Footnotes in History: Because You Clearly Needed More Footnotes

Footnotes. The unsung heroes of the information age. They're the ones who keep your precious papers from getting tangled in a mess of confusing references.

But, have you ever wondered what footnotes were doing before they became the staple of academic writing?

The Ancient Egyptians: The Original Footnoters

It all started with the Egyptians. They were the ones who first used papyrus and ink to create the ultimate footnote: the "I'm too lazy to write this on the scroll itself" note.

The Medieval Period: Footnotes in Full Bloom

Fast forward to the Middle Ages, where monks were busy copying manuscripts for hours on end, and footnotes were the unsung heroes of the scribal arts.

The Modern Era: Footnotes in the Age of Information Overload

And then, in the 20th century, footnotes went from a necessity to an art form. With the advent of digital footnotes, we can now footnote anything and everything.

A Brief History of Footnotes in Conclusion

And that's the brief, yet painful, history of footnotes. Or, at least, that's the part that made it into this page. There's more, but that's for another time.