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These Insane Things Used to be 100% Legal

The Infographics Show・2 minutes read

Smoking bans, evolution of marriage practices, influence of religion on societal norms, laws related to underage drinking, controversial historical practices, and advancements in mental health treatments are all examples of how societal norms and regulations have evolved over time. The United States government's actions regarding Alan Turing, sterilization programs, lobotomies, and the mailing of children highlight the significant impact of legal and societal changes on individual lives and historical events.

Insights

  • The history of smoking bans reveals a gradual evolution from sporadic restrictions based on personal preference to more widespread regulations driven by health concerns, with Nazi Germany playing a pivotal role in initiating global shifts in smoking policies.
  • Societal norms around marriage, particularly among royals, shifted over time from close relatives to distant relatives, influenced by prestige, comfort, and changing perceptions of incest shaped by religious beliefs, ultimately leading to stricter regulations and prohibitions, particularly in the United States.

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Recent questions

  • How did smoking regulations evolve globally?

    Smoking bans began with the Roman Catholic Church in Mexico in 1575, followed by New Zealand banning smoking in government buildings in 1876. Nazi Germany's anti-tobacco campaigns influenced global smoking regulations, leading to Minnesota passing the Clean Indoor Air Act in 1975, with cities later banning smoking entirely.

  • What influenced the evolution of underage drinking laws?

    Underage drinking laws evolved over centuries due to religious beliefs, social concerns, and issues like drunk driving. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act set the legal drinking age at 21 in the US, with exceptions for religious purposes.

  • How did marriages among royals change over time?

    High-ranking families, especially royals, once arranged marriages within their own family for prestige. Over time, marriages shifted to distant relatives to balance comfort and family ties, influenced by Protestantism's views on incest.

  • What led to the decline in lobotomies as a mental health treatment?

    Lobotomies were considered a significant advancement in mental health treatment in the 1930s, with over forty thousand patients undergoing the procedure in the US alone. The decline began in the 1950s after Rosemary Kennedy's botched lobotomy and its severe consequences.

  • How did distracted driving regulations change with technology?

    Distracted driving faced crackdowns with the rise of automobiles, leading to fines and penalties. Cell phones introduced new distractions, resulting in laws banning texting in 41 states and specific laws against distracted driving in 39 states.

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Summary

00:00

Evolution of Smoking Bans and Traffic Laws

  • Smoking used to be legal everywhere, with no awareness of health risks, leading to widespread addiction and smoke-filled taverns.
  • The first known smoking bans were by the Roman Catholic Church in Mexico in 1575 and Pope Urban VII in all church buildings 15 years later.
  • Smoking bans were sporadic globally, with some monarchs making smoking punishable by death based on personal preference.
  • In 1876, New Zealand banned smoking in government buildings due to fire risks, but casual smoking was still common.
  • Nazi Germany initiated anti-tobacco campaigns, banning smoking in government buildings, leading to a global shift in smoking regulations.
  • Minnesota passed the Clean Indoor Air Act in 1975, requiring non-smoking areas in restaurants, followed by cities banning smoking entirely.
  • Distracted driving, once unregulated, faced crackdowns with the rise of automobiles, leading to fines and penalties for reckless driving.
  • Cell phones introduced new distractions while driving, leading to laws banning texting in 41 states and specific laws against distracted driving in 39 states.
  • Immigration laws in the US evolved from welcoming all white people of good moral character to restrictive laws targeting specific groups, with ongoing debates over immigration policies.
  • Compulsory education evolved from parental responsibility to state-run schools, with laws requiring students to attend school until adulthood in many countries.

10:50

"Marriage, Incest, and Bald Eagles: A Summary"

  • In ancient times, marriages between close relatives, like Cleopatra and her brothers, were common but considered taboo by some.
  • High-ranking families, especially royals, often arranged marriages within their own family to maintain prestige.
  • Over time, marriages between royals shifted to distant relatives to balance comfort and family ties.
  • Religion, particularly Protestantism, influenced views on incest, leading to stricter regulations in the United States.
  • In the US, incest is largely prohibited, with exceptions for first cousins in some states under specific conditions.
  • The Bald Eagle, a symbol of the US, faced population decline due to hunting and the pesticide DDT.
  • Conservation efforts, including the Migratory Bird Treaty and specific acts, helped Bald Eagle populations recover.
  • Strict laws protect Bald Eagles, prohibiting hunting, limiting feather possession, and requiring permits for captivity.
  • Underage drinking laws evolved over centuries, influenced by religious beliefs, social concerns, and drunk driving issues.
  • The National Minimum Drinking Age Act set the legal drinking age at 21 in the US, with exceptions for religious purposes.

21:37

Controversial Practices in History: A Summary

  • Alan Turing, a British scientist who played a crucial role in World War II, was publicly outed for his homosexuality and subjected to injections that rendered him impotent as part of his punishment.
  • The United States government initiated one of the world's first widespread sterilization programs in the 1890s, targeting mentally ill, disabled, and institutionalized individuals, including those with physical deformities.
  • Lobotomies, a procedure involving severing connections in the brain's prefrontal cortex, were considered a significant advancement in mental health treatment in the 1930s, despite their severe consequences.
  • Lobotomies were widely adopted globally as a method to control mentally ill patients, with over forty thousand patients undergoing the procedure in the United States alone.
  • Rosemary Kennedy, the mentally ill daughter of Joseph Kennedy Sr. and sister of John F. Kennedy, became a prominent victim of a botched lobotomy, leading to a decline in the procedure's popularity starting in the 1950s.
  • In the early 20th century, the US postal service allowed the mailing of children, with one couple sending their infant son to visit his grandmother a mile away, setting a precedent for longer trips.
  • Despite the Postmaster General's ban on mailing children in 1914, instances of children being sent through the postal service continued, with one woman successfully mailing her daughter from Florida to Virginia in 1915.
  • Dueling, a practice where individuals settled disputes through fights to the death, was prevalent among the nobility, with the United States witnessing notable duels, including the death of Alexander Hamilton at the hands of Aaron Burr.
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