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a6lpkn
How did the Kowloon Walled City come to exist? Why did the British and Chinese agree to remove it?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/a6lpkn/how_did_the_kowloon_walled_city_come_to_exist_why/
{ "a_id": [ "ebwfcwc", "ebwhcab" ], "score": [ 32, 142 ], "text": [ "While not answering your question, /u/DubiousMerchant had a [great response on another thread about Kowloon Walled City](_URL_0_) and referenced some source material that may answer your question.", "In 1842, when the...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5m60ul/what_was_life_like_inside_the_kowloon_walled_city/dc1kqqp/" ], [] ]
a1q2tt
Why is Freud so popular today?
His ideas of hyper sexualization seem dated and outlandish- and culturally irrelevant to modern society- why are his teachings as highly praised as compared to Jung or even Campbell?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/a1q2tt/why_is_freud_so_popular_today/
{ "a_id": [ "easudjn" ], "score": [ 59 ], "text": [ "Oh boy, one that I can actually answer! I will try to be thorough enough for this sub's standards. For the record, I have a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology, my thesis was written on in-group/out-group formation through auditory processi...
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9rr4g9
How far did Nazi Germany's anti-Slavic sentiment extend? Did it encompass all Slavic peoples? Were certain Slavic peoples seen as better or worse than other Slavic peoples?
Just something that has been on my mind for awhile. I've never really examined it myself, but it appears to me as a layman looking in that Poles and Russians were treated / viewed the worst while Czechs and Slovaks and other Slavic peoples were largely ignored.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9rr4g9/how_far_did_nazi_germanys_antislavic_sentiment/
{ "a_id": [ "e8rn05c" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "The short answer to this question is that different Slavic groups were not seen as equal in the eyes of Nazi leaders. However, this was largely due to necessity and logistics rather than true, unabashed ideology, especially as the Second World Wa...
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[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lidice_massacre", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9jzs2f/was_the_western_powers_appeasement_of_hitler/e775x23/?context=0" ] ]
eb7hkf
When the Berlin Wall went up, what did the average citizen, who supported the East German government think?
I’m listening to a BBC podcast called Tunnel 29 about a group of students who built a tunnel to help people escape from Eastern Europe. The podcast describes a hellish scene the night and morning after the Berlin Wall was erected. They described people being frantic, uncertain of the future, and the feeling of being tr...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/eb7hkf/when_the_berlin_wall_went_up_what_did_the_average/
{ "a_id": [ "fb3mjnn" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "I'll take your second question first. The East German government, under Walter Ulbricht, officially called the Berlin Wall *der antifaschistischer Schutzwall* (\"Anti-Fascist Protective Barrier\"). When you remember that it was common for Eastern...
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56qwr8
Why did the Roman Pilum(Javelin) die out?
Romans are famous for their Pilum throwing before melee combat. Why did that go out of fashion amongst medieval European powers if it was so successful for the Romans?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/56qwr8/why_did_the_roman_pilumjavelin_die_out/
{ "a_id": [ "d8lvtwc", "d8m0iua" ], "score": [ 11, 5 ], "text": [ "The javelin was a weapon peculiar to Mediterranean warfare, especially for Latin/Italian, Iberian and Celt-Iberian peoples (Sanz 21). The use of javelins (not always the *pilum*, later the *spiculum* and earlier a different...
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[ [], [ "http://legvi.tripod.com/webonmediacontents/Arbeia%20Spiculum.JPG?1463431047092", "https://inthepresenceoftheancients.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/angon.jpg", "http://www.illerup.dk/documents/illerup_84.pdf", "http://www.antiqueo.com/artefacts/migration/ferdelancemero.jpg" ] ]
2pt34m
Why didn't the Muslims, Indians, Chinese, etc launch colonial efforts on the scale of the Europeans? Or more specifically, what caused the massive rise in colonial efforts in Europe?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2pt34m/why_didnt_the_muslims_indians_chinese_etc_launch/
{ "a_id": [ "cmzxw9b" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "There were many economic factors such as competition. The Ottoman Empire had risen to prominence leading up to period of European colonization. They controlled many of the trade routes to the east, and Europeans would have had to pay to use them...
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7eydbf
How do we know what we know about Custer's last stand? Are our sources exclusively native? Custer has a reputation as a reckless general and a political opportunist- how much of this was contemporary, vs after the fact? Should he have seen it coming? What were the battle's lasting repercussions?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7eydbf/how_do_we_know_what_we_know_about_custers_last/
{ "a_id": [ "dq9fq6m", "dqa6m6o" ], "score": [ 38, 2 ], "text": [ "This is kind of a Thanksgiving version of an answer since I am not at home, don't have access to my books and am writing purely from memory. Should it happen that I have the time and energy to more adequately address *all*...
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4zehfr
Why did Vladimir I of Kievan Rus embrace Byzantine Orthodoxy rather than Catholicism?
I was reading up on Vladimir the Great and I never understood why he decided to take on Eastern Orthodoxy over the Pope, while his biggest neighbours (Poland, Hungary, etc) were all Catholics.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4zehfr/why_did_vladimir_i_of_kievan_rus_embrace/
{ "a_id": [ "d6v896v" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Adding to the question, I just today read (\"The Western Heritage since 1300 AP* Edition), that not only were there Catholic and Orthodox representatives plying for religious control of Russia, but there were also Jewish and Muslim representative...
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20qv8r
How much of ancient history are we missing?
I am doing some research on historic ages and can find information about ancient Greece/Mesopotamia/Egypt dating back to approx 3000 BC , but anything prior to that dates back to 10,000 -13,000 BC with cave paintings, Aborigines in Australia , or Ancient Japan. Have we lost everything that happened between those 7,000 ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/20qv8r/how_much_of_ancient_history_are_we_missing/
{ "a_id": [ "cg5ygr3" ], "score": [ 16 ], "text": [ "Well, \"history\" is the study of text, but generally that means that it only goes back as far as there has been written word (and myths and oral histories etc). In Western Eurasia, this goes back to the Sumerians in about the fourth millennium,...
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[ [ "http://www.catalhoyuk.com/" ] ]
3yoe0g
At the time, did people think there would be a WW2?
It's kind of a stupid question.............. P.S. I'm new to this sub so sorry for any formatting errors.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3yoe0g/at_the_time_did_people_think_there_would_be_a_ww2/
{ "a_id": [ "cyfi19j" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "Marshal Ferdinand Foch, the man who accepted the german armistice famously stated in 1919, [\"This is not a peace. It is an armistice for twenty years\".](_URL_0_) He was correct, WWII began 20 years and 64 days later. He was not the only one who...
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[ [ "https://books.google.com/books?id=TmBN9fBcuO8C&pg=PA209#v=onepage&q&f=false" ] ]
1engar
When a new language is discovered, how do people start deciphering it?
Just read about the apparently undecipherable Voynich manuscript again and I started wondering. When people start deciphering a new language, where do they begin and where do they go from there?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1engar/when_a_new_language_is_discovered_how_do_people/
{ "a_id": [ "ca1xm0l", "ca1zyyp" ], "score": [ 7, 19 ], "text": [ "You might try cross posting to /r/linguistics ", "Ooh! I can answer this one. Sort of. \nI studied linguistics at university, and Field Methods is one of the major aspects. So, while I can't talk about the historical a...
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1iyawu
What are the greatest "missing" objects that are probably still in existence? (stolen etc.)
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1iyawu/what_are_the_greatest_missing_objects_that_are/
{ "a_id": [ "cb986qt" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Actually, there are a lot of papyri and archeological pieces from the ancient Egypt which have never been studied by archeologists and egyptologists. These numerous missing objects are actually in the hands of collectionners. \n\nThis is the resu...
