History is a murky concept at best, and it gets murkier the further back one goes. That’s why it’s often so surprising to learn about famous historical figures who lived at the same time, let alone historical moments that happened at the same time. Sometimes, it’s even more surprising to learn about historical figures who were born at the same time, which, rude as it may sound, often gives one a true sense of just how damn old some people are!
History is full of amazing paths that crossed. Thanks to all the famous world leaders who were alive at the same time, humanity has had some unlikely friendships throughout history, like the one between Elvis and Nixon, who invented the war on drugs. As they say, it’s a small world, after all, and it also happens to be a world filled with interesting people – many of whom walked the Earth at the exact same time.
Woody Allen Was Born The Same Year As Elvis
Woody Allen seems like a relic from another era but, unfortunately for him, not an era in which marrying one’s adopted daughter would ever be acceptable. The infamous director was born in Brooklyn on December 1, 1935, and has been making movies since the ‘60s. He shares a birth year with another American entertainment icon whose reputation dwarfs his own – Elvis Presley. The King of Rock and Roll was born on January 8, 1935, and was dead by August 16, 1977, right when Allen was hitting his prime.
Queen Elizabeth II Was 14 During Winston Churchill’s First Stint As PM
The reign of Queen Elizabeth II, who was born on April 26, 1926, and coronated in 1953, has been the longest of any monarch in British history. Although it may not be surprising that she is a contemporary of another famous British leader, Winston Churchill, it is surprising just how much of a contemporary she was. Churchill was born on November 30, 1874, and died on January 24, 1965, and in between he served two stints as Prime Minister, from 1940 to 1945 and from 1951 to 1955. Queen Elizabeth around for both of them.
Pablo Picasso Outlived Jimi Hendrix
Pablo Picasso is one of the most influential artists to have ever lived. Some people will find it surprising that he did all of his work in the 20th century. Picasso was born on October 25, 1881, and lived a long life until April 8, 1973. His life actually overlaps with some interesting characters. In fact, the entire life of another influential artist, Jimi Hendrix, was encapsulated within Picasso’s. Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942, and died tragically young in 1970 at the age of 28.
Neil Armstrong Reached His Late Teens Before Orville Wright Passed Away
Orville Wright is one half of the famous Wright Brothers, who achieved the world’s first successful flight in 1903. Amazingly, humanity would only take another 66 years before putting a person on the moon, which means that Orville’s life actually overlapped with that of the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong. While Wilbur Wright died at the age of 45 in 1912, Orville, the younger brother born in 1871, lived a much longer life before dying on January 30, 1948. Neil Armstrong, who was born on August 5, 1930, was 17 at the time of the last Wright brother’s death.
Abraham Lincoln Was 12 When Napoleon Died
Abraham Lincoln is probably most famous for winning the Civil War and helping pave the way for slaves to be free in America. He was also a contemporary of another world leader famous for winning (and losing) a few wars – Napoleon Bonaparte. Honest Abe was born in a log cabin in Kentucky on February 12, 1809, and was six years old when the French Emperor was fighting the Battle of Waterloo. Lincoln was 12 years old when Napoleon, who was born in Corsica on August 15, 1769, died in exile on May 5, 1821.
Donald Trump Was Around For Nine Years Of Stalin
Donald Trump is the 45th President of the United States of America and that’s about all that can be said without getting political. He’s also one of the oldest individuals to hold the office, which means that he was around for nine years of Joseph Stalin’s brutal rule over the USSR, and was well into his (private) school years when Stalin kicked the bucket. A holiday baby, Stalin was born in Gori, Georgia, on December 18, 1879, and died on March 5, 1953, after a lengthy reign. Trump was born on June 14, 1946, in New York City, not long after Stalin had helped win World War II.
