Healthcare peace

If you suddenly need to go to the doctor or hospitalize yourself in Canada, it will cost you absolutely nothing. You can simply walk into the doctor’s office or emergency room with a government-issued card instead of fearing a huge bill.

Americans envy us because one injury or illness in the States can rack up thousands of dollars of medical expenses that could cost you your whole life savings.

October Thanksgiving

Canadian Thanksgiving occurs in October, so we get to celebrate the autumn harvest when the weather is still nice and warm. Additionally, it helps space out fall festivities just right, preventing families from becoming bogged down with holiday traffic and consecutive travel days.

Americans are jealous of this logical calendar because their Thanksgiving in late November starts a mad rush of holidays that leave them completely drained before winter has officially started.

Boxing Day

Canadians don’t have to wake up at 4:00 AM on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, to deal with insane crowds. We have our very own nationally recognized statutory holiday, the day after Christmas.

Boxing Day (December 26) grants every Canadian a guaranteed day off to recover from the craziness, binge on leftovers, catch some World Junior Hockey Championship games and window shop Christmas sales at their leisure without using up vacation time.

Long weekends

Whenever a Canadian statutory holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the next Monday automatically becomes a paid holiday.

If a holiday falls on a weekend in the U.S., it’s at the employer’s discretion whether they want to observe the holiday on Friday or Monday. So Canadians will never have a major holiday go unused because of how it lands on the calendar.

May Two-Four

Canada officially welcomes summer over the Victoria Day long weekend in mid-May. Known fondly as the “May Two-Four” weekend (a delicious play on words on both Queen Victoria’s birthday of May 24 and a regular 24-pack of beer), it is celebrated across the country.

North of the border, Canadians hit the cottage a week or two before Americans fire up their grill for Memorial Day weekend. Campgrounds open up, grills get fired and there’s fireworks galore.

Superior snacks

No snack aisle is more mythical than Canada’s because of its fearless flavor combos like all-dressed chips and ketchup chips you can’t get in the US. Sour, smoked, and perfectly salted, these snacks triumph over regular varieties, garnering cult followings.

Americans are jealous of our snacks. They will pay outrageous shipping costs to order bags online, because American companies won’t sell us these amazing flavours. It makes popcorn and movie nights way better.

Maple candy

Dumping steaming, fresh maple syrup over pristine, winter snow to form edible, chewy candy rolls of delight is a tradition we all grew up with. This fun, outdoor activity transforms a simple harvest into a holiday celebration in neighborhoods and backyard sugar shacks everywhere.

Americans don’t have this Canadian tradition that offers such an innocent, hands-on, and tasty connection to nature.

Light pockets

Eliminating the heavy copper penny years ago made everyday grocery shopping easier and helped empty cash registers. Swapping them out for durable, easily distinguishable dollar coins allows physical currency to be counted, sorted, and handled fast.

Some Americans envy this commonsense solution, as their government continues to spend millions unnecessarily printing useless pennies, while keeping American pockets endlessly full of bulky, worthless change.

Quiet places

Canada doesn’t have that loud, overly aggressive customer service grating on your nerves everywhere you go, nor do they guilt you with meaningless small talk while you shop.

Canadians interact with each other in stores and public places with a calm, quiet civility that respects your space but is still polite. If you’re an introverted American, you will definitely envy this practice.

Ice rinks

Come winter, parks and vacant lots around town magically transform into gleaming public patches of homemade ice. Community volunteers maintain these outdoor rinks where anyone can gather to play hockey or skate at night under the moon and stars.

It’s something winter-loving Americans envy because U.S. cities seldom provide open-to-the-public, free, well-maintained outdoor ice, so parents are forced to pay exorbitant fees.

Safe streets

Walking around downtown areas, suburban streets, or even parks after dark is one of the safest and most tranquil experiences you can have. Crime rates in Canada are low enough that citizens can enjoy their cities at any time of day or night without fear of constantly looking over their shoulders.

Americans everywhere envy that kind of safety because where they live, walking alone at night means walking on high alert, taking certain routes and living in fear.

Banking safety

Fear of seeing your hometown bank collapse or losing your savings altogether evaporates up north. Canadian banks are extremely regulated and are held to high standards, so banks remain stable and secure even when the economy isn’t doing great.

Americans who have to worry about regional banks collapsing or unexpected fees creeping into their monthly statements envy how safely financially secure Canadians can be.

