askhistorians

Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
During the American War for Independence, the Continental Army was trained by Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben to be a well-regulated army so as to more effectively fight the British. What set von Steuben apart that made him so instrumental? What was the training given by the Continental Army officers?	5
Peter Stumpp was a 16th century German farmer accused of, among other things, being a werewolf and killing multiple people. He was tortured and confessed that he did indeed practice magic. What drove the continued use of torture as an interrogation tactic despite it being ineffective?	5
While reading a Wikipedia article on life imprisonment in the United States, a section states that in the 1860s, reformation was seen as more important than penitence. To what extent was this true and when did that sentiment start to shift?	5
In the 12th-century manuscript, Hortus Deliciarum, there is an illustration of Hell that contains a cauldron seemingly labeled "armisti milites" which contains soldiers. Is there more context as to how a Alsatian nun could have made this while France was about to engage in the Third Crusade?	4
Were food allergies a prevalent concern in ancient western civilizations? Did the Ancient Greeks and Romans leave record of how they dealt with severe food allergies?	4
In the YouTube video, "Illusions of Time", the host states that before the 20th century, it's was rare to smile for photographs as it demonstrated drunkenness or stupidity. To what degree is this true?	4
Jesus Christ's ministry in Israel lasted about 3 years. Was this a common occurrence at the time? Is there record of other ministers that would give sermons in different provinces? If so, what could be expected?	4
In the 12th-century manuscript, Hortus Deliciarum, there is an illustration of Hell that contains a cauldron seemingly labeled "armisti milites" which contains soldiers. Is there more context as to why an Alstatian nun would make this while France was about to engage in the Third Crusade?	3
In the Early Modern Period, it was not uncommon to use torture to extract confessions from witches. Anyone with a passing knowledge of torture knows that you will confess to anything eventually. Why did these confessions hold weight?	2
I learned that "Hibachi" were actually heating devices used by Japanese residents in their homes. It was a fireproof vessel (bowl or jar) that burned charcoal for heat. How was this possible considering the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning?	1

« < > »