On August 11, 1806, Meriwether Lewis was hunting elk along the Missouri River when he was accidentally shot by one of his own men. Lewis and William Clark were leading the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition back home after successfully reaching the Pacific Ocean. They had split up to explore more territory on their return journey, and Lewis was traveling with a small group of men down the Missouri River.

That morning, Lewis spotted a herd of elk in thick willows along the riverbank and decided to hunt them for food. He went ashore with Private Pierre Cruzatte, a French-Omaha man who was blind in one eye and nearsighted in the other. As Lewis was about to fire his rifle at an elk, he suddenly felt a bullet strike him in the buttocks and tear a three-inch gash in his hip.

"Damn you, you have shot me!" Lewis yelled, immediately thinking that Cruzatte had mistaken him for an elk. When Cruzatte didn't respond, Lewis feared Indians might have attacked them. He rushed back to the boats and rallied his men to search for Cruzatte. Twenty minutes later, they found Cruzatte safe, but he denied shooting Lewis and claimed he hadn't heard his shouts.

The evidence was clear though - Lewis had the .54 caliber bullet, which matched exactly the type of rifle Cruzatte carried. The near-sighted Cruzatte had likely mistaken the leather-clad Lewis for an elk. While the wound wasn't life-threatening, Lewis had to spend several days lying face-down in the bottom of a canoe as they continued downriver. The next day, they reunited with Clark's group, and by the time they reached St. Louis on September 23, Lewis had healed. This hunting accident was one of the few serious injuries during the entire two-year expedition that opened up the American West.

On August 11, 1934, 137 federal prisoners stepped off an armored railroad car onto Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, becoming the first inmates of what would become America's most famous prison. These weren't ordinary criminals - they were the most dangerous and escape-prone prisoners in the federal system, transferred from the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, to this new "escape-proof" facility.

Alcatraz had been a military prison since 1859, but the Federal Bureau of Prisons had spent months converting it into a maximum-security civilian penitentiary. The timing wasn't coincidental - America was in the middle of the crime wave of the 1920s and 1930s, with notorious gangsters like Al Capone and "Machine Gun" Kelly making headlines. The government needed a prison that could hold the worst of the worst with no hope of escape.

The island location was perfect for this purpose. Surrounded by the freezing waters and dangerous currents of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz was more than a mile from the mainland. The prison was modernized with steel cell fronts, improved security, and strict rules. Inmates lived in tiny 9-by-5-foot cells and followed a rigid daily schedule. Silence was enforced during meals, and privileges were minimal.

Within weeks of opening, more famous prisoners arrived, including Al Capone himself, who was transferred from Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. Over its 29-year operation, Alcatraz would house more than 1,500 prisoners, including some of America's most notorious criminals. The prison earned its reputation as "The Rock" - a place where escape was impossible. Although several prisoners tried to escape over the years, none were confirmed to have succeeded. Alcatraz closed in 1963 due to high operating costs, but its legend as America's toughest prison lives on today as a popular tourist destination.

Setting The Record📕
The word "set" has the most different meanings in the English language. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, "set" has over 430 distinct definitions, making it the most versatile word in English - you can set a table, set a record, or watch a sunset. This linguistic champion demonstrates English's remarkable flexibility and complexity.

Everest’s Growth Spurt📈
Mount Everest grows about 4 millimeters taller each year due to tectonic plate movement. The collision between Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates continues to push the Himalayas upward, making Everest slightly taller annually - though erosion and earthquakes can also affect its height. This means the world's tallest peak is still getting taller.

Basketball’s Origins🏀
Basketball was invented using peach baskets, and players had to climb a ladder to retrieve the ball after each score. Dr. James Naismith nailed peach baskets to an elevated track in 1891, and since the baskets had closed bottoms, someone had to physically climb up and get the ball every time a team scored.

Crocodile Tongue🐊
A crocodile can't stick its tongue out due to how it's attached to their mouth. Unlike most animals, a crocodile's tongue is attached to the bottom of its mouth by a membrane, making it impossible to extend their tongues outside their mouths. This anatomical feature helps prevent water from entering their throats while submerged.

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