AskHistorians

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Many African American slaves, upon obtaining their freedom, took surnames such as “Washington,” “Jefferson,” and “Johnson.” Why wasn’t the name “Lincoln” commonly chosen?	2163
In “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” Mr. Arthur holds up his hand to a Native American in the distance as a peace sign. The implication being the native would respond by holding up his own hand; signaling no intention of hostility. Was this an actual method of communication used in the Wild West?	562
The new film, “Munich: The Edge of War,” argues that the Munich Conference was actually beneficial to the UK because it gave them time to mobilize. To what extent is this an accurate perspective?	178
Walder Frey was called “The late Walder Frey” because his troops conveniently arrived at the Trident once the battle was already won. Are there any examples in history of vassals fulfilling the absolute bare minimum of their feudal obligations to their liege lord?	81
In the show “Yellowstone,” the Indian character, Angela says if she could go back in time she “would tell our people to sell every horse and weapon, hire the best lawyers, and purchase their land back.” Would this have actually been possible?	15
The film, “The Darkest Hour” implies that Chamberlain still held huge sway over the Conservative party even after Churchill’s ascendency as Prime Minister. Is there any evidence to support this?	6
Author, Nick Estes wrote in his book, “Our History is the Future” that Native Americans had very sexually fluid cultures. What kind of evidence exists to support that?	5
Would the Confederacy have won the war if Lee had been victorious at Gettysburg?	1

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