General History is the place for stories that do not fit neatly into one time period or theme, but are too interesting to ignore. In this section you will find a mix of articles that jump across eras and continents, linking people, events and ideas in surprising ways.
We look at odd coincidences, long running trends, forgotten events, curious objects and big questions that span more than one period, such as how technology has changed daily life, how ideas travel, or how the same mistakes keep being repeated. You will also find pieces that bring together ancient, medieval and modern examples to show how different parts of history connect.
Our aim is to make history feel joined up rather than a set of isolated dates. Whether you are curious about the history of a particular habit, how a phrase began, the background to a modern custom, or a chain of events that stretches across centuries, this category offers clear, engaging reads. General History on MuseumFacts is perfect if you simply enjoy dipping into well told stories from all over the past, without being tied to one era.
Introduction Sea shanties were not entertainment. They were technology. Before steam engines and electric winches, sailing ships relied entirely on human muscle. Moving a ship meant hauling tons of rope, canvas, and iron by hand. Sea shanties emerged as a…
A spelunker is a person who explores and studies caves. They are known to navigate through the smallest of spaces during their explorations. One such spelunker was John Edward Jones. In November 2009, John Edward Jones, a 26-year-old medical student,…
There have been many betrayals in history that have impacted the course of the world. From Judas to Mir Jafar, we have compiled a list of the 10 biggest betrayals in the history of humankind. Let us take a look…
History is littered with events that have had a prominent impact on the modern world. Certain events that produced the desired results have been called a success, while events that didn’t go as planned were deemed failures. We have compiled…
Throughout history, humankind has come across various objects and artifacts. Some have filled us with wonder, however, some have baffled us due to their strange nature. Below we have compiled a list of the strangest artifacts found on Earth. Let…
A spy or double agent, whatever you call them one thing is clear, is that they played an important role in history. Additionally, spies often faced extreme dangers while working undercover for their beliefs and country. To commemorate their achievements,…
In ancient times, while men were expected to go out on the battlefields, women were restricted to more traditional roles. However, some women broke these stereotypes and impacted history. In the below text we celebrate 10 such famous female warriors. …
Assassinations have been carried out since ancient times and their consequences have heavily impacted history. To further shed light on this, we have compiled a list of the most famous assassinations that changed the course of history. Let us take…
Athens and Sparta were two of the most prominent city-states of Ancient Greece. They subsequently went to war from 431 to 405 B.C. The Peloponnesian War ultimately resulted in the victory of Sparta, thus establishing it as the leading power…
Portrait painting is a genre where the main focus of the painting is a human subject. We have compiled a list of famous portrait paintings in art history that enthral the spectator and showcase the inner essence of the subject.…
Art history is filled with paintings that visit dark and scary themes such as death and horror. These famous scary paintings were often centred around religious themes, mythology and the artist’s morbid imagination. We have compiled a list of such…
Someone once said, “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable” and the following famous controversial art pieces justify this. The artists featured in this list repeatedly broke the boundaries of art and were heavily criticised. However, today most…
The United States dropped the Atomic bomb ‘Little Boy’ on August 6, 1945, upon the city of Hiroshima, Japan. The bomb killed around 90,000- 146,000 people. Additionally, its effects were felt for months after the impact. The below pictures show…
The Vikings were Norse people from Southern Scandinavia who thrived from the 8th century to the 11th century. They were seafaring people who raided, pirated and traded throughout Europe. The era during which they thrived was called the ‘Viking age’.…
History is littered with amazing historical accounts and facts. However, did you know that almost 97% of human history is lost? Hence we have compiled a list of important historical facts that you must know! Read 110 Important historical…
The Inca Empire was one of the major civilisations of pre-Columbian America. The empire essentially thrived from 1438 to 1533. The Incas are celebrated for their architecture, innovative agriculture techniques, communication and record-keeping. The Inca empire is so fascinating that…
Most of us have visited a museum at some point or the other in our life. They are institutions that house ancient and modern artefacts. Additionally, they conserve these artefacts so that generations can view them and get a taste…
Playgrounds have certainly evolved from back in the day. Compared to today’s ‘safe’ playgrounds, the ones in history were pretty ‘dangerous’. According to reports, 147 children died from playing on playgrounds between 1990-2000 and over 75% of children suffered from…
The ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’ is an unofficial title given to many places, monuments, sites and even people! These things are considered at par with the Seven Wonders of the World. Here is a list of 10 things dubbed…
Africa has a vast and extensive history that spans many centuries. Its history consists of mighty African Empires who were instrumental in shaping the world. From the great Mali Empire to the Kingdom of Aksum, these empires made a mark…
