question_title stringlengths 1 316 | body stringlengths 1 40k | metadata dict |
|---|---|---|
Question about the U.S. / Canadian border circa 1850 | Amateur historian here, but a proud student of Canadian history, so please allow me to give it a shot.
Slavery in Upper Canada was abolished in 1793. At that time, only 300 slaves existed within Upper Canada. So for many years before the Underground Railroad, slavery was not existent in Canada. Racial tensions did ex... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r6g0x",
"post_id": "r6g0x",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r6g0x/question_about_the_us_canadian_border_circa_1850/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r6g0x/question_about_the_us_canadian_border_circ... |
1939 Poland - why declare war on Germany and NOT Russia? | France and England's guarantee to Poland concerned Germany, not the Soviet Union. It wasn't the Soviet Union the western allies were appeasing and got fed up with when everything they could give was taken. The Soviet Union, in fact, was waiting for France or Britain to do something after Poland was invaded. Unfortun... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r6q77",
"post_id": "r6q77",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r6q77/1939_poland_why_declare_war_on_germany_and_not/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r6q77/1939_poland_why_declare_war_on_germany_and_n... |
What is a good collection of books for someone with little history knowledge to learn the gist of history? | My go-to recommendation for "history of everything, ever" is McNeill, McNeill *The Human Web*. It is written with clear understanding of limitations of such work, and a good precise central theme for any such universal history. Before long you will get a recommendation for Diamond *Guns, Germs and Steel*, as it is a hi... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r6sag",
"post_id": "r6sag",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r6sag/what_is_a_good_collection_of_books_for_someone/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r6sag/what_is_a_good_collection_of_books_for_someo... |
When did people (in which society) start brushing their teeth? And what did they use? | http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/A2818686
It would seem we've been cleaning our teeth since antiquity. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r6znb",
"post_id": "r6znb",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r6znb/when_did_people_in_which_society_start_brushing/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r6znb/when_did_people_in_which_society_start_brus... |
can i get some more information about the conecction between the Jews and the pyramids? | I'm sure a panelist will come and provide more detail, but I don't think there is any relationship. The Pyramids at Giza predate the earliest evidence of Judaism by at least a millennium. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r7044",
"post_id": "r7044",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7044/can_i_get_some_more_information_about_the/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7044/can_i_get_some_more_information_about_the/",
"p... |
Roman Familial Systems: Extended or Nuclear? | >Why has there been debate over whether or not the Roman familial system was nuclear or extended?
Because *any*thing can be debated - especially if it's possible to pick and choose the evidence to support a predetermined opinion.
However, it seems that the Roman family system was *both* nuclear *and* extended (wh... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r70z2",
"post_id": "r70z2",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r70z2/roman_familial_systems_extended_or_nuclear/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r70z2/roman_familial_systems_extended_or_nuclear/",
... |
What jobs are available to a person with a degree in history? | Could you be more specific?
We had this question and similiar ones asked a lot here. Have a look at the following threads:
* http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/qk0t0/studying_history_at_ma_and_phd_level/
* http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/krny8/what_is_your_job/
* http://www.reddit.com/r/Ask... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r76w5",
"post_id": "r76w5",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r76w5/what_jobs_are_available_to_a_person_with_a_degree/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r76w5/what_jobs_are_available_to_a_person_with_... |
Is it true that if Charles Martel had lost the Battle of Tours, Europe and the Americas would be more Arabic than Anglo/Saxon today? | Possibly. The group that Martel defeated was more of a raiding party and less an invading army. The Moors were fairly overextended at this point and trying to push further into Europe from the Iberian peninsula seems like it would have been unlikely.
It certainly couldn't have helped to put a check on any such ambitio... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r79sf",
"post_id": "r79sf",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r79sf/is_it_true_that_if_charles_martel_had_lost_the/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r79sf/is_it_true_that_if_charles_martel_had_lost_t... |
I'm not sure if this really goes here, but why is it that visiting foreign leaders to America no longer receive elaborate welcoming ceremonies and such? | Obama just had British Prime Minister David Cameron visit last week. Looks pretty full of [pomp and circumstance](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRgBzz-YhGY). Just watch the first 15 minutes, after that its just a speech. It happens all the time for big dignitaries. [Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I28V800cO0) is... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r7bwc",
"post_id": "r7bwc",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7bwc/im_not_sure_if_this_really_goes_here_but_why_is/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7bwc/im_not_sure_if_this_really_goes_here_but_wh... |
How successful was Elizabeth I after the defeat of the Spanish Armada? (1588-1603) | Bit rushed for time so I can't give you the run down just yet, but I'd suggest checking out www.tudors.org - it's run by one of the main tudor historians (John Guy - whose book, 'Tudor England' is also a must-read - he also taught me at Uni, so I'm slightly biased, but general opinion is that it's probably one of the b... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r7cfp",
"post_id": "r7cfp",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7cfp/how_successful_was_elizabeth_i_after_the_defeat/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7cfp/how_successful_was_elizabeth_i_after_the_de... |
I'm trying to find a book about the German Colonial Empire, help please? | Some free Google eBooks on the subject. These are old, by the way.
http://books.google.com/books?id=lH61AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA23&dq=german+colonial+history&hl=en&sa=X&ei=p3BrT-XgEoXm0QHouqzyBg&ved=0CD8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=german%20colonial%20history&f=false
http://books.google.com/books?id=BzRN... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r7iqj",
"post_id": "r7iqj",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7iqj/im_trying_to_find_a_book_about_the_german/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7iqj/im_trying_to_find_a_book_about_the_german/",
"p... |
Which cultures have/had a tradition of atheism? | The Druids didn't have gods, as such - they believed in spirits in trees and rivers and the like.
The Chinese didn't have gods - but they did deify certain illustrious ancestors and worship them.
