/r/askhistorians

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During the Age of Sail, the stern of a typical ship of the line were often fitted with large glass windows. This seems like a luxury for a war vessel and was a weak point during battle. Did the windows serve a practical purposes?

281 upvotes • Dtnoip30

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Why did Sunni Islam spread around the world while Shia and Sufi Islam stay relatively small and contained to the Middle East?

281 upvotes • IDthisguy

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Why did the IRA agree to a ceasefire in 1994? Why did it break down in 1996?

281 upvotes • [deleted]

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Ancient rome had a long history of lavish public entertainment to placate the masses, from gladiator fights to the Circus Maximus to chariot races. Did Han-era China have similar spectacles? If I lived in Chang'an in 50 CE, what sort of public entertainment is available to me?

281 upvotes • TheTromboneGeek

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I've often heard that the Battle of Britain was won by the Hurricane since it was so cheap to produce Britain could outnumber the more advanced German planes. Whilst the Spitfire was mostly used for propaganda as it was the "sexier" aircraft. Is this true?

281 upvotes • Carnieus

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Did people in Indonesia have any idea just how extensively their spices were sold? What was the extent that they knew of?

281 upvotes • Idle_Redditing

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In the recently released documentary 'They Shall Not Grow Old'. Peter Jackson illustrates life on the Western Front and a battle that took place which troops were instructed to rush the opposing Germans trench. What battle was he describing? How accurate is his portrayal?

281 upvotes • OldSmellyDad

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What happened to the grids of ancient Roman grid cities?

281 upvotes • e111077

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Marijuana is illegal at the federal level, however several states have leagilized it recreationaly. Did any states during prohibition try to legalize alcohol?

281 upvotes • gamerongames

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Did politicians try to hide economic data during the Great Depression like they're trying to hide infection rates today? If so, who were the politicians and how did it affect their careers moving forward?

281 upvotes • bowmanbassets

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Title	Upvotes	Author	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
During the Age of Sail, the stern of a typical ship of the line were often fitted with large glass windows. This seems like a luxury for a war vessel and was a weak point during battle. Did the windows serve a practical purposes?	281	Dtnoip30
Why did Sunni Islam spread around the world while Shia and Sufi Islam stay relatively small and contained to the Middle East?	281	IDthisguy
Why did the IRA agree to a ceasefire in 1994? Why did it break down in 1996?	281	[deleted]
Ancient rome had a long history of lavish public entertainment to placate the masses, from gladiator fights to the Circus Maximus to chariot races. Did Han-era China have similar spectacles? If I lived in Chang'an in 50 CE, what sort of public entertainment is available to me?	281	TheTromboneGeek
I've often heard that the Battle of Britain was won by the Hurricane since it was so cheap to produce Britain could outnumber the more advanced German planes. Whilst the Spitfire was mostly used for propaganda as it was the "sexier" aircraft. Is this true?	281	Carnieus
Did people in Indonesia have any idea just how extensively their spices were sold? What was the extent that they knew of?	281	Idle_Redditing
In the recently released documentary 'They Shall Not Grow Old'. Peter Jackson illustrates life on the Western Front and a battle that took place which troops were instructed to rush the opposing Germans trench. What battle was he describing? How accurate is his portrayal?	281	OldSmellyDad
What happened to the grids of ancient Roman grid cities?	281	e111077
Marijuana is illegal at the federal level, however several states have leagilized it recreationaly. Did any states during prohibition try to legalize alcohol?	281	gamerongames
Did politicians try to hide economic data during the Great Depression like they're trying to hide infection rates today? If so, who were the politicians and how did it affect their careers moving forward?	281	bowmanbassets