In 1692, Giles Corey lay dying under a pile of stones in Salem, Massachusetts, as the witch trials reached their most brutal moment. The 80-year-old farmer had been accused of witchcraft by several townspeople, including young Ann Putnam Jr., who claimed his specter tormented her. His wife Martha had been accused separately and was already awaiting execution. When Corey's case finally reached court in September, he made a fateful decision that would cost him his life.

Corey refused to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty when his case went before the grand jury. This wasn't just defiance - under English law, a person who refused to plead could not be tried, but it also meant his estate would not be forfeited to the government and could pass to his family. However, the court had a brutal remedy for those who stood mute: peine forte et dure, or pressing with heavy stones.

Sheriff George Corwin stripped Corey naked and laid him on the ground with a wooden board placed across his chest. Heavy stones were then piled on top, one by one, with officials demanding between each addition that he enter a plea. For two days, Corey endured the crushing weight while remaining silent. Legend claims his only words were "more weight," though this may not be historically accurate.

On September 19, 1692, Giles Corey died under the weight of the stones, becoming the only person in American history to be pressed to death. His wife Martha was hanged three days later on September 22. The gruesome nature of Corey's execution shocked Salem residents and helped turn public opinion against the witch trials. His sacrifice did preserve his estate for his family, though the sheriff later tried to extort money from them anyway.

In 1827, a duel between Dr. Thomas Maddox and Samuel Wells III took place on a sandbar in the Mississippi River near Natchez. The duel ended quickly with both men firing there weapons into the air. However, tensions between the two men's supporters erupted into a chaotic brawl that would make a frontier legend. Jim Bowie had come to support his friend Samuel Wells, not expecting to become one of history’s most infamous figures.

What started as a peaceful resolution quickly exploded into chaos when supporters from both sides began fighting with weapons. Norris Wright, a banker and political enemy of Bowie, shot him with a pistol and then attacked with a sword cane. Despite being wounded, Bowie managed to draw his famous hunting knife and defend himself.

Bowie killed Wright with his large hunting knife during the fight, demonstrating the weapon's deadly effectiveness in close combat. The knife had been crafted by blacksmith James Black and featured a distinctive curved blade that would become legendary throughout the American frontier. Wright had previously shot at Bowie during an earlier confrontation, making this a personal vendetta settled with violence.

The "Sandbar Fight" made Jim Bowie a celebrity and his knife design famous across America. Demand for "Bowie knives" exploded as the story spread through newspapers and word of mouth throughout the frontier. The incident showcased the nature of frontier justice and personal honor codes that dominated the era. Bowie's reputation as a dangerous fighter would follow him to Texas, where he would later die defending the Alamo.

Viking Burial🪦
Vikings buried their dead in ships filled with grave goods, including weapons, jewelry, and sometimes slaves. The living slaves were killed during the funeral ceremony to serve their masters in the afterlife - archaeologists have found ship burials with multiple human skeletons arranged around the main body.

Walking Moai Heads🗿
Easter Island (Rapa Nui) statues were moved using rope techniques that rocked them upright across the island. Recent experiments proved the 900 massive statues "walked" to their positions by teams rocking them side to side with ropes - the islanders' oral tradition saying the statues "walked" was literally accurate.

Land of Kush🏹
The Kingdom of Kush in ancient Sudan was known as the "Land of the Bow" for their superior archery skills. Kushite archers were so feared that Egypt recruited them as mercenaries, and their longbows could pierce armor at distances that made them nearly invincible on ancient battlefields.

Ancient Islamic Surgery👁️
Islamic physicians performed eye surgery, including cataract removal, with remarkable success rates. By 1000 AD, Muslim doctors were routinely performing cataract surgery with hollow needles, achieving success rates comparable to modern procedures - they even had specialized eye hospitals with recovery wards.

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