/r/askhistorians

Title	Upvotes	Author
California became a state in 1850. The Transcontinental Railroad was not completed until 1869. How did Senators and Representatives from California effectively travel between DC and California before the advent of rail?	3870	sopadepanda321
Soap was first invented around 2800 BCE. This was literal thousands of years before we discovered bacteria and viruses or came up with germ theory. Did we just get really lucky that soap kills these microorganisms?	3870	ItchyAirport
Contrary to popular belief and according to primary Norse sources, Thor is NOT the god of thunder and the weather so how did Thor become associated with the sky and the weather?	3864	sammyjamez
Why is salt & pepper so universal across American diners? Was this a result of a adversting campaign or a national restaurant culture? When did it began?	3863	alik7
In the Bronze Age warrior elites had bronze weapons (like in the Iliad potentially). Would everyone else have had stone weapons, and would that be why Achilles and Hector are able to dominate on the battlefield. P.s. I know it’s mythology	3862	Disposible_Guardsman
As I understand it, slavery in the Americas drew from a number of tribes. Some of the largest groups came from tribes like the Fulani and the Wolof. Both those tribes were predominately Muslim at the time so what evidence do we have of the practice of Islam among slaves in the "New World"?	3862	VeritasCicero
It's often said that the jester is the only one that can speak truth to the king. Historically speaking though, has that ever been the case, using comedy or satire to persuade or inform an absolute monarchy or similar form of authority?	3860	currentmadman
In the 1940s, women took up masculine social roles while men fought in WW2. In the 1950s, however, women were marginalized back into traditional roles. Were people aware of this reversal? Did memory of that add to the social change of the 1960s?	3848	William_Wisenheimer
In 1604 there was a supernova that caused a star to be bright enough to be seen during day time. How was this interpreted at the time? Did any figures or groups try to capitalise on it for political or spiritual influence?	3840	samwaytla
HBO's Chernobyl: "... We seal off the city. No one leaves. And cut the phone lines. Contain the spread of misinformation. That is how you keep the people from undermining the fruits of their own labor." Is this an accurate representation of the USSR's politicians' attitudes toward their people?	3838	Aimuari_

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