Filename: LiesThatTeachersTaughtUs.txt ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Lies that teachers taught us: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Reference for the word "Indian." https://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1966/does-indian-derive-from-columbuss-description-of-native-americans-as-una-gente-in-dios/ Columbus Christopher Columbus proved the Earth was round. Wrong, Europeans had known the Earth was round since the time of Aristotle. In 1492 Columbus discovered America: Wrong, He never landed in continental North or South America in any of his 4 trips. He landed in the Bahama Islands, Cuba and Hispaniola. Columbus thought he had landed in India, so he called the natives, “Indians” Wrong; at the “time of Columbus “India” was known by the by the Persian epithet; variously; Hindus & Hindustan”. No country, land, sea or people in the world were named "India" prior to 1492. The word Indian does not derive from Columbus mistakenly believing that he had reached, Wrong “India”, more likely the word “Indian” comes from Columbus’s description of the people that he found here. He was an Italian and did not speak or write very good Spanish, so in his written account to Queen Isabella, he called the people , “Una gente in Dios.” meaning a people in God (Join Us In God), In Dios. In English it pronunciation sounds like “Indios”. Columbus was anxious to convince the Queen that the new land he found would be readily and willing to be baptized and serve as the Queen’s subjects. (Queen Isabella was very religious.) Columbus named the new land, America. Wrong, the "American" named for another Italian navigator, Amerigo Vespucci. Columbus later apologized for his false claim. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Alexander Graham Bell (That ding-a-ling) The Scottish-born scientist and engineer Alexander Graham Bell, who was granted a US patent for what he called an ‘acoustic telegraph’ in 1875. His claim comes complete with the famous story of Bell using his invention to call his colleague in the next room with the words: “Mr Watson, come here – I want to see you.” The same day Alexander Graham Bell summited his patent for the ‘acoustic telegraph’ Italian engineer Antonio Meucci and German inventor Philipp Reis also summited a patent for the same thing. Before a patent was granted, Bell paid the person at the patient office $100 dollars if he would allow Bell to see Mr. Meucci application. After which Mr. Bell plagiarized Meucci’s patent application and Bell was then awarded the patient for the “Bell Telephone” In 2002, the US House of Representatives accepted that Meucci’s work was so important that it could have been enough to prevent Bell getting a patent. Over the years, Bell’s right to any credit has been challenged by evidence that he plagiarized key parts of Meuccci’s design. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Thomas Edison https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/who-really-invented-the-light-bulb/ The basic idea of using electricity to create light was first investigated over 200 years ago by the English chemist Humphrey Davy. He showed that when electric current flowed through wires, their resistance caused them to heat up to the point where they gave out light. The key problem the light bulb would only last a few hours. British chemist Warren de La Rue had solved the scientific challenges nearly 40 years earlier solved some of the problem but his choice of platinum was too expensive. Edison offered $50,000 to anyone that could make a filament that was economical and would last for hours. Nikola Tesla was working for Edison at that time and did solve this problem; however, Edison not only refused to pay Mr. Tesla, but Edison then patented Mr. Tesla’s idea and then refused to pay Tesla. Edison would let scientist work at Menlo Park, NJ for free and then steal their ideas and would then patent their inventions under his name. The only original idea that he ever had that and was patented was the light bulb socket. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Lewis & Clark Trip in 1804; Here were a couple of boys on a government expense that tried to prove Louisiana Purchase in 1803 was political viable. The reality was that they traded knives and blankets in exchange for syphilis throughout the western US. The blankets came from the hospital that treated small pox, as a result spread the disease killing thousands of Indians. The expedition did not produce anything of value except a few birds and insects specimens. Both Lewis and Clark died of syphilis. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wright Brothers I will save this one for another time. ----------------------------------------------------------------------