Famous Historical Myths That Were Created for Political Purposes

History is full of myths that have shaped national identities, justified wars, and influenced public perception. Many of these stories were deliberately crafted or distorted for political purposes—turning leaders into legends, framing conflicts in black and white, or erasing inconvenient truths.

In this list, we’ll uncover some of the most famous historical myths that were created or manipulated to serve political agendas—changing how we view the past.

Related: 10 Sayings and Idioms That Are Often Misunderstood

10 Mussolini Made the Trains Run on Time

This myth is so widespread it even has its own entry on Snopes—where, of course, it is proven to be false.

Italian dictator Benito Mussolini convinced much of the world that fascism could be beneficial to a country by claiming that, despite his brutal policies, he turned the formerly dilapidated Italian rail system into the grandest in Europe. Colloquially, he is praised for “making the trains run on time.”

But like most dictators, Mussolini was lying. While the train system did improve, much of the repairs were done in the years before Mussolini and his men rose to power in 1922. Even more damningly, Italians of the time recall that the trains were not always on time, as claimed, but pretty much the same as always.^[1]

9 The Alamo Was Fought for Freedom

Almost every American (and anyone who’s seen Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure) remembers what happened at the Alamo in 1836.

It was at this site in San Antonio, Texas, that a group of American settlers defended the Alamo fortress against the Mexican Army. Though Texas was part of Mexico at the time, the Americans’ brave battle that lasted thirteen days and killed almost all of them inspired America. “Remember the Alamo!” became a rallying cry for Texan Independence from Mexico and is thought to have raised morale and support enough to actually lead the state to secession later that same year.

Sounds like the kind of inspiring story that could be included in a kid’s movie about a man trying to find his bicycle, right? Not quite. One overlooked factor of why the Texans were so eager to become American was that they could own slaves in the United States, but not Mexico. The number of slaves in Texas increased dramatically after the battle, from about 5,000 in 1836 to over 182,000 in 1860, and Texas became a crucial state for the Confederates.^[2]

8 Manifest Destiny

As American colonists spread west across the United States, killing Native Americans and destroying ecosystems, they justified it all by claiming this was “Manifest Destiny.”

Manifest Destiny refers to the belief that the settlers were destined to expand, and it was inevitable that they had governance over everywhere they went. It helped the settlers and the government justify the taking over these lands by putting the onus on God and the divine, which had ordained them to do this.

In reality, of course, it was much more complicated than this. Thousands were displaced or killed in the name of Manifest Destiny, though it’s more accurate to say they were killed in order for the settlers to build homes on their land. The myth of Manifest Destiny allowed Americans to see themselves as noble soldiers of God’s will, which, in turn, explained why they were right for these actions.^[3]

7 Trickle-Down Economics Benefits Everyone

Though the idea has been around for a long time, it was U.S. President Ronald Reagan who popularized trickle-down economics. This economic policy claims that policies benefiting the wealthy, such as tax cuts for the upper class, will stimulate the economy, allowing the money to “trickle down” to the middle and lower classes.

It sounds great but sadly doesn’t work that well. Rather than redistributing their money into businesses and companies, the wealthy tend to save and invest their money, which only increases income inequality. Tax cuts for the upper class under presidents like Reagan, Bush, and Trump have primarily benefited wealthy Americans (like the presidents themselves). Concentrated wealth means less business and a worse economy, but claiming the money will “trickle down” offers a great excuse for the rich to pay less taxes.^[4]

6 Rosa Parks Was Just Tired

Most children learn that African-American Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus, which was reserved for Black riders because she was tired. The real story runs much deeper—Parks wasn’t just a seamstress knackered from a long day. She was a longtime political activist, and her stand on that bus was part of a coordinated civil rights group strategy.

Parks’s actions helped spark the Civil Rights Movement in America, which in turn helped lead to equal rights for Black Americans. Black and white papers had different reasons for failing to include that Parks was a seasoned activist who even served as the secretary of the Alabama NAACP. Black papers portrayed her as an innocent everyday woman who was arrested for her peaceful protest, while white news sources were hesitant to admit that Black activists had truly created change.

