askhistorians

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In ep. 28 of the r/AskHistorians podcast, "Alaskan Disasters." u/The_Alaskan mentions federal aid given after the 1912 volcanic eruption and the 1964 earthquake. Would the aid available have necessarily differed for each due to Alaska's status as a territory in 1912 and as a state in 1964?	14
It seems like after Justinian's reconquests the Byzantine Empire was in one millennium-long decline. Is this true? Were there any significant territorial expansions after Justinian?	14
"Enigmarelle was a fake humanoid automaton, in fact with a person concealed inside, which was exhibited as a scientific and technical curiosity around 1905 in the US and Europe." So says Wikipedia. What were the popular and elite receptions of this alleged scientific wonder, and how was it exposed?	13
Why is the combination of foods in the full English breakfast what it is?	11
Operation Paperclip involved bringing Nazi scientists to the USA to get an edge in the space race against the USSR post-WWII. How did American scientists react to showing up to work one day to see Nazis in their midst?	11
What are the origins of Mrs. Claus?	10
Was antislavery literature suppressed for non-slave consumption in the antebellum South?	10
What are the origins of the "cursed crossroads" found in Western folklore?	10
Why & how did Napoleon's reputation change from being a tyrant to a more neutral/positive conception as a military genius and reformer?	8
As I understand it, the Clearances in Scotland came about because landowners realized that running livestock was more profitable than plot farming. Is this accurate? If so, why did they realize this when they did? If not, what really happened? Were there similar events in other parts of Europe?	8

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