Calling unannounced

To drop by someone’s home or call them on the phone without notice was once thought of as a nice, spontaneous gesture of friendship and neighborliness. Now, with texting so convenient to see if someone is available, a phone call or knock at the door is considered a hostile interruption into someone’s privacy that demands they drop everything they are doing.

Serving elders

Allowing the oldest person at the table to get their food first was considered one of the cardinal rules of family dining. It was intended as a sign of great respect for their age.

Pointing out that someone is old in this way nowadays tends to embarrass them. They often don’t want to feel weak or spotlighted. They’d rather just flow along with the party atmosphere.

Clearing plates

Eating everything on your plate used to be the highest form of respect you could pay a host, showing both your appreciation for the meal and your refusal to waste food.

Cleaning your plate these days can unwittingly suggest that your host didn’t give you enough food to fill you up. It can also put undue pressure on today’s eaters to ignore their feelings of fullness.

Commenting on weight

Telling someone they has put on some healthy weight was once considered a kind way of saying you noticed they looked prosperous, recovered, or well. We now know that body image is complex and individual, so calling attention to any person’s size, regardless of whether they have gained or lost weight, is triggering and crosses a boundary.

Ordering for women

Men ordering for their female dining companions used to be considered polite, gentlemanly behavior that implied he was looking after her and taking charge.

Now, bypassing a woman’s voice at the table is extremely condescending and patriarchal, taking away her most elementary freedom: to order what she wants to eat.

Insisting on seconds

Insisting that someone take a second and third helping of food used to show hospitality and how well you could feed guests. Today, most people offer guests food or drink once and then step away.

This is because pushing more food on someone can embarrass them if they’re dealing with food allergies, specialized diets for medical reasons, or private discomforts.

Unsolicited advice

Previous generations were never afraid to give unsolicited advice to younger generations on how to live their lives, raise kids, or give advice on their careers. They thought of it as helpful and taking care of their community.

Nowadays, giving unwanted opinions is considered intrusive and arrogant. You’re telling them you don’t have faith in their decisions.

Showing up early

Showing up 15 or 20 minutes early to a dinner party or informal meeting used to show enthusiasm, reliability, and extreme respect for the host’s time.

Arriving early now is rude because it throws your host completely off-track by taking away their last few minutes of preparation and forcing them to make idle conversation with you while they work.

Indoor smoking

Offering a guest a cigarette and lighting it for them inside a home, car, or office was once a staple of mid-century hospitality and shared relaxation.

With recent medical studies revealing just how atrocious secondhand smoke can be to your health, lighting a cigarette anywhere near any sort of enclosed area shared by others is now considered a reckless health violation.

Standing for women

Men snapping to attention every time a woman walked into a room or stood up from the dinner table was once considered a universal sign of upper-class sophistication and old-fashioned gentlemanly manners.

Now it just seems outdated and stuffy. It creates an awkward picture that interrupts the casual atmosphere of the room and unnecessarily highlights the woman.

Opening all mail

In the early decades of the 20th century, it was considered organized and protective for the head of household to open all mail that came for his family.

Now, mail is strongly associated with individual privacy, legal protection, and online identity safety. Opening someone else’s mail, if that adult has not given their permission, is a severe violation of boundaries.

Excessive formality

Addressing others as “Sir,” “Ma’am,” or by last name exclusively was acceptable and conveyed respect in casual workplace interactions decades ago.

Today, most office environments emphasize being casual and non-hierarchical, so too much formality can seem aloof, unfeeling, or passive-aggressive.

Hiding illness

Showing up to family functions, office workdays, or social events while feeling horrendously ill was once considered a heroic feat, showing your dedication, tenacity, and strong work ethic.

In the post-pandemic world, knowingly subjecting others to your slew of germs is completely frowned upon and considered very selfish, irresponsible, and completely ignorant of public health.

Massive shades

You can’t go incognito with this “movie star avoiding the paparazzi” look. Women may wear oversized sunglasses to shield themselves from the sun or disguise dark circles, but guys will notice immediately if the lenses cover half of your face.

They’ll probably stare at them, wondering if you’re making a fashion statement or simply not wanting to make eye contact with anyone.

