Eleanor Roosevelt: Rover

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt suspected her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, might have had something to do with choosing her Secret Service code name. She was known as “Rover,” and those who accompanied her were called “Rover’s Rangers.” She was assigned the name during World War II, when she traveled to England to visit American servicemen and observe women’s roles in the war effort. However, there is no record of the Secret Service having an official code name for FDR.

Bess Truman: Sunnyside

First Lady Bess Truman’s code name was “Sunnyside,” thought to be a reflection of her warmhearted personality (rather than her egg preference). Her husband Harry S. Truman, who chose the code name “General” for himself, despite never achieving that rank during his military service, was also assigned the code name “Supervise.” He was possibly given this alternative name because “General” could refer to someone of that rank accompanying the president.

Jacqueline Kennedy: Lace

Traditionally, the code names given to a presidential family all start with the same letter. Once someone is assigned Secret Service protection, they choose their code name from an approved list of names kept by the White House Communications Agency. The Kennedy administration’s comparison to Camelot is highlighted by President John F. Kennedy’s choice of code name, “Lancer,” presumably a nod to Sir Lancelot, while his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, was aptly known as “Lace,” reflecting her elegance. During JFK’s brief presidency, the White House code name was “Crown.”

Rosalynn Carter: Dancer

Jimmy Carter’s code name, “Deacon,” reflected his strong religious faith, while his wife Rosalynn’s code name, “Dancer,” echoed her love for dancing. Before their White House years, the Carters lived in Hawaii during Jimmy’s time in the Navy, where Rosalynn became, according to her grandson Josh Carter, “a champion hula dancer.” Rosalynn’s passion for dance extended beyond hula, though. She wrote in her autobiography that she and Jimmy loved to dance together, and she enjoyed choosing entertainment for White House events, which featured performers such as Mikhail Baryshnikov and the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater over the years.

Nancy Reagan: Rainbow

Before Ronald Reagan entered politics, his acting career included a number of roles in Western films, making his code name “Rawhide” a fitting choice. First Lady Nancy Reagan’s name, “Rainbow,” isn’t as obvious, though one biography suggests it referred to the many colors of her personality.

Hillary Clinton: Evergreen

Although the Secret Service claims that code names aren’t tied to the personalities of those assigned, some designations do reflect aspects of the people they represent. Bill Clinton’s “Eagle” (possibly a reference to his time as an Eagle Scout) and Hillary’s “Evergreen” seem well matched, while their daughter Chelsea’s “Energy” captured the youthful vibe of a teenager in the White House. Hillary continued to use “Evergreen” during her 2008 and 2016 presidential campaigns, making the name particularly fitting for the former first lady.

Laura Bush: Tempo

Laura Bush, wife of former President George W. Bush, was assigned the code name “Tempo” to go along with the president’s code name, “Trailblazer.” The president, however, had a different code name when his father, George H.W. Bush, known as “Timberwolf,” was president: “Tumbler.”

Michelle Obama: Renaissance

When presented with a list of code names beginning with the letter “R” during his presidential campaign, former President Barack Obama chose “Renegade,” and First Lady Michelle Obama selected “Renaissance.” Some believe that Michelle’s name reflected her goal to rejuvenate and redefine the traditional role of first lady.

Melania Trump: Muse

While her husband Donald Trump chose the code name “Mogul” as an homage to his time as a real estate magnate, Melania reportedly selected “Muse” in reference to her own previous career as a model. The word “muse” can be defined as a person that inspires creativity, something Melania frequently did as a fashion model earlier in her life.

Jill Biden: Capri

First Lady Jill Biden’s code name, “Capri,” remains the same as when she was second lady and is likely a nod to her Italian heritage. President Joe Biden also kept his Irish-inspired code name, “Celtic,” from his time as vice president.

The Lord Chamberlain’s Men

Despite the success of Venus and Adonis, a single popular work wasn’t enough to make Shakespeare a household name. In reality, he was likely known among London’s theater set, and not far beyond. His reputation within this circle would have been bolstered by his role in the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later known as the King’s Men under James I. This acting company was the most important and successful troupe of players in England’s Elizabethan era (Queen Elizabeth I’s reign from 1558 to 1603) and Jacobean era (King James I’s reign from 1603 to 1625). The troupe played almost continuously in London from 1594 to 1603, including performances at the royal court. Shakespeare wrote many of his plays during this period, producing an average of two a year, and these works formed the bulk of the company’s repertory. He also acted with them.