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z5165
Just how much different are actual languages different from their «old» counterpart? (eg Old English)
If so, are there some living languages that have only changed a little, if at all? Sorry in advance if there are some syntax errors, my English is still not perfect.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/z5165/just_how_much_different_are_actual_languages/
{ "a_id": [ "c61i405", "c61ibcw", "c61jqcu", "c61m67j", "c61mw86" ], "score": [ 92, 2, 3, 2, 5 ], "text": [ "That's a pretty complex question. Languages all move at their own pace, and have their own unique history, so it's going to be a different answer for each la...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/z5165/just_how_much_different_are_actual_languages/c61io4l", "http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serments_de_Strasbourg", "http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beowulf", "http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Divine_Com%C3%A9die", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oaths...
17zn4p
Anyone know of any mafia families who had their sons serve in World War II? Any post-WWII crime bosses who were veterans?
I've been wanting to a write a novel following an Italian-American family through the 20th century. I've always been fascinated with the idea of cultural assimilation. It seemed like most of the servicemen from the GI Generation were 2-3rd generations Americans (following the immigration wave from the 1870s-1920s). The...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/17zn4p/anyone_know_of_any_mafia_families_who_had_their/
{ "a_id": [ "c8acomy", "c8afhwt" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Matty The Horse Ianello served in Korea.", "One of my favorite fiction books is *The Fortunate Pilgrim* by Mario Puzo, and it's about an Italian-American family living in New York. One of the sons of the family is involv...
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3usps1
Why did the Great Migration in US history start in the 1910s instead of earlier like after the Civil War (1865) or the end of Reconstruction (1877)?
Everything I've read says that African-Americans left the South in huge numbers between 1910 and 1920 to escape the brutality of Jim Crow laws and lynchings in the South. However, I can't find any explanation for why this didn't happen sooner. Was it a perceived lack of opportunity in the North? Thanks for the help!
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3usps1/why_did_the_great_migration_in_us_history_start/
{ "a_id": [ "cxhkgt0", "cxhnlac" ], "score": [ 19, 9 ], "text": [ "Essentially you've hit the nail on the head with your last sentence\n\n > a perceived lack of opportunity in the North\n\nWhile the First Great Migration (1910-1930) was largely caused by the brutality of Jim Crow Laws and ...
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[ [], [ "https://www.census.gov/dataviz/visualizations/020/", "http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129827444", "https://history.state.gov/milestones/1921-1936/immigration-act" ] ]
5p40vn
Why did the Constitution specify March 4 (the date) for the start of the new president's term? Why did FDR specify January 20 (the date) as the new date in the 20th amendment?
I'm not asking about the time delay, but about those specific dates - why March 4, not March 3 or March 5? Why January 20, not January 19 or January 21?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5p40vn/why_did_the_constitution_specify_march_4_the_date/
{ "a_id": [ "dcoscxw", "dcpb797" ], "score": [ 441, 36 ], "text": [ "To answer the first part of your question:\n\nThe Constitution did **not** specify March 4, or any other date, as the beginning of the new President's term. It stated only that the length of the President's term was four...
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[ [ "https://books.google.com/books?id=eU1HAQAAMAAJ&lpg=PA861&ots=ARorzTzzMa&dq=%22That%20the%20first%20Wednesday%20in%20January%20next%20be%20the%20day%20for%20appointing%20electors%20in%20the%20several%20States%22&pg=PA867#v=onepage&q=%22That%20the%20first%20Wednesday%20in%20January%20next%2...
4uf3ke
How did showering to clean one's body become a thing?
I was thinking about this in the shower...it seems to me that a lot of technology is required to shower daily. You need water, hot water, running water, an available shower with the appropriate shower equipment installed or available, lots of things. In my country, showering is the main way that people clean their bodi...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4uf3ke/how_did_showering_to_clean_ones_body_become_a/
{ "a_id": [ "d5p6wfi", "d5pmddr" ], "score": [ 56, 6 ], "text": [ "William Feetham patented a chain-release shower in 1767. In the late 1800s communal showers took hold by French military, under the direction of physician François Merry Delabost who had first tried them out on prisoners fo...
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1ukktb
Hitler glorified blonde hair and blue eyes, yet he himself didn't look stereotypically "Aryan". Did he consider himself and the other Austrians to be "lower quality Aryans" and the Scandinavians "higher quality Aryans"? I.e did he consider himself "pure"?
Prevalence of light hair: _URL_0_ Prevalence of light eyes: _URL_1_
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ukktb/hitler_glorified_blonde_hair_and_blue_eyes_yet_he/
{ "a_id": [ "cejb6ha", "cejc49y" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Hitler discussed this in Mein Kampf. \n\nHe promoted the idea of five sub-races of the Aryan people. Dinaric, Alpine, mediterranean, Nordic, and Eastern Baltic. The best kind of Aryan is, you probably guessed it, are the pre...
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[ "http://i.imgur.com/D6QG6X6.jpg", "http://i.imgur.com/T8qFFgE.png" ]
[ [], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1kjqnp/how_is_it_the_nazis_justified_the_attempted/" ] ]
ev7mt0
How good/bad were the Knights Templar in general?
I ask this question because some say that the Knights Templar were mostly overzealous murderers, brutally massacring Muslim civilians during the Crusades. However, I heard from another person that from multiple Muslim sources, the Knights Templar had a reputation of utmost chivalry, protecting even Muslim civilians wi...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ev7mt0/how_goodbad_were_the_knights_templar_in_general/
{ "a_id": [ "ffuej5c" ], "score": [ 19 ], "text": [ "The story you heard is from Usama ibn Munqidh, a poet and diplomat (among other things) from Damascus who often visited crusader Jerusalem:\n\n > “Anyone who is recently arrived from the Frankish lands is rougher in character than those who have...
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2iy89g
Why was the 5.56mm round chosen as the NATO standard?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2iy89g/why_was_the_556mm_round_chosen_as_the_nato/
{ "a_id": [ "cl6n81w", "cl6ur7z" ], "score": [ 66, 37 ], "text": [ "in 1977 NATO agreed to adopt a 2nd round in addition to the 7.62x51mm round, specifically the SS109 steel tipped round which was designed to pierce a soviet style steel helmet at 600 meters.\n\nJane's Infantry Weapons 1986...
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1z64fz
Looking for some career guidance. (post-undergrad)
I'm sort of spinning my wheels in life, and I'm thinking about going back to school. I just am very uncertain about what path to take. My background: I graduated in 2011 from Rutgers with a BA in History and a 3.45 GPA. My GPA in my Major is considerably better, probably close to a 3.7. However, my transcript is l...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1z64fz/looking_for_some_career_guidance_postundergrad/
{ "a_id": [ "cfqv42w" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Your question is certainly welcome here but you might want to try posting it to /r/AskAcademia too – they're good with career advice." ] }
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28nswb
I've noticed on a lot of milk crates they say something along the lines of "using this for anything other than milk is punishable by law" was stealing milk crates ever such a big problem that they had to make a law to address it or was this just a precaution?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/28nswb/ive_noticed_on_a_lot_of_milk_crates_they_say/
{ "a_id": [ "cicqwex", "cicrzx5", "cid0noy" ], "score": [ 12, 53, 24 ], "text": [ "hi! could you specify which country you're referring to? thanks!", "Yes, that is the case. During the 1970s and 80s these plastic crates were regularly pilfered because of their solid constructi...
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[ [], [], [ "http://modernfarmer.com/2013/08/illegal-use-milk-crates-anything-besides-milk/", "http://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/05/nyregion/return-crates-milk-industry-says.html" ] ]
2l9q9s
In the United States, have there been any particularly strong Vice Presidents, and how was The Senate different under them?