High jeans

Whether you are going for an old school 90s vibe or ultra-wide-leg mom jeans, pants that extend past your belly button alter your figure. Guys pick up on this style quickly because it directs the eye immediately to your waist. They may not know the difference between high-rise vs low-rise jeans, but they will know that those jeans aren’t your average jeans.

False lashes

Whether strips or high-end extensions, long lashes transform your eyes. Men can tell immediately when eyelashes look artificially thick, heavy, or flawlessly curled. They may even see a corner beginning to peel up, but won’t mention it because they know it takes work to do eye makeup.

Big outerwear

If you wear a sweater or hoodie three sizes too large, your body shape disappears into the fabric. Guys totally notice you drowning in knit, but they don’t say anything because they know staying warm and comfy is your number one goal.

Clunky shoes

Men notice clunky shoes immediately. These large, bulky sneaker platforms make standard ankles look skinny by comparison. The first thing guys think of when they see those clunky sneakers is their own dads’ worn-out lawn mower shoes. You cannot slip one of these on and quietly fade into the background.

Loud nails

Some people believe that guys don’t notice hands until you break a nail. But they do see long acrylics, neon colors, and sparkling gems. They see your intricate nail art and wonder how you do normal things. They may not say anything, but they are silently questioning how you even text or open jars.

Mixed styles

Dressy stilettos with uber casual clothing, such as sweats or baggy pants, will always turn heads. Guys recognize the contrast immediately because heels are typically worn for dressy occasions. Mismatching heels with lounge clothes (or sneakers with a formal dress) confuses the mind because you’re now presenting a puzzle.

Heavy makeup

Women can contour and blend their faces perfectly in low-light settings indoors. When they step outside into bright sunlight, all of those lines of brown powder and shimmer highlighter are very visible. Guys can see every layer of makeup and how it sits on your face, even if they say it’s just natural radiance.

Thick bands

Chunky, fluffy headbands or those with extra-large pearls and jewels add a huge amount of attention on top of your head. This item gives off a very specific, old-school schoolgirl look that overpowers your entire look. Men notice how much height it adds to your hair instantly and they tend to view it more as a crown rather than a hair accessory.

Backless dress

As soon as a woman wearing a backless dress enters the room, heads will turn. Guys recognize this look right away as something you don’t see every day. It’s daring and revealing while leaving the front of the dress modest. Guys tend to see it as very classy and bold.

Gym sets

Matching outfits, yoga pants, and workout bras to run to the grocery store or grab some food is one of the biggest trends nowadays. Men notice the tight workout gear the second they lay their eyes on you. They know you aren’t going to the gym, but they love the trend regardless.

Peekaboo layers

When you purposefully let your lace bra strap fall off your shoulder or wear a dark colored bra with a see-through shirt, it’s meant to be seen. Guys see that look as soon as you enter the room, but they’ll look away or look you right in the eye to be gentlemanly about it.

Bright lips

Slapping on a bright red or dark berry lipstick transforms your face. Guys see a woman with a bolder lip color before noticing any other makeup. It’s not simply because it’s brighter, but also because they may be mentally monitoring where your lipstick goes to ensure it doesn’t get rubbed on their clothes later.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.

Chronic correcting

Constant correctors of everyone’s grammar, facts, pronunciation, etc., can seem pedantic and pretentious. But there are intelligent minds out there that crave order.

For them, failing to correct someone isn’t rude. It’s permitting misinformation to stand, corrupting their logical minds.

Spacing out

Blank staring or seeming to lose your train of thought comes across as rude. The fact is, smart people’s brains are processing so much information.

One simple statement can pull a chain reaction of associated ideas, and they inadvertently zone out to work through a convoluted concept.

Intense bluntness

Being honest and blunt can sometimes cause emotional pain. Highly intelligent people value efficiency and honesty over politeness.

They believe bluntness is respectful of others’ time and that everyone would rather hear the truth than pleasantries.

Excessive fidgeting

Foot tapping, pen clicking, or pacing around during an important meeting may signal boredom or disrespect. Studies have often associated high intelligence with a need for stimulation.

Fidgeting allows a physical outlet for their hyper mind to concentrate on what needs to get done.

Interrupting others

Interrupting someone is a well-known social mistake. Quick thinkers, however, process information quickly.

They hear where your sentence is going before you’ve finished and simply can’t help but interject. They don’t do it to be rude; they do it because they’re impatient/hungry to move your ideas along.

