AskHistorians

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I'm preparing to travel from Ptolemaic Egypt to Rome in the first century bce. Would I need to be concerned about the modern trappings of travel such as currency exchange, customs at the border, etc.?	148
How differently was the GI Bill implemented for the large number of black veterans who returned from WWII to a segregated United States? Was there significant opposition to its availability to black veterans?	94
Before The Germ Theory of Disease was established and accepted, was it still socially expected to cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing? Did people commonly believe coughing and sneezing spread disease, even though they didn't know about the spread of bacteria, viruses etc?	16
Samurai films and other historical portrayals of Japanese armies seem to lack the sword and shield combination prominent in the west. Is there a practical reason for the apparent lack of shields in Japanese warfare?	12
The United States military began desegregation in 1948, and didn't fully desegregate until the end of the Korean War. Therefore, with Vietnam being the first major war fought by a fully desegregated US military, were there any tangible impacts on race relations as a result?	11
How would one go about getting a position in a foreign court during antiquity, similar to Hannibal with the Seluecid Empire? Would one write ahead or would a notable figure like Hannibal be able to simply arrive offering their services?	11
Was the modern toilet a technological advancement that was immediately adopted, or was it a more gradual progression from chamber pots and outhouses to the current porcelain throne? How did we arrive at the almost universal toilet that we all recognize today?	5
How did the state of Missouri end up with both of its major cities located directly on its borders, even sharing parts of both cities with its neighbors?	4

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