askhistorians

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Given the state of medicine at the time, how (assuming it was possible) would you discern a competent doctor from a con-man or even just an incompetent doctor in medieval Europe? Were there cases where a doctor was charge with a version of malpractice or negligence?	31
Why did Italy end up with multiple feuding city states at a time(renaissance) when many other major European powers had national governments?	30
Pop culture depicts dueling with lances as two men on horseback racing towards each other with the victor usually being the one who hits first. Did actual lance duels resemble this in any way? if not, then what form did they actually take?	30
During the Middle Ages, what happened to children of common birth that displayed savant-like intelligence? Was there any kind of systems or programs to allow them to achieve feats in the sciences, arts, etc?	28
Greek slaves were prized in the Roman empire, other being used as tutors. What other kinds of ethnicities warranted a higher value in the slave market and why?	26
it seems unusual to me that the Persian empire fell so easily to Alexander The Great. Were there other circumstances such as a general decline or internal problems or was Alexander just that capable?	25
Was Nosferatu the first horror film made, or simply the first to gain notoriety as well as survive into present day?	24
When America entered WW2, what was Henry Ford's response, considering he was an ardent supporter of the Third Reich?	23
Do we know if medieval executioners suffered from PTSD and other related mental illnesses? Assuming there are records that attest to this in detail, would there have been any form of treatment or communal support they could turn to?	21
In the early of controlled substance laws in the United States, how were people addicted to what were previously legal drugs treated by society at large?	20

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