Unspoken rules

All societies have social norms (like empty small talk or rigid office hierarchies). Super intelligent people are born questioners and analytical minds.

When they encounter a social rule that makes no sense or is inefficient, they ignore it. It seems like defiance, but it’s pure logic.

Ghosting

Cancellation of plans last minute or taking days to respond to a text message can make you seem unreliable. However, deep thinkers need huge amounts of alone time to recharge their mental batteries.

They often underestimate how much social stamina they have and isolate themselves to stay sane.

Being messy

Messy desks covered with papers or cluttered living rooms are considered by many people to be evidence of sloppiness.

Research, however, has indicated that clutter can help fuel creativity and better problem-solving. If your space is messy, it could be a sign that your brain is completely engaged with ideas internally.

Eye contact

Avoiding eye contact by looking away, looking at the clock, or at the floor while someone else is talking causes that person to appear distracted. In fact, staring intently at someone requires significant cognitive effort.

Highly engaged thinkers will often look away while listening because they need to clear their visual channel to better process complicated spoken information.

Monopolizing

Dominating conversation and redirecting it to obscure, technical topics can be ostracizing to others.

When a knowledgeable person discovers a topic they know well, pure excitement can trump social self-consciousness. They’re not trying to show off; they just really want a high-level intellectual exchange.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.

Perfectionist

When a woman demands perfection, nothing a man does will ever be enough. Men will feel attacked, deficient, and drained trying to please someone who takes petty offense to everything from their habits, job, and daily mistakes.

Constant criticism will wear away at their confidence, as there is no way they will ever be able to please them enough.

Dependent

If a woman depends on her man for everything (her happiness, fun, social life, financial well-being, etc.), then she is placing way too much pressure on him.

When a woman doesn’t have her own interests, friends, or a life of her own, most men will eventually burn out from this and turn off.

Cryptic

Avoiding talking and asking their partner to read their mind makes normal daily life into a stressful game of psychological land mines and unexpected freezes.

If it means every time a woman says “I’m fine,” they are really not, men are going to be hesitant, constantly trying to guess her mood.

Narcissist

A relationship built only on a woman’s needs, social media validation, and fake drama will make a man feel invisible, worthless, and emotionally drained.

There is no room in their relationship to accommodate his dreams, weaknesses, or well-being because it has to be all about her schedule, her emotions, and her comfort.

Scorekeeper

Dragging up past failures and mistakes and tallying scorecards makes sure that arguments never get settled. The relationship is doomed to stay stuck in a misery of grudges forever.

Instead of working on the problem at hand, every little mistake is justification to revisit fights from months or years past. This makes moving forward with forgiveness impossible.

Materialist

Putting status, materialistic lifestyles, lavish gifts, and monetary demands above having a sincere relationship will make her partner feel worthy only of what he makes.

When she makes how much she loves someone completely dependent on balances in bank accounts, fancy dinners, and extravagant vacations, it becomes less of a relationship and more of a business transaction.

Testing

Playing the endless game of manufacturing tests of emotional loyalty, starting little arguments, or working to intentionally create jealousy to prove he loves her creates a relationship filled with constant anxiety and no trust.

Men know that no matter how much reassurance they provide her, she will simply move the goal posts elsewhere.

Controller

Dictating when he should see his friends, asking who he texts, demanding he spend all his time with her, and scrutinizing his friendships smother a man’s sense of freedom.

Controlling everything a partner does causes a relationship to be poisonous. She destroys the trust that is necessary for a relationship to thrive.

Project

Dating somebody for potential means never-ending attempts at trying to fix him, mold him, or change him. It’s a relationship destined for vile amounts of resentment from both parties.

Nobody likes to feel like a project or work in progress; guys want to be loved for who they are now, not managed by some woman building them into their dream partner.

Victim

When a woman doesn’t take responsibility for her actions, this means every argument automatically becomes someone else’s wrongdoing.

There is no way for her to better herself or work together to solve a problem. If a woman manipulates every scenario to be the martyr, the man ends up taking the responsibility for her mistakes just to avoid confrontation.

Buying Mickey

If you tell a Canadian you are making a pit-stop at the liquor store before heading to a party, they will likely instruct you to simply pick up a “Mickey.” Sound confusing? It certainly does to tourists.

