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Let’s start with a grammar mistake

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Even the nation’s most important document wasn’t immune to typos! Article I, Section 10 writes "it’s" instead of "its," mistakenly using the contraction instead of the possessive form.

The funny part? The correct spelling of "its" appears properly in other parts of the document. This suggests it was just a careless transcription mistake rather than a misunderstanding of grammar. Since rewriting historical documents isn’t exactly encouraged, the mistake remains to this day. Even the Founding Fathers weren’t perfect proofreaders, you know?

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A republic, not a democracy

Image: Joshua Sukoff

One of the biggest misconceptions about the Constitution is that it established an American democracy. However, the US was founded as a republic , which differs in that it relies on elected representatives and a system of checks and balances.

When asked whether the Convention had created a monarchy or a republic, Benjamin Franklin famously replied: "A republic, if you can keep it." It was a warning that democracy requires active participation to survive.

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The Constitution’s British roots

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Even though the U.S. had declared independence from Britain, the Constitution still used British spellings. Words like "defence," "labour," and "controul" (instead of defense, labor, and control) can be found in the original text.

These spellings were still common in American English at the time, though they would eventually fade away in favor of more distinctly American versions.

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A comma that shouldn't be there

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Grammar nerds, brace yourselves: the Constitution contains a strange comma mistake. In Article III, Section 1, the sentence reads: "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme Court." That comma between "United States" and "shall" separates the subject from the verb, making it grammatically incorrect. While punctuation rules were more flexible back then, this particular comma sticks out as a clear mistake.

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Who signed the Constitution? Not Jefferson or Adams!

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You might assume that Thomas Jefferson and John Adams signed the Constitution, but they didn’t. But that’s not because they didn’t stand by it, it was because they weren’t even in the country at the time!

In 1787, Jefferson was in France serving as the US Minister, while Adams was in Great Britain as the first US. Ambassador. Despite their absence, both men played major roles in shaping the early American government.

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Not everyone signed both the Declaration and the Constitution

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Let’s focus on the ones who did sign both documents. Both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed by key American figures, but only six men signed both .

Those names? Benjamin Franklin, George Clymer, Robert Morris, George Read, James Wilson, and Roger Sherman. While many Founding Fathers contributed to both documents, the actual signatures overlap far less than one might expect. How surprising is this?

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Rhode Island wanted no part in it

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When the Founding Fathers met in Philadelphia in 1787 to draft the Constitution, all 13 states were invited, but Rhode Island refused to show up . The state feared that a strong federal government would overpower them, so they boycotted the entire process.

They even rejected the Constitution’s ratification in 1788 before finally agreeing two years later, by just two votes!

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They "chuse" some interesting spellings

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If you were told our Constitution reads " The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment," would you believe it?

You better do because this spelling mistake doesn’t happen only once, it appears multiple times throughout the document.

While it may seem like an error, "chuse" was actually a perfectly acceptable spelling at the time. Language evolves, and by the 19th century, "choose" had won out as the standard spelling.

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The President cannot veto Constitutional Amendments

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Presidents may have veto power over laws, but they have zero say when it comes to Constitutional amendments. Congress or a constitutional convention must propose and ratify them without requiring presidential approval.

While presidents can support or lobby for amendments, they can’t introduce or block them directly. Not many people knew this, what about you?

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The Supreme Court’s most famous power isn’t in the Constitution

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Many people assume the Constitution explicitly gives the Supreme Court the power of judicial review, that is, the ability to declare laws unconstitutional. But guess what? It doesn’t.

Actually, judicial review became a standard practice after the famous Marbury v. Madison case in 1803. The Founding Fathers expected the courts to play this role, but the power isn’t actually written in the document itself. Even the Constitution has its unwritten rules!

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1959: (Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I

Image: Victrola Record Players

To better understand the music of the 1960s in the United States, one must first go back to the previous decade and revisit the major influences. The music of this era, especially rock and roll, stood out for its rebellious energy, strident guitar chords, and lyrics with messages of freedom.

