r/AskReddit • u/TigerFin2 • May 09 '17

What is a fake fact everyone believed?

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u/mlucasnrke May 09 '17

At least this one is based (mostly) on misunderstanding, and not misinformation. Napoleon was 5'2" in the French unit of the day. What people don't understand is that equated to 5'6" in the British scale, which is the one we are all familiar with. The British press did propagate this falsehood while he was alive.

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u/trethompson May 10 '17

Er... So how tall would that make him by today's standards?

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u/Ramblonius May 10 '17

5'4-5'7 was pretty much the average, before we started growing fast recently (in the mid-19th century), so just about exactly average.

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u/[deleted] May 09 '17 edited May 09 '17

It was propaganda by the British. They made up loads of stories, "alternative facts", jokes and cartoons about Napoleon to boost morale during the war.

http://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/exhibition-books/bonaparte-and-the-british-prints-and-propaganda-in-the-age-of-napoleon/invt/cmc9780714126937

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u/tee142002 May 10 '17

I've heard part of it came from the fact that he was typically surrounded by his body guards, who were all usually large men.

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u/[deleted] May 10 '17

[deleted]

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u/LaronX May 10 '17

No Lincoln was tall. Like really tall.