I don't know much about Native Americans - did they worship gods, or merely acknowledge the spirits that inhabited the lan... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r7iyu",
"post_id": "r7iyu",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7iyu/which_cultures_havehad_a_tradition_of_atheism/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7iyu/which_cultures_havehad_a_tradition_of_atheism... |
Need help finding Battle of Stalingrad books that deal with first hand soldier experience. | Can you read German? If so, you might appreciate [Vermißt in Stalingrad](http://www.amazon.de/Vermi%C3%9Ft-Stalingrad-einfacher-%C3%BCberlebte-Todeslager/dp/3933336775), a book by a German private on his experiences during the battle and as a Soviet prisoner. It has a few images as well - drawings, photographs, etc. A ... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r7j36",
"post_id": "r7j36",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7j36/need_help_finding_battle_of_stalingrad_books_that/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7j36/need_help_finding_battle_of_stalingrad_bo... |
Where did the alcohol come from after prohibition ended? | Well, I can only relate my family and it's small contribution to the Nonle Experiment. By 1918, my great grandfather on my fathers side, who had several interests, including 12 fishing boats that made a little money. He began buying large quantities of Legal whiskey and rum in the Islands and stashed it on an island th... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r7j7e",
"post_id": "r7j7e",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7j7e/where_did_the_alcohol_come_from_after_prohibition/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7j7e/where_did_the_alcohol_come_from_after_pro... |
At what point did the British monarchy lose power? | There's no single point. It was a series of events, over hundreds of years.
I'm at work, with limited access to references, so this is mostly from memory:
* The first loss of power was the signing of the Magna Carta, by King John. While his brother Richard was off fighting the Crusades, John was minding the store - a... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r7ls0",
"post_id": "r7ls0",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7ls0/at_what_point_did_the_british_monarchy_lose_power/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7ls0/at_what_point_did_the_british_monarchy_lo... |
My highschool history teacher didn't take the time to explain this... | The generally accepted reason is that it was a move to block British interests in India, which was a vital trade link for the Empire. There have been numerous other reasons suggested as well, from an attempt to link with possible arab/muslim rulers who could be used as allies in the French fight against the British Emp... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r7njg",
"post_id": "r7njg",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7njg/my_highschool_history_teacher_didnt_take_the_time/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7njg/my_highschool_history_teacher_didnt_take_... |
Can Someone Please Explain the History of US Executive Orders? | Executive orders have been around ever since the founding of this nation. The very first executive order was issued back in 1789. For the first 110-odd years however, executive orders were not actively recorded, nor were they announced when they were passed. It wasn't until 1907 that executive orders were given a numbe... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r7r40",
"post_id": "r7r40",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7r40/can_someone_please_explain_the_history_of_us/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r7r40/can_someone_please_explain_the_history_of_us/"... |
Why did Hitler hate the Jewish people so much? | Hitler was not special or original. He espoused the same stereotypes that anti-Semites have utilized for centuries. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r80a5",
"post_id": "r80a5",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r80a5/why_did_hitler_hate_the_jewish_people_so_much/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r80a5/why_did_hitler_hate_the_jewish_people_so_much... |
Need a book recommendation for Alexander the Great or Augustus | History student here.
I took an early western civ class last semester in which we read and analyzed Plutarch's *The Life of Alexander The Great*
Plutarch was a Roman who died somewhere in the early 100's AD (iirc) he was a Greek historian who wrote 23 biographies on famous men up to Plutarch's time in history. The se... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r81cn",
"post_id": "r81cn",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r81cn/need_a_book_recommendation_for_alexander_the/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r81cn/need_a_book_recommendation_for_alexander_the/"... |
Ok this is something that has puzzled me for a while how come Spain did not try to claim America as a colony? | The Spanish *did* claim all of America, as part of the Treaty of Tordesillas. Very early English, French and Dutch colonization attempts were technically illegal according to the Papacy (though, consider that half the colonial powers of the time were Protestant), and early colonies were under constant fear of discovery... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r8a1k",
"post_id": "r8a1k",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r8a1k/ok_this_is_something_that_has_puzzled_me_for_a/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r8a1k/ok_this_is_something_that_has_puzzled_me_for... |
A bookbinding history question if anyone happens to know. | So I wrote my MA thesis on bookbinders. This is, as Cletus Spuckler might say, "my time to shine."
The simple answer here is that the practice ended with the automation of bookbinding and printing that began in the late 19th C.
Printers and binders (usually the same company, frequently the same person,) sought to ma... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r8c0o",
"post_id": "r8c0o",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r8c0o/a_bookbinding_history_question_if_anyone_happens/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r8c0o/a_bookbinding_history_question_if_anyone_h... |
Who is, in your opinion, the most interesting dictator? | Lucius Cornelius Sulla | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r8lnd",
"post_id": "r8lnd",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r8lnd/who_is_in_your_opinion_the_most_interesting/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r8lnd/who_is_in_your_opinion_the_most_interesting/",
... |
What's the best way to go about finding the history of trees in town or city? | Here on the West Coast, it’s common for cities and larger towns to have a [heritage trees program](http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=40280) and an office of city/town forester/arborist attached to the office of development, parks & recreation, or something like that.
I would also check with the oldes... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r8mne",
"post_id": "r8mne",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r8mne/whats_the_best_way_to_go_about_finding_the/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r8mne/whats_the_best_way_to_go_about_finding_the/",
... |
What would it take for someone to create a kingdom in today's world? | When I was in school we used to get very bored during lunch-breaks and our conversations became more and more inane by the day, one lunchtime we started talking about a tiny town near the school called "Stubbings", which consisted of a 50m road, a few houses and a church. I posed the idea that one could easily take co... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r8ycl",
"post_id": "r8ycl",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r8ycl/what_would_it_take_for_someone_to_create_a/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r8ycl/what_would_it_take_for_someone_to_create_a/",
... |
Politicians Decide winners in wars not Soldiers? Is that accurate statement? | It's not that simple. Wars are fundamentally decided on the battlefield but there are significant political aspects to waging war. You can lose battle after battle but if the population has the will and morale to continue then the war continues. You can't just stop fighting and expect to win. For instance, in Vietnam, ... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r8z1y",
"post_id": "r8z1y",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r8z1y/politicians_decide_winners_in_wars_not_soldiers/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r8z1y/politicians_decide_winners_in_wars_not_sold... |
Where does western democracy come from? | Actually, it's probably neither. In my opinion.
