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There’s a bunch of fake history facts circulating around us. We might not even know they’re not accurate as we’ve seen and heard them so many times it feels like they must be true.
Fortunately, some historians make it their mission to hunt these false claims down and debunk them for the whole world to see. One of these experts is Jo Hedwig Teeuwisse, who was glad to lend Bored Panda her expertise and answer some questions about this topic.
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Jo told us that she has been interested in history ever since she, as a little girl, first saw old photos of the street she lived on. The realization that there once were other people who lived where she did yet were surrounded by a quite different world ignited a spark of fascination in her.
Since then, she has spent much time learning and thinking about the past, leading her to work as a historical consultant for film, TV, museums, and similar places. But nowadays, Jo hunts for fake history facts and shares them with anyone interested online. She has a dedicated website and has recently released a very successful book featuring some of the most interesting fake history catches and their corrections.
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Among all the funny fake history claims, like Vikings having horns on their helmets, Santa being created by Coca-Cola, and Napoleon shooting off the nose of the Sphinx, Jo finds it hard to pick a favorite one.
“The myths regarding the Middle Ages are the most rewarding for me to deal with because, to me, that era is so interesting, and it irks me that so many people still think it was a backward, ignorant time,” said the Fake History Hunter, adding that films and TV keep reinforcing these negative images.
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When asked where these myths come from, the historian answered that they’re usually born in a few different ways. It may be a case of picking assumptions over research, wrong things being taught at school, and people wanting to believe something and looking for proof, a.k.a. confirmation bias.
Of course, there are also those people who simply spread misinformation on purpose for online popularity. “But usually, at the birth of fake history, you’ll find that ignorance and laziness are the parents of the myth,” said Jo.
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While most of these claims are relatively harmless and only really annoy the historians trying to correct them, sometimes, false history can be as harmful as fake news. As an example, the historian used the case of Covid-19, which is something all of us are painfully familiar with. “Old photos of the 1918–1920 flu pandemic and even incorrect stories about the medieval Black Death were shared to get people to either wear a mask or refuse to wear one.”
The Fake History Hunter added that this type of misinformation can also be used for other unethical purposes, fueling hate against people who look, act, or think differently to make them appear inadequate and inferior.
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Just like with fake news, the best way to avoid falling for fake historical claims is to learn to think critically and fact-check things properly. “Learn how to stop believing articles with no sources or references, ask people more often to prove what they are saying, but also find out how you yourself can use search engines & archives properly to figure out the truth,” said Jo, adding that a good way to start is by checking out her book.
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Most false historical and current-time claims spread online, and they do it fast. With fake news being all around us, it’s essential to know how to protect yourself from it properly. And for that reason, Arizona State University shares a few quick tips on improving ourselves in this field.
First off, pay attention to where your news comes from. Consider its background, who could benefit from this, and what the underlying source material is. If you’re getting your news from social media, it pays to find the original source and ensure its credibility.
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Don’t limit yourself to the headlines for the actual reading, as those may often be misleading. At the same time, examine the sources from which the article takes its information and see how they’re included.
When it comes to news sources, loyalty is not something to care about. Instead, you should seek to get your news from a variety of sources to get the fullest picture and be able to confirm the information. And if you hear your friends and family share misinformation, don’t shy away from correcting them, too.
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In the end, there is a lot of misinformation out there. Whether it’s relatively harmless false historical claims or seriously ill-intended fake news, it’s wise to be vigilant and ensure that whatever information you’re getting is accurate. And this task is up to us because only we can choose what we believe in.
What did you think of this story? What are some historically unproven claims that you’d like to share? Type it all up in the comments below!
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