Many people see the VP as a pretty much useless, ceremonial postion. Are there any VPs who actually acted as the President of the Senate on a day to day basis, and what were the results? EDIT: a better way to word this question is: What are the powers that the VP has in Congress, and have any VPs used those powers to ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2l9q9s/in_the_united_states_have_there_been_any/
{ "a_id": [ "clt2f5n", "cltghmk" ], "score": [ 8, 2 ], "text": [ "In addition to Calhoun, John Adams regularly presided over the Senate and partook in debates, and beats Calhoun by one vote for the most tie breaks. \n\nThat said, while they are the nominal head of the Senate, the Constitut...
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425tgd
Is there any particular reason why so many people in the United States claim Cherokee ancestry?
I have met many people including people in my own family who claim to be part Cherokee or to have a significant degree of Cherokee heritage. My girlfriend's grandmother from Connecticut claims to have Cherokee ancestry, but I don't think there were many Cherokees up there historically. Additionally, a few days ago a gi...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/425tgd/is_there_any_particular_reason_why_so_many_people/
{ "a_id": [ "cz7yb41", "cz8j3ao", "cz8olxr" ], "score": [ 12, 3, 16 ], "text": [ "There's one question you left out: is this actually a trend, or do you just know an unusual amount of Cherokees?\n\nI'm seriously asking, because I know a lot of people and I've never met someone who ...
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[ [], [], [ "http://tinyurl.com/qxqaomd", "https://www.reddit.com/r/IndianCountry/wiki/faq#wiki_why_do_many_people_claim_to_be_native_american.2C_particularly_.22part_cherokee.3F.22" ] ]
1gx9vo
What methods were used to estimate the population of pre-columbian America? How reliable were they?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1gx9vo/what_methods_were_used_to_estimate_the_population/
{ "a_id": [ "cap01bd" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "There were a number of methods used that resulted in widely varying estimates. Charles Mann provides a brief but thorough discussion of methods used to estimate pre-contact populations in the new world in \"1491: New Revelations of the Americas b...
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37zzoj
What was happening pre World War 1?
Was there any indication let's say 10-20 years prior to WWI that there would be a war or rising tension between European countries?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/37zzoj/what_was_happening_pre_world_war_1/
{ "a_id": [ "crr76uc", "crrokzs" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "Here's some answers I've given previously on the subject\n\n[The Balkan Wars] (_URL_1_)\n\n[Lead up to and outbreak of WWI] (_URL_2_)\n\n[Balkan Nationalism and the Outbreak of WWI] (_URL_0_)\n\nThe 1890s saw the formation o...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/37n91p/to_what_extent_did_ethnic_and_nationalist/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/32gnjo/1912_war_in_the_balkans/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/35vtov/discuss_the_causes_of_world_war_i_what_were_the/" ], [] ]
1xn6an
What percentage of new immigrants learned "fluent" English in the 19th century?
Just an interesting question/thought in light of the coke commercial controversy. I realize that "fluent" is not well defined.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1xn6an/what_percentage_of_new_immigrants_learned_fluent/
{ "a_id": [ "cfcuu8a" ], "score": [ 14 ], "text": [ "To which country?" ] }
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4jwys7
What were the implications of Operation Unthinkable and just how close did it come to fruition?
My tutor mentioned Churchill's plans for an allied invasion of the USSR immediately following WW2, even possibly with rearmed German soldiers, what would the would the possible ramifications have been and was it ever properly discussed?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4jwys7/what_were_the_implications_of_operation/
{ "a_id": [ "d3adzn7" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I do not know much about the inner workings of the British military and government in April and May of 1945, and so I cannot say how seriously the British themselves took this plan, but I can say that Winston Churchill's goal of stunting Soviet i...
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[ [ "https://web.archive.org/web/20101116155514/http://www.history.neu.edu/PRO2/pages/002.htm" ] ]
3t5stn
What was the Islamic attitude towards and tolerance level of other religions, prior to the sacking of Constantinople by the crusaders and the destruction of Baghdad by the Mongols?
I've been reading a lot lately about the preeminence of the Islamic world and the Far East prior to European civilizations rising to a position of dominance. It made me wonder if one or both of those attacks hadn't occurred, would the world be vastly different due to the early domination of Islam, or would their enfo...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3t5stn/what_was_the_islamic_attitude_towards_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cx3exjb", "cx3f8yq" ], "score": [ 2, 5 ], "text": [ "Can you explain what influence the 1204 sack of Constantinople had on Islamic attitudes towards Christianity, in your view? That's not a connection I've heard before so I'm a little confused.", "Why the West attained a ...
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[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pact_of_Umar" ] ]
ffa1sh
[Meta] This sub desperately needs a "Answered" flair for posts that have ad least one mod approved reply
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ffa1sh/meta_this_sub_desperately_needs_a_answered_flair/
{ "a_id": [ "fjx76ok", "fjx79xh", "fjx88p3", "fjxafs3" ], "score": [ 14, 3, 26, 12 ], "text": [ "There's actually a browser plugin (at least, there's one for Chrome) called [AskHistorians Comment Helper](_URL_0_) that puts a little green number next to the number of comment...
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[ [ "https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ask-historians-comment-he/jdkfbkogojpmdmpnkgjcgpngkkmhdfem" ], [], [ "https://www.reddit.com/u/Almost_useless/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/c9gbcv/friday_freeforall_july_05_2019/esy2lm7/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorian...
6a0d9x
I heard something off of my granddad about World War 2 spies. He said that, when the British were interrogating German spies, they would end the interrogation with "good luck" or "hail victory" in German and, if the German replied, they would know he was a spy. Is there any validity to this?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6a0d9x/i_heard_something_off_of_my_granddad_about_world/
{ "a_id": [ "dhb2h91" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "As far as \"good luck\" goes, he may be thinking of a scene in the 1963 film *The Great Escape* where this happens in reverse- escaped British PoWs are captured when a Gestapo officer wishes them \"Good luck\" in English and one of them instincti...
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tp048
What is the spectrum of professional opinion on the Kennedy assassination?
I was reading an [excerpt](_URL_0_) from Russ Baker's *Family of Secrets*, and I realized I had no idea how to evaluate it. Of course, conspiracy writing is its own niche, but the Kennedy assassination is *sui generis* as an event on which every historian of Cold War America has to choose a position. The conspiracy and...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/tp048/what_is_the_spectrum_of_professional_opinion_on/
{ "a_id": [ "c4ok42f" ], "score": [ 24 ], "text": [ "Oswald shot him. In the head.\n\nThat's pretty much the only opinion that will not get you rejected for tenure. Why? Because like all conspiracies, the JFK conspiracy relies upon such a perfect chain of events, placement of people, and relian...
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[ "http://www.businessinsider.com/a-closer-look-at-the-watergate-tapes-reveals-that-nixon-didnt-order-the-burglary-2012-5" ]
[ [] ]
71cbt5
How much Spanish troops were on Cuba and Puerto Rico during the Spanish American war?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/71cbt5/how_much_spanish_troops_were_on_cuba_and_puerto/
{ "a_id": [ "dnahrh0" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Spain's force in Cuba numbered 278,457 soldiers, distributed in 101 Infantry Battalions, 11 Cavalry Regiments, 2 Artillery Regiments, and 4 Marine Battalions. The force in Cuba made up the bulk of Spain's entire military force, being nearly 57 pe...
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1ly54c
When did the word "ass" start applying to people's butts instead of just to donkeys?