As you say, many Germanic tribes elected their chiefs. Some of these German tribes migrated to Britain over a period of a few hundred years in the first millennium A.D. Then the Normans invaded, and imposed an absolute monarchy. The resulting legal system in England reta... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r9017",
"post_id": "r9017",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9017/where_does_western_democracy_come_from/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9017/where_does_western_democracy_come_from/",
"post_cr... |
Are there any examples of "humane" dictators? | Sulla the Happy comes to mind. (Not for long though.) And of course Cincinatus, but he is likely mythical.
After that it kind of depends on what you mean by dictator. Are you distinguishing between an absolute ruler that got the job due to birth from someone who took the position by force? My best candidate would be ... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r9dh9",
"post_id": "r9dh9",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9dh9/are_there_any_examples_of_humane_dictators/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9dh9/are_there_any_examples_of_humane_dictators/",
... |
What was the relationship between the Eastern/Western Roman Empires? | They saw each other as one nation that happened to have two administrative centers. I would argue that they never fully split--until the West went into freefall around 455 they were ruled by the same family, and freely meddled in one another's affairs. This included the loan of troops by the East to reconquer Africa af... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r9gal",
"post_id": "r9gal",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9gal/what_was_the_relationship_between_the/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9gal/what_was_the_relationship_between_the/",
"post_crea... |
Has there been any documented evidence of American or Canadian governments giving small pox infected blankets to natives? | [Here's a short piece on this question.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1088/did-whites-ever-give-native-americans-blankets-infected-with-smallpox)
>"According to historian Francis Parkman, Amherst first raised the possibility of giving the Indians infected blankets in a letter to Colonel Henry Bouquet, w... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r9j69",
"post_id": "r9j69",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9j69/has_there_been_any_documented_evidence_of/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9j69/has_there_been_any_documented_evidence_of/",
"p... |
What was the average day like for an allied soldier in post WWII Germany before the rise of the Soviet threat? | I've not done research in the matter, but my grandfather volunteered to stay on occupation duty with the Canadian Army.
From what he said the days were fairly boring. He was around Baden, so not a Nazi stronghold like Bavaria. The people were broken, trying to rebuild some semblance of life after the war. He was ... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r9ksv",
"post_id": "r9ksv",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9ksv/what_was_the_average_day_like_for_an_allied/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9ksv/what_was_the_average_day_like_for_an_allied/",
... |
What were the origins of Hitler's anti-Semitism? | I would argue that it begins because monarchies throughout the region relied heavily on Jewish business and industry for financial support. This allowed the Jewish minority to flourish, with growth that cultivated jealousy in "ordinary" people perceived to be a majority; especially in a group that had long been taught ... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r9qm9",
"post_id": "r9qm9",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9qm9/what_were_the_origins_of_hitlers_antisemitism/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9qm9/what_were_the_origins_of_hitlers_antisemitism... |
Chevrolet history | Farber's [*Sloan Rules*](http://www.amazon.com/Sloan-Rules-Alfred-Triumph-General/dp/0226238040) is fantastic and quite readable.
After Farber, read Nelson Lichtenstein's [*Walter Reuther: The Most Dangerous Man in Detroit*](http://www.amazon.com/Walter-Reuther-MOST-DANGEROUS-DETROIT/dp/025206626X) Also fantastic, als... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r9z61",
"post_id": "r9z61",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9z61/chevrolet_history/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9z61/chevrolet_history/",
"post_created_utc": 1332512357,
"question_selfte... |
I want to learn more about Syria during and just after the French mandate | Check out the recent book *A Line in the Sand* by James Barr. He's one of the first English-language writers to look at the British/French power games in the levant, and he also take advantage of recently de-classified French sources which have been ignored to date. It's also very readable. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_r9ze3",
"post_id": "r9ze3",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9ze3/i_want_to_learn_more_about_syria_during_and_just/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/r9ze3/i_want_to_learn_more_about_syria_during_an... |
What did Medieval Germans identify themselves as? | You have to realize that the very concept of nationalities did not exist as such before the renaissance. People knew that they had a king etc., but in terms of identification, they identified themselves on a much smaller scale, mostly village and town, maybe province or region. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_ra27g",
"post_id": "ra27g",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ra27g/what_did_medieval_germans_identify_themselves_as/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/ra27g/what_did_medieval_germans_identify_themsel... |
Why do Americans perceive George Washington not just as our first president but as the almost godlike "Father of America"? | The reason Washington is godlike is because he was literally the most trusted man in America before and during his presidency. When new nations are founded, the people need to erect a system of shared beliefs, traditions, and cultural heritages. In founding America, the founders took a lot of America's heritage from th... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_ra4b0",
"post_id": "ra4b0",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ra4b0/why_do_americans_perceive_george_washington_not/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/ra4b0/why_do_americans_perceive_george_washington... |
I am going to Japan this summer to do research for my dissertation: where are the best institutions to find sources? | >English primary sources
I don't think that's possible. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_ra4fe",
"post_id": "ra4fe",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ra4fe/i_am_going_to_japan_this_summer_to_do_research/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/ra4fe/i_am_going_to_japan_this_summer_to_do_resear... |
What did it take to get an English soldier sent back home, injurywise, around 1700s-1900? | I'd assume that would depend on where (geography) they were injured, and the severity of the wound (which may restrict travel). | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_raa1w",
"post_id": "raa1w",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/raa1w/what_did_it_take_to_get_an_english_soldier_sent/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/raa1w/what_did_it_take_to_get_an_english_soldier_... |
Was there International pressure on Britain to deconstruct their Empire, and if so how did it develop until it was finally disbanded? | The left wing voice within Britain calling for the empire to be disbanded began with the Paris treaty of 1919 (with Wilson's emphasis on local rule) and continued and evolved through the 1960s. There were some external influences, notably Gandhi, but the dialogue was mostly taking place in upper class sitting rooms. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_ramks",
"post_id": "ramks",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ramks/was_there_international_pressure_on_britain_to/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/ramks/was_there_international_pressure_on_britain_... |
Did the U.S. equip more color video cameras to soldiers on the front lines in the Pacific campaign during WWII than those who were on the European front? | Apparently that was the result of the military preference for 35mm films, while the color cameras that could be employed militarily were 16mm. The War Department (army) declared that all films had to be 35mm, though there was some use of them in the Army Air Corps for aerial recon purposes. They tried 16mm color film d... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rb5gi",
"post_id": "rb5gi",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rb5gi/did_the_us_equip_more_color_video_cameras_to/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rb5gi/did_the_us_equip_more_color_video_cameras_to/"... |
When did people start identifying themselves according to their "nationality" and how did they identify themselves before that? | There is a great book called *Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism* by Benedict Anderson that is nearly dogma on this topic.