The Limits of Fame in Shakespeare’s Time

Venues such as the Globe Theatre in London — built by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men — could hold up to 3,000 people. Shakespeare’s plays, therefore, certainly drew large crowds during his time, and were popular with audiences across social classes. The success of his plays, however, didn’t necessarily translate into fame. In Shakespeare’s time, there was no mass media, and the concept of celebrity was not the same as we know it today. What’s more, even if he was well-known in London, Shakespeare wouldn’t have been a national celebrity — and certainly not an international celebrity — because back then there wasn’t nearly as much communication between cities, or even a city and its surrounding region, as there is today. 

Other Prominent Playwrights of the Day

Shakespeare also wasn’t the only popular dramatist writing in the late 16th century, and he had significant competition — and in some cases rivalries — with various writers. Critics and theatergoers didn’t necessarily consider him superior to his contemporaries. He was respected in literary circles, but no more so than other prominent playwrights of the time, such as Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, Thomas Middleton, and Thomas Kyd. So, while Shakespeare was certainly well known and respected in the theatrical world of his time, he was far from the only act in town — and his contemporary fame was not comparable to his posthumous legacy.

A Legacy Like No Other

Shakespeare’s enduring reputation owes much to developments that took place after his death in 1616, perhaps most notably the publication of the First Folio in 1623. This lavish book was the first published collection of Shakespeare’s plays. At the time, about half of Shakespeare’s plays had never previously appeared in print, including As You Like It, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, and The Tempest. Were it not for the First Folio, 18 of his plays might well have been lost forever. Not only did the collection preserve much of Shakespeare’s work, but it also helped ensure that Shakespeare became the universally revered cultural and literary icon — and household name — that he is today. As Ben Jonson wrote in his introduction to the First Folio, “The applause! Delight! The wonder of our Stage... He was not of an age, but for all time!”

Unsure of what to make of this peasant girl who was rumored to be the prophesied virgin who would save France, Charles devised a test in which he disguised himself and blended in with the 300 courtiers gathered at his castle. Not fooled, Joan quickly picked him out from the crowd, and allegedly relayed surprising knowledge of private information about the dauphin. Following further questioning by trusted church authorities, Charles agreed to make use of her passion for his military campaigns.

In late April 1429, Joan traveled with a French army to the city of Orléans, which had been under siege by Anglo-Burgundian forces since the previous October. After successfully attacking surrounding forts, the French side turned to the besieged city, with Joan a conspicuous presence in her white armor. Although she never actually took up arms, Joan outlined strategies and served as a motivational figure by standing near the fighting, exhorting the men as she waved her banner. Recovering from an arrow to the shoulder, she claimed triumph when the siege was lifted on May 8.

While Charles' advisors urged him to take the fighting to Normandy, Joan instead convinced the dauphin to travel to Reims, the traditional site for the investiture of French royalty. That meant clearing a path through the heavily fortified Anglo-Burgundian Loire Valley, where Joan continued to turn the tide of the war by pushing French forces through skirmishes at Jargeau, Meung-sur-Loire, and Beaugency.

On July 17, 1429, Joan saw her mission fulfilled when the dauphin was crowned King Charles VII at Reims. However, Charles neglected to immediately take up Joan's advice that they seize the momentum and march on Paris, which gave the city’s pro-Henry forces time to fortify their position. By the time Charles finally sent Joan and his army to Paris in September, they were unable to penetrate the city’s defenses.

Following the end of a temporary truce for territories north of the river Seine, Joan led efforts to dismantle a Burgundian siege of Compiègne in May 1430. However, she was thrown from her horse amid the fighting and stranded as the town gates closed. Her attempts to escape confinement failed, and she was sold to the English for 10,000 francs, with Charles VII making little effort to intervene.

The highly publicized trial of Joan of Arc began in Rouen, Normandy, on January 9, 1431. Over the course of six public and nine private examinations, she deftly answered questions from the ecclesiastic interrogators about her divine guiding voices, her obedience to the church, and her penchant for wearing men's clothing. Although most of the original 70 articles of accusation were dropped, the judges ultimately settled on 12 charges of heresy.