Or did it originally apply to butts and then move to donkeys as well. Also why? It seems really strange to me that the same word would describe those two things.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ly54c/when_did_the_word_ass_start_applying_to_peoples/
{ "a_id": [ "cc3x9q7", "cc3xdjf", "cc44dx3" ], "score": [ 11, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Don't forget that outside of the US it's spelt and pronounced 'arse,' whilst the type of donkey is still universally called an ass. A lot of Irish accents have a very 'ass'-like pronunciation of 'arse,...
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[ [], [ "http://etymonline.com/index.php?term=ass&allowed_in_frame=0", "http://etymonline.com/index.php?term=arse&allowed_in_frame=0" ], [] ]
1llmpz
A friend of a friend came into possession of this. Any idea what it is
[Here are some pictures of the object](_URL_0_) I think it may be Norse, while she thinks it may be Bulgar
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1llmpz/a_friend_of_a_friend_came_into_possession_of_this/
{ "a_id": [ "cc0hnf1" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "While these sorts of posts are welcome in this subreddit, it's often not the best place to put them. You may find you have better luck in /r/whatisthisthing, as the sub specializes in identifying unknown objects." ] }
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[ "http://imgur.com/a/NH2Qh" ]
[ [] ]
tiuii
Sources for the Ainu and Emishi in Pre-Modern Japan
Hello folks! I'm taking an undergrad history course on Japan before 1800 and our research papers are coming due. I didn't have a foggy clue about Japanese history before I took the course, but I've always been interested in interactions between indigenous peoples and settlers - so, it seemed obvious to turn to interact...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/tiuii/sources_for_the_ainu_and_emishi_in_premodern_japan/
{ "a_id": [ "c4n2hkd" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It's not the right era (up til 1600), but I checked my copy of [*Sources of Japanese Tradition vol. 1*](_URL_1_) and it has some primary sources that mention the Ainu.\n\n1. \"New History of the Tang Dynasty\" mentions the ainu arriving at the Ch...
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[ [ "http://www.amazon.com/Sources-Japanese-Tradition-Introduction-Civilizations/dp/023112984X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1336791953&sr=8-2_", "http://www.amazon.com/Sources-Japanese-Tradition-Volume-One/dp/0231121393/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336791953&sr=8-1" ] ]
bqhwy2
How much sailing did Native Americans do on the Great Lakes?
Inspired in part by having just heard "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" on the radio; Gordon Lightfoot opens with: "The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down Of the big lake they called 'Gitche Gumee' The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead When the skies of November turn gloomy" But how much seafari...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/bqhwy2/how_much_sailing_did_native_americans_do_on_the/
{ "a_id": [ "eojbloh" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Lots of paddling but no Sailing\n\nThere is significant physical evidence that Native Americans traveled to various islands in the Great Lakes. There are hunting artifacts on Pelee Island and pictographs on Kelley's Island in Lake Erie.\n\nThere...
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7kaewk
In pop culture, there's a lot of resistance to discussing movie/story spoilers without having an appropriate warning. Is this new behavior, or were people equally wary of spoilers for that brand new Shakespeare production?
This was prompted by the Dec. 15 discussion about spoilers on the Waypoint Radio podcast at around the 55 minute mark. Is there any historical evidence of humans trying to avoid story spoilers for theatre productions during earlier periods of human history? If I was going to see the newest Shakespeare/Chekhov/Sophocles...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7kaewk/in_pop_culture_theres_a_lot_of_resistance_to/
{ "a_id": [ "drd3ynv", "drd4j3y", "drdbknz" ], "score": [ 4, 78, 13 ], "text": [ "A follow-up question: To what extent were the storylines of Shakespeare's plays already known to the average audiences of his shows? I recall learning about a Greco-Roman work with a similar storyline...
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[ [], [], [ "http://variety.com/1960/film/reviews/psycho-1200419814/" ] ]
3z2e3h
Did the city-states of Greece, like Sparta or Athens, have a concept of "Just War," did they fight with certain rules?
I'm currently writing a series of stories based upon the premise that the Spartans never lost a battle since the Battle of Thermopylae so I am trying to understand their concept of war better. If they invaded another country, would they accept surrenders or kill without mercy? Also, this is more of a religious questi...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3z2e3h/did_the_citystates_of_greece_like_sparta_or/
{ "a_id": [ "cyj0y5k", "cyj5cls" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "I can give you some answers on this, at least according to Herodotus. The Greeks generally had some rules of war, but they were also great \"innovators\" when it came to waging war, so sometimes these rules went out the win...
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[ [], [] ]
eb5yaj
Can anyone help decipher this WWII unit from a gravestone?
[deleted]
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/eb5yaj/can_anyone_help_decipher_this_wwii_unit_from_a/
{ "a_id": [ "fb2r8e3" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Edgar's F. Raines's *Eyes of Artillery: The Origins of Modern U.S. Army Aviation in World War II* ([link](_URL_0_)) seems to mention this unit on page 257. According to Raines, during the Battle of Leyte in 1944:\n\n > Resupply became the main, ...
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[ [ "https://history.army.mil/catalog/pubs/70/70-31.html" ] ]
20bwh9
Why hasn't the world's most fascinating monument, the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of China, been excavated?
They know where it is, why not dig?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/20bwh9/why_hasnt_the_worlds_most_fascinating_monument/
{ "a_id": [ "cg1qbvq", "cg1r5pc", "cg1wlx2" ], "score": [ 5, 11, 4 ], "text": [ "It's still in the process of being excavated, but some of the discoveries we've made are already very interesting. The terracotta warriors are one of them. However, when they first opened the room cont...
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[ [], [], [] ]
7ez97f
When did pornography come about in human history?
What is the earliest evidence of pornographic images, or are there any recorded sexual acts that people could pay to watch or something similar?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7ez97f/when_did_pornography_come_about_in_human_history/
{ "a_id": [ "dq8ykix" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "I'm adapting this from some older answers. \n\n\nHere's the tricky thing about your question--do you mean 'porn' in the sense of moving visual art of people doing erotic things? Then in 1894 Edison's studio recorded a vaguely erotic short, titled...
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[ [ "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Free_Ride_\\(1915\\).ogv" ] ]
15azan
What's a Good Book To Learn About the Hanseatic League?
I'm into simulation games and there are a lot of economic simulations featuring the era of the Hanseatic League, but that's a pretty osbscure era of history for a Canadian who isn't a historian. Is there a good book on the subject I could read to get a firm grip on what things were like in that period? The story rathe...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/15azan/whats_a_good_book_to_learn_about_the_hanseatic/
{ "a_id": [ "c7kzg9r" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Do you read German? If so, get the standard work on the Hanseatic League: *Bracker, Jörgen / Henn, Volker / Postel, Rainer (Eds.): Die Hanse. Lebenswirklichkeit und Mythos, 3rd edition, Lübeck 1999.*, a German language collection of various texts...
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254xmp
Did the ancient Romans have a system for writing music?
If so, are we able to play any music from this period?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/254xmp/did_the_ancient_romans_have_a_system_for_writing/
{ "a_id": [ "che1fmm", "cheair9" ], "score": [ 10, 2 ], "text": [ "They used the old Greek letter notation as well as Greek music theory. This was, as far as we can tell, a matter for the educated in theorising about music, rather than a tool for musicians to help remember and communicate ...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seikilos_epitaph" ], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1wq9ht/what_musical_instruments_were_there_in_0ce/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/13uo2p/is_there_any_surviving_sheet_music_from_the_roman/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHist...
7i6p6v
Timothy Snyder states that there is no official French history of WW2 because "more French soldiers fought on the Axis side than the Allied side."- Is this true?
