10 Interesting Things You Didn’t Know About American History

Published May 9, 2014
Updated November 7, 2023
American History Party Logos

Source: WordPress

4. The Republican and Democratic Party symbols emerged less from political tact and more in jest and retribution. The Democratic Party’s donkey symbol was adopted in 1828, when, during an election, Andrew Jackson’s opponents called him a jackass. The Republican Party’s elephant symbol was adopted in 1874 after satirical cartoonist Thomas Nast drew an elephant, labeling it “the Republican vote.” 

American History Thomas Jefferson

Source: Wikipedia

5. Most know that the nation’s first ginger president was a francophile, but they don’t know just how much he embraced the life of leisure. Here’s how much: when president, Jefferson would greet White House guests in his robe and slippers.

And while Jefferson didn’t adopt the bisou, he did initiate the custom of shaking hands when meeting people – as opposed to bowing that had been favored by George Washington (who didn’t like physical contact).

author
Savannah Cox
author
Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.