Faced with the prospect of execution, Joan initially abjured her claims to earn a reduced sentence of life imprisonment. However, she recanted her abjuration after being found wearing men's clothes again a few days later, and was declared a relapsed heretic. On May 30, 1431, Joan was led to the Rouen town square and tied to a pyre, where she gazed at a crucifix held high as flames engulfed her body.

After Rouen fell into French hands in 1449, Charles VII ordered an examination of the records that documented Joan's legal proceedings. The investigation eventually reached Rome, with Pope Callixtus III consenting to a rehabilitation trial for the deceased Joan. On July 7, 1456, after it was found that the original trial had violated church law, Joan's sentence was formally annulled.

While the exoneration made Joan a martyr, it would be another four centuries before the Maid of Orléans, as she became known, underwent another round of rehabilitation that propelled her to mythical status. Following the call for her canonization by Bishop Dupanloup of Orléans, Joan of Arc was beatified by Pope Pius X in 1909, and declared a saint by Pope Benedict XV in 1920. Meanwhile, she became a symbol of French nationalism during the Franco-Prussian War, an image that carried through the country's involvement in both world wars of the 20th century.

Today, along with her place among the holy figures of the Catholic Church, Joan of Arc is recognized as a patron saint of France, soldiers, prisoners, and those ridiculed for their faith. She is honored with celebrations such as the St. Joan of Arc Feast Day, and continues to be memorialized in art, literature, and music. 

Given the magnitude of her accomplishments before reaching adulthood, and her devotion to her ideals until the very end, it’s easy to see why Joan of Arc remains a source of inspiration more than 600 years after she first swore allegiance to the uncrowned king of a fractured land.

Alexander Was Never Defeated in Battle

Alexander succeeded to the throne in 336 BCE, and soon went to war, spending most of his reign engaged in lengthy military campaigns throughout Western Asia, Central Asia, parts of South Asia, and Egypt. Incredibly, Alexander was never defeated in battle, despite often being outnumbered. He won at least 20 major battles against significant military powers, including the Greek city-states, Egypt, and Persia. Not only was Alexander a masterful tactician and general, but he also inspired extreme loyalty among his soldiers, who refused his orders only once during the so-called Hyphasis Mutiny, when his exhausted men refused to march further into the Indian subcontinent. 

Alexander Founded Many Cities 

During his reign, Alexander the Great conquered the Greek city-states and the mighty Persian Empire. In doing so, he created an empire that spanned three continents and covered about 2 million square miles. According to the ancient Greek philosopher Plutarch, Alexander also founded more than 70 cities, though modern historians place the number between 10 and 20. Many of these he named after himself, including Alexandria Troas in Turkey, Alexandria Arachosia and Alexandria Ariana in what is now Afghanistan, and, most notably, Alexandria, which is the second largest city in Egypt today.

Bucephalus Was Alexander’s Faithful Warhorse

Bucephalus is one of the most famous horses from classical antiquity. According to Plutarch, the horse was given as a gift to Alexander's father, Philip II. But the animal was aggressive and unmanageable, and wouldn’t allow anyone to mount him. Seeing this, Alexander, just a boy at the time, asked permission to tame the horse, saying, “What an excellent horse do they lose, for want of address and boldness to manage him!” His elders laughed at him, but Alexander proved them wrong, managing to ride and ultimately tame the wild creature. Bucephalus became Alexander’s mount of choice and was with him throughout his campaigns. He held the horse in such high regard that he even named a city — Bucephala in modern-day Pakistan — in honor of his faithful steed. 

Alexander Took Huge Risks With His Own Life

One of the reasons Alexander inspired such devotion and sacrifice in his soldiers was his willingness to charge into battle on the front lines beside them. This, however, was a huge risk, and Alexander came close to death more than once. At the Battle of Granicus in 334 BCE, for example, Alexander was seconds away from receiving a fatal blow from a Persian soldier, only to be saved in the last moment by one of his companions, Cleitus the Black. Later, during the Indian campaign, Alexander received his most severe wound when an enemy arrow pierced his lung. Word soon spread that he had died, but Alexander survived. When he had fully recovered, he presented himself to his awaiting troops, to the cheers and even tears of his soldiers. 