Video with the comment : _URL_0_
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7i6p6v/timothy_snyder_states_that_there_is_no_official/
{ "a_id": [ "dqwh94e" ], "score": [ 45 ], "text": [ "So I'm not entirely sure that Snyder is being serious there? Right after he states it, he then goes on to say \"OK, you didn't think that was as funny as I did.\" If he *is* serious, well, it is an hilarious silly thing to state. At the outbreak...
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[ "https://youtu.be/wDjHw_uXeKU?t=1198" ]
[ [] ]
5had37
What did other periods in the history of the British isles think of stone henge?
Were they interested in it? Did the romans hate it? Did the tudors love it? Could the elizabethans care less?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5had37/what_did_other_periods_in_the_history_of_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dazgiog" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Some parts of your question were covered in [this earlier answer,](_URL_1_) which points out that the earliest certain written record of Stonehenge only dates from the late Norman period (c.1130). And even after that, it wasn't until the first st...
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[ [ "http://www.salisburymuseum.org.uk/collections/art-stonehenge/stonehenge-9", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5fmrqd/what_did_the_romans_think_of_stonehenge/" ] ]
biozb9
In many medieval movies such as Braveheart there are often scenes with military commanders shouting motivational speeches to entire armies on the battlefield without using voice amplification of any sorts. In real life, were they really able to hold speeches like that and is this how it was done?
It just seems unrealistic that 10.000 people would be able to keep quiet enough and all at the same time for everyone to be able to hear one person shouting? Did they use some sort of equipment? Did they relay messages to officers down the line or did they just not speak to the masses like that at all?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/biozb9/in_many_medieval_movies_such_as_braveheart_there/
{ "a_id": [ "em26kds" ], "score": [ 570 ], "text": [ "The answers are further back in time than you're asking about here, but while you're waiting this thread might interest you:\n\n[*Do the speeches we often see before a battle in most literature and visual performances have any historical basis....
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1i9zdn/do_the_speeches_we_often_see_before_a_battle_in/" ] ]
zliuz
What's a piece of knowledge from your area of historical study that you enjoy telling people about, and why?
As someone who studies primarily Southeast Asian history, there's a lot I could go for but I generally find telling people that a good bit of the [1945 Vietnamese Declaration of Independence](_URL_0_) was taken almost verbatim from the US' a lot of fun. It's my go to fact a lot of the time, and allows me to segue int...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/zliuz/whats_a_piece_of_knowledge_from_your_area_of/
{ "a_id": [ "c65n4af", "c65na7p", "c65nif4", "c65nrbi", "c65ns7g", "c65nsnn", "c65o8td", "c65oava", "c65oc8h", "c65odku", "c65ogpb", "c65okga", "c65or4p", "c65ovbj", "c65p17d", "c65p4it", "c65p93e", "c65pbmb", "c65peee", "c65pegd", "c...
[]
[ "http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1945vietnam.html" ]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilmer_McLean" ], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_the_Rights_of_Man_and_of_the_Citizen", "http://books.google.com/books?id=X2QCAa27Zy4C&printsec=frontcover&dq=declaration+of+independence+armitage&source=bl&ots=Zos...
devr00
What was the reasoning for the Pancho Villa Expedition? How was Pancho Villa able to evade U.S. capture for so long despite the large force sent to stop him?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/devr00/what_was_the_reasoning_for_the_pancho_villa/
{ "a_id": [ "f30nq0x" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Villa's motives for the Columbus raid seem to have been various. He wanted to take revenge on the American arms dealer who had taken money for supplies and neither given him the arms or returned the money. He was increasingly angry at the way th...
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1bmkec
(In)Accuracies in Asbury's "The Gangs of New York"?
A few days ago I submitted an identical post; it received several upvotes, but zero replies. I am resubmitting the question in the hopes that someone with an interest in answering may see it this time: For a term paper in my AP Language and Composition class, I have to choose a nonfiction book and write an analysis of...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1bmkec/inaccuracies_in_asburys_the_gangs_of_new_york/
{ "a_id": [ "c981o1a" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "I'm not going to answer your question directly, and I apologize since this will be a top level post, but I don't know that you will get any replies again. You're asking the people here to do your homework for you in a way. But I'll give you my ...
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[ [ "http://www.amazon.com/New-York-City-Draft-Riots/dp/0803234538", "http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/20092635?uid=3739728&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21101844907093" ] ]
4ryj4d
Is medieval French as incomprehensible to modern French speakers as Medieval English is to modern English speakers?
If I tried to read something in "English" from the 10th century it would be impossible. Does the same hold true for the French or has the French language changed less over time?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4ryj4d/is_medieval_french_as_incomprehensible_to_modern/
{ "a_id": [ "d55b1ec", "d55cvim", "d55hoje", "d55jaw1", "d55qyhc" ], "score": [ 4, 9, 7, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "If anyone can answer this, what's the case with the other major romance languages e.g. Spanish, Italian, etc? ", "Might be worth a cross post to /r/lingui...
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[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
5oirzt
Why is facial hair such an important thing in the Abrahamic religions, and does it have importance in any Eastern religions?
It seems in many Abrahamic Religious sectors/branch-offs, that facial hair is very important. Like with Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons and their ban on facial hair or with the the Shia Muslims how they require men to have beards. These are few examples from my own personal knowledge, but if there are more I'd be op...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5oirzt/why_is_facial_hair_such_an_important_thing_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dckk194", "dclpu0q" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "Hi, long-time lurker. But I think I can actually contribute a bit to this!\n\n___________________________________________________________________\n\n**Banned Beards**\n\nI actually don't know too much about the Jehovah's Wit...
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[ [ "https://policy.byu.edu/view/index.php?p=26", "http://www.sltrib.com/news/3854493-155/the-history-of-byus-honor-code", "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A14-16&version=KJV", "https://www.ldsjobs.org/ers/ct/articles/dressing-for-success?lang=eng", "https://upload.wiki...
2dhm58
Was there ever any movement to have the United States switch to driving on the left side of the road?
I remember reading about why driving on the right came about, but I'm wondering if there was ever any significant push to shift things over. I vaguely recall reading that our natural instinct to avoid a head-on collision is to break to the left rather than the right. Which is a problem in a car when breaking left puts ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2dhm58/was_there_ever_any_movement_to_have_the_united/
{ "a_id": [ "cjpv35r" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Also, was/is there any movement to have the UK switch to driving on the right side of the road? I know that some countries have made a switch, so the UK possibly could too." ] }
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4m7uy3
What could happen to East Germans whose family escaped to the West?
I remember watching *Goodbye Lenin*, where the father defects while on a business trip and the wife faces a difficult interview where she's accused of knowing his plans. She convinces them of her ignorance, but clearly is afraid of what could happen otherwise. What would have been the potential consequences if she'd be...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4m7uy3/what_could_happen_to_east_germans_whose_family/
{ "a_id": [ "d3tm2df" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It was illegal to leave the GDR without a special permit, which also stated how and when you had to return. If you failed to do so, you risked criminal prosecution according to § 213 StGB-DDR, up to 5 years in prison (extended to 8 years in 1977)...
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2t1xqj
Some economists consider Social Mobility to be more important than inequality in a society's health. Apart from the United States, is there any civilization is considered to have more Social Mobility than any others? Why do theorists/historians think this is so?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2t1xqj/some_economists_consider_social_mobility_to_be/
{ "a_id": [ "cnuzom7" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Sorry, we don't allow [throughout history questions](_URL_0_). These tend to produce threads which are collections of trivia, not the in-depth discussions about a particular topic we're looking for. If you have a specific question about a histo...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/rules#wiki_no_.22in_your_era.22_or_.22throughout_history.22_questions" ] ]
7ghr6p
Booker T. Washington's views made widespread changes to education for African-Americans, but did his views affect education for white people today?
