Stuff You Missed in History Class: A Guide to History's Biggest Myths, Mysteries, and Marvels

by HowStuffWorks.com

Overview

In this exciting, interactive eBook, the minds behind HowStuffWorks.com's top-rated podcast Stuff You Missed in History Class bring you the real scoop on history's biggest myths, mysteries, and marvels. Discover history as you never knew it.

For years, the hosts of Stuff You Missed in History Class, the popular podcast from Discovery's award-winning website HowStuffWorks.com, have been giving listeners front-row seats to some of the most astonishing and amazing stories the human record has to offer. Now, tens of millions of downloads later, they present the ultimate crash course in world history.

Featuring the best of the podcast, this engaging eBook explores the coolest and craziest scandals, myths, lies, and crimes your history teachers never wanted you to know. Discover:

• How medieval torture devices really worked
• Whether the CIA tested LSD on unsuspecting Americans
• How ninja work—the real Assassin's Creed
• Which culture invented both pasta and hang gliders (Hint: It's not the Italians!)
• And more!

Packed with podcast clips, interactive quizzes, videos, photos, trivia tidbits, and more, this dynamic eBook from the experts at HowStuffWorks.com invites you to come along for the adventure and stay for the education. You haven't met history like this before.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781402288432
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	06/04/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	314
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

Table of Contents

Part I The Real Stuff You Hissed In History Class 1

The Dawn of Humanity: How Cave Dwellers Work 3

How the Vikings Worked 15

The Impenetrable Fortress: How the Great Wall of China Works 30

Top Five Ancient Chinese Inventions 43

The Assassin's Creed: How Ninja Work 49

How Aborigines Work 60

"No One Expects the Spanish Inquisition!": How the Spanish Inquisition Worked 72

Five Medieval Torture Devices 84

"All for One, One for All": How Musketeers Worked 89

Quiz: Could You Fit In as a Musketeer? 97

How Witchcraft Works 100

Quiz: The Ultimate Witches Quiz 125

How Prohibition Worked 128

Part II Scandals, Lies, Thefts, and Crimes 145

Top Five Marie Antoinette Scandals 146

Five of the Biggest Lies in History 159

Five Impressive Art Heists 166

Ten Terribly Bungled Crimes 175

Part III Historical Myths and Mysteries Decoded 183

Did the Ancient Greeks Get Their Ideas from the Africans? 184

Was There Really a Curse on King Tutankhamen's Tomb? 190

Did the Dutch Really Trade Manhattan for Nutmeg? 197

Could jack the Ripper Have Been an Artist? 203

Who Was Rosie the Riveter? 210

Did the CIA Test LSD on Unsuspecting Americans? 215

Quiz: The Ultimate Stuff You Missed in History Class 222

Answers to the Quizzes 226

Sources 236

Contributors 259

About Howstuffworks 260