And perhaps the greatest representative of this cultural change was the great Elvis Presley. In 1959 Elvis released "(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I". The song, composed by Bill Trader, had already been recorded years before by other artists, but the King of Rock 'n' Roll's version became a platinum record. Thanks to Elvis and other iconic musicians such as Bill Haley and His Comets, Chuck Berry, and Fats Domino, at the beginning of the 1960s the music world stood on the verge of a true revolution.

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1960: Will You Love Me Tomorrow

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One of the groups that defined the sound of the 60s was The Shirelles, and one of the songs that helped them reach the top was "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", released in November 1960.

This song composed by Carole King and Gerry Goffin was not only The Shirelles' first number 1, but also became the first song by an African-American girl group to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

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1961: Stand by Me

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"Stand by Me" is probably one of the most beloved songs of all time. Not only was this song a massive hit when singer-songwriter Ben E. King released it in 1961, it was later listed as "the fourth most performed song of the 20th century". No wonder! It was recorded over 400 times by many notable artists such as Otis Redding, John Lennon, Tracy Chapman, and Florence and the Machine, among others.

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1962: The Twist

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Originally this song was released in 1958 by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters and later covered by Chubby Checker in 1960. However, two years later something incredible happened that would not be repeated until 59 years later. Checker's version of "The Twist" resurfaced in January 1962 setting a record as the only song to reach number 1 in two different runs. Do you remember this amazing hit inspired by the twist dance craze?

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1963: Be My Baby

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Released in August 1963, "Be My Baby" was The Ronettes' biggest hit. Composed by legendary record producer and songwriter Phil Spector, this song is regarded as the quintessential example of his Wall of Sound recording technique.

"Be My Baby" reached number 2 in the U.S., has been played on radio and TV over 3 million times, and has influenced dozens of artists of the golden era of rock and pop music.

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1964: Oh, Pretty Woman

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Long before the famous film starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, "Oh, Pretty Woman" was an instant success. Released in August 1964, this song was the biggest hit of Roy Orbison, a major player in American popular music of the 1960s.

Orbison was inspired by his wife Claudette, which seems to have brought him luck: the song quickly reached number 1 and was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

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1965: Like a Rolling Stone

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Right in the middle of the decade, the leading exponents of the music scene of the time seem to have reached the pinnacle of creativity. Many songs that are still iconic today were released in 1965: "I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)" by Otis Redding, "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" by The Byrds, "The Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel, and "California Dreamin'" by the Mamas & the Papas.

But perhaps the one who broke the mold and changed the history of music forever was Bob Dylan with his mythical song "Like a Rolling Stone". The worldwide hit not only remained at number 2 on the US Billboard charts for three months (the first song of its length to do so) but also marked Dylan's transformation from folk singer to rock star.

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1966: God Only Knows

Image: Photographer: Sam Psoras, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Another turning point in the history of American music is the release of Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys. The album, released in May 1966, is made up of one hit after another: "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "You Still Believe in Me", just to name a few.

But probably one of the record’s greatest songs is the sophisticated and innovative "God Only Knows". Despite being an unusual sound for the group, some consider it the most beautiful melody ever composed. Even great musicians like Paul McCartney have picked it as their favorite song of all time. Undoubtedly, it is a work of art born from the brilliant mind of Brian Wilson.

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1967: Sunday Morning

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The debut studio album by the American rock band The Velvet Underground will forever be remembered for the famous banana on the cover designed by Andy Warhol and for being one of the most influential albums of the 60s.

Although the album was too controversial when it was released in March 1967 and initially was a commercial flop, over time the songs became legendary. For example, "Sunday Morning", with Nico's haunting vocals, a dreamy melody, and cheeky lyrics was recorded with the intention of making a hit. And in our humble opinion, it more than delivers!

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1968: I Heard It Through the Grapevine

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Although it had been recorded before by other Motown Records artists, Marvin Gaye’s version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" released in October 1968 is the one that went to the top of the Billboard Pop Singles chart and stayed for seven weeks. Since then, the song has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and is considered an acclaimed soul classic.

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1969: I Want You Back

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Another of Motown Records' iconic artists of the 1960s were the Jackson 5. "I Want You Back" is the first national single by the band in which a very young Michael Jackson took his first steps.

Released in October 1969 the song was performed on the band's first television appearances and became an instant hit. "I Want You Back" was number 1 on the Billboard charts and has sold over 6 million copies worldwide.

