askhistorians

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The bible describes Jesus teaching disdain for material wealth and indicates it could impede a persons' spiritual well-being and afterlife. So how did the creators of prosperity theology, which tells people faith and giving will bring them riches, justify their position?	285
Users of Ben Franklin's postal service could send a letter from Philadelphia to NYC and receive a reply within 24 hours. How did he achieve such ridiculous efficiency unmatched today?	284
If they had no need for a marketplace/shops due to their lack of commerce, what were Incan cities built around instead of the Roman-style forum? How did a lack of money change the structure of a metropolis?	273
Bismark rapidly won wars against Denmark, Austria, and France, unifying fractured Germany into an empire. Then he surprised everyone for advocating for European peace for 20 years and staying out of all wars. Was Bismark the rare leader who understood what "enough" was? Why did he stop?	261
Many European cities built bridges covered with shops and houses. Did the automobile kill these off? Is this a uniquely European thing, or were there similar bridges in Asia and the United States? Was there such a lack of space that the bridges added a lot of valuable space?	258
The pre-Roman Volsci people drained the Pontine Marshes with canals to create fertile farmland, but after the Roman conquest the Pontine area returned to swampland. Julius Caesar and many other wealthy Romans tried to redrain the marshes but failed. Why couldn't they get the job done?	255
Did leaving the farm and going to work in a factory really seem "like heaven" to 19th century farmers?	254
Seneca was exiled to Corsica, a wealthy Roman colony with plenty of educated people. Yet Seneca describes himself as stranded on a “barren rock” where he lives an austere and lonely existence surrounded by uncivilized foreigners. Was he really living rough on Corsica, or just playing for sympathy?	253
James Lackington pioneered a new model of bookselling in London, part of which was that he only accepted cash, and extended no credit. This apparently shocked his competitors and insulted some of his patrons. Why was demanding cash so unusual? How big of a role did credit play in the economy?	249
How Did Axum/Ethiopia, way down in the Horn of Africa, come to have a huge jewish population?	247

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