National Treasure

Character mistake: Nick states that Wall Street was originally a wall (correct) built to defend against the British (incorrect). The original wall was a wooden palisade built in the 16th Century to defend the Dutch colonists against invading natives and to prevent livestock from wandering uptown.

Character mistake: At the gala, Ben describes to Abigail how the Founding Fathers would have been hanged, beheaded, drawn and quartered, and had their entrails burned had they lost the war. However, only hanging and beheading were acceptable practices in Britain at the time; Ben's information is off by several decades.

Texijapi

Character mistake: When Ben, Riley, and Abigail are in Independence Hall in Philadelphia and roll out the Declaration of Independence to inspect with Ben Franklin's special "ocular device" that Ben had just found, Ben pauses to take in the moment. When asked what was the matter, Ben says "It's just that...the last time this was here (in Independence Hall)...It was being signed." However, according to archives.gov, "In 1876 the Declaration traveled to Philadelphia, where it was on exhibit for the Centennial National Exposition from May to October. Philadelphia's Mayor William S. Stokley was entrusted by President Ulysses S. Grant with temporary custody of the Declaration. The Public Ledger for May 8, 1876, noted that it was in Independence Hall "framed and glazed for protection, and... Deposited in a fireproof safe especially designed for both preservation and convenient display." Sorry Ben.

Character mistake: After cracking the clue of Silent Dogood letters, while leaving the shopping mall, Riley asks Ben and Abigail, "Who was the first to propose daylight saving time?". They reply "Benjamin Franklin". But, it was George Vernon Hudson in 1895.

Factual error: As Ben is clinging to the staircase while it is falling apart, there is a close-up of a nail being pulled out of the wood. This nail is round-headed, rather than square as it would have been over 200 years ago. It's also shiny instead of rusty, which indicates that it's galvanized. Galvanization as an industrial, metal-preservation process was not patented until 1837, and was not used in building materials until well into the late-1800s. Since the film states the staircase was made by "the Founding Fathers, " and there was no galvanization of iron nails in any industrialized nation in 1780s-1830's, this is a huge anachronism.

Kristal

More mistakes in National Treasure

Riley Poole: Asuming Ben's theory is correct and my tracking model's accurate, we should be getting very close. But don't go by me, I broke a shoelace this morning. It's a bad omen.
Ian How: Should we turn around and go home?
Ben Gates: Or we could just pull over and throw him out here.
Riley Poole: Ha, ha, ha, okay.
Ben Gates: Well Riley, you're not missing that small, windowless cubicle we found you in are you?
Riley Poole: No, no. Absolutely not.

More quotes from National Treasure

Trivia: Andrew Jackson's 1832 White House was actually filmed at the Daughters of the American Revolution Building in DC.

shortdanzr

More trivia for National Treasure

Question: What was the secret passed on to the carriage boy?

Answer: "The Secret Lies With Charlotte" ~ Charles Carrol of "Charleston".

More questions & answers from National Treasure

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