Whitewashing refers to the deliberate distortion, omission, or downplaying of certain facts or events — usually to make a historical narrative seem more favorable to a particular group, often those in power. In history, this typically involves minimizing the wrongdoings of Western nations or portraying marginalized groups as less significant than they actually were.

Now, here are 10 historical facts that were whitewashed:


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1. The True Story of Christopher Columbus

Whitewashed version: Columbus "discovered" America in 1492 and brought civilization to the New World.

The truth: Indigenous peoples were already thriving across the Americas for thousands of years. Columbus’s expeditions led to widespread enslavement, massacres, and disease that decimated native populations. He wasn’t even the first European to reach America — Leif Erikson, a Viking explorer, likely landed centuries earlier.



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2. The Egyptian Civilization’s True Identity

Whitewashed version: Ancient Egyptians are often depicted as light-skinned or even European-looking in films and art.

The truth: Egypt is part of North Africa, and many scholars agree ancient Egyptians were a diverse, African civilization. Many statues and paintings even show people with dark skin — but Western depictions often ignore this.



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3. The "Kind" Pilgrims and the First Thanksgiving

Whitewashed version: The Pilgrims and Native Americans peacefully feasted together, celebrating friendship and unity.

The truth: While there was a temporary peace, the Pilgrims later engaged in violent conflicts with Indigenous tribes, including the Pequot Massacre. Thanksgiving became a national holiday much later — in reality, the arrival of settlers led to mass displacement and slaughter of Native Americans.



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4. The Dark Side of Winston Churchill

Whitewashed version: Churchill is celebrated as a heroic leader who saved Britain from the Nazis.

The truth: He was indeed crucial in World War II, but Churchill also held racist views and was involved in policies that contributed to the Bengal Famine of 1943, where an estimated 3 million Indians died. He infamously remarked that it was their own fault for "breeding like rabbits."



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5. The Real Story of Pocahontas

Whitewashed version: Pocahontas and John Smith fell in love, bridging peace between Native Americans and settlers.

The truth: Pocahontas was around 11 years old when she met John Smith — there was no romantic relationship. She was kidnapped, forced to convert to Christianity, and married off to John Rolfe. Her real name was Matoaka, and her story is far from the Disney version.



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6. The American Founding Fathers and Slavery

Whitewashed version: The Founding Fathers were freedom-loving visionaries who created a country built on equality.

The truth: Many of them, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison, owned slaves. Jefferson famously wrote "all men are created equal" while enslaving over 600 people in his lifetime — including Sally Hemings, who historians say he sexually exploited.



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7. The "Lost Cause" of the Confederacy

Whitewashed version: The Southern states fought the Civil War to protect "states' rights."

The truth: The primary cause was slavery, as outlined in multiple secession documents. The "Lost Cause" narrative emerged after the war to downplay slavery and romanticize Confederate leaders like Robert E. Lee as noble figures — even though he fought to preserve human bondage.



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8. The Native American "Savage" Myth

Whitewashed version: Native Americans were violent, primitive, and needed to be "civilized" by European settlers.

The truth: Indigenous tribes had sophisticated civilizations with advanced agricultural practices, democratic systems, and rich cultural traditions. Many Native leaders sought peaceful coexistence, but settlers repeatedly broke treaties, leading to conflict.



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9. The Role of Black Soldiers in World War II

Whitewashed version: World War II was won by American and European (white) troops.

The truth: Over 1 million African Americans served in WWII — often in segregated units. The Tuskegee Airmen were elite Black pilots who completed 1,578 missions and were pivotal in the war effort, yet they were largely ignored in historical retellings until decades later.



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10. The Truth About the Dark Ages

Whitewashed version: After the fall of Rome, Europe entered a thousand years of darkness and stagnation.

The truth: The "Dark Ages" idea comes from Western historians ignoring the flourishing civilizations elsewhere — like the Islamic Golden Age (800–1400 CE), where scientific advancements, mathematics, medicine, and philosophy thrived. Meanwhile, Africa had powerful empires like Mali and Songhai, while China developed printing and gunpowder.



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History is often shaped by the victors — and the powerful decide which parts to keep and which to bury.


1 1

Our history is covered, many don't know this......
1 1

Truth be told
2 1

Joybank:
Truth be told

And not all truth are spoken...
1 1

Hmm
3 1

Ifeco:
Hmm

It's true, not all truth are spoken...
Especially important ones...
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