Mickey refers to the traditional, distinctively shaped 375 mL (13 oz) flask-shaped bottle of hard alcohol sold in Canada; conveniently sized to stash in your jacket pocket. For larger sizes, you’ll order a “twenty- sixer” (literally a 750 mL bottle).

Measuring time

Ask any Canadian about distance, and you will rarely receive an answer that involves physical distance. If you were to ask how far away something is, they would say, “Oh, it’s about two and a half hours down the road.”

Canada is the second-largest country in the world, so kilometer counts are useless. Time is the only metric that matters.

Wearing shorts

After months of bitterly cold, below-freezing winter temperatures, when it finally warms up to freezing, Canadians feel like they are enjoying a heatwave.

As soon as the temperature reaches 0° or 5 degrees Celsius in March, you will see Canadians walking around in their cargo shorts and t-shirts while casually strolling past mounds of snow as unsuspecting tourists cower in their parkas.

Mixed metrics

Canada officially adopted the metric system back in the 70s, but Canadians use both measurements. We use Celsius to measure air temperature, but Fahrenheit when baking and checking pool temperatures. Speed limits are km/hr, but personal weight is measured in lbs.

Drinking clams

Ask for a “Caesar” at a Canadian bar, and you won’t receive a salad. You’ll be served the national cocktail. It looks like a Bloody Mary but with one key ingredient switched out: clam juice, which is Clamato juice, a concoction made from tomato juice and dried clam broth.

To most outsiders, the idea of liquefying seafood and pouring it into a spicy brunch cocktail sounds like a crime. To Canadians, it’s brunch.

The “Roll up”

Every year for several weeks, millions of Canadians go absolutely crazy trying to roll up the rim of their paper coffee cup (or tap a button on their app) to win cars, coffees, or doughnuts.

Tim Hortons effectively causes national hysteria with their yearly “Roll Up to Win” contest, and it’s not unusual to witness office workers, construction workers, and politicians everywhere scraping their teeth or thumbs across their desks full of sticky, empty Timmy’s cups.

Removing shoes

Entering a host’s living room with sneakers on is completely acceptable behaviour in much of the world. In Canada, it’s a huge social sin. Canadians mercilessly strip off their shoes the second they enter any home due to the perpetual cycle of snow, slush, mud, salt, and more snow. You will find piles of shoes at the entrance of every house party.

Ordering “Double-Doubles”

Enter any Tim Hortons (the country’s Tim Horton’s coffee shop) and ask for a regular cup of joe, and you may receive a blank look. Canadians have their own coffee dialect. When they say “Double-Double,” it means their coffee comes with two creams and two sugars. Want it heavier? “Triple-Triple” is three of each.

Tire shops

Visitors are often baffled when told to go to Canadian Tire for a barbecue grill, hockey stick, kitchen pots and pans, or a tent. Although it sounds like it, Canadian Tire is not an auto garage. It’s more like a really big, distinctively Canadian department store with a car repair shop attached.

Snow fridges

If the weather dips to a -5° constant temperature outside, Canadians consider the entire outdoors their freezer. At a party or hockey game, there’s nothing stranger than watching someone grab a 12-pack out of the cooler, ram it into the snowbank on your porch, and call it a fridge.

Eating curds

Most countries enjoy ketchup. But Canadian Poutine? It sounds basic enough (fries, gravy, cheese), but visitors get perplexed by the cheese factor. They’re not melted mozzarella slices; they’re fresh cheese curds (literally milk solids that have been hardened), that legally have to “squeak” when you chew them, otherwise it isn’t real poutine.

Ketchup chips

Stroll down any snack-food aisle in Canada, and you’ll find bags of bright magenta Ketchup potato chips and “All-Dressed” chips (equal parts sweet, salty, and savory BBQ, sour cream and onion, salt and vinegar, and ketchup flavours). They scare off most tourists, but are elite Canadian staples.

Pay tables

For years, visitors (especially Americans) stood befuddled in Canadian restaurants as servers handed them a wireless debit/credit machine with which to process their own payments at their table, instead of swiping the plastic card at a machine across the room.

This is now fairly standard practice worldwide, but tap- and pin-based mobile chip technology was implemented in Canada long before most other countries.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.

Hustle

Americans love to boast about nonstop working, side hustles and getting little sleep like it’s some kind of badge of honour. Canadians view things differently.

To Canadians, working yourself into a constant state of exhaustion isn’t always glamorous. Having time to spend with family, hobbies, vacation and just an overall chill personal life is important, rather than making every second about producing.

