History Extra logo
  • Subscribe
  • Columnists
  • Newsletters
  • Historical TV and Film
  • Today in history
  • Download our app
History Extra logo
The official website for BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed
  • Period
    • Back to Main menu
    • Roman
    • Viking
    • Anglo-Saxon
    • Medieval
    • Tudor
    • Second World War
    • View all Periods
  • People
    • Back to Main menu
    • Tutankhamun
    • Richard III
    • Henry VIII
    • Elizabeth I
    • Queen Victoria
    • Winston Churchill
    • View all People
  • Topics
    • Back to Main menu
    • Kings and queens
    • Weird and wonderful
    • Sex and love
    • Social history
    • Religious history
    • Women's history
    • Historical Q&As
    • Heritage visits
    • History hero
    • Historical recipes
    • Turning points in British history
    • View all Topics
  • Podcast
    • Back to Main menu
    • All podcasts
    • Episodes by topic
    • Podcast club
    • Podcast series
      • Back to Podcast
      • Six Wives
      • Greatest cities
      • Historical conspiracies
      • Cuban Missile Crisis
      • The Mary Rose
      • Tutankhamun
      • 15 minutes of fame
      • Everything you wanted to know about...
      • The black death
      • Salem witch trials
  • Video
    • Back to Main menu
    • Tudor Royal Women
    • Medieval Masterclass with Dan Jones
    • Monarchy masterclass with Tracy Borman
  • Quizzes
  • Magazines
    • Back to Main menu
    • BBC History Magazine
    • BBC History Revealed
    • BBC World Histories Magazine
    • Subscriber downloads
    • Special editions
    • About us
    • Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Columnists
  • Newsletters
  • Historical TV and Film
  • Today in history
  • Download our app
  1. Home
  2. Q&A

Q&A

The coats of arms of the kingdoms of Scotland and France
Medieval

Q&A How old is the Auld Alliance between France and Scotland?

An illustration of a Soviet warship inside a Pepsi bottle
20th Century

Q&A Is it true that Pepsi briefly owned Soviet warships?

Scene of the Peterloo Massacre
Georgian

Q&A Why do we say “Read the Riot Act”?

Advertisement
Men marching with bagpipes wearing tartan kilts
General History

Q&A When did the Scots start wearing tartan – and what did it mean?

The Trojan Horse is pulled in the city of Troy
Ancient Greece

Q&A What is the Trojan Horse and why do we say ‘Beware the Greeks bearing gifts’?

Photo of pears
Second World War

Q&A Why do we say it's all gone pear-shaped?

Claudia Severa’s preserved party invitation from Vindolanda
Roman

Q&A What was written on the Vindolanda Tablets?

A painting of the Coniston, a ship that befell tragedy
General History

Q&A What is the greatest mishap caused by someone not realising the clocks had moved forward or back?

Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor meet for a dance in Bridgerton
General Early Modern

Q&A How did people learn to dance in Baroque and Regency times?

Advertisement
Picture of a 19th-century bloomer costume
General Modern

Q&A When did women start wearing trousers?

Molotov cocktails, Ukraine
General Modern

Q&A What is a Molotov cocktail?

An illustration depicting a woman lying in bed who has recently given birth to twins. Other women busy themselves with tasks around her, such as stoking a fire and holding one of the babies.
General History

Q&A Where does the word ‘gossip’ come from – and what has it got to do with childbirth?

A late 16th century portrait of Anne Boleyn (c.1500-1536)
Tudor

Q&A Did Anne Boleyn have six fingers on one hand?

First photo of baby Charles Lindbergh Jr
20th Century

Q&A Who was the Lindbergh baby?

Photo of fence and barbed wire
Cold War

Q&A What does Iron Curtain mean, and who popularised the term?

  • Prev
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • You're currently on page 3
  • Page 4
  • Page 35
  • Next

Sign up for the weekly HistoryExtra newsletter

Sign up to receive our newsletter!

Thanks! You're now subscribed to our newsletter.

Already have an account with us? Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences

Sign in
Register

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HistoryExtra terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Subs Banners Summer Books Jun_Jul 2023 1sl Footer
Claim your summer book

PLUS FREE access to Historyextra.com

See offer
Subs Xmas 2022-4 Footer US
USA Subscription offer!

Save 70% on the shop price when you subscribe today - Get 13 issues for just $49.99 + FREE access to HistoryExtra.com

Subscribe now
HEX_Podcast_100x100
HistoryExtra podcast

Listen to the latest episodes now

Listen here
History Extra logo
  • Visit us on Facebook
  • Visit us on Twitter
  • Visit us on Instagram
  • Visit us on Youtube
  • Visit us on Rss
  • About Us
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • History Magazine Subscriptions
  • FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • Vacancies
  • Licensing
  • Find Us
  • Manage Privacy Settings
null Logo
History Extra is owned and published by Immediate Media Company Limited. BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed are published by Immediate Media Company Limited under licence from BBC Studios Distribution.© Immediate Media Company Ltd. 2023