American history is full of iconic figures, dramatic events, and deeply held beliefs. But many of the stories we think we know are rooted more in myth than fact. Over time, simplified narratives, pop culture, and national pride have blurred historical truth, creating widespread misconceptions. Some myths were born out of propaganda, while others emerged from misunderstandings or deliberate rewriting of history. From the actual causes of the Civil War to the invention of baseball and beyond. Let’s look back at twenty commonly believed myths about American history that we all believe.

1. George Washington Wasn’t Towering Over Everyone

Many people envision George Washington as an enormous figure, often reported to be 6′6″ tall. This myth likely grew due to his imposing presence and the reverence surrounding him. However, Washington himself stated in letters to his tailors that he was six feet tall and “proportionally made.” At the time of his death, doctors measured his body at approximately 6′3.5″, which added to the confusion. This simple exaggeration turned into legend, despite the clear documentation of his actual height by both himself and others during his lifetime.

2. Jefferson Didn’t Introduce Ice Cream To The U.S.

It’s a widely repeated myth that Thomas Jefferson brought ice cream to America from France. While Jefferson was indeed fond of the desert and served it frequently during his presidency, it had already been enjoyed in America long before his travels. Recipes for ice cream were printed in New York and Philadelphia as early as the 18th century, decades before Jefferson’s diplomatic mission to France. This myth persists likely due to his elite tastes and extensive documentation of his culinary interests.

3. Benjamin Franklin Never Proposed The Turkey As The National Bird

One popular tale claim that Benjamin Franklin championed the wild turkey as America’s national bird over the bald eagle—but this idea stems from a misinterpretation of his private correspondence, not an official proposal. While Franklin did write favorably about the turkey in a letter to his daughter, noting its respectable character and usefulness, he never formally proposed it as a national symbol. Franklin’s offhand opinion in a personal letter became inflated into a false national narrative over time, distorting the truth of how the U.S. national bird was selected.

4. The Story Of Molly Pitcher Isn’t About One Person

The story of Molly Pitcher manning a cannon at the Battle of Monmouth is commonly linked to Mary Ludwig Hays. However, historians now agree that “Molly Pitcher” is likely a composite of multiple women who assisted soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Many women, known as camp followers, were present on battlefields to provide water, food, and medical care. While the tale symbolizes the courage of women during wartime, treating it as a single historical event led by one person oversimplifies and distorts the facts.

5. Washington’s “Stone In The Wall” Story Is Pure Fiction

One enduring legend involves George Washington placing a heavy stone in a wall after a corporal refused, unaware that he was speaking to the commander-in-chief. The story is used to highlight Washington’s humility and leadership, but there’s no evidence it ever happened. In fact, this tale first appeared in a veteran’s pension application in 1832, where the general involved was Israel Putnam, not Washington. The story’s origin in an unverified personal account raises doubts, making it more folklore than history, despite its popularity in patriotic storytelling.

6. The U.S. Didn’t Declare Independence On July 4th

Most Americans believe the U.S. declared independence on July 4, 1776, but the actual decision occurred two days earlier, on July 2, when the Continental Congress voted in favor of the resolution for independence. Although Congress adopted the Declaration’s final text on July 4, John Adams maintained that July 2—the day the vote for independence passed—rightly deserves to be celebrated as Independence Day. However, the more memorable date—July 4—appeared on the final document, and that’s the one history embraced, creating a widely accepted but inaccurate belief.

7. Paul Revere Wasn’t The Only Midnight Rider

The popular story of Paul Revere galloping through the night shouting “The British are coming!” is a simplified and idealized take on what was actually a much more complicated event. While Revere did play a role in warning colonial militias before the battles of Lexington and Concord, he wasn’t alone. Paul Revere likely didn’t shout, “The British are coming,” since most colonists still saw themselves as British. This myth persists largely due to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1861 poem, which dramatically oversimplified the event to serve a patriotic narrative.

8. Columbus Didn’t Discover That The Earth Was Round

The idea that Christopher Columbus bravely set sail to prove the Earth was round is historically inaccurate. Long before Columbus sailed, educated Europeans had known for centuries that the Earth was round. Columbus’s voyage in 1492 was based not on disproving a flat Earth, but on his miscalculation of the Earth’s circumference. Columbus failed to accurately judge Asia’s distance and, upon reaching the Caribbean, falsely believed he had found the Indies. The myth of him challenging a flat Earth view was popularized much later, especially in 19th-century American literature and education.

9. The Emancipation Proclamation Didn’t End Slavery Nationwide

Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation is often celebrated as the document that ended slavery in the United States, but in reality, it only applied to Confederate states still in rebellion as of January 1, 1863. It did not free enslaved people in the Union’s border states or in areas already under Union control. Its main impact was symbolic and strategic—it reframed the Civil War as a fight against slavery, weakened the Confederacy. While the Emancipation Proclamation led to a major shift, it did not completely destroy slavery in America.

10. The Pilgrims Didn’t Land On Plymouth Rock

The story of the Pilgrims stepping onto Plymouth Rock in 1620 has become an iconic image in American history, but there is no historical evidence to support it. It wasn’t until 1741—121 years later—that Plymouth Rock was first mentioned in writing. That year, 94-year-old Thomas Faunce asserted it was the exact landing spot. By then, not even one Mayflower passenger was alive to confirm/dispute it. The story was embraced in the 18th and 19th centuries as part of the effort to create a foundational myth about American origins, but it’s more symbolic than factual.

