askhistorians

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What's the deal with Banjo Paterson's politics? He went from writing poems criticising the British war in Sudan in the 1880s to becoming the very model of a modern imperial war correspondent in the Second Boer War.	22
How busy was the Mediterranean Sea during the Classical period? Would other ships be a common sight on a voyage? How frequently did ships arrive and depart from major ports?	19
What were the minimum requirements to be considered a "state" in Ancient Greece?	17
During the world wars, the size (and replenishment) of the US/British merchant navies was a key strategic factor. Yet in recent decades, the use of 'flags of convenience' meant that these countries controlled many fewer ships. Was this not seen as a threat to national security?	15
58 years ago today, the USSR detonated the 'Tsar Bomba', the largest nuclear explosion ever. What was the connotation and/or reception of naming a nuclear weapon after a Tsar in Soviet Russia?	15
I recall reading once that in Early Modern Europe, alcohol, particularly ale/beer, was so widely consumed because the brewing process made it more sanitary than unclean water. How did groups with a social or religious prohibition of alcohol get around the same problem?	13
How did botanical gardens become such widespread urban institutions?	13
How was Paul Robeson received by white America during the height of his career?	12
It's a standard feature of Agatha Christie stories that one murder leads to others, whether to silence a witness/blackmailer or for other motives. Was this based on the actual reality of twentieth century crime, or was it a purely literary trope?	11
When joining a convent in medieval Europe, how much did social rank matter? Would it be expected that someone of higher birth would attain superior office?	11

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