AskHistorians

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I am a high Chinese noble during the Ming Dynasty; would I be expected to retain multiple philosophers and spiritual advisers who believed in conflicting ideologies? (Daoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, other schools of philosophy, local religious sects, ect)	105
Upton Sinclair's 'The Jungle' is generally recognized as revealing the conditions of the meatpacking industry to the public; however, it surprises me the public were somehow unfamiliar with the general principles behind 'how the sausage is made'. How did the public see the industry previously?	89
The frame story of the 'Decameron' involves a small group of nobles waiting out the black death in a deserted villa. Is this meant to have echoed any historical event to a then-contemporary reader, of nobles or merchants isolating themselves and engaging in inane games and activities?	61
Clockwork skulls, ornamental knifes, fairy statuettes; all and more can be found at most gas stations and malls in the United States. Does the lowest level of kitsch commonly found today meant to appeal to young adults represent a continuity of cheap merchandise that existed in previous decades?	59
In The Count of Monte Cristo, the main antagonists consist of a magistrate, a general, and a banker who benefited heavily from recent regime change. Was this relatively 'anti-establishment' plot be the norm in adventure literature of the time, or would it have been surprising?	56
Is it fair to say that modern-day Shinto practices represent a continuity with the 'State Shinto' of Imperial Japan as opposed to a reverting to pre-Imperial practices?	51
Ancient, run-down mansions and castles inhabited by poor decedents is a common trope in western fiction; was there a particular instance of this in history that codified this popular trope?	40
I am a German peasant during the 12th century; when I go to church, do I have any idea where most of the more far-flung locations (Israel, Egypt, ect) are located/how far they are away from me? Would I have any proof that these places exist except for the priest telling me about them?	38
In a early episode of Columbo (episode 2 season 4, Negative Reaction, first aired in 1972), there are large bottles of hot sauce in a soup kitchen, along with some other condiments such as mustard. How mainstream was hot sauce within American cuisine by the middle of the 20th century?	37
Would a Medieval peasant actually know and care about stories about 'famous' knights and nobles, or were those simply what we are personally familiar with?	32

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