FactsAboutLefties

Being left handed is awesome! Sure, it has it's downsides, but overall we are a tough bunch who has to deal with a lot. Stick around and you might learn some cool stuff about being left handed, people with whom you share the trait of lefty, and who knows what else! Be aware: this is a side blog, my main blog is animation-is-my-life (so that's where messages might come from)

[factsaboutlefties]

Happy left handers day!!

[did-you-know]

Medieval castle stairs were often built to ascend in narrow, clockwise spirals so right-handed castle defenders could use their swords more easily. This design put those on the way up at a disadvantage (unless they were left-handed). The steps were also uneven to give defenders the advantage of anticipating each step’s size while attackers tripped over them. Source Source 2 Source 3

[severalowls]

Not really the best illustration since it totally negates the effect by having a wide open space for those ascending. Castle tower staircases tended to look like this:

Extremely tight quarters, with a central supporting pillar that is very, very thoroughly in the way of your right arm.

Wider, less steep designs tend to come later once castles moved away from being fortresses to simply noble family homes with the advent of gunpowder.

[mactiir]

Oh! Pre-gunpowder military tactics are my jam! I don’t know why, but this is one of my favorite little details about defensive fortifications, because the majority handedness of attackers isn’t usually something you think about when studying historical wars. But strategically-placed walls were used basically worldwide as a strategy to secure gates and passages against advancing attackers, because most of the world’s population is right-handed (and has been since the Stone Age).

Pre-Columbian towns near the Mississippi and on the East coast did this too. They usually surrounded their towns with palisades, and they would build the entrance to the palisade wall in a zigzag – always with the wall to the right as you entered, to hinder attackers and give an advantage to the defender. Here’s some gates with some examples of what I’m talking about:

Notice that, with the exception of the last four (which are instead designed to congregate the attackers in a space so they can be picked off by archers, either in bastions or on the walls themselves) and the screened gate (which, in addition to being baffled, also forces the attackers to defend their flank) all of these gates are designed with central architectural idea that it’s really hard to kill someone with a wall in your way. In every culture in the world, someone thought to themselves, “Hey it’s hard to swing a weapon with a wall on your right-hand side,” and then specifically built fortifications so that the attackers would always have the wall on their right. And I think that’s really neat.

[his-quietus-make]

Ooh, ooh, also: Bodiam Castle in Sussex used to have a right-angled bridge so any attacking forces would be exposed to archery fire from the north-west tower on their right side (ie: sword in the right hand, shield on the useless left side):

[petermorwood]

These tactics worked so well for so long because until quite recently lefties got short shrift and had it trained (if they were lucky) or beaten out of them.

Use of sword and shield is a classic demonstration of how right-handedness predominated. There’s historical mention of left-handed swordsmen (gladiators and Vikings), and what a problem they were for their opponents, but that only applies to single combat.

A left-handed hoplite or housecarl simply couldn’t fight as part of a phalanx or shield wall, since the shields were a mutual defence (the right side of the shield covered its owner’s left side, its left side covered the right side of his neighbour to the left, and so on down the line) and wearing one on the wrong arm threw the whole tactic out of whack.

Jousting, whether with or without an Italian-style tilt barrier, was run shield-side to shield-side with the lance at a slant (except for the Scharfrennen, a highly specialised style that’s AFAIK unique.) Consequently left-handed knights were physically unable to joust.

There’s a creditable theory (I first read it in “A Knight and His Horse”, © Ewart Oakeshott 1962, 1998 and many other places since) that a knight’s “destrier” horse - from dexter, “right” - was trained to lead with his right forefoot so that any instinctive swerve would be to the right, away from collision while letting the rider keep his shield between him and harm. (In flying, if a pilot hears “break!” with no other details, the default evasive direction is right.)

The construction of plate armour, whether specialised tournament kit or less elaborate battle gear, is noticeably “right-handed“ - so even if a wealthy knight had his built “left-handed” it would be a waste of time and money; he would still be a square peg in a world of round holes and none of the other kids would play with him.

Even after shields and full armour were no longer an essential part of military equipment, right-hand use was still enforced until quite recently, and to important people as well as ordinary ones - it happened to George VI, father of the present Queen of England. Most swords with complex hilts, such as swept-hilt rapiers and some styles of basket-hilt broadsword, are assymetrical and constructed for right handers. Here’s my schiavona…

It can be held left-handed, but using it with the proper thumb-ring grip, and getting maximum protection from the basket, is right-handed only. (More here.) Some historical examples of left-hand hilts do exist, but they’re rare, and fencing masters had the same “learn to use your right hand” bias as tourney organisers, teachers and almost everyone else. Right-handers were dextrous, but left-handers were sinister, etc., etc.

However, several predominantly left-handed families did turn their handedness into advantage, among them the Kerrs / Carrs, a notorious Reiver family along the England-Scotland Borders, by building their fortress staircases with a spiral the other way to the OP image.

