How Twitter Explains Historical Events

Many people remember history class as an excuse to catch a quick nap in the back row of the room, lulled to sleep by monotone lectures about the economics and foreign policy of countries that may not even exist anymore. If that's your only experience with the subject, it's not hard to see why it sometimes seems a little dry, but as the #MemeHistory trend on Twitter so hilariously reminded us earlier this week, history is anything but boring. After all, people have been people since the dawn of time — for every saintly Mother Teresa and taciturn George Washington, there are dozens of other historical figures that love drama just as much as the rest of us. (Exhibits A through Z: Oscar Wilde.)

The hashtag began trending on Thursday after Twitter user @TylerIAm came across a history teacher's witty meme use during a lecture on Adolf Hitler and wondered what "meme-splaining" history would look like. (Spoiler alert: The answer is "amazing.") Not long afterward, #MemeHistory was all over Twitter as users paired historical events with appropriate images and GIFs. Topics include, but are certainly not limited to, Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal, the Irish potato famine, Salem witch hunt witnesses, and a whole bunch of speculation about Judas and Jesus' awkward relationship post-betrayal. It's almost enough to make you miss history class — but if we're being honest, the Twitter version is infinitely more hilarious. Let's take a look at some of the best tweets below.

1. Judas Joke #1

2. The Awkwardness Persists Decades Later

3. Not Much Of An Exaggeration

4. Judas Joke #2

5. Nothing Stopped Genghis Khan

6. An Uncomfortable Realization

7. Yup.

8. Herbert Hoover's No Good, Very Bad Day

9. Why, Neville Chamberlain? Why?

10. Beyonce Is Always Appropriate

11. Ouch

12. So True We're Just Gonna Stop Here

Image: Pexels