/u/Mictlantecuhtli's posts in /r/AskHistorians

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How did the practice of christening a ship by breaking a bottle of champagne on its bow begin? What is the symbolism or reason behind this practice?

236 upvotes

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What is the history behind the cheesecake? Who invented it? When was it first made? Has it changed much since its inception? Is there a reason behind the type of crust it uses?

227 upvotes

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7 Mesoamerican cultures you probably never heard of!

192 upvotes

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Why didn't bidets catch on in the United States?

176 upvotes

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How did the tradition of making gingerbread houses begin? Why did the tradition become so popular around Christmas?

162 upvotes

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What sorts of ships did the people from Kobol use to colonize the twelve colonies? Are there any historical depictions of them?

150 upvotes

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How did the Mexica (aka Aztecs) deal with the umbilical cord after birth? Was there any cultural significance attached to it or was it merely disposed of?

144 upvotes

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What influenced H. P. Lovecraft in his personal life that was reflected in his fictional work?

127 upvotes

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Unsourced Mental Floss article claims the Aztecs were the first to make balloon animals out of cat intestines. This sounds iffy to me. So what is the history of the balloon animal? When were they first made and out if what?

124 upvotes

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Did any non-Austrian influenced Italians (i.e. Scicilians) oppose unification in the 19th century?

122 upvotes

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
How did the practice of christening a ship by breaking a bottle of champagne on its bow begin? What is the symbolism or reason behind this practice?	236
What is the history behind the cheesecake? Who invented it? When was it first made? Has it changed much since its inception? Is there a reason behind the type of crust it uses?	227
7 Mesoamerican cultures you probably never heard of!	192
Why didn't bidets catch on in the United States?	176
How did the tradition of making gingerbread houses begin? Why did the tradition become so popular around Christmas?	162
What sorts of ships did the people from Kobol use to colonize the twelve colonies? Are there any historical depictions of them?	150
How did the Mexica (aka Aztecs) deal with the umbilical cord after birth? Was there any cultural significance attached to it or was it merely disposed of?	144
What influenced H. P. Lovecraft in his personal life that was reflected in his fictional work?	127
Unsourced Mental Floss article claims the Aztecs were the first to make balloon animals out of cat intestines. This sounds iffy to me. So what is the history of the balloon animal? When were they first made and out if what?	124
Did any non-Austrian influenced Italians (i.e. Scicilians) oppose unification in the 19th century?	122