Alexander’s Death Is Shrouded in Mystery

The death of Alexander the Great remains one of history’s greatest mysteries. We know that Alexander, at the age of 32, fell ill during a days-long period of festivities, collapsing and complaining of a searing pain in his back. An intense fever followed, and he died 12 days later. From that moment up until the present day, the exact cause of his death has been a topic of much debate. Numerous theories have been proposed, including alcoholic liver disease, malaria, typhoid fever, and assassination by strychnine poisoning. While we might never know the truth about Alexander’s death, we could one day solve one of archaeology’s other great mysteries: the location of his tomb. Numerous theories exist regarding the tomb’s location, placing it anywhere from Egypt to Greece. It’s possible it was destroyed and will never be found — but that won’t stop archaeologists from searching for the final resting place of history’s greatest general.

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

Leonardo da Vinci not only is recognized as one of the great artists of the Renaissance era, but also represents the archetype of the multitalented “Renaissance man.” Best known for his paintings, including the enigmatic “Mona Lisa” and the iconic “Last Supper,” Leonardo was fascinated with the human form, an interest that can be found throughout his artistic and scientific work. His belief that the human body represented a microcosm of the universe is reflected in his oft-reproduced “Vitruvian Man” sketches, which depict what he believed to be the ideal male body. In his own lifetime, Leonardo was known for his athleticism and strength, and his superior physical fitness can be attributed to a number of athletic pursuits, including fencing, riding, and swimming.

Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797)

As a pioneer for women’s rights in the late 18th century, Mary Wollstonecraft was concerned about women strengthening their bodies as well as their intellect. She saw physical exercise as a means of empowerment and liberation from societal constraints and believed that physical activity not only strengthened the body but also cultivated mental fortitude and independence. “The woman who strengthens her body and exercises her mind will, by managing her family and practicing various virtues, become the friend, and not the humble dependent on her husband,” she wrote in her 1792 treatise A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. Wollstonecraft incorporated rigorous physical activity into her own life, which included taking long walks and horseback riding through the countryside.

Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)

After a childhood plagued by severe asthma, President Theodore Roosevelt, known for being an outdoorsman and conservationist, pushed himself physically to maintain his health and build his physical strength and stamina. To that end, he pursued a number of challenging activities, including horseback riding, boxing, climbing, polo, swimming, tennis, and martial arts such as jiujitsu and judo. In fact, Roosevelt’s interest in martial arts led him to become the first American to earn a brown belt in judo. During his years in the White House, Roosevelt even had a boxing ring where he could train or spar with professional boxers, such as John L. Sullivan.  

Harry Houdini (1874-1926)

Harry Houdini’s name is synonymous with magic. The enigmatic illusionist’s awe-inspiring ability to escape from seemingly impossible situations captivated audiences, but behind his feats of illusion was a rigorous dedication to staying in peak physical condition. Before he became a world-famous magician, Houdini transformed himself physically through weight lifting, swimming, running, and boxing. As a magician, his training regimen included cold water plunges as well as exercises to enhance his dexterity, flexibility, strength, and breath control, enabling him to contort his body, navigate confined spaces, and hold his breath for more than three minutes.

He Started America’s First Volunteer Fire Department

Many rural communities rely on volunteer fire departments, and their origin is thanks to Franklin’s civic-mindedness. In 1736, he founded the first volunteer fire department of its kind in the U.S., the Union Fire Company in Philadelphia. Unlike Boston’s Mutual Fire Societies, Franklin’s department, sometimes called the “Bucket Brigade,” served the entire community and not just members. The brigade had approximately 30 volunteers to start, fulfilling various roles such as water management, property protection, and training. When attending a fire, each member brought leather buckets to carry water and linen sacks to attempt to save belongings. 

Volunteer fire departments aren’t the only enduring and important public service attributed to Franklin, either. In 1731, he established the Library Company of Philadelphia, the first successful public lending library in America, and in 1751, he played a pivotal role in the establishment of Pennsylvania Hospital, one of the first hospitals in the country.

He Invented an Instrument That Was Beloved by Beethoven

Franklin was quite musical, too. Not only did he play instruments such as the guitar and the harp, but in the 1760s, he even invented an instrument of his own. The “glass armonica” consisted of glass bowls of varying sizes, arranged concentrically to eliminate the need for water and mounted on a rounded rod. The rod was moved by a foot pedal, and the glass bowls were played by rubbing one's fingers along their edges. It was meant to produce tones similar to “singing” glasses, something Franklin had seen while living in England. 

