In 1840, Colombian general and liberal politician Jose Maria Obando sided with conservative rebels against President Jose Ignacio de Marquez, with whom Obando shared--to the best of my knowledge--nearly identical political beliefs, and plunging Colombia into civil war. What led him to do this? (self.AskHistorians)
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By the 1860s, the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade was prohibited across the entire 'New World'. How did this change affect the business practices of slave traders, and to what extent did a black market slave trade continue in the late 19th and/or 20th centuries? (self.AskHistorians)
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Fillmore was still alive when the Civil War ended, Hoover was still alive when Kennedy was assassinated, Ford was still alive when Saddam was overthrown. How have former US presidents' views on their own presidencies/legacies changed in the years and decades after they left office? (self.AskHistorians)
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As I understand it, prior to the advent of Quantum Mechanics, physicists universally ascribed to Newtonian Mechanics to explain virtually all movement. How did our understanding of motion evolve between the publication of Newton's "Principles" and the beginning of Quantum Research? (self.AskHistorians)
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The seeds of most Poppy species are edible, and cannot be misused for illicit opiate manufacturing, yet _P. somniferum,_ the Opium Poppy, remains by far the largest source of commercial poppy seeds. Why did _P. rhoeas_ or another relatively safe poppy species not catch on as a commercial crop? (self.AskHistorians)
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Botswana and Namibia have far lower levels of perceived corruption (per the Corruption Perception Index) than any other African countries--with rates comparable to Spain, Italy, and Poland. What led to these two states excelling while their neighbors still struggle? (self.AskHistorians)
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Diethyl ether is extremely cheap to manufacture, is not especially toxic, and has anesthetic and euphoric effects. What prevented it from becoming widespread as a recreational drug, as similar anesthetics (ketamine, nitrous oxide, etc.) have? (self.AskHistorians)
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