AskHistorians

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The letters of Paul are the oldest part of the New Testament; did he realize they would be disseminated widely? Was he writing for posterity?	16
Germany and Japan seem to have successfully reintegrated into the community of nations in good standing remarkably quickly after World War II. How were they and the rest of the world able to overcome any bitter feelings so quickly?	16
Where did the practice of the Dutch wearing wooden shoes come from? When did it become widespread? Is it still (as of 1998) fairly common?	16
All in the Family, Mary Tyler Moore, MASH, Taxi, and Good Times were all loaded with political subtext or outright text throughout the '70s. By the '80s, politics were treated as a joke (Family Ties) or an afterthought (Cosby Show, Cheers) by sitcoms. What triggered this change?	16
Hadrian greatly admired Greek culture and sought to make Athens the cultural heart of the Roman empire; did he receive any pushback from the Senate? What had changed from Antony's time (when accusations that he had 'foreign' sympathies proved decisive in his struggles against Augustus)?	16
Throughout the 19th and and much of the 20th century, the USA prided itself as being "a nation of immigrants." Were they in fact distinct in this regard in comparison to the rest of the 'new world'? Was this a result of political policy, economic opportunity, a mix of the two, or something else?	16
Dragons are mentioned several times in the Old Testament and in the Book of Revelation. Was it understood at the time that these were fantastical creatures? Are there any theories for the source of these references?	16
Which books of the Bible attributed to a single author (ex: first six books of Old Testament to Moses, Luke/Acts to Luke, John/Revelation to John, various letters by Peter and Paul) do scholars agree were really written by the same person?	16
How important was the American Revolution in setting up the French, both economically, and in terms of 'priming the pump' in demonstrating that common civilians could overthrow their aristocratic brethren? Is it overstated, or did it have a significant impact?	15
Where did the idea of a stock market come from?	15

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