AskHistorians

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Despite its small size in population and financial strength, Cuba began a distinctive era of military interventionism during the Cold War. How was this achievable and what did outsiders think of Cuban eagerness to deploy forces globally in the fight for Communism?	81
Mansa Musa claims his predecessor set sail on a voyage to the Atlantic Ocean and this is highly disputed by historians. Is there any evidence that his predecessor might have actually pursued an explorative policy in his reign? Are there sources on whether Musa killed rivals to attain his throne?	60
Since Ancient Rome was a very cosmopolitan place and encompassed many cultures and individuals from across the Empire, what I wonder is were there any accounts or sources of sub-Saharan Africans or Indians or Persians or Chinese travelers or merchants or ambassadors residing within the Empire?	59
How powerful a state was Ethiopia during the medieval world? How was it regarded by its contemporaries in Africa/Europe/Asia?	59
Despite the severe racism of the Jim Crow American South, how were HBCU's (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) able to be founded and expanded? Were they not seen as a threat to the White authority across the region?	58
Prior to the American Civil War, a South Carolina Senator Preston Brooks attacked Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner on the Senate floor after Sumner's anti-slavery speech. and nearly left him dead. How did Brooks get away with this heinous assault? How did the Senate and public react to this?	55
Why are the Diadochi so lesser known throughout history and the mainstream public? Everyone has heard of Alexander the Great but why are Ptolemy I Soter or Seleucus I Nicator overlooked? Both helped start dynasties/empires that lasted for centuries. What do historians make of this?	51
Why was Portugal invited to join NATO at its onset? It was arguably the poorest country in Western Europe and was ruled by a dictator. What were they bringing to the table that other nations would have been benefitted from?	50
How were such small European countries (Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium) able to maintain such far-flung colonies for many decades/centuries? How much of a threat was that of larger European neighbors like that of Spain or England or Germany forcefully taking their colonies from them?	45
How was Ethiopia able to keep its practice of Christianity and its minority Jewish practices alive and thriving over the centuries despite its large Islamic neighbors?	44

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