askhistorians

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Back when most history/mythology was oral tradition, how well would someone understand what various components of the story looked like? For example, did most ancient Greeks have similar ideas of what a Gorgon looked like?	6
I was watching a video of the Japanese surrender at the end of WW2 and was surprised to see them use multiple pens while signing so they could hand them out as keepsakes. Just how old is the multi-pen tradition, and how did it come about?	6
What were the cultural implications of the invention of time travel in 2112 on WWII and the Third Reich?	6
Do we have reliable records on the lifespan of humans in any BCE soceity? If so, what's the oldest recorded lifespan from that period?	6
In historical texts, when they refer to a child as "sickly", what disease(s) are they referring to?	6
Wikipedia, citing historian Richard Morris, lists the founding fathers as Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Adams, Madison, Franklin, and Jay. Why is John Jay's contribution so frequently overlooked in American education?	5
In 1819, William, a man enslaved by Thomas Jefferson, attacked an overseer for making him work on a Sunday, then fled the plantation to find Jefferson at Monticello and appeal to him directly. How would an enslaved person who "ran away" in this manner be treated?	4
How did the musical community respond to early recording technology? Were musicians excited, or afraid for their livelihoods?	3
Legend has it Edward Smith, the captain who went down with the Titanic, was planning to retire after the ship's maiden voyage. Was it weird to assign a captain of a brand new ship for a single trip?	3
In societies before tissues and handkerchiefs, how did they deal with nasal congestion?	3

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