American History

Top Ten Misconceptions of American History

July fourth is Independence Day, and Americans are reminded of their country's rich history. But sometimes the facts get confused. What are the Top Ten misconceptions of American History?

10. Christopher Columbus was a great navigator who discovered America. His ships were called the Nina, the Topeka, and the Santa Fe.

9. The Declaration of Independence guarantees that, "...all men are endowed equally."

8. Benjamin Franklin invented kite-flying.

7. Abraham Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg address while traveling from Washington to Gettysburg on the back of an envelope.

6. On the night of April 14, 1865, Lincoln went to the theater and was shot in his seat.

5. Under the Constitution the citizens of the United States enjoy the right to keep bare arms.

4. President Samuel Adams ended Prohibition.

3. The Great Depression was ended by the invention of Prozac.

2. On December 7, 1941 the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor and brought the United States into the Vietnam war.

And the number 1 misconception about American history is:

1. Al Gore invented the Internet.