Credit card handoffs

Americans pride themselves on having a high-tech banking system, but Canadians are confused by U.S. restaurants. Canadians have been using tap- and-pay and wireless chip- and-PIN machines delivered right to their restaurant table for years.

Seeing an American waiter wander off into the back with a credit card is like watching history from the 1990s replay before your eyes.

Paper bills

Americans boast about how powerful and internationally respected their greenback is, but Canadians laugh about how weak and primitive U.S. currency actually is. U.S. currency feels like a grey piece of paper that tears easily and falls apart after being in the wash.

Canadians switched to durable, colored, waterproof plastic money years ago. Up north, we find it hilarious watching Americans paw through stacks of paper trying to distinguish a five-dollar bill from a twenty.

Freedom

Americans love to think they have more freedom than anyone else in the world, but Canadians laugh at how hypocritical the American system actually is.

How can you say that you are free when your Homeowner Association can fine you because your grass is too high, or when harsh abortion laws and systemic racism work to take people’s rights away from them?

In addition, Canadians think it’s absurd how the wealthy and corporations can buy laws and political votes through lobbyists. Canadians believe in true freedom, not a silly catchphrase.

Snack selections

Americans brag about the astronomical quantity of flavor options they have on their grocery store shelves. 45 different flavors of Oreo cookies? Bright pink cereal?

Canadians simply scoff at the ingredient lists. The “novel” products are filled with chemicals and high-fructose corn syrup, otherwise banned in most other developed nations.

Football

Americans love to laugh at how bad the Canadian Football League is, proudly proclaiming that the NFL is the only place you can truly witness athletic superiority. The truth is, Canadians mock Americans for playing such a slow and bloated version of the game.

With an oversized 110-yard field and only three downs instead of four, the Canadian game is forced to be an up-tempo, pass-happy system. Canadians watching the American game have to sit through hours of commercials, clock stoppages, and backwards-moving 2-yard runs.

Imperial system

Americans love to hold on to Fahrenheit, miles, and pounds because they think it makes them unique. They say the metric system is too complicated.

Canadians, who speak Celsius when talking about the weather, kilometers when discussing distance and millimeters when we’re building, find this willful ignorance of how the rest of the world works hilarious.

Super-sized portions

Ever notice how massive restaurant portions are in the U.S.? U.S. fast-food chains and diners boast they can feed a family of 4 with one meal.

Where Americans view these obscene plates of food as freedom and excess, Canadians see wastefulness, impending food comas, and a confusing cultural obsession with giant plastic cups.

Excessive patriotism

Americans like to flaunt their extreme patriotism. Patriotism for Americans is like a daily sport of competition. Canadians love laughing at how excessive it all is, from massive flags draped over highway car dealerships to having to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in grade school every morning.

Canadians see forcing children to pledge allegiance to a piece of cloth as brainwashing, disguised as freedom. Canadians love Canada, just not in a loud, boisterous way.

Medical luxury

Americans like to brag about their luxury healthcare system with marble hospital lobbies, private rooms, and a choice of specialists. Canadians think this is extremely funny. To a Canadian, Health care isn’t lavish if you can go bankrupt from having a broken bone and a ride in an ambulance.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.

Julius Caesar

“You too, Brutus?”

While being assassinated by a mob of rebellious Roman senators in 44 BCE, Caesar supposedly recognized one of his attackers as his friend and former protege, Marcus Junius Brutus.

Although immortalized in English by Shakespeare as “Et tu, Brute? “, Caesar is said to have actually spoken what amounted to Greek: “Kai su, teknon?” (“You too, my child? “).

Napoleon Bonaparte

“France, the army, the head of the army, Joséphine.”

Passing away while exiled on the island of Saint Helena in 1821, Napoleon Bonaparte grunted out one short sentence that summed up everything he loved: his nation, his empire, and his first wife, Josephine de Beauharnais.

Marie Antoinette

“Pardon me, sir. I did not do it on purpose.”

Even at the guillotine during the French Revolution in 1793, the fallen Queen of France kept up proper royal decorum. As she climbed the steps to the platform, she inadvertently bumped the foot of her executioner, Henri Sanson. She stopped and politely apologized.

Augustus Caesar

“Have I played the part well? Then applaud as I exit.”

