These incredible historical plot twists will blow your mind
6/22/2018
9,568 views
A lot of surprising coincidences and unexpected things happened throughout history and changed the lives of millions. Find out about the most incredible historical plot twists.
#1
The Secret Service is an agency which is, among other things, charged with defending the President from danger, including possible assassinations. On April 14, 1865, a strange historical coincidence took place before Lincoln was shot at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C. Earlier this day, the President created the Secret Service by signing the corresponding piece of legislation into law. April 14 was literally the first day of the Service’s existence. Anyway, under Lincoln's rule, protecting the President was not the primary intent of the Service. Its main goal then was to suppress counterfeit currency.
#2
Robert FitzRoy’s was a wealthy officer of the Royal Navy and a scientist. His ship, HMS Beagle, carried Charles Darwin to the Galapagos Islands, where he would collect enough material to form the Theory of Natural Selection. During the five-year trip, FitzRoy and Darwin got along very well.
Years later, Darwin published his famous work “On the Origin of Species”, which controversially altered the scientific views on the biological origins of life. By that time, Robert Fitz Roy became a committed Christian fundamentalist – after several failures in life and the decline of his political power, he sought solace in religion. FitzRoy was sure Darwin’s theory was nonsense, and even wrote several letters of condemnation.
Years later, Darwin published his famous work “On the Origin of Species”, which controversially altered the scientific views on the biological origins of life. By that time, Robert Fitz Roy became a committed Christian fundamentalist – after several failures in life and the decline of his political power, he sought solace in religion. FitzRoy was sure Darwin’s theory was nonsense, and even wrote several letters of condemnation.
#3
Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the USA, suffered a stroke in 1919 and was partly paralyzed. He had to withdraw from the public’s eye, and his wife, Edith Wilson, took over most of his duties. Mrs. Wilson essentially became the president and performed presidential functions until Wilson left office only a year and a half later, in 1921.
#4
In 75BC, during his trip from Rome to Rhodes, Caesar was kidnapped by Cilician pirates. When they demanded a ransom of 20 talents for him, Julius Caesar was insulted by such a small sum. He insisted to raise the ransom to 50 talents and sent his people to collect the money in the cities.
Meanwhile he spent some time with pirates – Caesar treated the kidnappers as his subordinates, wrote speeches and recited his poetry to the pirates. He demanded them not to talk when he was sleeping and jokingly promised to have them executed. Pirates took it for playfulness, but when the ransom was paid and Julius Caesar was released, he returned with several ships, crucified the kidnappers and took the ransom back.
Meanwhile he spent some time with pirates – Caesar treated the kidnappers as his subordinates, wrote speeches and recited his poetry to the pirates. He demanded them not to talk when he was sleeping and jokingly promised to have them executed. Pirates took it for playfulness, but when the ransom was paid and Julius Caesar was released, he returned with several ships, crucified the kidnappers and took the ransom back.
#5
The assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand is well-known as the catalyst of the World War I, but, in fact, it was a coincidence.
In 1914, the Black Hand secret society sent 6 assassins to kill Ferdinand. The first two assassins (with a bomb and a gun) failed, the third one was going to blow up Ferdinand’s car with hand grenades, but also missed. The assassin tried to kill himself, but this attempt was also unsuccessful.
The danger seemed to have passed away, when something unexpected happened. An hour later, when Franz Ferdinand was on his way back, the car took a wrong turn. The driver stopped to reverse… right at the place where one of the assassins, Gavrilo Princip, was standing. He quickly took out the gun and shot Ferdinand in the neck.
In 1914, the Black Hand secret society sent 6 assassins to kill Ferdinand. The first two assassins (with a bomb and a gun) failed, the third one was going to blow up Ferdinand’s car with hand grenades, but also missed. The assassin tried to kill himself, but this attempt was also unsuccessful.
The danger seemed to have passed away, when something unexpected happened. An hour later, when Franz Ferdinand was on his way back, the car took a wrong turn. The driver stopped to reverse… right at the place where one of the assassins, Gavrilo Princip, was standing. He quickly took out the gun and shot Ferdinand in the neck.
Have you ever heard these stories before? What would you add to the list? Which one is the most surprising?
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31 Comments
Aditi Chowdhury
Truth is stranger than fiction!
Angelita V. Francisco
One learns something new every day.
Edward Cokes
Caesar was a smart man not only regarding the pirates but in executing battles.. We had to translate his accounts of the wars he fought in what is now France and Germany when we were in Grade 11. (Caesar's Gallic Wars).
Angelita V. Francisco
It was fun reading this article.
Elsy O. Stromberg
It's interesting that the pirates thought they could get away with kidnapping Caesar.
Elsy O. Stromberg
Trixie - Rose, He was the greatest. We could have avoided a lot of post-civil war problems if he had not been killed.
Allison Aspden
Quite interesting background,
Carolyn Gold
Caroline Harris, Indeed, but one must wonder how much and how deeply she discussed things with Woody. Too, she may have discussed things, but dollars to donuts Edith inserted her opinion in much of what she "said" the President wanted.
Caroline Weis
If it had been know to the public about the stroke Woodrow Wilson suffered the Vice President would have taken over and not Edith. Yes she may have been the president, but it was as a shadow president, not the elected one. I agree that she kept the country running and that was good, but bet she still discussed things with her husband before signing any papers.
Eileen Dunn
Interesting stories.
ninakamwene
WOW! America had a woman President! "God forbid" Ha-ha-ha! Good job Edith Wilson!
Donna R. O'Brien Moran
Very interesting. Glad I read it.
Don Racette
Deepak Joshi...You didn't think history was interestin when you were in high school.
William Perkins
I had not heard the stories of Darwin and Ceaser
vasily tchaikovsky
Interesting information ,thanks .Surprising news about A. Lincoln ,he is the father of so powerful secret agency.The best ever President
about Woodrow Wilson he is the only President who broke the American Constitution (still broken) by Constitution money must belong to US Gouvernement, but he moved the possession of US money to private Co- "Federal Reserve"
( see 1 doll bill. )
They regulate money by themself ,US President and Government can do nothing ,only make "advises",they may follow ,may not .
As appreciation for this " Federal Reserve" released the bill with his portrait $100.000.00 (not at public circulation).
He performed some other financial steps which was not good for regular american citizens ,so he made the Unconstitutional history.
His wife never been the President ,so the statement is not correct.
Thanks again ,this is good to attract attention to history.
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