I highly recommend you read this book to fully answer your question. Not only does it discuss the creation/foundation and solidification of national identit... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rb9p7",
"post_id": "rb9p7",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rb9p7/when_did_people_start_identifying_themselves/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rb9p7/when_did_people_start_identifying_themselves/"... |
Colonialism! | Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World by Ferguson is a good start, and its one of those $10 Penguin Readers | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rbku0",
"post_id": "rbku0",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rbku0/colonialism/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rbku0/colonialism/",
"post_created_utc": 1332610073,
"question_selftext": "Okay, ... |
The Ming Dynasty and its influence on the modern world. Any Chinese historians that can help me? | Check out R Bin Wong, Kenneth Pomeranz, A.G. Frank, and Richard von Glahn for some historians dealing with the question of Chinese demand for silver specifically. Pomeranz, for instance, has argued that without seemingly unending demand for silver in China the mines of the Americas would quickly have become unprofitab... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rbtbl",
"post_id": "rbtbl",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rbtbl/the_ming_dynasty_and_its_influence_on_the_modern/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rbtbl/the_ming_dynasty_and_its_influence_on_the_... |
Why did stick grenades get phased out of the German Army? | I would guess that it was because joint NATO munitions storage depos during the cold war led to the standardization of arms between these countries. I know this was a primary driver of the US switch from .45 caliber side arms to 9mm, and I assume the same was probably true of grenades. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rbtu5",
"post_id": "rbtu5",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rbtu5/why_did_stick_grenades_get_phased_out_of_the/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rbtu5/why_did_stick_grenades_get_phased_out_of_the/"... |
I'm a high school history teacher looking to brush up on my Mayan History to help a student with an independent project. Good sources to start with? | The man you want is Michael Coe. He is my favorite Maya expert and an accessible writer. Enjoy! | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rc05y",
"post_id": "rc05y",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rc05y/im_a_high_school_history_teacher_looking_to_brush/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rc05y/im_a_high_school_history_teacher_looking_... |
Why do people on reddit say that Reagan raised taxes when effective tax rates went down under his years as president? | It's cause Reagan initially lowered the income tax rates in 1981; the highest income bracket went from 70% to 30%. But for the rest of his presidency, he raise rates eleven other times. In the end, income taxes were still lower than when he entered office, so you can say that there was a net tax cut overall but it is a... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rc5pc",
"post_id": "rc5pc",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rc5pc/why_do_people_on_reddit_say_that_reagan_raised/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rc5pc/why_do_people_on_reddit_say_that_reagan_rais... |
What are the Dead Sea Scrolls, and do they give any legitimacy to religion? | The Dead Sea Scrolls aka the Qumran scrolls are a large collection of scrolls (parchment and papyrus) found in a cave system. They were found in 1947 and contain a huge amount of texts, quite a few previously unknown or lost. Some scrolls are Greek, others Hebrew, others Aramaic. You'll find the Septuagint, the Greek v... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rc6me",
"post_id": "rc6me",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rc6me/what_are_the_dead_sea_scrolls_and_do_they_give/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rc6me/what_are_the_dead_sea_scrolls_and_do_they_gi... |
The effect of the Marius Reforms. | This looks suspiciously like an essay question, so I won't answer in the detail that I would otherwise. However, it is a difficult question and if you want to get a handle on it, here are a few broad effects:
1) They created a professional army, where earlier the army was, in theory at least, made up of freeholders. M... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rc6ox",
"post_id": "rc6ox",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rc6ox/the_effect_of_the_marius_reforms/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rc6ox/the_effect_of_the_marius_reforms/",
"post_created_utc": ... |
In the past half-century we've had such diverse music genres as rock and roll, punk, rock, folk, metal, indie, grunge, techno, shoegaze, and trance. Is this level of music diversity a new development for humans, or was it known to other cultures throughout history? | I'm not a professional historian, but a working musician with a master's degree in music (for whatever that's worth). Anyway, I am of two opinions on this:
The first is that maybe the diversity of music you hear is partly illusory. Or rather, it seems more diverse to you because you are quite familiar with these gen... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rc7pz",
"post_id": "rc7pz",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rc7pz/in_the_past_halfcentury_weve_had_such_diverse/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rc7pz/in_the_past_halfcentury_weve_had_such_diverse... |
How did you choose which area/era to study? | Well, It's not so much that you choose an area but more that your current interests lead you to something you are more deeply interested in and want to study more. When I started grad school, I thought I wanted to study U.S. 19th century history but once I started classes I read so much stuff (3-4 books a week on avera... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rc9v8",
"post_id": "rc9v8",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rc9v8/how_did_you_choose_which_areaera_to_study/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rc9v8/how_did_you_choose_which_areaera_to_study/",
"p... |
What is the likelihood of the Illuminati? Was it started by the Free Masons in early America and continued on through present? | You won't find professional historians studying NWO conspiracies anymore than you'll find scientists studying extraterrestrial intelligence. There are historians who study the Masons, the Bavarian illuminati and other such historical groups -- much like SETI exists, but there's a reason Dan Brown is a fiction author an... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rca27",
"post_id": "rca27",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rca27/what_is_the_likelihood_of_the_illuminati_was_it/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rca27/what_is_the_likelihood_of_the_illuminati_wa... |
have any western historians researched this theory popular in Russia? (Fomenko 1 million copies sold) | In Germany, we have Heribert Illig, a journalist who wrote on the issue.
