roads
Nevada has gained a reputation for converting harsh, barren desert land into thriving tourist destinations. This made its decision to create an empty county that much more curious. The new county had […]
Can You Identify the Only Three Non-Rectangular National Flags?
The United Nations recognizes 193 national flags of its member states. Each flag is unique, giving the full collection a great variety of symbols and colors. Despite all the diversity, almost all […]
The Presidency and Proctoscopes
No president had a greater battle with the press than Richard Nixon. He blamed the media for treating him unfairly throughout his political career and made no secret about it. He summed […]
Less Than Half of American Colonists Supported the Revolution
At the heart of American democracy is the concept of democracy. Every government and civics textbook declares the noble principle that self-governing people preserve the rights of the minority, but it is […]
How a Stolen Election Propelled LBJ to the White House
A hotly-contested election. Polling data says the outcome is too close to predict. As the polls close, one of the candidates seems to have won. Shortly thereafter, votes are “discovered” for the […]
Andrew Carnegie and Theodore Roosevelt’s Doomed Effort to Simplify Spelling
Wy duz English hav such weerd spelling? Sum words uze silent letters. Others use dubel letters inconsistently for ekwal sounds, such as “blizzard” and “lizard.” Wat if we cud mak it eezy? […]
How the Republic of Indian Stream Became a Country Between the United States and Canada
Commonplace Fun Facts loves Canada. We have written about its enlightened policies that have created the only rat-free territory in the world, the establishment of the Global Strategic Maple Syrup Reserve, and […]
The Contagious Insanity of the Lincoln Assassination
It wasn’t that long ago that people believed mental illness behaved like the common cold. One of the reasons for the establishment of mental asylums was to quarantine the insane, thus protecting […]
Understanding the Different Types of Queens
When it comes to queens, there are all sorts. There are bees, playing cards, rock-and-roll bands, and men who wear women’s clothing. And, of course, there is “The Queen,” the one person […]
The Nazi Invasion of Winnipeg
If you have spent any amount of time learning about World War II, you were probably taught that the lands of North America were blessedly exempt from combat. If so, you may […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 