On the tenth anniversary of her brave protest, Parks noted that “the only tired I was was tired of giving in.”^[5]

5 Spartans Never Surrendered

Ancient Spartans are remembered for their commitment to fighting through their battles, no matter how doomed they may seem. They’ve been lauded for their bravery and used as examples of fierce soldiers for literally centuries—perhaps undeservedly.

Though the Spartans were exceptional fighters and rarely surrendered, there were several instances of Spartan soldiers losing battles and retreating. But that doesn’t make a great story. The myth of the Spartans’ strength helped build fear in their time, and the rumors persevered throughout the end of their reign. Today, “Spartans never surrender!” is used as a way to encourage soldiers to fight hard and allows countries to justify militaristic ideals.^[6]

4 South Korea Started the Korean War

Just five years after the end of World War II, another war began in the East.

For three years, North Korea fought against South Korea and the United States. Communist North Korea claimed South Korea crossed the 38th Parallel, which divided the Korean peninsula. This allowed North Korean leader Kim Il Sung to claim that his country was only defending itself against the aggressor, giving the nation a sympathetic look.

History has taught us, however, not to believe everything North Korea says. Indeed, the country is famous for its misinformation, of which this myth is part. The international community, including the United Nations, recognizes North Korea as the invader and South Korea as the defender. Though this is common knowledge in most of the world, the mythical version is still taught and widely believed in North Korea.^[7]

3 Catherine the Great Died Having Sex with a Horse

When Empress Catherine II of Russia died in 1796, rumors quickly spread that she had perished in a pretty unique way—trying to have sex with a horse.

Obviously, this wasn’t true. Catherine was deeply disliked by many and was known as a promiscuous woman who had lovers besides her husband. Though there’s no consensus on who or where this myth started, pretty much all historians agree that political opponents of Catherine’s progressive policies probably made it up to discredit her.

Catherine was a powerful woman who staged a coup against her own husband, so naturally, many Russian aristocrats felt threatened and tried to ruin her reputation in the only way they knew how—zoophilia.^[8]

2 Napoleon Was Short

If you say someone has a “Napoleon Complex,” you’re probably insulting them, usually for being short. This comes from Napoleon Bonaparte, who is rumored to have been short but quite angry and violent. With this, he makes up for his stature with his actions and words.

However, the “Napoleon Complex” should really refer to any power-hungry man, not just short ones, because research shows that French politicians were actually of average height. In fact, at an estimated 5.5 feet (1.67 meters), Napoleon was actually a little taller than the average Frenchman. The idea that he was tiny is almost exclusively attributed to artist James Gillray, whose caricatural depictions were so popular that Napoleon himself said Gillray “did more than all the armies of Europe to bring me down.”

His nickname among the French, “The Little Corporal,” didn’t help the general’s reputation. This was actually not a comment on his height but apparently intended as a term of affection, especially used by soldiers. Nevertheless, English and European morale soared thanks to the light humor, and the myth stuck.^[9]

1 Marie Antionette Said “Let Them Eat Cake”

Marie Antoinette, the former Queen of France, has been mocked for centuries. Upon being told that the French people were starving to death, she supposedly said, “Then let them eat cake,” proving her own stupidity and lack of awareness. It became a catalyst for the French Revolution, as peasants realized how little the upper classes cared about them.

But it’s probably not true. The phrase can be traced back to a book from 1765, 24 years before the French Revolution—when Antionette was nine years old and had never stepped foot in France. Even so, when Alphonse Karr attributed the quote to the queen in 1843, the French peasants easily believed it. This is probably because, even if Anionette never actually said, “Let them eat cake,” she was generally thought to be too extravagant, which exacerbated France’s financial issues.

Though most of the French citizens hated her, Marie Antoinette actually was quite aware of what the French people were going through. She frequently donated to charity and spoke in favor of economic prosperity, making this smear campaign even more unfortunate.^[10]