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40 History Memes That Shed The Light On Our Past
American author and filmmaker Michael Crichton once said: "If you don't know history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree." So let's take a look back at what events and people have 'planted' and 'grown' this tree we're all a part of called the present, shall we?
But since it's Friday, I think we can agree that something more refreshing than a textbook is needed. Luckily, we have just the thing. Two, actually.
Bored Panda decided to put together a follow-up collection to our earlier article and compile the best posts from the history memes Reddit page and HistoryInMemes Instagram account have recently released.
From making fun of the British Museum's never-ending thirst for artifacts to corrupt Presidents, continue scrolling, check the world history memes out, and upvote your favorites!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
A True Hero
Willem Arondeus was a moderately successful painter and writer living in the Netherlands. However, at the time his career began to improve, the Nazis had occupied his nation, and he decided to sacrifice personal success and wealth for the greater good, joining the Dutch resistance. Arondeus's skill as an artist allowed him to make fake ID cards, allowing Jewish refugees to hide more easily. However, the Nazi's Municipal Office for Population Registration made this far more difficult, as they kept exact records. With his resistance team, Arondeus devised a plan to bomb the office, which went off successfully. By doing so, they were able to steal a number of blank ID cards, and destroy enough records that any Jewish refugees could believably pretend to have had their files destroyed.
However, Arondeus was betrayed and captured. He refused to give information on his co-conspirators under torture, but after his home was raided, they found evidence that linked him to his allies. Arondeus then took full credit for the entire plan, allowing two of his friends to escape execution. His last words were "Let it be known that homosexuals are not cowards".
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#3
History Ain’t Pretty
#4
Grandma
#5
Sacrifice Sacrifice
#6
It Really Do Be Like That
#7
Hah Get It
#9
Elvis' Chance Of Getting Polio Has Left The Building; Thank You And Good Night!
#11
Thank You Very Much
#12
Dirty Dog
Lauren Caswell 4 years ago
Lol yeah, like Hera was Heracles loving mother. And Zeus had self restraint. That movie didn't do Greek myths any favours!
#15
There Goes Buck Franklin, The Impeccably Well Dressed Lawyer Who Practices Law Out Of A Tent
Andy Acceber 4 years ago
Not enough people know about Oklahoma Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_race_massacre
#16
This Happened To My Grandfather When He Was Teaching Second Grade. The Kids Were So Traumatized By What They Saw A Lot Of Parents Had To Come Pick Them Up From School
#17
Uhh Sir?
#19
Yoink
#20
Trying To Get Rid Of The Evidence? Not On Mr Eisenhower's Watch!
#21
You Can Always Rely On The Wise Words Of Captain Holt
Andy Acceber 4 years ago
Brooklyn Nine Nine was a fantastic show and one of those rare gems that only got better in later seasons. I'm so sad this show ended.
#23
It Do Be Like That
#25
Any Great Historical Figure Would Be Honoured To Be Played By Cillian Murphy, I'm Sure
#27
Feels Bad Man
Liam Farranree 4 years ago
This must be a reference to the famous Greek hero Homercles, like Pythagorous, "Homercles cares not for beans"
#28
If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It
Andy Acceber 4 years ago
I seriously think one of the arguments some Americans have against adding Puerto Rico and Washington DC as states is that they don't want to add more stars to the flag. (It's not a good argument.)
#29
Pain
#30
Gotta Do Whatcha Gotta Do
ZAPanda 4 years ago
that's all very well but that shows seven women leaders. As a percentage of male leaders (something like 2000 or so worldwide in the same time period ... the first picture being cleopatra I believe) ... means that the chances of a woman starting a war is quite a lot lower. What we'd really need to know is the base rate of women leaders vs women leaders who started wars. I am pretty sure these seven are not the only women leaders in the last 2000 years...
#31
Must’ve Been Sloppy
#32
I Think We Can All Agree On This One
#33
'man, I Love This Skirt! Also, You Heard Khomeini's Latest Speech? That Guy Sure Is Whacky, Huh?'
#34
"If There Was An Allied Hero Who Deserved To Be Remembered And Celebrated, This Was A Person With Few Peers"
#35
Feels Bad Man
#36
Abc News Called It "The Poster Child Of Excessive Lawsuits" But Most People Don't Believe That Anymore
#37
No Fair
#38
Don’t Give Into Peer Pressure
#39
Does Mythology Count?
