Bizarre Historical Events That You Probably Didn’t Learn in School
Every student learns about mainstream historical events such as world wars, the discovery of new lands, the industrial revolution, and so forth. However, behind these prominent events, there lie some bizarre yet fascinating historical occurrences that are often overlooked in history books. Here we delve into some of these lesser-known, outrageous incidents from the annals of history.
The Great Emu War of Australia
In 1932, Australia declared war not against another country, but against Emus. The Great Emu War was spurred by large groups of emus causing huge agricultural damage in Western Australia. Soldiers were deployed, equipped with machine guns and a mission to cull the problematic bird population. However, the birds proved a challenging adversary, evading and surviving numerous attacks and eventually the operation was called off due to the public outcry.
Dancing Plague of 1518
Believe it or not, in 1518, the city of Strasbourg (now in modern-day France) was stricken by a Dancing Plague. It started with one woman dancing uncontrollably in the streets. Within a week, the mania had spread, and around 400 people joined her in this bizarre dance-off. The exact cause of this dancing fever remains a mystery till today with theories ranging from mass hysteria to a reaction to certain fungi.
The Cadaver Synod
In possibly one of the most shocking events in ecclesiastical history, a Pope put a deceased predecessor on trial. This Cadaver Synod took place in 897 when Pope Stephen VI had the remains of Pope Formosus exhumed, dressed in papal vestments, and seated on a throne to face charges. Formosus was found guilty, and his papacy retroactively declared null.
Great Molasses Flood of 1919
In January 1919, Boston experienced a bizarre tragedy known as the Great Molasses Flood. A tank containing over two million gallons of molasses burst, sending a wave of the sticky substance through the streets at high speed, damaging buildings and sadly, leading to 21 deaths. This unusual disaster has spurred important changes in industrial safety standards and regulations.
These peculiar historical events remind us that history is not just a compilation of wars and political shifts but also comprises strange and sometimes unexplainable occurrences. These events, although bizarre, have shaped societies and cultures in various significant ways.