I'm writing a paper on Booker T. and am struggling to find evidence for how his effects on education affected white people. Any help is appreciated!
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7ghr6p/booker_t_washingtons_views_made_widespread/
{ "a_id": [ "dqksl70" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "One possible thread to investigate is the relationship between Washington and contemporaries like John Dewey and Ella Flagg Young. There are some interesting primary sources that speak to the time the two men were in the same place at the same ti...
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azhtok
Was it possible in 1943-45 Nazi Germany for a fit, early 20's man to NOT be in the military? What one would have had to do to avoid service?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/azhtok/was_it_possible_in_194345_nazi_germany_for_a_fit/
{ "a_id": [ "ei8a2a9", "ei8bvma", "ei9jstb" ], "score": [ 330, 53, 257 ], "text": [ "Sort of a tongue-in-cheek follow-up question. Could you be fit early 20s Jewish man and serve in the military and is there any difference in the service required? I'm thinking analogous to African ...
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[ [], [], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5vbnxo/how_did_the_nazi_german_legal_system_decide_which/" ] ]
zcnnx
Has there ever been a society where 2 very different languages coexisted together?
By very different, I mean as different as english and japanese.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/zcnnx/has_there_ever_been_a_society_where_2_very/
{ "a_id": [ "c63f3ee", "c63fp54", "c63ft41", "c63g1zq", "c63g2rk", "c63g765", "c63g98r", "c63gv3y", "c63haew", "c63hsjh", "c63ivtq", "c63j2yk", "c63j9pn", "c63jips", "c63qobt" ], "score": [ 2, 12, 12, 3, 10, 9, 2, 34, ...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incirlik_Air_Base", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yokota_Air_Base", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrikaans" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki...
3bz6zp
Why did the Romans build on top of things?
I just came back from the most fascinating trip around Italy, including several amazing days in Rome. I have always been interested in Roman history but it is something really special to actually visit Rome, essentially an open museum. Several of the tour guides mentioned x was built on top of y which was built on top ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3bz6zp/why_did_the_romans_build_on_top_of_things/
{ "a_id": [ "csrrr1b" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "The phenomenon you are noticing is called \"stratigraphy\", which is the idea that things are built on top of older things, and you can tell which things are older by figuring out the order in which each part was laid down. It's one of the most ...
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[ [ "http://www.nature.com/news/2010/101130/images/news468614a-i1.0.jpg", "http://sitemaker.umich.edu/kelseymuseum.digdiary/files/kedesh_tel.gif" ] ]
3mx2nu
Is the ANY evidence at all of Native Americans travelling to Europe before Columbus?
When I was growing up it was generally accepted amongst the populace that Chris C. discovered America. We now know without a doubt that the Norse got there first around 1,000 AD. I have also heard ponderings that some Irish monks may have made the journey and that there may have been some contact with Pacific Islanders...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3mx2nu/is_the_any_evidence_at_all_of_native_americans/
{ "a_id": [ "cviw1ar", "cviyqgj" ], "score": [ 7, 4 ], "text": [ "There's always room for discussion, but perhaps the section [Travel and contact across the Atlantic before Columbus](_URL_0_) in our FAQ will answer your inquiry.", "There's [some genetic evidence](_URL_0_) that Native A...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/nativeamerican#wiki_travel_and_contact_across_the_atlantic_before_columbus" ], [ "http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajpa.21419/full" ] ]
fkm7bi
How the South and North of Italy in 1861 were? Some say if it weren't for the south of Italy, the north would be still third world today. How much is it true?
Yesterday 17 March was the anniversary of the creation of Regno d'Italia. This action seemed to have triggered an economical change in Italy, at least according to some. Some say the creation of the reign was because of "personal" interests which created a recession of some sort for the Italian southern regions. Polit...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/fkm7bi/how_the_south_and_north_of_italy_in_1861_were/
{ "a_id": [ "fkzsf05" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "The \"Southern Question\" is indeed one of the longstanding dilemmas of Italian Economic History. Research into this topic is not as florid as you might initially think: for much of Italy's unitary history the \"Southern Question\" was perceived...
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bao9m7
John Adams wrote that the US constitution was, "made for a moral and religious people," and that it is, "wholly inadequate to the government of any other." What elements of the constitution did he believe were suited for a religious society but not an irreligious one?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/bao9m7/john_adams_wrote_that_the_us_constitution_was/
{ "a_id": [ "ekhfkvr" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It is interesting how many sites quote these particular lines, but provide no context, or even bother to cite the origin. Most of them do so with the obvious intent of saying that the US is a religious country, and has to be a religious country b...
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[ [ "https://books.google.com/books/about/A\\_Defence\\_of\\_the\\_Constitutions\\_of\\_Govern.html?id=aH0NAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp\\_read\\_button#v=onepage&q&f=false", "https://books.google.com/books/about/A_Defence_of_the_Constitutions_of_Govern.html?id=aH0NAAAAYAAJ&prints...
3e44yp
Was there ever a black American mafia as structured as the Italian and Irish?
Not so much as in gangs like Crips and Bloods, but on the level of Irish and Italians mobs.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3e44yp/was_there_ever_a_black_american_mafia_as/
{ "a_id": [ "ctbhxed" ], "score": [ 12 ], "text": [ "Absolutely, in many major (and minor) American cities, there were wings of what we would call the \"Black Mafia.\" Typically unrelated but very powerful crime syndicates in the African-American parts of town. Phildelphia, Chicago, New York and D...
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[ [ "https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=QUMDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA36&dq=Ellsworth+Raymond+Johnson+%22bumpy%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CBsQ6AEwAGoVChMIyKKNgaPtxgIV4yVyCh0AmwAC#v=onepage&q&f=false", "https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=378DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA49&dq=Ellsworth+Johnson+%22bumpy%22...
b6qmpz
What did the Egyptian and Syrian governments believe about Israel's nuclear weapons capabilities in the run up to the Yom Kippur War?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/b6qmpz/what_did_the_egyptian_and_syrian_governments/
{ "a_id": [ "ell1wos" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "Oh, this is such a good question, I can't believe I let it languish for 25 days! Sorry for not procrastinating on my other work earlier so I could answer this; I mean that sincerely, I love this question :).\n\nFrom the first, I think it's impor...
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[ [ "https://www.jstor.org/stable/30245473", "https://www.jstor.org/stable/4328925" ] ]
76bx69
About innovations and disruptions in the past 100 years I feel that there was a true peak of innovations in the early 20th century (1900- 1930). Is there any proof in academic literature of this as well as explanations why there have been so many innovations during that time? Or am I just biased?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/76bx69/about_innovations_and_disruptions_in_the_past_100/
{ "a_id": [ "dod9wcm" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The innovations pioneered around that period were arguably more broadly and popularly *impactful* than other periods, but that doesn't mean they were more numerous. The changes in that era were profound - a way of life that had continued fairly u...
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9g8hjb
Exactly where was FDR when he found out about Pearl Harbor?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9g8hjb/exactly_where_was_fdr_when_he_found_out_about/
{ "a_id": [ "e62qhem" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "At about 2pm ET the President was in the Yellow Oval Room on the second floor of the White House with friend and aide Harry Hopkins when Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox called and first told him if the reports from Pearl. He was called again a f...
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3ykjgv
Say I am an author around the 1850's in the USA, and I just wrote a book, and I want it published. How would I go about that? Were there any distinguished publishing companies? Do I just make a lot of copies and distribute them in book stores?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3ykjgv/say_i_am_an_author_around_the_1850s_in_the_usa/
{ "a_id": [ "cyenchd" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "There was a fairly flourishing US publishing industry by the 1850s. For example, Melville published with Harper and Brothers (which is is extant as HarperCollins), Poe with Putnam (also still extant as an imprint of Penguin), Hawthorne and Thore...
