Discussion»Questions»Random Knowledge» A two-part question: can you name one fact that many people think is a myth, and one myth that many people think is a fact?
Hmmm so many to choose from. Let us start a controversy - aka I am bored
A. Myth believed as fact. Jews were the sole target of the Nazi death camps. In actuality there were more non Jews killed than Jews. These included politicians, priests, communists etc. The stats as published at Malthausen, Dachu and Auschwitz are pretty consistently 49.1% Jewish, 49.8% Non-Jewish. Note I live in driving distance too many concentration camps to count including these 3
B. Fact believed as myth. The US Civil war was about economics. In reality it was Slavery was a large secondary issue. Lincoln stated if he could win the war w/o freeing the Slaves he would do it. The Emancipation Proclamation was actually an Executive Order designed to destroy the Southern economy.
The US relied on import duties to fund the Government before the Civil War and through the early 1900's. The South wamted cheap goods, aka foreign. The North wanted to build their industrial might and restrict imports. The South wanted large lands to continue their dominate agriculture. The North wanted small Farmsteads to consume their products. Think 1840-1860 politics.
The other interesting Myth which believed to be fact is the Mason Dixon Line. It was not about Slavery per se. It was actually about resolving a Border Dispute between Pennsylvania and Virginia. British Surveyors were brought in and viola that is why Maryland has that long finger of land extending West. It did become the de-facto dividing line between North and South
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Benedict Arnold 