That 'fact' about Victorian women fainting was a total myth I learned at a museum

I was at a small history museum in Portland last month and read a display about Victorian corsets. Turns out the whole idea that women were constantly fainting because their laces were too tight was mostly made up by cartoonists and later writers. The exhibit said fainting was rare and usually from heat or illness, not some dramatic side effect. Has anyone else run into a popular book fact that turned out to be completely wrong?

3 comments

3 Comments

drew_grant521mo ago

Always check the original sources yourself. That museum display is a good reminder historians debunk stuff all the time.

lisa_brown1mo ago

Started digging into the whole "Christopher Columbus proved the earth was round" thing after I heard it was bunk. Found the actual 1490s textbooks that clearly show educated people knew the earth was a sphere for centuries before him. Really changed how I look at history lessons now. Your mileage may vary but reading the primary sources yourself is the only way to know for sure.

victor_butler501mo agoMost Upvoted

Gotta wonder how many other "well known facts" from school are just repeated jokes that got taken seriously. Like the whole medieval people thought the earth was flat thing, thats another one that didnt really happen.