askhistorians

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Friar Tuck (of Robin Hood Fame) was expelled from his order but kept preaching, sort of. How should he have been acting? Was ministering to outcasts living in a forest a legitimate task for a friar? Who would have paid for a Friar's food and upkeep? Did they have church supervisors to check in with?	365
Between 1880 and World War II, Coney Island had a huge amusement park industry, attracting several million visitors a year. But by 1964 the last park had closed. With such a large local audience and consistent demand, what killed the amusement parks?	363
The Romans usually stopped expanding when the lands on their border were of low value (Germania) or the cost to hold them would be too high (Mesopotamia). So why did Augustus merely repel the invaders from the rich land of Nubia instead of seizing its mines and other resources?	363
The first nuclear bomb test in 1945 didn’t ignite the atmosphere and engulf the planet in flames, but it was an open question at the time. Did scientists think it was likely? At what levels was it being debated?	361
Did a Japanese general really advise against invading the United States because "There’s a rifle behind every blade of grass"? If so, was this in reference to high rates of gun ownership, or America's industrial might?	360
Charles Dickens walked 15-20 miles a day. That's at least 3+ hours. How could he devote so much time to walking while still having time to write a ton of novels, edit magazines, act in plays, and run several charities? What was he thinking about on those walks?	353
The US sent Britain 50 mothballed WWI destroyers in return for bases during WWII. But were these ships even seaworthy after 22 years of disuse? Was Britain thrilled to get them? How were they collected and refurbished?	335
Roman-era Jerusalem was a large, well-defended city travelers mistook for a snowcapped mountain, with a massive and ornate Jewish temple at its peak. But I've read that Judea was poor. Where did the money to build and support it come from?	331
When Frederick Douglas toured Great Britain he was surprised to find not a hint of racism, discrimination, or segregation. How had the UK managed to so quickly leave behind all vestiges of racial inequality? NSFW	331
An incredible help-wanted ad asking for volunteers for an antarctic expedition appeared in the London Times a few days after Christmas in 1913. The response was overwhelming. Who wrote this bleak enticement and what type of men wanted in?	324

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