World History
6 Strange Things Rich People Did for Status
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Article
Wealthy people have always found unusual ways to signal their power, taste, and control — often by acquiring items that are rare, impractical, or arduous to obtain. Long before designer handbags and luxury sports cars became status symbols, social elites flaunted their fortunes in ways that may seem very bizarre today but that reflected the values of their time. Here are six of the strangest examples. Credit: © DEA / BIBLIOTECA AMBROSIANA— De Agostini/Getty Images They Put Pineapples on Display Pineapple is a relatively inexpensive grocery store staple today, but between the 16th and 18th ...Read More
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World HistoryFact45In 1800, about 1 in 3 people lived in China.
There are around 8 billion people on Earth today, and 1.4 billion of them are in China, making the country home to around 17.5% of the global population. If that…
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World HistoryArticle466 Old Recipes That No One Would Dare Make Today
Think back to a favorite dish from childhood — one that appeared at family gatherings, holiday feasts, or Sunday dinners. Maybe it was a casserole or a dessert, or a…
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World HistoryFact32Celery was once considered an exotic luxury food.
Celery isn’t exactly the most glamorous vegetable today; it’s usually reserved for soups or served unceremoniously alongside an order of chicken wings. But in the 19th century, it was an…
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World HistoryFact73People used to believe left-handedness could be cured.
For much of modern history, being left-handed wasn’t just considered unusual — it was treated as a problem to be fixed. Well into the 20th century, teachers in Britain, North…
