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Eight United States Presidents Were Left-Handed. Can You Name Any Of Them? (Video)

International Left-Handers Day on August 13th recognizes all those individuals who have mastered using their left hand in a right-handed world. We take our hats off to you – left-handed!

  • On average, 15% of the world is left-handed, 84% right-handed, and 1% ambidextrous.
  • Out of 7.6 billion people, almost 900 million are left-handed.
  • Parents of left-handed children used to force them to use their right hands. In the eyes of right-handers, the predominant use of the left hand seemed evil. Parents feared their communities would shun their children. While we accept left-handedness more readily than days gone by, its occurrence hasn’t increased.
  • Eight United States presidents were left-handed: James Garfield, Herbert Hoover, Harry Truman, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.
  • Famous southpaws on screen include Jennifer Lawrence, Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, Robert De Niro, and Morgan Freeman. Left-handed musical stars include Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and Eminem.
  • Other celebrity Southpaws include Babe Ruth, Bill Gates, Ringo Star, and Tina Fey.
  • Celebrating its first year recognized in 1976, Lefthanders International helped raise awareness of the difficulties of being left-handed. Being accused of witchcraft in the 1600s for just using one hand more than the other, was only the beginning.
  • Objects like scissors, knives, and even school desks can see a mark up of almost 75 percent more for left-handed individuals, while golf clubs see as much as a 200 percent increase dependent on brand.
  • Those who are left-handed are more prone to ailments like allergies and migraines.
  • Most of those who are left-handed are insomniacs.
  • The word left in English comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lyft, which means weak or broken.
  • There are more left-handed men than women in the world.
  • Left-handed people need to cut their nails frequently, as their nails on the left hand grow faster.
  • Left-handedness is hereditary and a perfect example is the British Royal Family where Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, and Prince William are all left-handed.
  • Left-handed people have a greater sense of hearing.
  • A study overseen by James Cook University Townsville veterinary lecturer Janice Lloyd found that almost 50 percent of dogs favored their left paws.
  • Kangaroos appear to be almost exclusively left-pawed.
  • There’s a place called Left Hand. It’s in West Virginia, but don’t get too excited. The town got its name from a nearby creek called Lefthand Run, not the left-handed community.
  • Nearly a quarter of the Apollo Astronauts were left-handed. Seven of the 29 astronauts on the Apollo space mission were lefties
  • Mothers over 40 may be more likely to have left-handed babies.
  • There’s a reason we traditionally wear wedding rings on the left hand.  Ancient Romans are to thank for the placement of your wedding bling. They believed that a “lover’s vein” connected the fourth finger on the left hand to the heart.
  • Left-Handed Pens Are a Thing!  They really do exist – click here to check them out. Various designs exist, but the pens linked here have a special hooked tip to allow lefties to more easily see what they are writing. The design also keeps the fingers further away from the tip, which when coupled with quick drying ink means there is less chance of smudging.
  • Almost 40 percent of tennis players are lefties.
  • Oftentimes, most lefties will draw figures facing to the right.
  • Herbert Hoover is believed to be the first left-handed president, though James Garfield could write Greek with the left hand and Latin with the right.

Sources:

National Day Calendar

Days of the Year

Serious Facts

Good Housekeeping

Lefty Fretz

Beliefnet

WUSA 9