/u/omegasavant's posts in /r/AskHistorians

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Why did Islam spread so readily in East Africa? What tenets made it so appealing to the people living there?

49 upvotes

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Could anyone join a monastery or convent in the Middle Ages? If I were a peasant, would I need anyone's permission to do so? And would that change depending on my age or gender?

41 upvotes

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Why and how did American slaveowners begin viewing slavery as a positive thing instead of a necessary evil? What changed between the 18th century and the 19th?

38 upvotes

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In WWI, why didn't soldiers just extend the trench into no-man's land instead of going over the top?

34 upvotes

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What's up with all of the swooning Victorian ladies? Were people really passing out left and right every time they got stressed out?

32 upvotes

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Why did the Great Depression happen? There was nothing physically wrong with the country -- no wars or destruction, workers still wanted to work, bosses still wanted to run their businesses, and bankers still wanted to make money. So what happened?

30 upvotes

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Did the newly televised elections really hurt Nixon's chances against Kennedy?

29 upvotes

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Have children always been considered less culpable when they commit acts that would otherwise be considered crimes? If not, when did they gain this legal protection?

25 upvotes

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When and why did people stop selling the civilians of a sacked city into slavery?

24 upvotes

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In the West, at what point in time could I reasonably expect the average person to have cash on them? Would a 1600s European peasant use money on a daily basis? Would an 1800s American farmer?

24 upvotes

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
Why did Islam spread so readily in East Africa? What tenets made it so appealing to the people living there?	49
Could anyone join a monastery or convent in the Middle Ages? If I were a peasant, would I need anyone's permission to do so? And would that change depending on my age or gender?	41
Why and how did American slaveowners begin viewing slavery as a positive thing instead of a necessary evil? What changed between the 18th century and the 19th?	38
In WWI, why didn't soldiers just extend the trench into no-man's land instead of going over the top?	34
What's up with all of the swooning Victorian ladies? Were people really passing out left and right every time they got stressed out?	32
Why did the Great Depression happen? There was nothing physically wrong with the country -- no wars or destruction, workers still wanted to work, bosses still wanted to run their businesses, and bankers still wanted to make money. So what happened?	30
Did the newly televised elections really hurt Nixon's chances against Kennedy?	29
Have children always been considered less culpable when they commit acts that would otherwise be considered crimes? If not, when did they gain this legal protection?	25
When and why did people stop selling the civilians of a sacked city into slavery?	24
In the West, at what point in time could I reasonably expect the average person to have cash on them? Would a 1600s European peasant use money on a daily basis? Would an 1800s American farmer?	24