This would seem to be a bad idea, since the attackers (coming upstairs) no longer have their right arms cramped against the centre pillar - however it worked in the Kerrs’ favour because they were used to this mirror-image of reality while nobody else was, and the defender retreating up the spiral had that pillar guarding his right side, while the attacker had to reach out around it…

For the most part Reiver swords weren’t elaborate swept-hilt rapiers but workmanlike basket-hilts. Some from Continental Europe have the handedness of my schiavona with thumb-rings and assymmetrical baskets, but the native “British Baskethilt” is a variant of the Highland claymore* and like it seems completely symmetrical, without even a thumb-ring, which gives equal protection to whichever hand is using it.

*I’m aware there are those who insist “claymore” refers only to two-handers, however the Gaelic term claidheamh-mòr - “big sword” - just refers to size, not to a specific type of sword in the way “schiavona” or “karabela” or even “katana” does.

While the two-hander was the biggest sword in common use it was the claidheamh-mòr; after it dropped out of fashion and the basket-hilt became the biggest sword in common use, that became the claidheamh-mòr.

When Highlanders in the 1745 Rebellion referred to their basket-hilts as claymores, they obviously gave no thought to the confusion they would create for later compilers of catalogues…

[chroniclesofrettek]

Also, muskets had their whole “Flint and steel and gunpowder” thing on the right side so if you tried firing it lefty you’d get a face full of fire. More recently, rifles eject their spent shell casings to the right, so if you’re a lefty you get some hot metal in your eye.

[systlin]

good post this is a gOOD POST

[dailypsychologyfacts]

Do you like these facts? Follow @dailypsychologyfacts for more!

[factsaboutlefties]

Did you all know that Lefties have their own holiday? It’s today! (August 13) 

HAPPY LEFTY DAY MY FELLOW LEFTIES!! :) 

[factsaboutlefties]

Animals might a "handed" preference too, or maybe not. We really don't know. 

~ about 40% of cats seem to prefer their left paw, while  10% don't seem to prefer either X

~ Most scientists, though, seem to believe that animal populations seem to remain roughly 50-50 when it comes to "handedness". Research continues though, as certain chimp and ape populations in captivity seem to have a possible handedness tendency. They do not believe it is genetic in these animals the way it is with humans (not that it's completely genetic in humans). 

~Up to 90% of parrots Do seem to use their left foot for picking up objects though. 

~Polar Bears are NOT all left pawed. 

X

[factsaboutlefties]

Lefty History: questions and holes in the story

the last few weeks we have been talking about the history of lefties... but I could only find stuff on the major civilizations and time periods... so here's my question for you all: Does anyone know anything about Native American or Viking/Scandinavian views on Lefties? or any other cultures or areas? and include a link if you have one

[factsaboutlefties]

Lefty History: Recent History

20th century

Discrimination continued into the 20th century, even in America, and especially in schools. As recently as the 1940’s in Public schools, and the 1970’s in Catholic schools teachers were strongly (to varying degrees) encouraging students to not use their left hand. 

Psychologists in the pre-war years continued to call lefties “akward” “Clumsy” (gee, I wonder why?) and “stubborn” (well, at least they aren’t saying we’re friends with the Devil anymore) 

John Dewey included a certain amount of tolerance for non-conformity in his progressive educational movement in the post-war years. (yay!) 

Things continued to not go well for lefties outside the Western world, though. The countries of the Iron curtain and the Soviet Bloc maintained strict policies against lefties, including making writing right-handed compulsory in schools. Meanwhile, Albania made left-handedness illegal and punishable as a crime. 

Even today some parents and teachers encourage kids to not write with their left hand. But at least no one is convicting us of being cursed, witches, or working with the Devil! One step at a time!

X  

[factsaboutlefties]

Lefty history: "Recent" History

Middle Ages

Long story short, we don’t really know, but with religion in almost complete control, it probably wasn’t fun for any lefties. From what has been found, lefties were accused regularly of associating with the Devil. During the which hunts, being Left handed was sufficient evidence to convict someone of being a witch (and eventually, being executed). So all in all, probably not a fun time for us. 

18th & 19th Centuries 

Most areas were very discriminatory toward lefties. Even pretty open-minded countries (North America, Western Europe) had sometime brutal attempts to suppress the use of the left hand in schools, including corporal punishment, and tying the left hand behind the kid’s back. 

Cesare Lambroso, a 19th century physician, identified left-handedness with  ”pathological behavior, savagery, and criminality” 

Paul Broca discovered the laterality of the brain in the 1860’s, beginning the scientific interest in handedness. There was another peak in scientific interest in the 1930’s, and in the 1970’s scientific research really took off. 

X

[factsaboutlefties]

Lefty history: Ancient History

The Ancient Egyptians were very against left-handed people, often depicting their enemies as left handed. All of the ancient great civilizations (including Greece, Rome, Mesopotamians, and the Middle east, plus the religions that came out of these times and places: Christianity, Judism, and Islam) were Right-hand biased. This went to the point where the right hand of the Gods was seen as beneficial or healing, while the left hand was associated with curses. 

