America: Facts vs. FictionWW

America: Facts vs. Fiction

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The Origins of the Weekend

The two-day weekend wasn't always the case. What caused the 20th century weekend we've all come to know and love?

More from this Show

Air Force One has all kinds of weapons to defend itself... right? And a special skin to protect it? Find out!WWW

02:51

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:The Truth About Air Force One

There were actually two boats of Pilgrims that left England for the US, and Plymouth Rock was not the first place the Mayflower disembarked.WWW

02:51

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:What Really Happened with the Mayflower

Witness how childhood boredom escalated into the mass hysteria that led to the Salem Witch Trials.WWW

02:24

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:Salem Witch Craft Hysteria

The Articles of Confederation proved to be more trouble than help, with individual states all pushing their interests and agendas, to the point of threatening the country as a whole.WWW

02:49

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:Articles of Confederation

Our vision of Paul Revere's midnight ride is all wrong, especially how it concludes.WWW

02:38

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:The Truth About Paul Revere

George Washington was preceded by several other Presidents of the United States.WWW

02:42

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:George Washington Not our First President

Benjamin Franklin was inquisitive but never crazy enough to fly a kite in an electrical storm as is often depicted.WWW

02:56

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:Ben Franklin and That Kite

The negative characterization of Edgar Allan Poe as a paranoid drug addict with the darkest of minds can be traced back to one man who was a rival of Poe's. There is no proof of drugs and his "darkness" is only inferred because of the scary stori ...WWW

02:51

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:The Real Edgar Allan Poe

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.WWW

02:49

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:Thomas Edison

There are many common misperceptions about Hoover and FDR as political foes and as lawmakers.WWW

02:43

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:Hoover and FDR

Common perception is that the Lincoln and JFK assassinations have many parallels, but not so many when fact is separated from fiction.WWW

02:38

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:JFK and Lincoln's Assassinations

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.WWW

02:35

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:Route 66 Myths

Halloween in the early-to-mid-20th century was not a sweet nor pleasant holiday, but an excuse for pranks and general mischief.WWW

02:36

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:How Halloween Has Changed

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?WWW

02:43

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:Soviets and Americans on Moon at Same Time

Paul Revere has been billed as America?s first action hero after his famous "Midnight Ride" but as truth would have it, he was part of a network.WWW

02:08

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:It Wasn't Just Paul Revere

Some of the most noteworthy photographers from the Civil War would move bodies around on the battlefield in order to achieve dramatic effect.WWW

02:15

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction (Season 2):Staged Civil War Photography

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There are several facts and fictions associated with New York City's Empire State Building, like that one about a penny dropped from the top having the ability to kill someone on the sidewalk.WWW

02:09

America: Facts vs. FictionW

What Happens When a Penny is Dropped From the Empire State Building?

Halloween in the early-to-mid-20th century was not a sweet nor pleasant holiday, but an excuse for pranks and general mischief.WWW

02:36

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:How Halloween Has Changed

The negative characterization of Edgar Allan Poe as a paranoid drug addict with the darkest of minds can be traced back to one man who was a rival of Poe's. There is no proof of drugs and his "darkness" is only inferred because of the scary stori ...WWW

02:51

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:The Real Edgar Allan Poe

Just as with their flags there are many misconceptions about pirates and how they operated.WWW

02:34

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction (Season 2):Pirates and Their Flags Aren't As They Seem

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?WWW

02:43

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:Soviets and Americans on Moon at Same Time

Air Force One has all kinds of weapons to defend itself... right? And a special skin to protect it? Find out!WWW

02:51

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:The Truth About Air Force One

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.WWW

03:17

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction (Season 2):The Intellectuals Took Down Al Capone

Many myths endure about Pocahontas, mainly because of the tales told by her contemporary, colonist John Smith.WWW

02:59

America: Facts vs. FictionW

The Truth About Pocahontas

There's much about the events leading up to and the Boston Tea Party itself that is misunderstood.WWW

02:28

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Boston Tea Party Misconceptions

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.WWW

02:21

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction (Season 2):The Four Flights of the Wright Flyer

Benjamin Franklin was inquisitive but never crazy enough to fly a kite in an electrical storm as is often depicted.WWW

02:56

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:Ben Franklin and That Kite

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.WWW

02:49

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction:Thomas Edison

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.WWW

02:10

America: Facts vs. FictionW

John Glenn's Atlas Rocket Had A 40% Chance Of Exploding On Launch

Did you know that NASA went out of its way to embrace the unlucky number thirteen?WWW

01:41

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Unlucky Number 13 and Apollo XIII

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.WWW

03:35

America: Facts vs. FictionW

Facts vs. Fiction (Season 2):George Patton's Counterintuitive Approach to Warfare

The United States Bullion Depository, or the more commonly-referred to Fort Knox, is filled with as many misconceptions as it is gold.WWW

03:04

America: Facts vs. FictionW

The Myths Surrounding and Inside Fort Knox