Back in the middle ages the majority of the populous could not read and write.
But those in charge then understood that the history should be kept and carried forward so they found another way.
There are now many nursery rhymes which the young children are taught but do they know where they came from, I doubt it.
Schools now no longer teach such history but if they did maybe the one going on these mad rampages may think differently.
In 1665/6 there was the Great Plauge which saw some 100,000 die, the rhyme,
'Ring a ring of Rosie a Pocket full of Posies told the story of this.
The rings appeared on the face of the person infected, the posies were an attempt to keep it away by holding the flowers under the nose.
'Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall, Humpty Dumpty had a big fall
This is about the battle of Colchester in 1642/9
Humpty Dumpty was a very large canon which sat on the wall to defend the town.
It fell from the wall and could not be put back.
Simple ways of retaining history and there are many more. It was a way of teaching the people of the time something of their history.
Little Jack Horner sat in the corner
Eating his curds and Whey
A blood big spider sat down beside him
For a moment he thought he was gay.