Following its first public performance in 1762, the armonica became a hit. Marie Antoinette took lessons, Thomas Jefferson was a fan, and Ludwig van Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart both composed music for the novel instrument. Despite its initial popularity, the armonica fell out of favor by the 1820s, due in part to its purported negative effects on mental health — attributed at first to the instrument’s ethereal tones, but later thought to be due to lead poisoning from the paint applied to the bowls. Today, the armonica is used by some niche musicians, a second life that would surely please Franklin, who said the instrument had brought him “the most personal satisfaction.”

His First Pseudonym Was “Mrs. Silence Dogood” 

Franklin was a prolific writer, famously contributing words to the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. But his first prose was published when was just a teenager — and it was done so under the pen name "Mrs. Silence Dogood." He used the name to get published in his brother’s newspaper, The New-England Courant, without his brother’s knowledge. Disguising himself as a middle-aged widow, Franklin penned a series of witty and satirical essays that quickly gained popularity with readers. 

He penned 14 essays under the pseudonym, one of just many he would use in his life. Some of the others were Polly Baker, a character Franklin used to point out double standards among men and women under the law; the Busy-Body, an American Weekly Mercury character who dabbled in lighthearted societal gossip and relationship talk; and perhaps Franklin’s most famous pseudonym, Richard Saunders, of Poor Richard's Almanack, which was first published in 1732 and lasted for 26 annual editions.

The Gulf Stream Was First Charted by Franklin

The Gulf Stream is a major ocean current that brings warm water from the Gulf of Mexico into the Atlantic Ocean, significantly influencing weather patterns. Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León first observed the current in 1513, but it wasn’t until the late 18th century that Franklin became the first to chart out the path of the Gulf Stream on a map. 

While serving in London as deputy postmaster general for the American colonies, Franklin noticed a difference in sailing times between westbound and eastbound ships. He consulted his cousin Timothy Folger, a Nantucket whaler with deep knowledge of the area, who provided his insights into the powerful current. Together, Franklin and Folger charted the waters, and published their findings on a map in 1768, the first known physical depiction of what they termed the “Gulph Stream.” The map was distributed to Franklin’s mail ships, and the knowledge served as the basis of future Gulf study by the United States Coast Survey.

Robert E. Lee and George Washington

These two Americans were born in Virginia’s Westmoreland County 75 years apart (in 1732 and 1807, respectively), and served as senior generals in two of America’s most influential wars — the Revolutionary War and Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee married Mary Anna Randolph Custis, the daughter of Martha Washington’s grandson (from her first marriage). This means he was also related, by marriage, to the first President of the United States, George Washington. And the unlikely connection between the two figures doesn’t stop there. After the Civil War, Lee became president of Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, which was named after both men.

Amelia Earhart and Laura Ingalls Wilder

Aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart and acclaimed author Laura Ingalls Wilder are both renowned figures of the 20th century. They’re also distant relatives. Amelia Earhart is remembered as the first female pilot to complete a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Further proving that adventure runs in her bloodline, Earhart is a descendant of Mayflower passenger Richard Warren, and Wilder is descended from the same man. Though the relation is distant (possibly eighth cousins once removed), there are some undeniable similarities between the two women. Both are from Kansas, the setting of part of Wilder’s most famous book, Little House on the Prairie, and Wilder published her first book, Little House in the Big Woods, in 1932, the same year that Earhart made her famous transatlantic flight.

Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots

Two of the most famous female monarchs in history were first cousins once removed — despite the fact that they never met, and one ordered to have the other executed. Mary, Queen of Scots, was the daughter of King James V of Scotland and his French wife, Mary of Guise. Her great-uncle was King Henry VIII of England, the father of Queen Elizabeth I (whose mother was Anne Boleyn). Mary and Elizabeth shared the same royal grandparents, King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, but the cousins were forced to be enemies due to years of violent wars over the English and Scottish thrones. After decades of keeping Mary imprisoned for fear that she would overtake England, Elizabeth ordered the execution of her cousin at Fotheringhay Castle in 1587. 

