Over the past few decades, tattoos become more and more accepted in modern society. But tattoos have been around for thousands of years, and big names in history have been getting them even before they were as common as they are now.
In this article, we’ll talk about some important people in history who had tattoos - and a few of them might surprise you.
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh president of the United States and is one of many politicians on this list. Jackson had a tomahawk tattooed on his inner thigh, potentially due to his long history with Native Americans.
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Churchill served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II and was an officer in the British army before that. A bold politician, Churchill reportedly had a tattoo of an anchor on his right arm, which could be seen as an odd choice, since the anchor was usually worn by members of the navy, not the army. Because tattoos were not widely accepted at the time, there aren't any photos of his tattoo.
It’s also speculated that Churchill’s mother may have gotten a tattoo of an ouroboros after becoming interested in tattoos when sailing around the world. This rumor was never confirmed and may have been made up to give her a reputation as a free spirit.
Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison invented the electric pen, which led directly to Samuel O’Reilly inventing the first electric tattoo machine. Thomas Edison had five dots tattooed on his arm, suggesting that he might have tested the tattoo machine out on himself.
Teddy Roosevelt
It has been rumored for a long time that President Teddy Roosevelt had a large tattoo of his family crest across his chest. This is not a confirmed tattoo, and scholars claim that the rumor was never true.
However, Teddy Roosevelt did have gunpowder tattoos that he accidentally gave himself at age 13 when burned gunpowder residue left permanent black marks on his skin.
John Wilkes Booth
John Wilkes Booth is famous for assassinating President Abraham Lincoln. His sister, Asia, wrote in a book that he had his initials tattooed across the back of his hand in India ink.
George Orwell
George Orwell, author of the famous dystopian novel 1984 had tattoos of blue spots on his knuckles. He apparently got them while he was a police officer in Burma.
Czar Nicholas II
Nicholas II, who was czar of Russia from 1894 to 1917, had a large dragon tattooed on his arm during a trip to Japan. Nicholas was the victim of an assassination attempt during his trip to Japan, but made it back to Russia alive with a tattoo that took over 7 hours to complete.
King Harold II
Harold II was the last Anglo-Saxon king and the first British royal known to have tattoos. Harold II died in battle in 1066, and his body was identified by his two tattoos. His tattoos, which read “Edith” and “England” represented his love for his wife and his country.
James Knox Polk
Andrew Jackson was not the only president with a tattoo. Polk had at least one tattoo of a Chinese character that is said to have meant “eager.”
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Understanding the history of tattoos is an important step in your journey toward a tattoo career, but it can also be pretty eye-opening to how difficult tattooing can be. Without the right knowledge, it’s impossible to level up your skills and become a professional tattoo artist.
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