askhistorians

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Did the South ever stand a chance?	4783
Why did the last Byzantine Emperor bequeath his titles to Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain?	46
A question in honor of Leif Erikson day—Why did the discovery of the New World by Leif Erikson not cause a greater reaction among Europeans? Did the news simply fail to circulate, or perhaps the claims were dismissed as outlandish? Essentially, why was this discovery not pursued until Columbus?	17
England retains control over Northern Ireland to this day. What conditions and developments have allowed for such staunch control of this region? Especially in a post-colonial world that tends to decry non-contiguous borders, how is that England has managed to maintain its hold on Irish land?	14
On Feudalism—what exactly was it? I see all kinds of controversy over the term being nebulous, only existing in West Francia, used too often as a generalizing term for Medieval socio-political land organization.	12
The “cultural tradition” as explanation for expertise, continued ability over generations, and building of a culture’s repertoire. Is this a legitimate way to explain historical phenomena? (Explanation in body of post).	9
Did Olga of Kiev actually use birds to burn down a Drevlian city?	8
In the early 1980’s, Faustina (wife of Marcus Aurelius) was still a complete mystery to historians. Aside from a few meaningless references and gossip, nothing was known of her. Has this changed in the 40 years since? Have we ascertained anything new about Faustina?	7
Did ancient peoples have a conception of protein and other nutritients? Were they cognizant, even if crudely, of the benefits meat gives for building body strength and mass? What about other foods and various other benefits/health needs?	7
I am a history student and I want to learn Roman history in-depth. Which survey text should I use to get a grounding, and what books are recommended that focus on the major time periods?	7

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