AskHistorians

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During the Industrial Revolution, factories full of women like the Triangle Shirtwaist factory worked 12+ hour shifts with no bathroom breaks. Uh, how to put this politely... how?	2811
Both of my grandfathers used to talk about solving disputes with fist fights when they were young men in the 1940s and 50s. Were assault laws really that weak or loosely enforced in the USA back then? How common was this kind of thing?	2686
I'm a wealthy American early adopter of TV in the 1940s. What's on?	2660
When I was a student in a private religious school as a child, my teacher told us that continental drift was a lie dreamed up by godless scientists to destroy America. Was there controversy surrounding continental drift in the late 1980s/early 1990s, or was that a fairly fringe opinion?	2536
I'm a twentysomething flapper in 1920s New York City, and I'm interested in hooking up with a man for casual sex. How difficult is it to find a willing partner, and how do I go about it? What are my options for contraception, how difficult are they to obtain and how effective are they generally?	2264
The Bible contains many references to Mammon, a god or representation of gold. Was Mammon actually worshiped by anyone, or was this simply an illustrative device?	1864
Let's says we're in late 700s France and my job is to prepare a feast for Charlemagne. What does the prep and execution for a meal that grand look like with the food and tools I have available?	1677
Theodore Roosevelt is remembered as a "trust buster" who fought monopolies. Is this accurate? What monopolies did he fight and what methods did he use? Did this have any negative consequences for him? Is it accurate to say that he was equally opposed to big government and big business?	623
A four year term as President of the United States seems pretty short today, and that's with jet planes and highways and cell phones and various other technological innovations. How did Presidents get anything done in the days when a diplomatic sea voyage could take weeks?	490
As a child in private religious school in the 90s, we had a Christian flag that we said a separate pledge of allegiance to. Where did this flag and pledge come from?	412

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