Presidents James Madison and Zachary Taylor

The fourth President of the United States, James Madison, and the 12th President, Zachary Taylor, were second cousins. They share a great-grandfather, Colonel James Taylor of Virginia. The two politicians were alive at the same time and were known to correspond occasionally. Madison, one of the Founding Fathers, created the framework for the U.S. Constitution and also had a hand in initiating the War of 1812 against Great Britain. Taylor was a member of the Whig Party and died 16 months into office in 1850. He was a captain in the War of 1812 and later became one of the top generals in the Mexican-American War. In 1849, while serving as President, Taylor held a funeral in Washington, D.C., to honor his late cousin’s wife, Dolley Madison.

Conquistadors Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro

Francisco Pizarro and Hernán Cortés were 16th-century Spanish conquistadors known for colonizing much of Peru and Mexico, respectively. They were also distant cousins. The family connection was through Cortés’ maternal grandmother, Leonor Pizarro, who was related to Pizarro’s ancestors. The duo didn’t work together but traveled to Central and South America around the same time. Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire and founded the city of Lima, Peru, while Cortés overthrew the Aztec Empire and took control of Mexico for the Spanish crown. Pizarro was killed in his palace in Lima in 1541 by rival conquistador Diego de Almagro. Cortés wished to return to Mexico before his death, but he died in 1547 in Seville, Spain, disgraced after being accused of poisoning the colonial governor, Luis Ponce de León.

Writers Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley

This talented mother-daughter duo is credited with writing some of the most celebrated works in English literature, though their styles and subjects are very different. Mary Wollstonecraft was an early feminist who penned 1792’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, a scathing review of gender inequalities, which argued that young girls should receive the same education as boys. It is among the first prominent feminist works, and Wollstonecraft is regarded as one of the founders of feminist philosophy. Her daughter, who was also named Mary Wollstonecraft and became Mary Shelley upon her marriage to poet Percy Shelley, became a famous writer in her own right. But Shelley took a different path than her mother, gravitating toward fiction. She published her most famous novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, in 1818. Like her mother, Shelley was considered a trailblazer in her writing discipline, and Frankenstein is regarded as one of the first science fiction novels.

He Was the First Official Honorary Citizen of the United States

On April 9, 1963, President John F. Kennedy declared Churchill an honorary citizen of the United States, making the former British prime minister the first person to officially have the distinction. “In the dark days and darker nights when England stood alone… he mobilized the English language and sent it into battle,” Kennedy said of Churchill during the ceremony. “The incandescent quality of his words illuminated the courage of his countrymen… By adding his name to our rolls, we mean to honor him — but his acceptance honors us far more.” 

Despite the surety of Kennedy’s words at the time, granting Churchill the title was an arduous process. American journalist Kay Halle had pushed for the honor as early as 1957, but a debate dragged on, and Kennedy eventually informed Halle in 1962 that such a move would be unconstitutional (he proposed naming a Navy ship after Churchill instead). Some progress was made later that year, but the matter languished in legislative limbo. In early 1963, with concerns about the aging politician’s health, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution making the distinction constitutional, and just seven days later, Churchill’s honorary citizenship ceremony took place.

He Was the First British Prime Minister to Top the Pop Music Charts

Churchill’s life and career was rife with accolades, but one of his more unusual accomplishments was being the first British prime minister to earn a spot on the pop music charts — not once, but twice. The first time was in 1965, shortly after his death, when a recording of his speeches called The Voice Of reached No. 6 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart. The second Top 10 hit came in 2010, when the Central Band of the Royal Air Force released an album called Reach for the Skies, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The album featured some of Churchill's World War II speeches set to music, and it sat on the charts alongside contemporary acts including Mumford and Sons, KT Tunstall, and the Killers frontman Brandon Flowers.

He Served as Prime Minister Two Separate Times

Despite proving himself to be a popular prime minister who led his country to victory during World War II, Churchill was defeated in the 1945 general election by the Labor Party leader Clement Attlee. The Labor Party at the time was strongly influenced by the Beveridge Report, a 1942 government document that outlined the need for greater social support for Brits following the war, including an emphasis on social security, affordable housing, and health care. In contrast, Churchill’s Conservatives focused on lowering taxes and maintaining defense spending. The need for social reform weighed on the minds of voters, and they gave the Labor Party a landslide victory at the polls. Six years later, however, after the party failed to fully deliver on promises of radical social and economic change, Churchill was voted back into office. Just shy of his 77th birthday at the time, the leader had already begun to experience strokes, and suffered several more during his second run as PM. On April 5, 1955, the 80-year-old Churchill finally retired.

