Why did hard taco shells get so popular in the US when they are clearly inferior to their soft cousin?

I asked this question two weeks ago but nobody replied, maybe nobody saw it so I hope it is alright if I ask the same question just once more here.

How much, or if anything at all, was known about Soviet Gulag camps outside the Soviet Union itself?

When did the idea of 4 cardinal directions (North, South, East, West) come to be universal? Has it always been 4 directions?

Are there any good books regarding the history of Central Asia? I'm particularly interested in the time period of the seventh and eighth century CE, around the time of the Tang Dynasty.

Is the B.C. - A.D. system still used in academic circles or it is mostly B.C.E.-C.E. currently?

What did contemporary Muslim sources think about the 30 years war?

I'm writing a paper on political thought in Britain in the 16th and 17th centuries. I just realized that in it, I say that Hobbes was the first person to assert that religion and politics should have nothing to do with one another. Does anyone know if this is true? Was there another philosopher who came before Hobbes who suggested the separation of church and state?

What's the earliest known Roman sculpture other than the capitoline 'Brutus'?

Can anyone recommend a good secondary source on the 1967-1974 Junta in Greece?

Why did grave robbers in ancient Egypt destroy the bodies? Like, sure, hack them up to get jewelry and stuff, but why light them on fire afterwards?

Is there any chance that in years 1914-1918 in Europe some people could exist and did not be aware of ww1? (they could live deep in forest or something like that)

Did the Hospitaller or Teutonic Orders ever surpass the Templars in size? Like in terms of land ownership, revenues, and membership?

I'm looking for a good book to learn about William Ewart Gladstone and the victorian period. Any suggestions ?

Can you help me identify the man in this anecdote I half-remember from long ago? One of the first men to build a working compressor. He lived someplace hot (the American South?). He announced his invention by throwing a party in summer and surprising guests with chilled champagne and iced seafood (oysters?).

This might be a stupid question, but I have the song stuck in my head and it got me thinking: ignoring the use of English for a moment, would John Smith in Pocahontas have even known what a bobcat was? Were there books, magazines or something similar at that time that would have gone back to England, sharing about some of the wildlife found in the Americas that an average person would have had access to? And if so, have copies of them been preserved? Because I would love to see something from them.

There was an 8th century king of Asturias named Mauregato. I can't find a pronunciation for the name anywhere. Is it known or is there a consensus on how his name (Mauregato/Mauregatus) was pronounced?

Was the owl a symbol of wisdom before Athena or became one because of its association with Athena?

I am wondering if anyone can help us with a specific book about the Asia Minor Catastrophe.

Bit of a background, I know someone whose ancestors were involved in the trial of the six. I say this, as their father had a bookshelf filled with books about the crisis, and the book I am looking for might possibly have been a small print run, academic or even just a proof and never published.

I have checked the bibliography of the excellent Ionian Vision by Michael Llewellyn Smith, but none of the titles looks familiar.

The book in question was about the events leading up to it. Most importantly, it was about the talks after the first world war from a British perspective, as told by letters and documents from someone who was English who was involved.

I think the title, was something along the lines of "Letters from a ...."

Unfortunately, said person father has now passed away and I can't ask them what that book was, nor is it still on their shelves. All I can remember reading the back and the blurb sounded really interesting; It was not an old book, I would say printed late nineties early 2000's

Was dermatitis neglecta common during time periods when people didn't bathe frequently?

Is there a specific term for names in history that are changed for conveniences sake? For Example, Despite Jefferson and Madison referring to their party as the republican party, we use the name democratic-republicans to avoid having to distinguish with the current republican party.

Is there any, relatively short book that encompasses the history of China (or Asia) from ancient times to at least 19th century?

This question must have been asked a lot of times, but all answers I can find are for shorter periods of time.

During the period when Spartan Hopites used the Corinthian-style helmets, did all Spartiate hoplites have a crest on the helmet? Did the different types of crests for these helmets denote something specific? (I.e. I've heard that a transverse crest was for particulatly important/elite Spartans and was very rare until other Greek states adopted its fashion).

I have heard that Romans would make an offering to the Gods of an enemy in order to sway them over to their side. What was the name of this custom?, Can any more information be provided?

Very simple question here. In one of my many wikipedia binge-trains I came across an article about the Mappae Clavicula. It sounds like it would be a very interesting document to read due to its age, but I can barely find copies of it online even in Latin.

Since the extent of my Latin is what I picked up in learning about/identifying plant species, does anyone know where one could find an english translation of the document?

Best I can find is a website that has only some of the dye recipes translated.

Thanks!

Is there a place that gathers quotes about certain figures in history? Places I normally go to for quotes, I post 2 to 3 a day, only seem to have quotes about abstract subjects, war peace hate love. When I search for say quotes about Oscar Wilde I only get ones by Oscar Wilde for example.

Hello,

I asked this question yesterday but its down to the third page so I don't think it's going to get responses, and it is a relatively simple question, so here it is again:

How did the ancient romans heat and cool buildings (and how prevalent was climate control beyond a simple hearth or the like)?

I'm sure the answer depends on the period in roman history as well as social class, but any info you've got, I'll take!

Thanks!

Ps: I've read a bit about hypautron (sp?) But as far as I know that was mostly limited to baths and the upper levels of society

What's the oldest proof we have of Christianity existing? For example a bible, text. When I searched for this on google they talked about "lost" bibles but how can you actually trust they existed if they've been lost?

Forgive me, but is there a compilation or book of quotes wherein politicians say things either in the House, Senate, or White House? I'm pretty sure I heard from a guest on the daily show that Jefferson once debated a fellow congressman and said something like, "Well if history should so low to remember you . . ." It something like that?

Then in another thread it said Lincoln said a something and I'm paraphrasing, that people called him two face and in a debate he said, "Two face? If I were too face you really think that this would be my good side?" Self deprecation in looks, basically.

Last example, Ronald Regan saying, "Here he goes again" in his debate.

Sorry for the brevity and typos, on mobile.

Thanks!

Would Juliet have been considered her fathers property?

How did Caesar hide his epilepsy?

What was the point of no return for Russia and America during the beginning of the Cold War? I understand that negotiation on post-war Germany was a point of tension, but what was the final straw?

Why Shimazu clan who supported a kobugattai Shogun in Yoshinobu turned on him later in Boshin War?

Are there any good TV shows set in the Gilded Age, preferably one with a variety of view point characters from recent immigrant to robber baron industrialist to old money aristocrats?

All I can find when searching are links to the upcoming NBC show "The Gilded Age" (which I will check out), but I'm hoping for something that already exists and preferably has several seasons.

What was Italian cuisine like before tomatoes?

Which Defensive Line was Stronger the Maginot Line or the Siegfried Line?

How much would Guns and Ammo have costed in 1892?

I'm making a tabletop game based in that year and I want to be as historically accurate as possible.

Shotguns

Shotgun shells

Rifles

Rifle cartridges

Repeater

Repeater cartridges

Revolvers

Revolver cartridges

I've scoured the internet and couldnt find a straight answer. I also tried the old timey sears catalogue but I havent found one that goes that far. Can anyone help? I'd be extremely thankful and I'm sure some other wild west enthusiasts would be too.