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Bonus: Bridge Over Troubled Water

Image: Rob Bogaerts / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Despite the innovation experienced in rock and pop in the previous decade, the most successful song of 1970 was the work of a folk group, proving that the genre had not been forgotten and would forever be a staple of American music.

Recorded with a technique similar to Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" and inspired by gospel music, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was Simon & Garfunkel's most successful single. The song won five Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year. Since then, more than 50 artists —including Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin, and Elvis Presley— have released their own version of the beloved hit.

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The MapQuest printout ritual

For many travelers, the trip really began here: sitting at the computer just minutes before leaving and printing turn-by-turn directions from MapQuest. The printed pages listed every step of the route, including the distance between each turn. This method was probably the one that marked the transition from traditional paper navigation to modern GPS systems.

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Free maps at gas stations

Back in the 1920s, advertising executive William Akin came up with an idea to promote the new Gulf Refining Company gas stations. At the time, drivers still had to buy gasoline in five-gallon containers because service stations were uncommon. Akin proposed distributing free local maps in each area where these Gulf stations were located.

The idea spread quickly, and other gas companies soon adopted the same strategy. Over time, gas stations became natural stops for travelers, and many stations eventually began selling maps instead of giving them away.

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The American Automobile Association Trip Triks

No way you forgot this one! If you were a member of the American Automobile Association, you had access to Trip Triks: spiral-bound booklets customized for each traveler’s route. AAA staff highlighted the exact path on the map, marking gas stations, hotels, and attractions along the way.

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Lost? Find a phone booth

Lost in the big city? Step into a phone booth. Back then, many phone booths had maps inside showing nearby streets and landmarks. If you were lost, all you had to do was step inside, and within a few minutes, the problem was solved. The good news was that big cities had a phone booth on almost every major corner and intersection, so if the one you stopped by was already taken, you only had to walk a few steps to find another.

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The thick book that lived in every car

The city street atlas. One of the best companions for drivers, if not the very best. These thick books showed detailed maps of entire cities, page by page. If you spotted a street sign but had no idea where you were, you could look up that street in the atlas index. It would point you to the exact page and grid where the street appeared, helping you figure out your next move. Do you remember flipping through a street atlas to find your way across a city?

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Asking locals for directions

Following directions back then required a bit of blind faith. You might hear something like, "Drive a few miles and turn left when you see the church," or "After the green restaurant, take the second road on the right." In rural areas, where road signs were scarce, a local’s guidance was often the best map you could get. Sometimes those directions were the only way to find a place that didn’t appear on any map. Have you ever followed directions like these and hoped for the best?

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The co-pilot seat

This trick required teamwork. If you weren’t traveling alone, one passenger was usually designated as the "navigator." Their role? Reading the map, watching for road signs, and warning the driver about upcoming turns. A good navigator also had to learn the driver’s rhythm: when to speak up, when to stay quiet, and how quickly directions needed to be given. The best driver–navigator pairs worked together almost like Batman and Robin.

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The Rand McNally Road Atlas

The Rand McNally Road Atlas is one of the most iconic travel tools in American road trip history. The atlas includes detailed maps of every state, showing highways, towns, and points of interest across the United States. For decades, it was a common sight in glove compartments and truck cabins, guiding travelers from city to city. Unlike digital navigation, the atlas allowed drivers to see the entire route and explore alternative roads along the way. Even today, many travelers still keep one as a backup option when cell service or GPS fails.

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Following highway numbers

During the era of long road trips, drivers didn’t worry much about street names. Instead, they followed highway numbers. If you got on the right road, like Route 66 or U.S. Route 1, you could relax and stay on it for miles and miles, sometimes across several states. As long as the number on the signs stayed the same, you knew you were still on the right path. This approach later helped inspire the Interstate Highway System, which made traveling across the country even easier.

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The church, the bridge, the water tower

Here's one of the classic road trip tricks: remembering landmarks along the road. This method required both memory and self-trust. Instead of coordinates or exact addresses, travelers remembered particular spots. They learned to look for things that stood out, like churches, bridges, water towers, or unusual buildings. When you reached the right one, you knew when it was time to turn. What landmarks did you rely on the most?