There even is a page on the English Wikipedia, so he seems to be known outside of Germany: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_time_hypothesis
His theories play no role in the scientific discussions. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rcby9",
"post_id": "rcby9",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcby9/have_any_western_historians_researched_this/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcby9/have_any_western_historians_researched_this/",
... |
Can someone help me understand the Roman concept of family/bloodlines? | The position of Emperor (that's not what the Romans called their leaders, but we'll go with it for now) was never officially hereditary.
Caesar was "elected" (ahem!) to the position of 'dictator for life'. Some Romans thought this was too close to being a king (which they'd killed off 500 years earlier), so they kill... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rcehl",
"post_id": "rcehl",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcehl/can_someone_help_me_understand_the_roman_concept/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcehl/can_someone_help_me_understand_the_roman_c... |
Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbour? | Resources. Japan is almost devoid of most important strategic resources. Coal, oil, iron, rubber.
Once war with the US began to look inevitable to the Japanese because of the war in China, the logical progression was to see how the war might be conducted on the best footing possible.
That meant rapid seizure of Mal... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rcfcz",
"post_id": "rcfcz",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcfcz/why_did_japan_attack_pearl_harbour/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcfcz/why_did_japan_attack_pearl_harbour/",
"post_created_ut... |
How close were the Mongols to sacking Europe? | The way I understood it is that it was the death of Ögedei Khan, Genghis successor, and not Genghis himself that prevented the sacking of the rest of Europe. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rcfut",
"post_id": "rcfut",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcfut/how_close_were_the_mongols_to_sacking_europe/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcfut/how_close_were_the_mongols_to_sacking_europe/"... |
So there was a time when the United States and Iran were friends? How did the two nations ever become friends, and what led to the Islamic Revolution that led to the U.S. and Iran to 'break up?' | Set the wayback machine for 1953. Iran is a representative democracy and its parliament voted to nationalize the British-owned Anglo-Iranian Oil Company-- essentially, voting to stop letting the British take their nation's oil.
The Western powers responded by arranging the overthrow of the Iranian's government in a ... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rcgta",
"post_id": "rcgta",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcgta/so_there_was_a_time_when_the_united_states_and/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcgta/so_there_was_a_time_when_the_united_states_a... |
What are the most popular misconceptions about history? | The big one for me is that historical narratives are objective or that history is a bunch of facts. History doesn't work that way. Rather, history consists of evidence and arguments, both of which are subjective.
To understand this, you have to understand that there are two kinds of history: the things that happened i... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rcgun",
"post_id": "rcgun",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcgun/what_are_the_most_popular_misconceptions_about/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcgun/what_are_the_most_popular_misconceptions_abo... |
What caused some cultures to develop systems of worshipping gods, while others merely told stories about gods, and others had no gods at all? | I would argue it is mainly culturally specific, and is deeply related to the manner of worship. That is, it isn't the result of the nature of religion or of civilization, but is rather an aspect of particular civilizations.
For example, when we think of religion, we tend to project a Western ideal (Western as in the c... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rcjm5",
"post_id": "rcjm5",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcjm5/what_caused_some_cultures_to_develop_systems_of/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcjm5/what_caused_some_cultures_to_develop_system... |
Is it important to choose a specific area to study, or is just a general survey of world history beneficial as well? | I suggest looking at world history not as a general survey, but as a subdiscipline of its own that examines global themes and connections. You can find an overview of the subdiscipline [here](http://books.google.com/books/about/The_new_world_history.html?id=OSVuOZLSjMIC), and there's a [great journal](http://www.uhpres... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rcmtk",
"post_id": "rcmtk",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcmtk/is_it_important_to_choose_a_specific_area_to/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcmtk/is_it_important_to_choose_a_specific_area_to/"... |
Did the American public really deride and scorn GI's returning from Viet Nam? | We've already tackled this subject [here](http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/mee6s/this_has_bugged_me_for_a_while_what_is_the_key/) and[ here](http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/qkv5n/did_protestors_spit_on_returning_vietnam_vets/).
In a short summary: It was uncommon, but it did happen. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rcptl",
"post_id": "rcptl",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcptl/did_the_american_public_really_deride_and_scorn/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcptl/did_the_american_public_really_deride_and_s... |
When did we start measuring years in BC and AD? | Someone else can give a more in depth, but the system was developed in 525 and it came into popular usage after the 9th century. [wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anno_Domini) | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rcqim",
"post_id": "rcqim",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcqim/when_did_we_start_measuring_years_in_bc_and_ad/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcqim/when_did_we_start_measuring_years_in_bc_and_... |
How substantially have intelligence agencies had to change to combat 'Islamic Terrorism'. | I'm by no means an expert in this.. but I do know that after 9/11 there was a pretty big shakeup in American intelligence, which resulted in the creation of the Department for Homeland Security. In 2004 they brought in a Director of National Intelligence to oversee all the different organizations. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rcqpd",
"post_id": "rcqpd",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcqpd/how_substantially_have_intelligence_agencies_had/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcqpd/how_substantially_have_intelligence_agenci... |
Could metallurgy have developed without slavery? | That kind of ignores the fun old saying "Wherever there's a hole in the ground you'll find a Cousin Jack at the bottom of it, searching for metal". Mining was an important livelihood, so there were plenty of free men who dug the earth for a living; you would be hard-pressed to argue that the Cornish or the Germans were... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rcst9",
"post_id": "rcst9",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcst9/could_metallurgy_have_developed_without_slavery/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rcst9/could_metallurgy_have_developed_without_sla... |
If the Confederates won the US Civil War and seceded, would the remaining United States be more liberal? | too counterfactual to answer. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rd6kc",
"post_id": "rd6kc",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rd6kc/if_the_confederates_won_the_us_civil_war_and/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rd6kc/if_the_confederates_won_the_us_civil_war_and/"... |
