# People who have not heard of major historical events **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 21, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904 "2018-11-21T17:26:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2018, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/81 "2018-11-24T20:18:35Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > The most impressioning date from my childhood? January 28th 1986. I wonder how many people know that one instantly? I did without looking it up. The explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/82 "2018-11-25T12:24:22Z")
This past summer I met a guy who’d never seen **Pulp Fiction.**. Freaked me out. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/83 "2018-11-25T12:53:21Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > This past summer I met a guy who’d never seen **Pulp Fiction.**. Freaked me out. I must confess, I’ve only seen one or two clips from it. One was the injection scene, and the other had dancing. From what I saw I don’t think it’s my type of film, so I won’t be seeking it out. Sorry to freak you out!😃 ---
**Author:** ![MarvinKitFox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MarvinKitFox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarvinKitFox)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/84 "2018-11-25T12:56:39Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > A few years ago, on November 22nd, I asked a few of my co-workers (all very intelligent people) the significance of the date. A couple of them were in their late 30s, and didn’t have a clue, even after I added the year. One was just a year or two younger than me, and said it was familiar but couldn’t place the reason why. > > I was 11 years old on November 22nd (1963) and will never forget the tragedy that occured that day, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I didn’t really expect the younger guys to know, but the one nearest in age to me was a surprise. The OP referred to _major_ historical events. The assassination of JFK, despite being very public and very tragic, it was barely a ripple in history. You want a day that changed history, try 3 July 1988… This led directly to multiple acts of terror, including 9-11. Which, you have to admit, is a rather BIG historical event. Now, before you google it… Tell me what is so special about 3 july 1988. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/85 "2018-11-25T13:19:28Z")
> [@MarvinKitFox](#): > > You want a day that changed history, try 3 July 1988… > > This led directly to multiple acts of terror, including 9-11. Which, you have to admit, is a rather BIG historical event. Please elaborate on the link to 9-11. I am especially curious because 9-11 was, in some sense, a Sunni effort, whereas the Shia are the ones pissed about July 3, 1988. ---
**Author:** ![JB99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JB99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JB99)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/86 "2018-11-25T13:26:23Z")
When I was a senior in High School, my class read, “All Quiet on the Western Front.” The book made mention of the Kaiser. A girl in my class asked, “Is the Kaiser Hitler?” The teacher just looked at me and asked, “_JB99_?” So then I had to explain the difference between the Kaiser and Hitler. Yeah. I like to think the teacher knew the answer and was just giving me the chance to show off. The thought that he genuinely didn’t know makes me sad. ---
**Author:** ![Lubricious\_Integument](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@Lubricious\_Integument](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lubricious_Integument)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/87 "2018-11-26T00:54:26Z")
> [@JB99](#): > > When I was a senior in High School, my class read, “All Quiet on the Western Front.” The book made mention of the Kaiser. A girl in my class asked, “Is the Kaiser Hitler?” > > The teacher just looked at me and asked, “_JB99_?” > > So then I had to explain the difference between the Kaiser and Hitler. > > Yeah. > > I like to think the teacher knew the answer and was just giving me the chance to show off. The thought that he genuinely didn’t know makes me sad. Did everyone stand up and clap? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/88 "2018-11-26T01:13:01Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > I must confess, I’ve only seen one or two clips from it. One was the injection scene, and the other had dancing. From what I saw I don’t think it’s my type of film, so I won’t be seeking it out. Sorry to freak you out!😃 Noooooooo! ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/89 "2018-11-26T01:24:41Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > This past summer I met a guy who’d never seen **Pulp Fiction.**. Freaked me out. And I don’t think I’ve even seen **Baker’s** “one or two clips” from it! ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/90 "2018-11-26T01:51:49Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > This one is really sad and a bit frightening. > > I was a 20-something y.o. friend set up his TV and a movie was playing (can’t recall the name of the movie). In the movie there’s a scene where a dorky white guy get’s into a rap battle on stage with a black guy in a club full of black customers. The crowd is actually liking the white guy until he pulls up the hoodie on his white jacket and it’s pops up into a cone. The friend seemed lost for a while and finally says, “I know why they’re mad at him, he looks like a conehead, and they’re scared of coneheads!”. I looked at him and said you don’t know about the KKK and with a straight face he said no. I left shortly after. _SIGH_ I think that movie was Scary Movie 3. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/91 "2018-11-26T15:20:26Z")
> [@MarvinKitFox](#): > > The OP referred to _major_ historical events. > The assassination of JFK, despite being very public and very tragic, it was barely a ripple in history. > > You want a day that changed history, try 3 July 1988… > > This led directly to multiple acts of terror, including 9-11. Which, you have to admit, is a rather BIG historical event. > Now, before you google it… Tell me what is so special about 3 july 1988. I had to google that date. OK. terrible event. What acts of terror were caused/influenced by the July 3 event? Iran had nothing to do with 9/11/01. The US and Iran have been locked in a cold and occasionally hot war for 40 years. What makes July 3 special? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/92 "2018-11-27T00:55:13Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > This one is really sad and a bit frightening. > > I was a 20-something y.o. friend set up his TV and a movie was playing (can’t recall the name of the movie). In the movie there’s a scene where a dorky white guy get’s into a rap battle on stage with a black guy in a club full of black customers. The crowd is actually liking the white guy until he pulls up the hoodie on his white jacket and it’s pops up into a cone. The friend seemed lost for a while and finally says, “I know why they’re mad at him, he looks like a conehead, and they’re scared of coneheads!”