AskHistorians

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Moralistic "think of the children" pleas are a common political tactic in the modern US with regard to any number of issues; at what point did this become a successful political strategy? What were the issues that provoked this approach?	24
How unusual was it for a woman to receive a university education in the time of Abelard and Heloise? What in her background facilitated it?	24
As I understand it, Judaism has existed as a messianic faith long before, and after, the time of Christ, and yet by far the most prominent (to modern eyes) examples of messianic movements centered around the first century CE; was something driving this? Is this historical hindsight on my part?	24
How bad was the economic collapse in the German Great Depression? Was it significantly worse than in the rest of Europe? Was the image of people wheeling around wheelbarrows of money just to buy bread based on something real? Where'd it come from?	24
Was the typical household depicted on television in the 1950s, with a professional and a homemaker living a comfortable middle class existence on one income, realistic at the time? Once this became less common was there any backlash to the necessity that both partners would have to work?	23
After Caesar's assassination, were any alternate resolutions seriously considered other than war between Antony and Octavian and the assassins? Was further civil war inevitable?	23
How would an escaped slave seek out the underground railroad? Was its existence common knowledge among slaves?	23
Was the 'melting pot' part of the American myth/self-conception from the beginning, or did it develop over time? Were there any particular moments that stand out in establishing this as the national identity?	23
How big of an impact did Damascus steel have when it was introduced? Was it foreseeable that the technique was becoming lost? What factors led to its loss?	23
How did St Nicholas come to be associated with Christmas, and how did he then become transformed into Santa Claus?	22

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