What is your take on Occidentalism? | I'm pretty sure Said mentions somewhere in Orientalism that there isn't a functioning 'occidentalism', or at least that the very idea is kind of ridiculous. I think it would probably have to do with Orientalism not simply functioning as a representation of the 'other', but also being tightly wrapped in the way the west... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rd7we",
"post_id": "rd7we",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rd7we/what_is_your_take_on_occidentalism/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rd7we/what_is_your_take_on_occidentalism/",
"post_created_ut... |
Why didn't the Romans ever conquer Ireland? | Relevant passage, Tacitus, Agricola 24:
>24. In the fifth year of the war, Agricola, himself in the leading ship, crossed the Clota, and subdued in a series of victories tribes hitherto unknown. In that part of Britain which looks toward Ireland, he posted some troops, hoping for fresh conquests rather than fearing... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rdlb2",
"post_id": "rdlb2",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rdlb2/why_didnt_the_romans_ever_conquer_ireland/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rdlb2/why_didnt_the_romans_ever_conquer_ireland/",
"p... |
Would anyone like to help me study for a history exam? | You do know that History 1010 means nothing unless we are at your university right? Every university uses a different system. Usually a 10** is a lower level course, but that is not always the case. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rdqfm",
"post_id": "rdqfm",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rdqfm/would_anyone_like_to_help_me_study_for_a_history/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rdqfm/would_anyone_like_to_help_me_study_for_a_h... |
Saw two posters today. What's the story on how the United States government's take on consumerism has changed from WWII until now? | The first poster has little to do with consumerism, rather it is about making stuff last so that materials can be used in carrying on the war. The second poster is about economic stimulus and getting people incentive to spend their savings to stimulate the economy. I think you're comparing chalk and cheese here. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rdqih",
"post_id": "rdqih",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rdqih/saw_two_posters_today_whats_the_story_on_how_the/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rdqih/saw_two_posters_today_whats_the_story_on_h... |
If Europeans never settled in the Americas and never took the land from the Natives. How long would the native tribes take to technologically advance and keep up with the rest of the world? | I've just finished reading Jared Diamond's *Guns, Germs and Steel*. According to the thesis he explains, the Native Americans would probably never have become industrialised - unless they borrowed or stole technology and animals & plants from the Europeans.
The reason that the North American natives were less adva... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rdwhf",
"post_id": "rdwhf",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rdwhf/if_europeans_never_settled_in_the_americas_and/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rdwhf/if_europeans_never_settled_in_the_americas_a... |
If one of us were transported back to King Arthur's court, what skills from the future could we bring to bear? | My Google searching and Excel skills would be worthless. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_relbv",
"post_id": "relbv",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/relbv/if_one_of_us_were_transported_back_to_king/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/relbv/if_one_of_us_were_transported_back_to_king/",
... |
The recent abundance of counterfactual question and putting r/historicalwhatif on the sidebar? | We probably should also link to r/paleontology and r/archaeology for some of the things that are out of our scope.
>Also it can be decided whether or not we wish to moderate counterfactual questions here, but I would say lets not as they are sometimes appropriate for this setting.
This is a sticky point. It depe... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_reo5e",
"post_id": "reo5e",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/reo5e/the_recent_abundance_of_counterfactual_question/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/reo5e/the_recent_abundance_of_counterfactual_ques... |
Question for my new favorite subreddit, Was there a reason behind drawing the straight line borders of the states west of the Mississippi River? | Here's a clip from the History Channel's "How the States Got Their Shapes" talking about the boxy western states. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fp0eEZNES0 | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rep96",
"post_id": "rep96",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rep96/question_for_my_new_favorite_subreddit_was_there/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rep96/question_for_my_new_favorite_subreddit_was... |
Can anyone recommend some good books about 1) the history of China and 2) the current Chinese domestic & international political situation? | [Part 1 was already answered](http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r3l1m/reddit_do_you_know_any_good_books_about_the/) | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_reqth",
"post_id": "reqth",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/reqth/can_anyone_recommend_some_good_books_about_1_the/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/reqth/can_anyone_recommend_some_good_books_about... |
Why is it that western Europe developed technologically so much faster than other places such as Africa/Native Americans etc. ? | _Guns, Germs and Steel_ by Jared Diamond presents a rather interesting [theory](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guns,_Germs,_and_Steel#The_theory_outlined) on the matter, though it should be noted that it has quite a few [holes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guns,_Germs,_and_Steel#Criticism) (though it does make some inter... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rerea",
"post_id": "rerea",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rerea/why_is_it_that_western_europe_developed/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rerea/why_is_it_that_western_europe_developed/",
"post_... |
Why were Japanese war criminals not persecuted to the extent of German/Nazi war criminals? | This answer is a bit complicated, but here goes:
Reason #1: Cold War - The major war trials of "Class A" Japanese war criminals (the big boys, like Tojo) ended in 1948, just as the Cold War was heating up. The USSR's invasion of Manchuria & North Korea in August 1945 made it a regional rival to the US. By restric... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rewnd",
"post_id": "rewnd",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rewnd/why_were_japanese_war_criminals_not_persecuted_to/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rewnd/why_were_japanese_war_criminals_not_perse... |
The Reece Committee and the Dodd Report | This was discussed in the body of an earlier thread.
The idea that there is some broad conspiracy to manipulate history to the paranoid aims spelled out in the report perpetrated at least in part by the AHA sounds like your fairly standard baseless and ridiculous conspiracy theory. The other panelists who responded se... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_reyi9",
"post_id": "reyi9",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/reyi9/the_reece_committee_and_the_dodd_report/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/reyi9/the_reece_committee_and_the_dodd_report/",
"post_... |
Can you recommend a good series of videos available online for free that tell the story of WW2? | I dont know if this is up for free, but they play it on the Military channel all the time. *The World at War* is an absolutly fantastic series that I highly recommend. It is in my opinion, *the* series to watch. It is the best documentary on WW2, covers every side, get's very in depth and is completly unbiased.
