AskHistorians

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I was watching Mad Men and, apparently, elevator operators were common well into the 60's. Were elevators considered too difficult for the average person to operate or were elevators more complex than just the push button that we have today?	2802
I was watching Deadwood & the term Chinaman was used frequently & in a completely non-derogatory manner - In the same vein as Frenchman, Englishman, Dutchman etc. How & why did this term become offensive & fall into disuse?	1395
Hippocrates prescribed healthy food (among other things) for his ill patients. What kinds of food were considered healthy (and unhealthy) 2400 years ago?	664
How easy/difficult was it for young men to dodge the Viet Nam draft? Could they stay in their hometowns without repercussions? Would/could potential employers hire them?	657
Is there any evidence to the story of the Amazonian Queen Thalestris bringing 300 worrier women to Alexander the Great for him to impregnate & create a race of elite warriors? Or is this just a 2400 year old bro story?	590
What historical 'fact' do you continually hear but know it's just not true?	311
What's the oldest song we know of?	285
I'm a Roman teenager during the Pax Romana. Being a typical teenager I become rebellious towards my parents & society in general. What activities and/or behaviours do I act upon to show everyone how much of a badass rebel I've become?	284
I read recently that, in his will, Ben Franklin left his only son "some worthless lands in Nova Scotia" Does anyone know where in NS these lands are?	251
I have heard that in the past doctors believed that infants and babies did not feel pain - going so far as preforming surgery on them without anesthetic. Is this true, and, if so, how and why did they come to believe this?	201

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