He Was a Member of a Bricklayer’s Union

Churchill famously wore many hats, including politician, writer, painter, master orator — and bricklayer. He could often be found building walls for his garden and he constructed a cottage for his daughters at his Chartwell estate in Kent. He once described the physical labor as a “delightful” contrast to his intellectual work, committing to putting down “200 bricks and 2,000 words a day.” In 1928, a photo of Churchill working at his property appeared in the press; his skills were criticized by some, but encouraged by James Lane, the mayor of Battersea and the organizer of the local chapter of the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers (AUBTW). Lane invited Churchill to join, and after some initial hesitation, on October 10, 1928, Churchill was inducted into the union. His membership card read: “Winston S. Churchill, Westerham, Kent. Occupation, bricklayer.”

The First Known Use of “OMG” Was in a Letter to Churchill

The now-ubiquitous “OMG,” an abbreviation meaning “Oh my God,” started popping up in text messages and online chats in the 1990s and early 2000s, but the first known use of the term was actually in a letter to Winston Churchill during World War I. Sent by retired British navy Admiral John Arbuthnot Fisher, the letter was in reaction to newspaper reports at the time, as Fisher criticized Britain's WWI strategies. At the end of his letter, Fisher snarkily wrote, “I hear that a new order of knighthood is on the tapis” (meaning “on the table”). “O.M.G. — Oh! My God! Shower it on the Admiralty!!” The retired admiral in all his sarcasm was already in his 70s at the time, but his quip laid the groundwork for an entire youth linguistic revolution.

They Both Wrote Poetry About Their Life of Crime

In 2019, a collection of written material connected to Bonnie and Clyde was auctioned, including several poems attributed to the couple. Before dropping out of school to marry Thornton, Bonnie showed academic promise and enjoyed writing poetry. Even when she joined the Barrow Gang, she continued to pen poems. In a final visit with her family less than two weeks before she and Clyde were killed in Louisiana, Bonnie gave a copy of her poem “The Story of Bonnie and Clyde” to her mother. In the final lines of her poem, Bonnie acknowledged their inevitable end: “Some day they’ll go down together / And they’ll bury them side by side / To few it’ll be grief, to the law a relief / But it’s death for Bonnie and Clyde.” In a poem attributed to Clyde, he wrote, “Bonnie’s just written a poem / The Story of Bonnie and Clyde. / So I will try my hand at poetry / with her riding by my side.” He ended the poem acknowledging that Bonnie was the better writer but, like her, he seemed resigned to their deadly fate.

Their “Death Car” Is on Display Outside Las Vegas

One of the reasons Bonnie and Clyde were able to elude police for so long was that they were constantly on the run. With law enforcement pursuing them across the Midwest and Southwest — in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas — the couple resorted to setting up camp in rural areas and sleeping in cars they had stolen. Once there was enough evidence to pursue federal interstate auto theft charges, the FBI became involved in the chase, and it was only a matter of time before the infamous duo was caught. Today, the stolen car in which Bonnie and Clyde died is on display outside Las Vegas. Visitors to Primm Valley Casino Resorts can see the bullet-riddled 1934 V8 Ford sedan as well as the shirt Clyde was wearing when he was killed. The casino is believed to have paid $250,000 for the car in 1988.

The 1967 Film Was a Hit, But It’s More Myth Than Truth

Following Bonnie and Clyde’s highly publicized deaths on May 23, 1934, their funerals were held on different days and they were buried in different cemeteries, despite Bonnie’s wishes. Their story was told, and retold, by family members and strangers, but for the most part it was just another tragic tale relegated to the annals of true crime history. The 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde, starring Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, changed that forever, resurrecting Bonnie and Clyde’s legend for the counterculture generation of the 1960s. The film portrayed the couple as glamorous, reckless gangsters who would rather die than surrender. However, Bonnie and Clyde biographer Jeff Guinn said the silver screen portrayal was “less than 5% historically accurate,” glossing over the grim reality of two young lovers from impoverished backgrounds who felt they had nothing left to lose. Despite the inaccuracies, Bonnie and Clyde became a seminal film of the New Hollywood era, hailed by film critic Roger Ebert as “a milestone in the history of American movies.”

