askhistorians

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Are there any historically common foodstuffs that're no longer eaten?	83
If I were in Washington during the Civil War on business and staying in a hotel, where would I poop? Was it still chamber pots in that era - were there complementary chamber pots in hotels & chamber pot removal/cleaning? Did flush toilets/bathrooms exist yet?	82
The Wikipedia article on the Koh-i-Noor diamond has a quote from Queen Victoria saying to her daughter saying she opposed the conquest of India. What's the context for this quote - did she really oppose it and why?	78
Why was China able to eventually re-assemble into a single polity after the collapse of the Han dynasty, but Western Europe was not after the fall of the Western Roman Empire?	76
Did field slaves, in the Antebellum South, resent or hate slaves that worked in the house?	76
I'm reading the book "The Last Duel" by Eric Jager - and, apparently, enchanted weapons were banned in judicial duels. What sort of enchanted weapons were thought to exist at the time that could advantage or disadvantage someone in a duel?	74
Robert Jordan described the Aiel society of his Wheel of Time books as having their history based on the Cheyenne - (spoilers for WoT) - in that they were pacifists driven off their land and forced to become warriors. Is that an accurate description of Cheyenne history?	73
How did carriages and wagons go downhill before brakes?	73
Why are there so few Mongolians?	67
In Fiddler on the Roof the arrival of the village's first sewing machine is a big deal. Is that accurate to the time-period? Was the first sewing machine in town really cause for such excitement (in rural villages wherever)?	65

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