On June 20, 1893, Lizzie Borden was acquitted of murdering her father and stepmother, ending one of the most sensational trials in American history. The year before, on August 4, 1892, her father Andrew Borden and stepmother Abby Borden were found hacked to death with a hatchet in their Fall River, Massachusetts home. Lizzie, their 32-year-old daughter, was the prime suspect — and her trial quickly became a national media event.

The evidence against her was largely circumstantial. Lizzie was home at the time of the murders, claimed to be in the barn during the killings, and was noted to be acting strangely afterward. A few days later, she allegedly burned a dress in the stove. Prosecutors believed it had blood on it, but they couldn’t prove it. No murder weapon was definitively linked to her, and there were no witnesses placing her at the scene during the attacks.

Her defense team successfully argued that the prosecution’s case lacked hard proof. They pointed out the lack of blood on Lizzie, the sloppy police work, and the heavy public bias. The all-male jury deliberated for just an hour and a half before returning a not guilty verdict. The courtroom erupted with cheers, but public opinion was far from unanimous — many still believed she got away with murder.

After the trial, Lizzie Borden lived the rest of her life in Fall River, though she remained a social outcast. The case became the stuff of legend, thanks in part to the eerie children’s rhyme: “Lizzie Borden took an axe…” Despite the acquittal, the mystery still lingers — and to this day, no one else has ever been charged with the murders.

On June 20, 1975, Jaws hit theaters — and Hollywood changed forever. Directed by a young Steven Spielberg, the film was based on Peter Benchley’s novel about a killer great white shark terrorizing a beach town. With a tight script, unforgettable music, and genuinely terrifying moments, Jaws turned a simple thriller into a full-blown cultural phenomenon.

The production itself had been a nightmare. The mechanical shark, nicknamed “Bruce,” constantly malfunctioned, forcing Spielberg to get creative — often keeping the shark off-screen and letting the tension build with music, shadows, and reactions. Ironically, that low-tech workaround made the movie even more suspenseful. And of course, John Williams’ two-note theme is still one of the most iconic scores in film history.

Jaws didn’t just scare people out of the water — it invented the summer blockbuster. It was the first film to be released on hundreds of screens simultaneously, backed by a massive national ad campaign. It shattered box office records, becoming the highest-grossing film ever at the time (until Star Wars took the crown in 1977). Lines wrapped around theaters, and the movie quickly became a pop culture touchstone.

So when Jaws dropped on June 20, 1975, it wasn’t just a big movie — it was a turning point in how movies were made, marketed, and released. And for generations of moviegoers, that ominous theme song still echoes as a reminder: don’t go in the water.

Tractor Tank🚜
In 1932, during the Constitutionalist Revolution in Brazil, a rebel named João Cândido and his fellow fighters constructed a homemade tank by modifying a tractor chassis with steel plates, a makeshift turret, and a machine gun. Nicknamed the "Trator de Guerra" (War Tractor), the improvised vehicle was used by São Paulo rebels in their fight against the federal army during a push for constitutional reform. Though clunky and slow, it actually saw combat — briefly holding off better-equipped forces. It’s a wild example of DIY warfare, where creativity and desperation met on the battlefield. 🚜💥🛡️

John Wilke Booth🦵
After John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865, he leapt from the presidential box to the stage below — a drop of about 12 feet. In the fall, Booth broke his left leg, but still managed to shout “Sic semper tyrannis!” (“Thus always to tyrants”) to the crowd before escaping out the back of the theater. Despite the injury, he fled on horseback, beginning a 12-day manhunt that ended with his death in a Virginia barn. His escape was as theatrical as the murder itself — a twisted performance from a once-celebrated actor turned assassin. 🎭🔫🐴

Ancient Toilet Paper🧻
In ancient Rome, instead of toilet paper, people used a sponge on a stick called a tersorium. Kept in public latrines, the sponge was shared, rinsed between uses in a bucket of saltwater or vinegar, and then left for the next person — a far cry from modern hygiene. Romans sat on communal stone benches with holes, chatting while doing their business, making public toilets a surprisingly social affair. While effective by ancient standards, the tersorium is a reminder that even the mighty Roman Empire had its… rough sides. 🧽🚽🏛️

Tesla’s Pigeon Love🕊️
In his later years, Nikola Tesla became deeply attached to a white pigeon that visited him regularly at his New York hotel room. He described the bird as a constant companion, claiming he loved her as a man loves a woman, and that she brought him purpose and comfort during his isolated final years. Tesla said he once saw a light shining from the pigeon’s eyes and believed she was dying, which he claimed he somehow felt in his soul. When the pigeon passed, Tesla was devastated, saying, “Something went out of my life that day.” It was one of the strangest, most tender chapters in the life of one of history’s most brilliant minds. 🕊️

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