America: Facts vs. Fiction
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Snake oil wasn't always a scam.Chinese immigrants who came to the United States brought with them actual snake oil to help with the pains and inflammation brought on by strenuous railroad construction.
02:02
America: Facts vs. Fiction
The Truth About Snake Oil and Snake Oil Salesmen
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Incredibly enough the mayor of New York City, Fernando Wood, suggested in 1861 that New York City secede and declare itself a free city because of its lucrative ties to the cotton industry.
02:15
America: Facts vs. Fiction
That Time NYC Wanted to Secede From the US
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There's much about the events leading up to and the Boston Tea Party itself that is misunderstood.
02:28
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Boston Tea Party Misconceptions
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If all other manners of conflict resolution are exhausted a duel is the last resort.
01:37
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Dueling is the Last Resort
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Many know the research conducted around the first atomic bombs as the "Manhattan Project," but was it really based in New York City?
02:45
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Separating Facts from Fiction Around the Manhattan Project
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Did you know that NASA went out of its way to embrace the unlucky number thirteen?
01:41
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Unlucky Number 13 and Apollo XIII
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The two-day weekend wasn't always the case. What caused the 20th century weekend we've all come to know and love?
01:54
America: Facts vs. Fiction
The Origins of the Weekend
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In 1932 Rear Admiral Harry Yarnell mounted a simulated attack on Pearl Harbor utilizing carrier-based airplanes to expose how vulnerable it was to a carrier-borne attack. The Japanese took notice.
03:02
America: Facts vs. Fiction
The Pearl Harbor Attack of 1932
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In the fourth century A.D. Christmas supplanted the Roman Saturnalia festival, but the tradition of wild celebrations continued.
02:49
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Christmas Used to Be Like One Big Frat Party
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Before it was a federal penitentiary Alcatraz housed a military prison, and it was a lot easier to escape. Learn more about Alcatraz including how some prisoners made it off The Rock.
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America: Facts vs. Fiction
Several Prisoners Did Escape From Alcatraz
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There are many myths surrounding the tragedy of the sinking of the Titanic, in particular with regards to the ship's captain, Edward Smith.
03:27
America: Facts vs. Fiction
The Myths Around Captain Smith and the Titanic
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From the War of 1812 to the renovation of 1948, the White House underwent several dramatic changes, but can you separate its facts versus fiction?
03:27
America: Facts vs. Fiction
The Truths About the White House
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Many myths and confusion surround the history and our understanding of slaves' flight from the South.
03:30
America: Facts vs. Fiction
The Many Myths of Slaves and the Underground Railroads
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The United States Bullion Depository, or the more commonly-referred to Fort Knox, is filled with as many misconceptions as it is gold.
03:04
America: Facts vs. Fiction
The Myths Surrounding and Inside Fort Knox
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It wasn't John Glenn's reentry into the Earth's atmosphere in Friendship 7 that caused the most concern for his Earth-orbiting mission but liftoff in the surprisingly fragile Atlas rocket.
02:10
America: Facts vs. Fiction
John Glenn's Atlas Rocket Had A 40% Chance Of Exploding On Launch
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Many myths endure about Pocahontas, mainly because of the tales told by her contemporary, colonist John Smith.
02:59
America: Facts vs. Fiction
The Truth About Pocahontas
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Many myths endure about Pocahontas, mainly because of the tales told by her contemporary, colonist John Smith.
02:59
America: Facts vs. Fiction
The Truth About Pocahontas
i
Al Capone, a.k.a. Scar Face, was heavily involved with criminal activities before Prohibition, but the ban on alcohol served only to offer him the opportunity to amass enormous wealth. In the end it wasn't brute force that brought him down.
03:17
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Facts vs. Fiction (Season 2):The Intellectuals Took Down Al Capone
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Was President John F. Kennedy really interested in going to space? And how close we were to not being the first to get on the moon?
02:43
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Facts vs. Fiction:Soviets and Americans on Moon at Same Time
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Benjamin Franklin was inquisitive but never crazy enough to fly a kite in an electrical storm as is often depicted.
02:56
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Facts vs. Fiction:Ben Franklin and That Kite
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There's much about the events leading up to and the Boston Tea Party itself that is misunderstood.
02:28
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Boston Tea Party Misconceptions
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While Edison is surely one of our greatest inventors, his greatest contribution may have been perfecting existing inventions instead of creating that many new ones.
02:49
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Facts vs. Fiction:Thomas Edison
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It wasn't John Glenn's reentry into the Earth's atmosphere in Friendship 7 that caused the most concern for his Earth-orbiting mission but liftoff in the surprisingly fragile Atlas rocket.
02:10
America: Facts vs. Fiction
John Glenn's Atlas Rocket Had A 40% Chance Of Exploding On Launch
i
The Wright brothers' famous "first flight" was actually their 4th flight of the day, as they had not maintained their flyer in the air long enough to their satisfaction.
02:21
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Facts vs. Fiction (Season 2):The Four Flights of the Wright Flyer
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General George Patton’s nickname "Old Blood and Guts" actually doesn't describe the military tactician properly, as he had a relatively low casualty rate, but he could act impetuously, to the misfortune of his troops.
03:35
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Facts vs. Fiction (Season 2):George Patton's Counterintuitive Approach to Warfare
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Did you know that NASA went out of its way to embrace the unlucky number thirteen?
01:41
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Unlucky Number 13 and Apollo XIII
i
The United States Bullion Depository, or the more commonly-referred to Fort Knox, is filled with as many misconceptions as it is gold.
03:04
America: Facts vs. Fiction
The Myths Surrounding and Inside Fort Knox
i
There are many common misperceptions about Hoover and FDR as political foes and as lawmakers.
02:43
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Facts vs. Fiction:Hoover and FDR
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There's a lot that you probably didn't know about Mt. Rushmore, including that Thomas Jefferson's face was actually a do-over.
02:55
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Facts vs. Fiction (Season 2):Mt. Rushmore's Secrets
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Common perception is that the Lincoln and JFK assassinations have many parallels, but not so many when fact is separated from fiction.
02:38
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Facts vs. Fiction:JFK and Lincoln's Assassinations
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Many myths and confusion surround the history and our understanding of slaves' flight from the South.
03:30
America: Facts vs. Fiction
The Many Myths of Slaves and the Underground Railroads
i
Route 66 is the most famous road built in America except it was actually made by connecting existing major highways together. And it was constantly mutating.
02:35
America: Facts vs. Fiction
Facts vs. Fiction:Route 66 Myths
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