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1500 questions
36
votes
3 answers
Did anyone in Europe predict the existence of the Americas?
According to the answer of this question, Columbus was pretty much unique in his belief that the world was small enough and Asia was big enough to make sailing west to Asia possible. Everyone else expected (correctly) that it was WAY too far away…
Nerrolken
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36
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3 answers
Who believed the earth was flat?
Christians are sometimes mocked for having once believed the earth was flat. However, the only references I can find are Lactantius in the beginning of the 4th century, and Copernicus, who says Lactantius was childish.
As Lactantius was largely…
jdj081
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35
votes
2 answers
Did the United States have a third atomic bomb to drop on Japan?
On 15 August, six days after the bombing of Nagasaki, Japan announced its surrender to the United States, signing the instrument of surrender on 2 September, officially ending the war.
The question is: Why didn't the United States drop another…
user2237
35
votes
6 answers
How was the United States able to produce excellent tanks in 1942?
Most military histories of the war in North Africa, and especially those produced from a British point-of-view, emphasise the greenness of the American troops which landed there in 1942. There is a tendency to compare them unfavourably with the…
Tea Drinker
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35
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2 answers
Why is this Latin text black but the Latin numerals are red?
There is a Latin inscription on the Old Town Square in Prague. It is located on a copy of the Marian Column. Photo:
(click to enlarge)
Every letter there has black color except for the Latin numerals I,V,X,L,C,D,M, which have greater size and also…
Jane B.
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35
votes
5 answers
Why did the Soviet Union out-pace the US during the space-race?
At the end of World War II, the US Government's Operation Paperclip plucked rocket scientists from Germany and brought them to the U.S. to work on military weapons. Most famous among these scientists was Wernher von Braun.
Given this, why did Russia…
vy32
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35
votes
1 answer
What exactly is the US national anthem?
In 1931, a congressional resolution designated that "[t]he composition consisting of the words and music known as the Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem." Unfortunately there isn't any other clarifying language as to exactly what the lyrics…
Seth W.
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35
votes
4 answers
What is this symbol in a financial record from Wisconsin, USA, in 1860?
I am trying to read some records about wages in Wisconsin in 1860 (the data is from the Social Statistics schedules of the Decennial Census). I cannot read the record from Milton, Rock County, Wisconsin. Specifically, I do not understand the entries…
roussanoff
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35
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6 answers
How is serfdom related to slavery?
As far as I understand serfdom is very closely related to slavery. For example, Wikipedia mentions serfs could be traded, bought and sold and were more or less at the mercy of their owner/lord and even the word serf is derived from the word slave. I…
Ezekiel
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35
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16 answers
Which battle was the most lopsided result in terms of casualties?
I have recently read about two ancient battles that were won by a much smaller army and/or lead to very different casualties:
Defeat of Boudica - according to Roman accounts only 400 Romans died as opposed to 80,000 of Boudica's forces, thus…
Alexei
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35
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4 answers
How were medieval castles built in swamps or marshes without draining them?
By this, I mean a castle built without terraforming or draining the swamp; a castle that was built while keeping the swamp intact.
Inspired by Monty Python Since apparently, castles built in marshes were a real thing and common thing, I would…
Li Jun
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35
votes
2 answers
Did Vladimir Lenin have a cat?
According to Wikipedia:
He [Lenin] was... fond of pets, in particular cats.
So did Lenin, at some point, have a cat? I have seen some pictures of him holding cats, but I guess they could just be him holding someone else's cat (for popularity…
maninthecomputer
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35
votes
2 answers
Where did the “vikings wear helmets with horn” stereotype come from and why?
Vikings wearing helmets with horns has been stereotyped by cartoon shows and animated depictions of vikings. Vikings are also portrayed as beasts and savages who looted and raided innocent shrines and institutions. But archeological evidences prove…
Rohit Hari
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35
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3 answers
What happened in Rome, when the western empire "fell"?
I mean everybody knows that the western Roman Empire fell about 476 A.D. But what happened in Rome itself then? Did Romans keep living their day to day lives? Were there riots? I find it hard to find out anything about it.
F.Rauls
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35
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3 answers
Has any country ever had 2 former presidents in jail simultaneously?
I suspect that today, this achievement has been granted for the first time to Brazil, with the arresting of Michel Temer, and considering that Lula da Silva is still under arrest.
It is normally big news if a former president is incarcerated, so I'd…
Mefitico
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