Most of these cultures made it custom to use the right hand in eating or ceremonies. Some cultures still have this custom. 

Ancient Greece

Right associated with good, while left was associated with bad (even with the most rational philosophers). 

Plato thought both hands/arms had equal strength/ability, and lefties resulted from bad mothers/nurses who failed to teach their child the “right” way to do things. 

Aristotle, though, thought that handedness was inherited. 

Pythagoreans associated the right side with Male, Straight, light, good, etc, while he associated the left side with female, crooked, darkness, and evil. 

Ancient Rome

Still very against left handed, there are theories that the wedding ring on the left hand came from the Romans either because of direct vein from the heart thing, or to ward off evil. 

Ancient China

While China becomes one of the most outspoken anti-lefty areas, their ancient system saw things slightly differently. Yin was associated with Femininty, submission, blood, earth, and the right side. Yang, on the other hand (hehe), was associated with masculinity, leadership, light, sun, and the left side. 

X

[factsaboutlefties]

Lefty history: Late stone age

Once humans began to settle in one place, Lefties lost their advantage of finding their way around uncharted territories. With the invention of tools, lefties were usually at a disadvantage (unless they made their own) since righties made told for righties. (sounds familiar). In the settled cultures, the proportion of righties to lefties seems to have increased to roughly 75% right handed. 

For at least 5,00 years, though, there is evidence that the proportion of Righties and Lefties has stayed relatively stable at roughly 90-10% (depending on the culture) 

Some indigenous cultures (like the Niger river, southern Africa, and Pacific Islands) who still practice ancient practices of binding the left hand to discourage people from beaming left handed, some have even outlawed the use of the left hand. 

Other indigenous cultures (the Inuit and Australian Aborigines) tend to have slightly more lefties than average. 

In some very old literature, there are tales of entirely left-handed tribes, but these have been ruled traveler’s tales and unreliable.  

[factsaboutlefties]

Lefty history: nomadic pre-history

I got a request for Left-handed history, I'm trying to break it up some so the posts aren't huge, and I'll try to post one a  week unless you all want them more often. 

Estimating handedness in pre-historic people is difficult, but it is generally believed there was already a Right hand bias as many as 500,000 years ago. Some argue that left-handedness may have some from a mutation in Homo sapiens 150,000-200,000 years ago. 

So how are lefties still around? some scientist believe that right-hemisphere dominant people (generally, lefties) are better at remembering visual directions and landmarks, making it easier for lefties to find their way in uncharted territory. At least while people were nomadic. It is also believed that lefties may have had an advantage in combat, much in the same way we seem to have an advantage in baseball and fencing now. 

X 

[factsaboutlefties]

"What causes someone to become left handed?

Scientists aren’t exactly sure, but research points to a complex collaboration between genes and environment. While no exact set of “leftie genes” have been discovered, people who dominantly use their left hands do have more left-handed family members. And researchers have found different brain wirings in righties vs. lefties." x

Depending on where you look, anywhere from 7-15% of people are left handed. (The number of lefties tends to be higher in the west, 12%, and lower in countries that stress conformity, 2-5% in some asian countries.X) 

If both your parents are left handed, you have a 50% chance of being left handed. But if both your parents are right handed, you have a 2% chance of being a lefty. 

[factsaboutlefties]

ok, guys, I'm super sorry I haven't been posting for a while, I've been traveling the country and haven't had reliable internet for a while. But school starts back up this week so I'll try to start posting at least once a week.

As school is starting soon or has recently started for everyone, I would like to remind everyone who is in college that you have the right to request a lefty desk/ regular table for testing days if you would like. And if they try to give you a hard time (or send you to the Disabilities Resource Center, like they did for me) then, by all means go to the DRC, because it's fun to watch them flip out about how "being left handed IS NOT a disability" and they'll make sure you have what you need. 

You have the right. You are not being a pest. It is NOT a disability. You have every right to have every advantage anyone else would get. 

And if you have managed to learn how to use the right handed desks, That's awesome!! Your adapting, and that's one of the things Lefties are really good at! :) 

[factsaboutlefties]

Did you all know that Lefties have their own holiday? It's today! (August 13) 

HAPPY LEFTY DAY MY FELLOW LEFTIES!! :) 

[factsaboutlefties]

Found an interesting paper on  mirror writing and trying to understand why lefties are more prone to doing it than righties 

[scribendoodle]

If you can read it, you’ll know what to do :)

If we can make this viral, we can do a little social experiment…like if you’re a lefty, reblog if you used to write like this :)

[factsaboutlefties]

more random facts:

~ Lefties seem to be (generally) better at video games, it is thought this is because we are better at handling a large number of stimuli

~ Lefties tend to also be better at multi tasking (still not an excuse to multitask while driving)

~ Lefties (generally) are visual learners as opposed to language- biased learners

~ Lefties seem to have an easier time learning to drive! (57% of levites passed their driving test on the first try as opposed to 47% of Righties) 

~ Lefties make up a disproportionally large number of those with high IQ's

source