Exploring Unseen History: Rare Discoveries Offer New Perspectives

 This Schramm Javelin prototype was a single-seat aluminum body helicopter designed by B.J. Schramm in 1964. It was designed by Schramm.

Forget what you learned in history books. Often they tell only one side of a nuanced story. The rare finds collected here show an aspect of history that we rarely get to see. They peel back the layers of the stories we think we know to reveal little-known facts that make history more fascinating. If you're ready to see a different side of history than what you already know, click ahead...the truth is waiting for you!

When Rotary decided everyone needed a private helicopter, they hired B.J. Schramm was asked to present the idea of a single-seat aluminum helicopter. The Schramm Scorpion made its first flight in 1966 with the hope of becoming America's own personal kit helicopter.

Scorpion production kits were actually on sale from the late 60s until 1984. The mini-copters could fly up to 160 miles and reach speeds of up to 65 miles per hour, weighing up to 425 pounds. Can you imagine how much better the world would be if we were all flying in these little helicopters?

Ladder 3 was one of the first firetrucks to appear on September 11, 2001

The first responders to the attacks on the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001 were the first to attack in the early morning chaos and confusion, and many did not survive. A piece of equipment stands as a monument to his courage; Ladder 3. This truck was driven by Captain Patrick Brown and the firefighters, and he lost his life when the front of the truck in the North Tower collapsed, meeting a similar fate. Due to the collapse of the building, the front part of the truck was torn off, leaving it reduced to debris. After the area was cleaned, the truck was placed in a hangar at JFK International Airport before being moved to the Memorial Museum in 2011.

A sewing machine from 1867, this invention was one of the most controversial inventions of the 19th century

Between 1832 and 1834 Walter Hunt developed the sewing machine in his workshop on Amos Street in New York City. The first versions of the machine were made by hand, and they had a curved needle and a shuttle that helped connect two threads to a stitch. Over the course of the next 30 years the sewing machine would receive many updates and changes that would help bring fashion technology to another level. At the same time there were many copycat designers trying to obtain the first patent on a sewing machine. Strangely enough, this little machine became one of the most litigated devices of the 19th century.

Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a Thracian cart and two horses that appear to have been buried directly under

It's hard to see but this is how things were in ancient Bulgaria. In 2013 archaeologists discovered a complete cart attached to the skeletons of two complete horses in the village of Svestari in north-east Bulgaria. The cart has all four wheels, seat and boot, and is believed to have been the property of a member of the Thracian elite. The horses were probably led through a narrow hole and put out of their misery before being buried. This discovery is one of a kind and it is unlikely that archaeologists will ever find something so well preserved.

A unique watch that was made for Queen Marie Antoinette of France as a gift from a male lover.

A pocket watch fit for a queen, this extremely ornate watch was made for Marie Antoinette by a mysterious lover in 1783 and no expense was spared. Gold was used in lieu of lesser metals causing the time piece to cost more than $30 million. This one-of-a-kind watch features a full calendar and jumping hour hands, 23 complications and 823 parts. With all its bits it is considered to be the fifth most complex watch ever made. Unfortunately, Antoinette never received the clock, it was completed in 1827 – 34 years after being sent to the guillotine.

The Statue of Liberty in its original copper form in Paris before being transported to New York City, 1886