AskHistorians

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Is it true that British sent a plane full of opium to the Ottomans before the battle of Beersheba (1917) and they smoked it and were too high to fight?	18
"It's not over 'til the fat lady sings" is a common idiom in English. Were many prima donnas overweight at one time, or is this a reference to a specific person -- or is it just a silly line with no basis in reality?	18
Was the Dutch Republic a democracy or form of democracy, and if it was, did it influence the United States’ democratic form of government?	18
The Hungarian people likely originated out of Siberia and speak a Uralic language. Has this impacted Hungarian national identity through the years, including into modern times?	18
Many ancient civilizations had Calendars. What was their 'year 1's' that they used to base their calendars on?	18
I read in a book years ago that Incas were recorded putting gold into the mouths of conquistador horses, due to them apparently being unable to distinguish that it was a person on a horse. I later read the same thing about the Aztecs. Is there any record of this or is it some kind of legend?	18
General MacArthur has been a very controversial leader of WW2. Many historians saying he made many bad decisions. With that being said, are there any scenarios where he was a good general?	18
What was working for a colonial trade company like? Was corruption indeed epidemic like some say? Was there any prospects of rising inside the company ladders for low born employees?	18
Greek Fire was used by both Crusader and Ayyubid forces during the Siege of Acre in the Third Crusade. How did these forces come across what I thought was this safely-guarded Byzantine weapon?	18
Where are the great ancient empires of sub-Saharan Africa?	18

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