11.  Prohibition Was A Failed Policy From Start To Finish

Most people believe Prohibition (1920–1933) was a complete disaster that only led to speakeasies, bootlegging, and organized crime. While it had major disadvantages, it was not completely useless. Alcohol consumption initially dropped significantly, and there were noticeable improvements in public health and workplace productivity early on. Many local governments and police forces, however, lacked the resources or will to enforce it, leading to corruption. The myth of total failure overlooks both its initial impact and the social reform motivations behind it.

12. Robert E. Lee Was A Noble General, And Grant Was A Butcher

Many people have been taught that General Robert E. Lee was a brilliant tactician who cared deeply for his men, while Ulysses S. Grant was reckless and indifferent, willing to sacrifice countless lives. In reality, this perception is not supported by the data. Lee’s army suffered substantially greater casualties compared to Grant’s forces. The myth that Grant was the “butcher” has its roots in post-war Southern nostalgia and not in statistical fact. Numbers show that Lee’s leadership came at an enormous human cost.

13. Lee’s Surrender at Appomattox Marked The End Of The Civil War

Many believe the Civil War concluded the moment General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant in April 1865. Although this event was a significant milestone, it did not formally bring the war to a close. Even then, the Confederate ship CSS Shenandoah continued attacking Union vessels across multiple oceans until late June. The ship finally surrendered in England in November 1865. President Andrew Johnson did not formally declare the end of the war until August 1866. So, while Appomattox was symbolically powerful, it wasn’t the final chapter.

14. The Founding Fathers Were United In Their Vision For America

It’s commonly believed that the Founding Fathers were a united group with a shared vision for the United States. In reality, they were deeply divided on critical issues such as federal power, economic policy, and the institution of slavery. Figures like Alexander Hamilton favored a strong centralized government and industrial economy, while Thomas Jefferson supported agrarianism and state sovereignty. The Constitution itself was the result of countless compromises, reflecting the stark divisions among the founders.

15. The American Revolution Was A Fight Against Tyranny Alone

The simplified version of the American Revolution presents it as a noble battle of freedom-loving colonists rebelling against British tyranny. While resistance to taxation and lack of representation were real grievances, the causes were broader and more complex. Economic interests, including smuggling and land speculation, also played a major role. The idea that every colonist was a patriotic freedom fighter doesn’t hold up to historical scrutiny. In truth, America’s revolution was partly a civil war with divided loyalties.

16. Thanksgiving Was Always About Unity And Gratitude

Most Americans grow up believing Thanksgiving has always been a peaceful celebration of cooperation between Pilgrims and Native Americans. The 1621 feast in Plymouth did take place, but the full story behind it is much more complex. The Wampanoag people had suffered heavy losses from European-borne diseases before the Pilgrims arrived. The 1621 meal was likely a political meeting rather than a religious celebration. The romanticized story was largely shaped in the 19th century and doesn’t reflect the grim realities faced by Indigenous communities.

17. Pilgrims Wore Black And White Clothes With Buckles

The familiar image of Pilgrims in plain black-and-white clothes with big buckles on their hats and shoes is largely a myth invented centuries later. In reality, 17th-century English settlers wore a variety of colors including reds, greens, and browns, which were common and practical for the time. Here’s an overview of how buckles went from medieval fasteners to a wealthy fashion trend by the late 17th century.  These stylized depictions shaped the way generations of Americans imagined the first Thanksgiving and early colonial life, though they were historically inaccurate.

18. Betsy Ross Didn’t Design The First American Flag

The tale of Betsy Ross sewing the first American flag with 13 stars in a circle is iconic—but there’s no solid historical evidence backing it. The story didn’t even emerge until nearly 100 years after the Revolution, when her grandson publicly claimed it in 1870. No documents from the Revolutionary era mention her in connection with the flag’s creation. The Continental Congress did pass a flag resolution in 1777, but it never credited Ross or specified a designer. The legend likely persisted because it offered a symbolic female figure during the patriotic fervor of the 19th century.

19. The Revolutionary War Had Strong, Unified Colonial Support

Contrary to popular belief, not all colonists supported the American Revolution. In fact, historians estimate that only about one-third of the population supported independence, while another third remained loyal to Britain, and the remaining third were largely indifferent or neutral. Loyalists had to go through persecution, which included social ostracism, seizure of properties, and even forced exile. The war was as much a civil conflict as it was a rebellion against Britain. The notion of a unified patriotic front is a simplification that ignores the real complexities of colonial society.

20. The United States Was Always A Democracy

Many Americans believe that the U.S. has always been a fully functioning democracy since its founding. In truth, the early political system was far from inclusive. When the Constitution was ratified in 1788, voting rights in most states were limited to white male property owners. Women, African Americans, Native Americans, and non-landowning whites were excluded from the political process.  Even today, debates over voter suppression and access continue. The myth of a perfect, longstanding democracy overlooks the nation’s long and ongoing struggle toward greater political equality.