If it ... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rf4f8",
"post_id": "rf4f8",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rf4f8/can_you_recommend_a_good_series_of_videos/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rf4f8/can_you_recommend_a_good_series_of_videos/",
"p... |
Why did Italian nationalism/revolution begin in Piedmont? | Italian nationalists were active all over the country, but since the north was much more developed and populous (and remains so) than the south, the revolutionary ideas took a stronger hold there after the farce of Napoleon's campaigns. Furthermore, the very point of the rebellions against Austria was to face a foreign... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rf95v",
"post_id": "rf95v",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rf95v/why_did_italian_nationalismrevolution_begin_in/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rf95v/why_did_italian_nationalismrevolution_begin_... |
Looking for a good book on the pre-Columbian history/anthropology of Cuba. Any suggestions? | To clarify, I'm aware there's not much in the way of written history before the Spanish arrived. But anything that provides anthropological/archaeological insight into the history of the native people (pre-Taino, ideally) would be awesome. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rfbbn",
"post_id": "rfbbn",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rfbbn/looking_for_a_good_book_on_the_precolumbian/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rfbbn/looking_for_a_good_book_on_the_precolumbian/",
... |
When did people start using last names? | In what culture?
The Chinese have been using family names [for over 2,000 years](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_surname#Chinese_origin_of_surnames), which came from various sources.
The English Domesday Book, collated over 900 years ago, [records surnames](http://www.houseofnames.com/wiki/DomesdayBook#forenames... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rfe9f",
"post_id": "rfe9f",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rfe9f/when_did_people_start_using_last_names/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rfe9f/when_did_people_start_using_last_names/",
"post_cr... |
When did the practice of taking a census begin? | Records indicate that Ancient Egyptians kept census records for tax reasons.
The oldest confirmed, recorded census was in India and the oldest surviving census comes from China about 300 BC. If
I remember rightly, China also believe that they have been keeping census for four or five thousand years now. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rfmff",
"post_id": "rfmff",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rfmff/when_did_the_practice_of_taking_a_census_begin/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rfmff/when_did_the_practice_of_taking_a_census_beg... |
How did the "barbarian" kingdoms following the decline of the Roman Empire become integrated into the political system of the Roman Catholic Church, and why? | Ultimately, what happened was that the Church courted the winners. Or, to be more specific, the winner, meaning Charles the Great. When it became clear that Charlemagne would conquer most of the kingdoms of Western Europe, the Pope named him Holy Roman Emperor in order to identify his kingdom with Christianity and to s... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rfpt0",
"post_id": "rfpt0",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rfpt0/how_did_the_barbarian_kingdoms_following_the/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rfpt0/how_did_the_barbarian_kingdoms_following_the/"... |
Where there slaves in Europe the same way as in the US? What happened with them? | The reason that slaves were demanded for the Americas was that the plantation system was very labour intensive. European farming was not as demanding. The Catholic Church also banned the enslavement of Christians early in the medieval period. Slavery as it did appear in Europe took up a different slant. Serfdom, peasan... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rfqbe",
"post_id": "rfqbe",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rfqbe/where_there_slaves_in_europe_the_same_way_as_in/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rfqbe/where_there_slaves_in_europe_the_same_way_a... |
Why did Europe return to a train-centric transportation system after WW2? | Look at population density rates. This alone explains it. Cars make sense with low density, public transport with high density. To an American, Europe looks overcrowded: city, village, village, farmland, some forest, village, another city. To a European America looks almost empty.
BTW the motorway/highway system was s... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rfu07",
"post_id": "rfu07",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rfu07/why_did_europe_return_to_a_traincentric/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rfu07/why_did_europe_return_to_a_traincentric/",
"post_... |
Book imports in 17th and 18th century England | I've studied to some extent mid-17th century pamphlet literature and highly doubt any such statistics exist as such. At least in terms of religious literature such things would usually be imported (illegally) from the Netherlands to avoid printing restrictions (at least pre-1641, idk to what extent ecclesiastical censo... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rfwzw",
"post_id": "rfwzw",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rfwzw/book_imports_in_17th_and_18th_century_england/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rfwzw/book_imports_in_17th_and_18th_century_england... |
Why did Katanga secede from the Congo? | Power, really. Tshombe was sidelined by the ascent of the leftist Lumumba, and he thought that since he didn't seem to be in a position to become a major player in national Congolese politics, he could carve himself his own state out of Katanga. To support the plan, he managed to arrange a coalition of mercenaries, sma... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rg87n",
"post_id": "rg87n",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rg87n/why_did_katanga_secede_from_the_congo/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rg87n/why_did_katanga_secede_from_the_congo/",
"post_crea... |
Nazis and anti-semitism | Nazi ideology pre-Hitler was rather incoherent. The name "National Socialism" itself, an oxymoron, was developed to appeal to both nationalists and socialists (and Hitler opposed its adoption). Before Hitler the NSDAP had a general anti-Semitism stemming from the "stab in the back legend", but like you said, it was har... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rgfgg",
"post_id": "rgfgg",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rgfgg/nazis_and_antisemitism/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rgfgg/nazis_and_antisemitism/",
"post_created_utc": 1332882340,
"quest... |
Where would we be without the Phoenicians? | Syllabaries/alphabets arose in several different areas:
* [Egyptians](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_hieroglyphs#Phonetic_reading) started partially using their writing system for recording sounds rather than concepts
* [Phoenicians](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenician_alphabet) did it around 10th century B... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rgfsi",
"post_id": "rgfsi",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rgfsi/where_would_we_be_without_the_phoenicians/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rgfsi/where_would_we_be_without_the_phoenicians/",
"p... |
What distinguished Jacksonian Democracy from American politics prior to that? | Beware of presentism: projecting modern ideas about how things work onto the past. Of course some Presidents prior to Jackson enjoyed popular support, especially Washington, but voting restrictions and socioeconomic power structures (the landed rich held a lot of sway, though of course this varied from region to region... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rgfv5",
"post_id": "rgfv5",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rgfv5/what_distinguished_jacksonian_democracy_from/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rgfv5/what_distinguished_jacksonian_democracy_from/"... |
What are are some misconceptions of the medieval
ages? | Full plate Armor. Plate armor was a late development and was virtually already outdated by the time it came into widespread use as missile weapons were developing quite quickly. For the most part chain maille was the most common armor with some plate chest pieces or helmets. Additionally, armor of all types was ver... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rghsu",
"post_id": "rghsu",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rghsu/what_are_are_some_misconceptions_of_the_medieval/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rghsu/what_are_are_some_misconceptions_of_the_me... |
In what ways did the Soviets apply Deep Battle doctrine in the latter battles of the Eastern Front? | >Is this type of analysis correct?
