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TIL President Jefferson, a slaveholder, refused to recognize Haiti after the Haitian Revolution and imposed a trade embargo on them to ensure their economic failure, for fear that a successful slave revolt in the West Indies would inspire slaves in the US

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ne7n9 TIL Submarine R-14, after losing all fuel and communications, reached Hawaii by building a sail out of blankets
eQmk TIL that sales of caps and gowns for kindergarten and elementary school graduations grow when the economy is bad due to a desire to celebrate good things during hard times
kO10g TIL Nestlé sued the writers of a booklet called “The Baby Killer”, about Nestlé’s aggressive marketing of baby formula in 3rd world countries, for libel. The court ruled in Nestlé’s favor since they wouldn’t have been found guilty of murder “in terms of criminal law" but fined the writers just $400.
RQQ1 TIL that the first gunpowder weapon was actually a melee spear with a one shot flamethrower attached called a fire lance used by the Chinese around year 1000.
bnZ TIL John Lennon was offered the role of Jesus in the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” but would only accept on the condition that Yoko played Mary Magdalene. The offer was then withdrawn.