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Greta Jaruševičiūtė

47 Funny Memes About The Past That Offer Real Lessons

If you grew up in a generation where you learned history through textbooks in school, you likely didn’t enjoy every single class, and that’s fine. Some days will be more of a drag than others. 

That’s not the case with memes. They will usually involve humor, making learning much more enjoyable. It’s likely why subreddits like History Memes have 1.2 million followers, all keeping the page alive with relatable content that also involves absorbing the same information you will find in school books. 

Here are some of the best ones from the page. As always, don’t forget to upvote your favorites!

#1 Swedish People Are Smart

© Photo: ChickenWingExtreme

#2 Different Motives, Same Ending

© Photo: Whole-Albatross-6155

#3 Imagine Growing Up And Wanting This For A Job

© Photo: FoxShade_777

Outside of memes, there are other ways to make learning history more interesting and enjoyable. Oakwood High School social science teacher Alex Brouhard suggests allowing students to be “investigators.” As he noted in an article for EdSurge, it’s a way to sustain interest. 

An example he gave was having students investigate what happened in the two years between 1915 and 1917, including the sinking of the Lusitania during World War I.

#4 Best Prisons In The World

© Photo: ForwardClimate603

#5 Violence Is Not The Answer

© Photo: mrnastymannn

#6 A Curious Detail

© Photo: moussekie

“My students not only learned the content but also developed critical thinking skills as they analyzed evidence, put together persuasive arguments, and respectfully debated their peers,” Brouhard wrote. 

Brouhard further explained his process, stating that once the students discovered the information he tasked them to find, he assigned points of view between the Allies and Germany, sparking an insightful debate. 

#7 Artist In Picture

© Photo: Curious-Research-559

#8 How Much History Can We Cram Into Half A Century?

© Photo: reapingsulls123

#9 Interpretatio Graeca

© Photo: TheBasedEmperor

Renowned historical figures are human beings, too. They have personal lives outside their accomplishments and the causes they fought for, something worth exploring as well. 

One notable piece of information is President Abraham Lincoln’s battles with depression, and there are lengthy articles written about it.

#10 Evolution Of The Alphabet

© Photo: CharlesOberonn

#11 Good Old Days

© Photo: ShadowQueen_Anjali

#12 Ancient Egyptian Bros Might Be On To Something

© Photo: evrydayNormal_guy

Focusing on individual stories is another strategy that Brouhard applies with his students. As he noted, crime shows, for example, appeal to people not just because of the suspense but also for the emotional connection. 

“These elements resonate with my sense of empathy, compelling me to form an emotional connection with the show,” he wrote.

#13 Age Is Just A Number!

© Photo: ankitfogla9

#14 Bodybuilders Back In The Day

© Photo: Lord_Krasina

#15 Specialization

© Photo: Used-Detective2661

Now, let’s flip the conversation. To all of you history buffs out there, which of these memes connected with you the most? Which were your least favorite? Share your insights in the comments section below!

#16 This Actually Is Sad

© Photo: selojii

#17 I've Never Realize How Young Some Us Founding Fathers Are

© Photo: Any_Temporary_1853

#18 It’s That Time Of The Year

© Photo: ChickenWingExtreme

#19 Nothing?

© Photo: RadiantEchoeszz

#20 It’s Certainly Crafty

© Photo: SaltyAngeleno

#21 Disappointing

© Photo: tahrah11

#22 Golden Age Of India

© Photo: SATANICWORSHIPER666

#23 Right Triangle Theorem

© Photo: CharlesOberonn

#24 Ah, A Classic Never Gets Old

© Photo: KaraTiele

#25 What Is Japan On About

© Photo: Im_yor_boi

#26 Most Sane Romanian Reaction:

© Photo: SNE_215

#27 Their Practices Involved Creating An International Network, Fund Transfer Systems, Letters Of Credit, Among Others To Create Of The First International Banking Systems

© Photo: Coffin_Builder

#28 A Short History Of Rome

© Photo: Steckie2

#29 Good Question

© Photo: LimeGrass619

#30 Perhaps His Quest Was Not In Vain At All

© Photo: rodan1993

#31 We Don’t Even Have One Primary Source For Irish Myths

© Photo: OkSuccess7431

#32 Historians Hate Him: See How One Director Reinvented Greece!

© Photo: LiterallyReading

#33 Europeans In The 1880’s And 1890’s

© Photo: jackt-up

#34 Times Fly So Fast

© Photo: Efficient-Orchid-594

#35 Guys Stop, You're Making It Worse

© Photo: chrisGPl

#36 The Benefits Of The Industrialisation Took A Long Time To Reach Everyone

© Photo: nickel1412

#37 Prank Goes Wrong

© Photo: Plastic-Stop9900

#38 What Pride Flag Is This

© Photo: ShimmeringOceanz

#39 Asian Parents Don't Mess Around

© Photo: 12jimmy9712

#40 And Everyone Lived Happily Ever After

© Photo: CatoWithArson

#41 Who Knew Raiding And Subjugating Your Neighbors For Decades Would Really Piss Them Off?

© Photo: MetallicaDash

#42 Well That Backfired

© Photo: LostEconomy6824

#43 Something Of A Trick Question

© Photo: SPECTREagent700

#44 Keep It Simple

© Photo: Tomafix

#45 It Was The Happiest Day Of His Life, Until It Wasn’t

© Photo: -et37-

#46 I Always Wonder How Neanderthals Perceived Homo Sapiens

© Photo: OkSuccess7431

#47 No, I Think Not

© Photo: Wolfish_Jew

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