askhistorians

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The American-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion force, which landed in Cuba, was too small to hold territory. Success depended on a large-scale Cuban uprising once they made it ashore. Did the Americans think this was realistic or likely? It seems like gambling on an unlikely outcome .	234
Is this a real 8th-grade graduation exam from 1899? Is the level of complexity here indicative of higher standards of education in this time period, or is this some sort of elite school?	233
Aldous Huxley argued that in previous eras, pleasure without effort was rare, and that most forms of entertainment required considerable skill or mental exertion. Is his premise correct?	226
I've won the ancient Olympic Games and my home city, Athens has promised to give me free meals for life. Where do I go to get my grub? Who cooks it? Is it basic peasant fare or an expensive feast?	220
The exiled Napoleon was sent to rule the little island of Elba. How did his new subjects take to having the conqueror of Europe as their sovereign for 10 months? How did Napoleon rule in these constrained circumstances? Did he shake up the sleepy island with grand designs?	209
Author Tom Holland argues that it was not our Greco-Roman western heritage that lead to liberal values, but Christianity, and that the ancient world was notably cruel. Do historians mostly agree with this stance?	209
Syracuse was settled by Greek colonists in 734 B.C., and quickly became the most powerful city in Sicily and Magna Grecia. It soon rivaled Athens and Sparta, and squared off against the Carthaginians on equal footing. What advantages allowed it grow so large and rich?	208
It's the year 1400 and I live in Vienna. Have I ever seen an obese person?	208
Black segregation in the US sounds incredibly expensive — two school buildings instead of one, an extra set of bathrooms in each building, etc. How much money was wasted with all this duplication?	207
I've read that the Gothic Wars severely depopulated Italy and its grand Roman-era cities. What happened to the population during the war?	196

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