During World War 1, Harry Houdini took 1 year off performing to help sell war bonds and teach american soldiers how to escape from German handcuffs.
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Ancient Romans at one time used human urine as an ingredient in their toothpaste.
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The Canadian province of New Brunswick (which was part of the UK at the time) had a bloodless war with the US state of Maine in 1839
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London's Pall Mall became the first street lit by gaslight in 1807!
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During the Black Plague, it was thought that bad smells were the cause of the plague. "Plague Doctors" therefore wore masks with long beak-like noses stuffed with flowers or smoke to hide the smells.
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In medieval Italy, if a man was caught kissing a woman in public, he had to marry her whether he liked it or not.
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A baboon called Jackie became a private in the South African army in World War I.
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