Yes and no. There were large scale offensives across the entirety of the Eastern Front before the onset of Operations Uranus and Mars. Mars, according to a recent monograph on the Eastern Front, was a diversionary operation meant to hold the Germans in place so that Operation Ur... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rh3mj",
"post_id": "rh3mj",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rh3mj/in_what_ways_did_the_soviets_apply_deep_battle/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rh3mj/in_what_ways_did_the_soviets_apply_deep_batt... |
What is the earliest text we know of to use the concept of a "Chosen People?" Do all other religions have this concept? | I can say that at least two religions did **not** have the concept of "chosen people": the Ancient Romans' pantheon, and the Australian Aborigines' Dreamtime.
So, the answer to the question "Do all other religions have this concept?" is "No, not *all* religions do.".
Now, stepping outside what I know for sure: I bel... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rh4x3",
"post_id": "rh4x3",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rh4x3/what_is_the_earliest_text_we_know_of_to_use_the/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rh4x3/what_is_the_earliest_text_we_know_of_to_use... |
In terms of connection between Protestantism and industrialisation, why did Germany, the country/culture that produced Luther, industrialise so relatively late during its history? | There was no 'Germany' until the late nineteenth century. And 'Germany' has plenty of Catholics within its borders, i.e. Bavaria. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rhb1z",
"post_id": "rhb1z",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhb1z/in_terms_of_connection_between_protestantism_and/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhb1z/in_terms_of_connection_between_protestanti... |
Can America's stance against Iraq and Iran be interpreted as lessons learned post-ww1 and post-ww2? | You could, of course, interpret it damned near any way you please, but the more you familiarize yourself with the actual historical background, the more difficult that particular interpretation will be to maintain.
The fact of the matter is that Iran and Iraq are *products* of the attempt by Western powers (primarily ... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rhd25",
"post_id": "rhd25",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhd25/can_americas_stance_against_iraq_and_iran_be/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhd25/can_americas_stance_against_iraq_and_iran_be/"... |
I'm nearsighted. I've worn glasses for the last 25 years of my life and I'm useless with out them. So I got to wondering. How would a person, with my sight, manage 100 years ago? 500 years ago? 1000 years ago? | Optical lenses have been around for a long time! I'm not an expert, but I know they date back at least to the mid-17th century because Baruch Spinoza, the philosopher, was a lensgrinder of optical lenses. His death is partly attributed to inhaling the glass dust over the years.
One question, though, is who had access?... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rhgrj",
"post_id": "rhgrj",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhgrj/im_nearsighted_ive_worn_glasses_for_the_last_25/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhgrj/im_nearsighted_ive_worn_glasses_for_the_las... |
How much did early Medieval society know about Asia and the far east? How much contact was there? | Well they certainly knew about India, sort of.
They just though they [had dog heads](http://imgur.com/V5NvH), were [pygmy people](http://imgur.com/NG7ZT), or many other monstrous races: http://www.brown.edu/Research/Equinoxes/journal/issue1/e1images/wright_1.jpg. (sry for the low res, only image I could find :( )
Al... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rhj1p",
"post_id": "rhj1p",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhj1p/how_much_did_early_medieval_society_know_about/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhj1p/how_much_did_early_medieval_society_know_abo... |
What anachronistic things do you do/say? | I catch myself many times a day doing slave labor. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rhj2n",
"post_id": "rhj2n",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhj2n/what_anachronistic_things_do_you_dosay/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhj2n/what_anachronistic_things_do_you_dosay/",
"post_cr... |
Why is sausage so popular among Germans? When did it start becoming popular? | Also popular in many European countries, North Africa and parts of Asia, it is a good way of preserving meat and using up the parts not so appetising. They were used in Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire but not sure of the origin. It could go well into pre-history. | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rhmn3",
"post_id": "rhmn3",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhmn3/why_is_sausage_so_popular_among_germans_when_did/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhmn3/why_is_sausage_so_popular_among_germans_wh... |
'All Groups Have Been Slaves At One Point or Another'. Is this a Stretch or Demonstrably False? | I would be hugely wary of term "group" in this statement, as the way humans have grouped each other and themselves has changed drastically over history. Then we need to ask if by group, we mean the whole group or just some section of the group and if it is just a section of the group then how large a section?
So depen... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rhscj",
"post_id": "rhscj",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhscj/all_groups_have_been_slaves_at_one_point_or/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhscj/all_groups_have_been_slaves_at_one_point_or/",
... |
Victorian Clubhouses | >They tend to be portrayed as nests of decadence where young gentry get corrupted.
That's news to me. I thought they were havens of propriety. Gentlemen at leisure, away from the madding crowd.
>was homosexuality common?
Exactly as common as it is today. No more, no less. However, it was necessarily more cove... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rhvny",
"post_id": "rhvny",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhvny/victorian_clubhouses/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhvny/victorian_clubhouses/",
"post_created_utc": 1332958471,
"question_... |
'ancient' historical writings, do we have any of the originals? | First up, let's define "primary source" and "secondary source".
A primary source is one which was written at the time of the events concerned, or by someone who has first-hand knowledge. Or, it could simply be the oldest source we have for a particular piece of knowledge. Primary sources include **copies** of original... | {
"source": "reddit",
"subreddit": "AskHistorians",
"post_name": "t3_rhwsb",
"post_id": "rhwsb",
"post_url": "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhwsb/ancient_historical_writings_do_we_have_any_of_the/",
"post_permalink": "/r/AskHistorians/comments/rhwsb/ancient_historical_writings_do_we_have_an... |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.