. I looked at him and said you don’t know about the KKK and with a straight face he said no. I left shortly after. _SIGH_ I that happened in one of the **Scary Movie** sequels; Simon Rex played the clueless white guy. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/93 "2018-11-27T02:58:51Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > Even in the US (and no doubt a common feature of parochial education everywhere), the effects of a religion-only educational diet are stunning: > > “[Naftuli Moster was a senior in college when, to his embarrassment, he found out he was the only one in his class who didn’t know what a molecule was](https://www.timesofisrael.com/will-they-ever-learn-us-ultra-orthodox-still-failing-to-teach-math-and-science/).” > > and > > “[robust instruction in Talmudic discourse and Jewish religious law, but _not a word_ about history, geography, science, literature, art . . .](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/04/opinion/yeshivas-literacy-new-york.html)” (emphasis added) > > (Disclaimer: I use these ‘Jewish’ examples simply because, as a member of the tribe, I was aware of them. As I said, I have no doubt that instilling ignorance is pretty much common to all such absolute religious ‘education’.) When I lived in my old town, I patronized a small craft store whose owner said she sometimes had groups of homeschooled kids come to that store for “socialization.” The kids she encountered (mostly girls; boys probably socialized in other ways) almost always lacked more than basic reading and math skills, did not have an age-appropriate knowledge of current events, etc. They knew the Bible inside and out, and that was pretty much it. She’s a devout Christian herself and knew families who homeschooled, but had never met people like this until they came into her store. I’ve also heard that some of the boys who were raised in some Muslim madrassas (is that the right word?) are like that - they have memorized the Koran, and that’s ALL they learned in school. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/94 "2018-11-27T03:01:21Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > This past summer I met a guy who’d never seen **Pulp Fiction.**. Freaked me out. I saw it when it was in the theater, and wished I hadn’t. And I LIKE entertainment that’s disturbing, at times. I thought “Pink Flamingos” was hilarious, if that tells you anything. ---
**Author:** ![JB99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JB99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JB99)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/95 "2018-11-27T03:20:15Z")
> [@Lubricious\_Integument](#): > > Did everyone stand up and clap? I’m just lucky we were at the age where they stopped beating people up. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/96 "2018-11-27T04:05:00Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > This past summer I met a guy who’d never seen **Pulp Fiction.**. Freaked me out. I Know a few extremely conservative Christians who have never seen a lot of American pop culture. No Star Wars. No Star Trek. No Harry Potter(OK technically it’s British pop culture.). No Marvel Comics. No DC comics. No Simpsons. No South Park. No rock music. No rap music. Pretty much no music that isn’t explicitly Christian. No movies like Pulp Fiction that are violent or vulgar. It’s incredibly hard for me to relate to them considering how divorced they are from mainstream American culture. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/97 "2018-11-27T04:55:59Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > This one is really sad and a bit frightening. > > I was a 20-something y.o. friend set up his TV and a movie was playing (can’t recall the name of the movie). In the movie there’s a scene where a dorky white guy get’s into a rap battle on stage with a black guy in a club full of black customers. The crowd is actually liking the white guy until he pulls up the hoodie on his white jacket and it’s pops up into a cone. The friend seemed lost for a while and finally says, “I know why they’re mad at him, he looks like a conehead, and they’re scared of coneheads!”. I looked at him and said you don’t know about the KKK and with a straight face he said no. I left shortly after. _SIGH_ My old pastor, who is Caucasian, had previously preached at a church in an area of Pennsylvania that had a significant number of Sudanese refugees, and unfortunately also a sizable Klan presence. He said that in Sudan, Christians would often write their sins on a cross, which they would then burn - and yes, they were planning to burn it upright. :eek: He had to explain to them why that would not be a good idea, especially because they were black themselves, and in the end, they placed the cross on a bonfire. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/98 "2018-11-27T04:57:57Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > I Know a few extremely conservative Christians who have never seen a lot of American pop culture. No Star Wars. No Star Trek. No Harry Potter(OK technically it’s British pop culture.). No Marvel Comics. No DC comics. No Simpsons. No South Park. No rock music. No rap music. Pretty much no music that isn’t explicitly Christian. > No movies like Pulp Fiction that are violent or vulgar. It’s incredibly hard for me to relate to them considering how divorced they are from mainstream American culture. Some people, or families, are just plain old not interested in things like this, entirely separate from any religious beliefs, or cannot acquire them for other reasons. One thing teachers often have to quickly learn is to never assume anything about their students, and one of the most common assumptions is that everyone watches TV. That’s not the case. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/99 "2018-11-27T05:09:51Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > This past summer I met a guy who’d never seen **Pulp Fiction.**. Freaked me out. And I’ve met people who are clueless on Star Wars. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904/100 "2018-11-27T05:22:47Z")
Often it take s a visit to another country or even state to find out about history. I had no idea Hawaii was an established country who’s king traveled the world before the US took it over. Also the song “A loha Hoi” was written by the last queen when she was in prison. But then many Hawaiians had no idea where Kansas City was. When visiting Canada, well… let’s just say before that I “assumed” the Canadian 1800’s were like America’s and they also had a “wild west”. But no. Canada was quite “boring” then. They had no Wild Bill Hickocks or Dodge Cities and barely any major indian conflicts. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-have-not-heard-of-major-historical-events/824904.md?page=6)