I realize this question seems semi-history and semi-contemporary but I am more interested in the historical side of things and how that has impacted their current status.

Scotland just implemented a vote for independence, it was shot down by voters but it was still voted upon. I'm wondering why something similar has not happened with Northern Ireland. What's stopping them? What has stopped them historically? The history of aggression from the IRA? Or have more North Irish support the UK than it would seem?

I was watching black sails and it's a big part of pirate culture in the fictive Nassau. I was wondering what prostitution really was like.

I’ve been researching Italy’s transition from the Fall of Rome to becoming a part of the Holy Roman Empire and I came across the hypothesis that the Iron Crown of the Lombards was already used in the coronation of Charlemagne as King of Italy. The first definite use we know of was Conrad III in 1128, but it might have been used earlier. The last instance was Ferdinand of Austria in 1838.

At first it seemed like this might be a relatively long time period, but after some thinking I realised there are others that have been used over the same, if not longer, periods. What’s your candidate for longest used crown?

Like the title says, I am looking for sources on letters. I am mostly interested in comparing what used to be written to what is written today (for example with e-mails and instant messaging taking over the function of the letter). I am also interested in the differences in how letters were written in the past vs now. Could you point me to some useful, but low level (high school) sources?

I need to write a short paper (2-4 pages) on the letter and I plan on focussing on developments in the history of the letter. It is quite obvious that the letters Plinius and Cicero wrote were very different from the letters that are written today and that the letter has lost a lot of popularity, as people prefer using faster, easier and more casual forms of communication (e-mails, texts, phone, instant messaging). But I don't know enough about the subject to write anything meaningful on it, which is why I'm looking for sources to get started. Any suggestions? Please keep in mind that I'm still in high school, so many sources might be a bit too advanced for me. Also, I'm Dutch and don't have access to a lot of books, so I would prefer websites as sources. If you have interesting ideas to share about (the history of) letters, please post them as well!

I've been reading up a bit on trade in Mesoamerica, and it seems like there's a lot of information about long-distance trade of luxury goods (exotic feathers, jade, obsidian, cacao beans). What about non-luxury goods? Do we know anything about smaller networks moving lower-value items?

Most of what I've read has been talking about the Aztecs and Maya in classic and post-classic Mesoamerica, but if anybody wants to talk about an earlier time period or a different culture, I'm happy to learn new things. (Also, I'm a sucker for maps of trade routes, if you have any.)

Edit: made, not make.

What happens to Catholicism at the time of the reformation in Scandinavia, and why does it seem to just disappear? Compared to say a country like England, which became Protestant, yet still had a Catholic presence with some people and political figures remaining Catholic.