The first Emperor of Rome considered politics and life as one big theater. While dying in 14 CE, he questioned his friends whether he had managed his role properly. It was a line actors would commonly say at the end of a Roman comedy.

Ludwig van Beethoven

“Pity, pity—too late!”

The famous composer’s last words had nothing to do with music. Bedridden and dying in 1827, Beethoven’s publisher brought him a gift of twelve bottles of wine. Beethoven knew he would never get to open them, and he breathed out his last sigh.

Oscar Wilde

“This wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. Either it goes, or I do.”

The Irish writer and dramatist was famous for his caustic wit, but even on his deathbed in a grim Paris hotel room in 1900, he stayed characteristically snarky. As it turns out, the wallpaper won in the end.

John Quincy Adams

“This is the last of Earth. I am content.”

The sixth president of the U.S. suffered a massive stroke and died in the midst of a heated argument right on the floor of the House of Representatives in 1848. At the time, Adams was vociferously arguing (and serving as Congressman) after his presidency had ended.

He was carried into the chamber floor into the Speaker’s Room, where he briefly regained consciousness to say this serene, yet deeply profound last line.

Winston Churchill

“I’m so bored with it all.”

Having guided Britain through WWII, outlived an era of severe worldwide political upheaval, and penned histories in several volumes, the aged statesman fell into a terminal coma in 1965, just days after complaining of being weary of life itself.

Karl Marx

“Go on, get out! Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough!”

When asked by his housekeeper if he had anything left to say, any final words perhaps for future generations to record. Marx angrily snapped at her. He died moments later in 1883, seated in his armchair.

Charles Darwin

“I am not the least afraid of death.”

The famous naturalist and geologist who changed human perspectives on life and science forever with his theory of evolution died peacefully and with utter tranquility in 1882.

Thomas Edison

“It is very beautiful over there.”

A few moments before his death at his home in 1931, American inventor Edison momentarily rose from his coma, opened his eyes, and stared out the window at the scenery, saying quietly to his wife.

Jane Austen

“I want nothing but death.”

The author of the classic novel Pride and Prejudice was suffering from an agonizing, drawn-out illness (believed now to be Addison’s disease). When Cassandra, her sister, pleaded with her if there was anything Jane would like to make her comfortable, this was her response. Austen died the following morning in 1817.

Nostradamus

“Tomorrow, at sunrise, I shall no longer be here.”

The infamous French astrologer/physician, who has fascinated Western civilization for centuries with his book of supposed predictions, was able to accurately predict one thing about his own death. He told his assistant this on the night of July 1, 1566, and was found dead the following morning.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.

$1 Bill president

Which U.S. president appears on the $1 bill?

The answer is George Washington. Despite how simple this question may seem, many people draw blank stares when asked. Most Americans use this bill so frequently that they tend to overlook the actual person printed on it.

George Washington was the first president of the United States in 1789 and is one of the most well-known presidents.

Freedom birthday

When did America officially become independent?

America officially became independent in 1776. On July 4th, 1776, the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, cutting political ties with Great Britain and officially starting an entirely new nation based on the idea of independence.

Land Buy

What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

In 1803, the United States bought the Louisiana Territory from France. They paid fifteen million dollars for this tract of land. With this purchase, the size of the United States literally doubled. The land acquired by this purchase reached from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains.

Isolated States

Which two states are not connected to the mainland United States?

Alaska and Hawaii. Alaska is at the northwesternmost extremity of North America, bordered by Canada to the east. Hawaii is a group of volcanic islands located many miles away in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. They both officially became states in 1959.

Official Motto

What is the official motto of the United States?

“In God We Trust” is the official motto of the United States. Although the Great Seal has borne the Latin phrase “E pluribus unum” (Out of many, one) since the nation’s inception, “In God We Trust” was enacted by Congress as the official sole motto of the United States in 1956, during the Cold War, and is required to appear on paper money and coins.

Longest River

What is the longest river in the United States?

The Missouri River is technically the longest river in the United States. Originating in the mountains of Montana, the Missouri River runs for over 2,300 miles before it empties into the Mississippi River north of St. Louis. Since the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers are closely connected, you can answer either the Missouri River or the Mississippi River and still be correct on the official test.

Stripe Meanings

Why does the American flag have 13 stripes?

There are 13 red and white stripes on the American flag. The stripes represent the 13 original colonies that broke free from British rule. The colonies later became the first 13 states of the United States. The flag now has 50 white stars to symbolize the current number of states.