The Rosetta Stone Was Discovered by One of His Soldiers

The Rosetta Stone is one of the greatest discoveries in the history of archaeology, proving crucial to the translation of Egyptian hieroglyphs. Yet it was discovered not by a scientist or researcher, but by a soldier in Napoleon’s army, officer Pierre-François Xavier Bouchard. In 1799, Napoleon was a young general and rising military star attempting to conquer Egypt (and in so doing, disrupt British trade routes in the Middle East and threaten British possessions in India). Napoleon’s troops uncovered the Rosetta Stone while preparing for battle in Alexandria, and the general had the stone transported to Cairo for study. The Rosetta Stone remained there until 1801, when Napoleon’s forces in Egypt were defeated by the British and the artifact was transported to the British Museum in London, where it remains to this day.

The Civil Code He Created Is Still Used Today

As Napoleon’s hold over France grew, the leader began to introduce new ways of governing the people under his control. One method involved introducing a standardized set of laws known as the Napoleonic Code, which were enforced both in France and in every new territory the general conquered. The laws outlined in the code addressed nearly all aspects of life, from individual rights to property law to marriage and divorce. The Napoleonic Code was extremely influential, and several countries, including Belgium, Luxembourg, and Monaco, still use it in some form today.

The “Mona Lisa” Once Hung in His Bedroom

Shortly after declaring himself emperor of France, Napoleon pulled one of the biggest power moves in the history of art collecting: He had the “Mona Lisa” moved to his private bedchambers for his own personal viewing pleasure. Napoleon was enchanted by the enigmatic woman depicted in Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece (he referred to her as  “Madame Lisa” and the “Sphinx of the Occident”), and this new arrangement allowed him to contemplate her mysterious beauty for as long as he wanted. The “Mona Lisa” hung in Napoleon’s bedroom for four years, until it was transferred to the Grand Gallery of the Louvre Museum in 1804.

He Kidnapped Two Different Popes

Napoleon had a rocky relationship with the Vatican throughout his reign, and on two different occasions, tensions between the general and the papacy got so severe that Napoleon felt compelled to kidnap the pope. The first incident occurred in 1798, when Napoleon was still a young commander in the French army and had captured Pope Pius VI in order to help defend France against a Vatican-supported European coalition opposed to the French Revolution. Napoleon’s forces invaded Italy, and Pope Pius VI was taken by force to France, where he died a prisoner 18 months later. Napoleon returned to his pope-snatching ways in 1809, when he ordered French forces to kidnap Pius VI’s successor, Pope Pius VII, from his home in Rome and smuggle him out of the city. The kidnapping was the culmination of long-escalating political tensions, and the pope remained Napoleon’s prisoner until the emperor was forced to abdicate the throne in 1814.

He Went From Ruling Europe to Ruling an Island of Only 12,000 People

After his catastrophic failed invasion of Russia, Napoleon was forced to abdicate his throne as the self-proclaimed emperor of France. In 1814, he was exiled to the small island of Elba off the coast of Tuscany. Though Napoleon was granted control over the Principality of Elba, going from the leader of the sprawling French Empire to the leader of Elba was a significant demotion. In 1811, Napoleon’s empire had encompassed practically the whole European continent, while Elba was an 86-square-mile island with some 12,000 residents. In 1812, Napoleon had commanded an army of 600,000 men, while his military forces on Elba consisted of fewer than 1,000 soldiers and a navy with only one ship. Apparently, Napoleon wasn’t too concerned about this decrease in fighting power; just 300 days into his exile, he escaped from Elba with his reduced army to reclaim his throne in France.

He Was Exiled Two Different Times to Two Different Islands

The first time Napoleon surrendered, he was banished to Elba. When the emperor surrendered a second time, after escaping from Elba in 1815 and once again plunging Europe into war, his enemies decided that he had to be banished to an island that was much farther away. After being defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon was exiled to St. Helena, which was 1,200 miles from the nearest mainland, on the western coast of Africa. The total isolation of the island, along with his declining health, guaranteed that Napoleon would never return to Europe again, and he remained on St. Helena until his death in 1821.