/u/chikindiner's posts in /r/askhistorians

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The Alaska Purchase in 1867 is often called Seward's Folly, dubbed so by detractors. Did many Russians oppose selling the land? If so, on what grounds?

248 upvotes

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I've seen/heard the comment a few times that modern rioters vs police can give a small sense of what ancient warfare was like. How much truth is there in that?

215 upvotes

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I've never seen a depiction of a snow covered ancient Rome (city.) Has snow always been very uncommon in Rome? When it did snow was it disruptive, a la Atlanta 2014?

205 upvotes

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Was Popeye's spinach obsession meant as a public service announcement? Is there a reason he got swole from spinach and not beets or something?

204 upvotes

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What was the economic impact of the Panama canal on South American coastal cities? Was the new ability to bypass many of these places a significant economic hit?

197 upvotes

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What policies did Abraham Lincoln and the Congress throughout the Civil War push that were not related to slavery or the war itself?

173 upvotes

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Lincoln's pose in his memorial seems at odds with legacy as a humble, folksy President. Did the artist ever receive criticism for this? What was his response, if so?

171 upvotes

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Was the Coso Artifact, a spark plug encased in a "500,000" year old rock, a hoax or bad archaeology/geology?

162 upvotes

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On April 17th, 1907, Ellis Island processed 11,747 immigrants...more than twice as many as an average day. What led to this?

159 upvotes

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In Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand (via Francisco D'Anconia) suggests that Americans were the first to use the phrase "to make money." Is there any truth to this?

151 upvotes

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
The Alaska Purchase in 1867 is often called Seward's Folly, dubbed so by detractors. Did many Russians oppose selling the land? If so, on what grounds?	248
I've seen/heard the comment a few times that modern rioters vs police can give a small sense of what ancient warfare was like. How much truth is there in that?	215
I've never seen a depiction of a snow covered ancient Rome (city.) Has snow always been very uncommon in Rome? When it did snow was it disruptive, a la Atlanta 2014?	205
Was Popeye's spinach obsession meant as a public service announcement? Is there a reason he got swole from spinach and not beets or something?	204
What was the economic impact of the Panama canal on South American coastal cities? Was the new ability to bypass many of these places a significant economic hit?	197
What policies did Abraham Lincoln and the Congress throughout the Civil War push that were not related to slavery or the war itself?	173
Lincoln's pose in his memorial seems at odds with legacy as a humble, folksy President. Did the artist ever receive criticism for this? What was his response, if so?	171
Was the Coso Artifact, a spark plug encased in a "500,000" year old rock, a hoax or bad archaeology/geology?	162
On April 17th, 1907, Ellis Island processed 11,747 immigrants...more than twice as many as an average day. What led to this?	159
In Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand (via Francisco D'Anconia) suggests that Americans were the first to use the phrase "to make money." Is there any truth to this?	151