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2bmohj
At what point would an outside observer have begun to make a distinction between Judaism and Christianity?
From what I understand about the topic, Christianity began as an offshoot of the Jewish Abrahamic religion that held the rabbi Jesus to be a messiah sent from god. This by itself is not unique, however, because many other jews from the time period and since have been so acclaimed, ex: [Messiahs](_URL_0_). My question ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2bmohj/at_what_point_would_an_outside_observer_have/
{ "a_id": [ "cj6y3hl" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Not to put off any further answers or follow-up questions, but [this healthy discussion](_URL_0_) may be of help to you." ] }
[]
[ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Messiah_claimants" ]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/24em97/when_did_early_christians_stop_considering/" ] ]
1nq6ti
Why did the Dutch golden age end?
[x-posted from /r/explainlikeimfive] Is this somehow relevant to the "glorious revolution" that occurred 1688 in England when William III chose to invade England with a Dutch army in order to overthrow James II due to popular demand. Or is there absolutely no relevance between those two events, if those events were ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1nq6ti/why_did_the_dutch_golden_age_end/
{ "a_id": [ "ccl0wx4", "ccl1jdp", "ccl2hwa", "ccl2ukn", "ccl3e2p", "ccl3vn4" ], "score": [ 23, 92, 2, 3, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "The main, overarching reason was that the Netherlands were just too small. They tried quite hard, and for a while, quite successfully,...
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[ [], [], [], [], [ "http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1491&context=macintl" ], [] ]
4yw2cq
How dangerous was it for World Leaders to meet during WW1 & 2?
I regularly see pictures of world leaders meeting during war time. For example there is one of Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill meeting in Tehran, 1943. How dangerous was it for them to get to these locations? How did they travel? Was there any attempts to intersect leaders in transit, did any attempt get close to takin...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4yw2cq/how_dangerous_was_it_for_world_leaders_to_meet/
{ "a_id": [ "d6qxiho", "d6r3wn0" ], "score": [ 9, 6 ], "text": [ "So the most spectacular example of this going terribly comes in June of 1916.\n\nField Marshall the Lord Kitchener of Khartoum, who was serving as Secretary State for War was traveling to Russia in order to participate in ne...
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[ [], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3gnoet/how_did_the_major_world_leaders_travel_to_the/", "https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1945/1945%20-%202348.html", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2mogn8/how_did_churchill_get_to_el_alamein_in_1942/", "http://ww...
1u6yrm
When the slaves (in America) were set free, did they take the name of their master?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1u6yrm/when_the_slaves_in_america_were_set_free_did_they/
{ "a_id": [ "cef75x2" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "According to Eric Arnesen in *The Black Worker: Race, Labor, and Civil Rights since Emancipation* and Richard Valelly in *The Two Reconstructions: the Struggle for Black Enfranchisement*, slaves so despised their masters that one of the first thi...
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1xggz7
How did the role of the artist differ before the Renaissance and during the Renaissance?
I have a general idea of the differences of roles between pre-Renaissance and Renaissance artists; however, I'm hoping that my knowledge can be expanded on. At what point did artists go from being commissioned by the Church only and rarely being given credit by name to being commissioned by patrons, achieving fame and ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1xggz7/how_did_the_role_of_the_artist_differ_before_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cfbl2vn" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I wouldn't say that, even by the High Renaissance, artists had that much freedom over their subject matter. It was still very much a matter of the patron's (whether it be royalty, church, or private) will. The more well-known artists had a bit mo...
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3otjwb
Why was the Qin more effective than the other Chinese states during the Warring States Period?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3otjwb/why_was_the_qin_more_effective_than_the_other/
{ "a_id": [ "cw15plt" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Qin was more effective from the middle Warring States onwards. They weren't always more effective.\n\nThat being said I would say the reasons are: \n1) Qin's land was fertile. It wasn't (originally) as populous, but Qin took over the heartland o...
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f7fkrs
Was homosexuality bad in the eyes of old celtic/Norse beliefs?
I’m not saying they had to *love* the idea, but was it tolerable?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/f7fkrs/was_homosexuality_bad_in_the_eyes_of_old/
{ "a_id": [ "fiexgqy" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "EDIT : u/sunagainstgold's answer on [homosexuality and its perception in medieval Scandinavia](_URL_0_) is certainly interest you on the other part of your question.\n\nWe have litterary evidence that ancient Celts (i.e. more or less people we wo...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5vb166/how_did_pagan_vikings_in_the_813th_centuries_view/de1bo9q/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7lnrh5/how_common_was_homosexuality_or_what_wed_now_see/drptkm5/" ] ]
1rmydo
What occurred in Luxembourg and Liechtenstein during the World Wars?
These two little nations are often forgotten about, so I'm curious as to what happened when all Hell broke loose on their doorsteps... twice.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1rmydo/what_occurred_in_luxembourg_and_liechtenstein/
{ "a_id": [ "cdowpk6" ], "score": [ 22 ], "text": [ "1/2\n\n**Luxembourg, First World War**\n\n\nLuxembourg was [invaded and occupied by Germany](_URL_0_) during the First World War.\n\nBeing able to move their army through Luxembourg, as well as Belgium, was a key part of the Moltke-Schlieffen Pl...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_occupation_of_Luxembourg_in_World_War_I" ] ]
27clee
How much more or less brutal were the Germans in Russia than the Russians were in Germany at the end of world war II?
I've been reading John Toland's "The Last 100 Days" and others of the same subject lately, and in many passages in the books, they mention the extreme brutality that was shown for women in general by rear area troops in the Soviet military throughout the territory they liberated and how the Germans basically brought th...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/27clee/how_much_more_or_less_brutal_were_the_germans_in/
{ "a_id": [ "chzk2u4" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "The German occupation was significantly more brutal, considering Germany suffered some million or so civilian casualties from all military actions (including those of the western allies,) compared to the 8-12 million inflicted in the Soviet Union...
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6cy13b
What Medieval War Strategy Book Should I Read?
Hi, I recently started watching Game of Thrones, and through that fell into a phase of wanting to learn phycology, philosophy, and actual tactics of Medieval War. I was wondering what some not crazy difficult book recommendations "I'm a Highschooler" would be on Medieval War Strategy that is a good fun read "or audiobo...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6cy13b/what_medieval_war_strategy_book_should_i_read/
{ "a_id": [ "dhyuoah" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "I recommend the following five works as the rock on which to build your understanding of medieval warfare. They are not all easy to read, *Warfare in Medieval Europe 400-1453* is particularly dense, but they will all add to your understanding of ...
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7s2jq0
Are there any disagreements between English and U.S historians on any facts/aspects of the American Revolution?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7s2jq0/are_there_any_disagreements_between_english_and/
{ "a_id": [ "dt1ux8j", "dt27wct", "dt2dd0t" ], "score": [ 213, 714, 72 ], "text": [ "Hi there! \n\nIf you've come to the thread and are wondering why there's no answer yet, please be patient: [we have found](_URL_4_) that it takes an average of 9 hours for a good answer to appear o...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/64y44g/the_mostupvoted_comments_in_reddit_threads_arent/#", "https://www.reddit.com/r/RemindMeBot/comments/24duzp/remindmebot_info/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/rules#wiki_sources", "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/search?q...
3ata56
Why "666" for the beast? Without a base-10 positional representation system, this number wouldn't look particularly remarkable.