#40
Dammit, Marilyn! Not In Front Of The Democratic Party!
sofacushionfort 4 years ago
A woman exploited since childhood self-destructs in front of millions while they laugh. Wonderful that we’re so far beyond that today
#41
I Diagnose You With Housewife
#42
This Hurts
#43
Instant Hands
River Webb 4 years ago
I'd probably die if I run 13 miles, so I'd be flexing on him for dying quicker
#44
That Backfired On The Rnc
#45
Us Citizen
Final score:
53points
Andy Acceber 4 years ago
McCarthyism was so dumb, and yet we still fall for scare tactics like that. Fortunately, it hasn't returned to that scale, but just look at the fear mongering today.
#46
Since The American Colonials Were Themselves British Subjects It’s More Likely Paul Reverse And The Other Riders Said “The Regulars/Redcoats Are Coming” Instead
#48
Smh My Head
#49
Big Brain
#50
That’s Rude
Jo Johannsen 4 years ago
So, we all know about the Trojan horse, right? Big wooden horse packed with enemy soldiers intended to fool Troy into believing everything now safe so they drag horse into city, go to sleep, horse breaks open, solders pour out, city falls. IS THIS SERIOUSLY WHAT YOU WANT TO NAME CONDOMS AFTER?
#51
This Hit Different
Nicolas Schirvel 4 years ago
In fact, that was the last official message... It was followed by : "Thanks for your services, Marconi" added by the morse operator as an hommage.
#52
So Long, Suckers! I Hope You Enjoy Figuring Out Where Tf I Went For The Next 50 Years!
#53
Too Easy
#54
Rasputin Would Also Impress The Court With His Infamous Trick Of Finding A Penny Behind Someone's Ear
Otter 4 years ago (edited)
Yeah, well, faith healing was as good as it got, in the 1910s. Rasputin helped the kid as much as anyone could, but it was still a huge mistake for the Empress to make him part of her inner circle and part of the court. As it was the whole world knew about him, and everyone assumed that she was his lover and that this weirdo was guiding Imperial policy.
#55
How Wholesome The Turntables
#56
India’s Chad Air Force
#57
1914 Was A Wild Year
#58
Rude
#59
Eww Yuck Spit That Out
#60
It Was Those Damn Sea Peoples, Wasn't It? Answer Me!
Titas Burinskas 4 years ago
Draughts, poor crop, climate change, material shortages, trade bottlenecks, wars, and raids by the "sea people."
#61
A Catholic Priest Heard The Survivors' Confessions And Had To Reassure Them That They Were Not Damned For Cannibalism
#62
Like A Boss
#64
You’re Missing Out If You’re Not Following
#65
Either He’s Rotting In A Forest Or A Grave And If It’s The Second One, Good On Him
Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
Jumping out of an aircraft on a cold, wet night wearing a business suit...I think the most likely outcome is a speedy death from hypothermia
#66
In 1835, Richard Lawrence Tried To Kill President Jackson At A Funeral. He Walked Up Behind Him And Fired Both Of His Pistols, But Neither Of Them Fired A Bullet Due To The Humid Weather And The Model’s Vulnerability To Moisture. He Was Attacked By Jackson, And Was Sent To An Asylum Afterwards
Alicia Miller 4 years ago (edited)
Jackson was a horrible human but there's a story of his pet parrot being removed from his funeral, over excessive cursing. Makes me laugh every time I hear it. Also, Jackson was asked by a reporter if he had any regrets after his 8 years in office. His reply was: “That I didn’t shoot Henry Clay and I didn’t hang John C. Calhoun.” Calhoun was his Vice President. With friends like Jackson ....
#67
And Our Empire, Across The Sea, Armed And Guarded By The British Fleet Would Carry On The Struggle
#68
Kinda Sus
buttonpusher 4 years ago
I don't get haggis. Although never tried it but...why would you WANT to?! Then again all the processed crap I eat haggis is probably healthier...
#69
Is The Best Account You’re Not Following!
#70
Man, Greek Fire Sure Is Effective! Fingers Crossed That Someone Makes A Note Of How To Make It...
#71
Only My Big Brain Followers Will Get This Meme
#72
Couldn’t Pay Me Enough To Be A Drummer Boy
Mazer 4 years ago
YO, someone has to help those poor tired troops stay in step! Military drummers have played a crucial role in warfare throughout history. Soldiers marched to battle to the sound of the drums and used the beat to regulate the loading and re-loading of their weapons during the battle. Drummers were also used to raise morale during the fight.
