› added 2 months ago

11

TIL The Ottoman Empire forcibly kidnapped Christian boys from their families, converted them to Islam, and forced them to serve the Sultan

Read more digfir-published.macmillanusa.com

via reddit.com

6yjm TIL: In the 1500’s, the Iroquois tribes designed quite an elaborate political system. This included a bicameral (two-house) legislature, much like the British Parliament and modern U.S. Congress. Such a complex political arrangement was unknown in Europe at that time.
8GJ4 TIL that 80% of male prisoners in the US are black, and 1 in 3 African American males aged 20–29 is imprisoned, jailed, or on parole/probation.
0dJZy TIL Severe Vitamin D deficiency can cause seizures due to hypocalcemia (low calcium level in blood)
P1PpV TIL that the voice of Shaggy in “Scooby-Doo”, Casey Kasem, was vegan. He quit the role after being asked to voice Shaggy for a Burger King commercial in the 1990s. Not only did he refuse the commercial, but he negotiated for Shaggy to cut out meat before returning to voicing him again
RkYw TIL the Dalai Lama supports abortion in cases where the child will be retarded or if the birth will create serious problems for the parent.