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TIL in July 1984 President Ronald Reagan called ice cream “a nutritious and wholesome food” and established National Ice Cream Month.

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p85xp TIL There is a crowd-sourcing project in collaboration between historians, social scientists and the African American Civil War Museum with goals to improve our knowledge of the African Americans who fought for freedom in the American Civil War. And you can help by transcribing images!
LBEr TIL In early 1943, an underground Jewish resistance was formed at Treblinka, a Nazi concentration camp. Some 700 Jews launched the uprising in August 1943. Only 200 managed to escape the camp and only 70 are known to have made it until the end of the war. Treblinka was closed after the uprising.
Bk6y TIL while on trial for treason the lawyer of Michel Ney, one of Napoleon’s marshals, argued that French courts could not try Ney because he was Prussian since his hometown had been annexed by Prussia. Ney ruined the defense by interrupting, “I am French and will remain French.” Ney was executed.
rRj60 TIL Switzerland has 7 simultaneous "presidents", each with equal power. Every year they rotate control of 7 federal depts & who acts as "head of state" (e.g. when dealing with other countries). They come from various parties — right now it's 2 conservatives, 2 liberals, 2 socialists, and a centrist
XEvMP TIL spectacled bears are the only bears native to South America. Also called Andean bears, they are one of four extant bear species that are habitually arboreal. Their diet is mainly herbivorous with 5-7% composed of meat. This bear species was the inspiration for the documentary Paddington Bear.