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TIL In 1674, Manhattan was traded from the Dutch to the English for Run Island, an island in Indonesia which is now nearly uninhabited.

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vdEr TIL that in 1955 after a crash involving a Jaguar and Mercedes that left 84 dead during the Le Mans race, Mercedes withdrew and offered Jaguar to do the same. Jaguar declined, and their driver that caused the crash went on to win the race.
wvN7 TIL that Titanic survivor, Katherine Gilnagh, who was 16 when the Titanic sank, didn’t realise the seriousness of the ship’s situation until she reached New York. She thought that disembarking in lifeboats and being picked up by another ship was all part of the journey.
QJAOX TIL Squanto was taken from his home village, transported to Europe, conscripted into slavery, escaped and made his way back to his homeland, only to find he was the last of his tribe.
Wk1dL TIL the reason coffee and tea were originally served on saucers was so you could pour the hot drink into the saucer, thus cooling it faster, and drink from it. This practice was used as a metaphor by G. Washington to T. Jefferson for why the US has a Senate.
JYeJm TIL The American Smarties candy received their namesake “Smarties” because the creator wanted to encourage people to pursue an education.