Border Waters

What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?

The Pacific Ocean borders the entire West Coast of mainland America. From California to Oregon to Washington, and on the coasts of Alaska and Hawaii. This massive body of water affects weather, international shipping commerce, and just life in general for those who live near the coast.

War Leader

Woodrow Wilson was the president during which major war?

Woodrow Wilson was the President of the United States during World War I. Wilson kept America out of the war in Europe by strongly enforcing neutrality, but eventually roused the nation and joined the war in 1917 after German submarines sank American merchant ships.

Smallest state

What is the smallest U.S. state by land area?

Rhode Island, which is mostly on the mainland, is the smallest state. Aside from its small size, most people don’t realize just how influential Rhode Island was in the beginning of the country. At only 1,200 square miles, it’s also way smaller than most people think they remember from their U.S. Geography class.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.

Public tension

Deep political divisions within the United States have led to an increase in large-scale protests from both sides of the political spectrum. These protests and last-minute counterprotests can often be found blocking off city streets and causing delays while flooding tourist cities with tense atmospheres.

Visitors from abroad may find themselves navigating through these protests while experiencing heavy delays and unwelcoming partisan environments.

Border screening

Entering the U.S. has slowed way down with stricter regulations being enforced at airport customs. International visitors often experience longer wait times, aggressive interrogation from border patrol agents, and invasive searches of their paperwork and electronic devices.

Unpredictable lag times can span hours, leaving many irate tourists missing their domestic connecting flights before their vacation has barely started.

Tech fees

Costs start sneaking up on you before you set foot on the plane. The price of obtaining electronic authorization to travel and receiving visas has slowly increased (up to $250 in some cases), so now you pay a nonrefundable administrative fee just to gain access to enter the U.S.

Visa instability

Sudden changes in regulations have created a nightmare logistical puzzle for international travelers visiting the U.S.

With entry and immigration rules subject to change with little notice, visitors now reasonably fear that their valid visa or travel authorization may be suddenly revoked or suspended during their flight.

Visitors must gamble on rushed approval or denial, unforeseen processing delays, additional scrutiny, or denied entry at the airport gate with non-refundable funds.

Tipping fatigue

Tipping in America has grown past restaurants to self-service kiosks, cafes and fast-casual counters.

Automated prompts have subjected international visitors to tell servers they should leave a 20% to 25% tip just for over-the-counter transactions.

This has made tipping an expensive and unnecessary guessing game that raises the base price of every meal.

Uncertain delays

With limited federal investment into public transit solutions and deteriorating infrastructure, travelers are often left with renting cars or navigating America’s notoriously unreliable air traffic system.

Flight delays, traffic jams, and unexpected cancellations are all parts of daily life that can quickly throw off a jam-packed trip filled with multiple destinations.

Exchange rates

The continued rise and strength of the U.S. dollar compared to most major world currencies, such as the Euro, British Pound, and Canadian Dollar, means that as soon as you land abroad, you lose buying power.

Coupled with inflation domestically on food and accommodation, basic restaurant meals and hotel rooms are pricier than comparable venues in Canada, Europe or Asia.

Costly safety nets

In contrast to countries that offer universal, government-funded healthcare networks, America’s privatized system is notoriously harsh.

Since any trivial ailment has the potential to leave you with thousands of dollars in medical expenses, visiting tourists are required to buy expensive, extremely comprehensive travel insurance plans.

Nighttime safety

Iconic U.S. downtown areas have become less safe to explore at night because of an increase in visible property crime and decreased pedestrian traffic.

Blocks that were once bustling with tourists have become dimly lit, less patrolled, and suffer from erratic public conduct.

Hostile rhetoric

Loud anti-immigrant rhetoric promoted in the media and political arena has contributed to the United States feeling like a much less welcoming place to foreign travelers.

Heightened animosity toward foreigners from leadership branches often filters down into retail shops, hotels, and airports. Countless visitors have reported receiving contemptuous stares or treatment for speaking their native language.

Gun violence

Gun violence in the United States is such regular news overseas that many tourists are hesitant to travel there. High-profile shootings at locations like malls, concerts, and airports suggest no place is safe.

Several governments even go as far as printing notices about guns on their travel advisory pages directly. That extra worry can cast a dark cloud over any family trip.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.