/u/schematicboy's posts in /r/askhistorians

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The cannons at Edinburgh Castle have what appears to be a dollar sign on one side of the pivot. Does anyone know what this indicates? I assume this symbol predates the US dollar, since the cannons likely do as well.

1732 upvotes

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18th-century American recipes were often spiced with nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. When was cardamom first imported into North America and how was it received?

93 upvotes

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It is presumable that people have suffered from motion sickness ever since humans began using boats, horses, and so on. What were the physiological explanations for the mechanism behind this illness prior to a modern neurological one?

91 upvotes

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How did the practices and terminology of French cuisine become a culinary standard?

48 upvotes

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Are there any known instances of historians misinterpreting satirical works for ones written in earnest?

46 upvotes

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When did "regular" neckties become more popular than their more convenient alternative, bowties?

18 upvotes

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What's up with those gelatinous American recipes from the '50s? Were aspics a status symbol of sorts? Did anyone actually make them or were they just flashy advertisements from companies trying to suggest uses for their canned tuna/mayonnaise/etc.? What's the story?

17 upvotes

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When did under-clothing become distinct from over-clothing as it is currently?

17 upvotes

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Was the practice of kissing the same in antiquity as it is today?

15 upvotes

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Are the prices of alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, spirits) over time usable as an index of economic prosperity? Given the ubiquity of alcohol consumption, can this information be used to compare the values of modern and historical currency?

14 upvotes

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
The cannons at Edinburgh Castle have what appears to be a dollar sign on one side of the pivot. Does anyone know what this indicates? I assume this symbol predates the US dollar, since the cannons likely do as well.	1732
18th-century American recipes were often spiced with nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. When was cardamom first imported into North America and how was it received?	93
It is presumable that people have suffered from motion sickness ever since humans began using boats, horses, and so on. What were the physiological explanations for the mechanism behind this illness prior to a modern neurological one?	91
How did the practices and terminology of French cuisine become a culinary standard?	48
Are there any known instances of historians misinterpreting satirical works for ones written in earnest?	46
When did "regular" neckties become more popular than their more convenient alternative, bowties?	18
What's up with those gelatinous American recipes from the '50s? Were aspics a status symbol of sorts? Did anyone actually make them or were they just flashy advertisements from companies trying to suggest uses for their canned tuna/mayonnaise/etc.? What's the story?	17
When did under-clothing become distinct from over-clothing as it is currently?	17
Was the practice of kissing the same in antiquity as it is today?	15
Are the prices of alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, spirits) over time usable as an index of economic prosperity? Given the ubiquity of alcohol consumption, can this information be used to compare the values of modern and historical currency?	14