#73
Love To See It
#74
'no Napoleon, I Am Not Roleplaying As The Tsar'
#75
It’s Complicated
#77
Sorry Jfk, But You Should Have Stuck To Journalism
Andy Acceber 4 years ago
I once pointed this out to my grandma. She was livid. Roughly fifty years after JFK's death and apparently it was still "too soon" for criticism.
#78
So Strong And Independent
#79
This Hurts My Stomach
#80
Modern Day Dogecoin Holders
#81
Sick Balcony Bro
Ryan Deschanel 4 years ago
No more slaves, had to pay workers, less money to spend on marble columns... And here is that soviet post-war crap. PS : the painter's name is Thomas Cole.
#82
United Fruit Company Bananas Are Packed Full Of Both Potassium And Freedom!
#83
The Fact That They Threw Me Through A Window Rather Than Out Of One Makes Me Think The Kidnappers Weren't Really Listening
Premislaus de Colo 4 years ago
They must've learned something because it sure looks like infenestration
#84
Alright, Who Put Turkey's Seat Next To Greece's?
#85
To Be Fair, Darwin Needed All Those Samples So He Could Have Something To Eat On The Way Home
#86
Savage Mode
#87
Wall's Was Founded In 1922 And Now Is Present Pretty Much Everywhere
#88
'diego, I Feel So Energised Now! I Feel Like I Can Topple A Mesoamerican Empire Or Two'
#89
You Can Hardly Find A Neutral Country
#90
Ahh Sh*t Here We Go Again
Premislaus de Colo 4 years ago
And what role exactly did the Vikings played in the sack of Constantinople 200 years later? SMH
#91
You Heard The Man
#92
Knock Knock It’s The Mongols
#94
“Lets Build A City On Top Of This Lake That Will Be Home To 200,000 People, Snake Told Me To Do So”
#95
I'm Sure This Style Of Duelling Will Really Take Off
#96
The More Ya Know
#97
It Would Make Living In Japanese Pow Camp Look Like A Vacation
#100
Gotta Feel Bad For Beethoven There
Ryan Deschanel 4 years ago
So he was upset this asshole turned out to be another kind of assholes?
#101
Hey, What's Wrong With Having A Good Splurge If You've Got The Money?
#103
There Were Very Few Clear Cut “Good Guys” And “Bad Guys” In The First World War
sofacushionfort 4 years ago
Well, if that’s how you feel about it, I might as well join the Freikorps.
#104
The Battle Of Antietam Was A Slaughterhouse. 3,700 Soldiers From Both Sides Were Killed Making It The Bloodiest Day In American History
#106
Can’t Trick Me
#107
'a Body Of Water?! Those Crafty British Bastards...'
J. F. 4 years ago (edited)
It was mostly the british air superiority over the channel that prevented larger landing operations. Despite having the better planes (BF109) the Luftwaffe had a very limited time frame before the pilots needed to get back to base. The RAF had shorter distances and could get resupplied before the germans planes came back again.
#109
The Pork Taboo Actually Predates The Old Testament And The Qur’an; Pig Livestock In The Middle East Sharply Declined Around 1000 Bc. Historians Are Still Debating The Reasons Behind The Taboo
#110
The Korean War Was The First And The Last Time The UN Had Any Balls
#112
Liberty Ships Were Garbage, But Were Very Useful Garbage
#113
'hey There, Jojo. Tell Me, Have You Ever Driven A Panzer Before?'
#114
The Dad Was A Culhua Magnate Named Achitometl. Imagine Going To Your Daughter's Wedding, Only To See Her Being Turned To Apparel. The Aztecs Were Dicks Of The Highest Order
#115
Contrary To Popular Belief, The Conquest Of Africa Was A Difficult Affair And Tens Of Thousands Of European Soldiers Died. The African Nations Valorously Resisted Until The End
#116
World? No Thanks, "Known World" Will Do Just Fine...
#117
The Spice Must Flow
Randolph Croft 4 years ago
At one point in the later Roman Empire peppercorns were worth more than gold by weight.
#118
Many Famous Italian Writers Used His Dialect Centuries After His Death Because It Was That Good
Kori Chamberlain 4 years ago
Ha. Historical memes without context would be a better name for this list.
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