Was the original number of the beast from the bible actually six hundred and sixty six? Note that without a base-10 representation system, this number wouldn't actually even have anything to do with the number 6. In original translations, is given in Roman numerals, or what?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3ata56/why_666_for_the_beast_without_a_base10_positional/
{ "a_id": [ "csfr5in", "csfr6kf", "csfrkuo", "csfspni" ], "score": [ 114, 21, 46, 6 ], "text": [ "I can't tell you much about the numerological implications of the number and the interpretation of Johannes, but I'm going to say something about Roman numbers that might be he...
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[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxyrhynchus_Papyri" ], [], [] ]
bqrp67
There are Churches older than the Byzantine and Roman Catholic: How does their interpretation of Doctrine and Religious practice differ and why? Did these Churches interact with the Roman and Byzantine Churches further into the Medieval, or did they lose contact?
So I was watching Diarmaid Macolluch's History of Christianity BBC program, and he mentioned some older churches (such as the ethiopian). What sort of Doctrine did these churches stick to that led to them to split from the Christian Jews? Was there any communication between the members of these organizations with the...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/bqrp67/there_are_churches_older_than_the_byzantine_and/
{ "a_id": [ "eo7z6m9", "eo8046t" ], "score": [ 16, 3 ], "text": [ "I hope no one minds an Eastern Orthodox deacon commenting? \n\n\nThe Churches you mention are known as the Oriental Orthodox churches, and are not, in fact, older than the Byzantine and Latin churches. In fact, they split ...
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[ [ "https://books.google.nl/books?id=6IUaOOT1G3UC&printsec=frontcover&dq=council+of+chalcedon+book&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjq5MD3gqriAhWHDewKHWAVBZ4Q6AEIKDAA" ], [] ]
2akzlh
How exactly was the French Revolutionary Army able to defend France from being invaded by a coalition consisted of every European country, and also end up expanding French territory?
The revolution was killing the French economy, and caused massive famines and widespread chaos within the nation. Their troops were poorly equipped, and lacked the discipline and organization of the professional armies of their neighbors. They were attacked by....... The entire Holy Roman Empire. The British. The ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2akzlh/how_exactly_was_the_french_revolutionary_army/
{ "a_id": [ "ciw8z2l", "ciwardw" ], "score": [ 807, 12 ], "text": [ "I'd like to point to [this post I made a few days ago](_URL_0_) for reference.\n\nNotably this bit: \n\n > All men between the ages of 18 and 25 were to be forcibly conscripted for military service -- all men. Men into t...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/29tqot/say_im_a_farmer_in_1791_france_and_the_revolution/ciolxd6?context=3" ], [] ]
yn04g
How has modern infantry equipment evolved?
I remember seeing a graphic a while back showing that it cost only about $150 to outfit a WWII infantry man but it costs close to $20,000 now. How did it grow to cost that much in only 70 years?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/yn04g/how_has_modern_infantry_equipment_evolved/
{ "a_id": [ "c5x8pgl", "c5xey56" ], "score": [ 3, 6 ], "text": [ "Soldier and amateur military historian here. \n\nFirst we need to talk about load type. Depending on the time frame of resupply and mission. They break down in the following:\n\nFighting Load- Everything a soldier needs ...
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363z7e
Length of Wehrmacht Deployments in World War II?
I just watched the German World War II miniseries [Generation War](_URL_0_), and the two brothers serving in the Heer seemed to serve on the Eastern Front from the invasion until the end of the war. How long did Wehrmacht deployments last?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/363z7e/length_of_wehrmacht_deployments_in_world_war_ii/
{ "a_id": [ "crb8z2s" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Well, to quote Kipling: \"There is no discharge in the war!\"\nYou didn't go on deployment in the Wehrmacht, you were entitled to, under the best of circumstances, two weeks of leave twice a year (for the Field Army/ combat troops) or once a year...
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[ "http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1883092/" ]
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6ninf0
Do we have any proofs that "Armenian Genocide" was intentional?
This is a sensitive topic, so I want to make it clear that I have no bad intentions. I don't have an opinion on Armenian Genocide, I know that my country (Poland) recognizes it as a real genocide, but recently I met a Turk who described me the other side of the story. Now I just want to put everything together. "Conve...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6ninf0/do_we_have_any_proofs_that_armenian_genocide_was/
{ "a_id": [ "dka5r21", "dkbs1ox" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "In short, yes. [This section] (_URL_0_) of the FAQ may be helpful.", "Never heard of accidental genocides. Do they exist? " ] }
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/faq/europe#wiki_the_armenian_genocide" ], [] ]
1wsdss
Why were the international soldiers who participated in the Spanish Civil War, to fight fascism, upon return home (to the US and Canada to be more precise) investigated by their nations and not allowed to serve in WWII?
I was doing some reading this afternoon about all of the international soldiers who left their homes, from places in Europe and the Americas to help the Spanish people against fascism. Interestingly enough, Canadians and Americans were investigated by the FBI and Mountie Police for their war collaboration, and in both...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1wsdss/why_were_the_international_soldiers_who/
{ "a_id": [ "cf5643d" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "What books or what were you reading that said that? There were definitely soldiers who served the Abraham Lincoln Brigade who then served in WW2 for America. \n\nHere's one example: _URL_0_\n" ] }
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[ [ "http://hermannbottcher.org/" ] ]
d728xu
Did Native American tribes who supported the Confederacy suffer any specific repercussions for this alliance?
Did the US government strip away any land rights from these groups, for instance, or were all Native nations treated with equal violent racism?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/d728xu/did_native_american_tribes_who_supported_the/
{ "a_id": [ "f0xmmzp" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I touch on the fallout some in [this broader answer](_URL_0_) which may be of interest." ] }
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/achn2i/how_were_native_americans_impacted_during_the/" ] ]
4j47ol
How in God's Name was Prohibition Ratified in the United States?
Considering how widespread alcohol consumption was in the early 1900s; and how popular alcohol has been, pretty much since it was discovered. How could prohibition possibly have been democratically passed in the United States?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4j47ol/how_in_gods_name_was_prohibition_ratified_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "d33ktjv", "d33r5gw" ], "score": [ 5, 5 ], "text": [ "It's easy to look back and wonder what they were thinking, I agree. Temperance advocates had various advantages. There does seem to have been enormous enthusiasm, a deep conviction among the Temperance forces that banning al...
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5tnxne
Why didnt the civil war have armor? Wasn't close quarters fighting common?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5tnxne/why_didnt_the_civil_war_have_armor_wasnt_close/
{ "a_id": [ "ddnt1gd" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ " > **Why didnt the civil war have armor?**\n\nThe American Civil War did see many experiments in body armor; Bashford Dean in [Helmets and Armor in Modern Warfare](_URL_1_) 58-59 notes:\n\n > It is known that breastplates were worn more or less...
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[ [ "http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/2013/04/failed-objects-bullet-proof-vests-and-design-in-the-american-civil-war.html", "https://archive.org/details/helmetsbodyarmor00deanuoft", "http://www.worldcat.org/title/of-arms-and-men-a-history-of-war-weapons-and-aggression/oclc/476010542" ] ]
13ha4m
Why did France grant Monaco independence in 1861?
There was a bit of trading of territory going on - but why was Monaco even given leeway to trade given their seemingly insignificant power as compared to France?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/13ha4m/why_did_france_grant_monaco_independence_in_1861/
{ "a_id": [ "c742edw" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "A very similar question was just asked a few days ago, you may want to search for answers here:\n_URL_0_" ] }
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/13ebo4/how_have_the_microsmall_states_of_europe_andorra/" ] ]
5vtzcv
[Book Request] I don't see any books for the Reconquista on the book recommendation list
The books I see are in the lens of muslim communities after the Reconquista, and one specifically about Jewish people. Does anyone have a good book recommendation for a survey of the Reconquista? Thanks!
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5vtzcv/book_request_i_dont_see_any_books_for_the/
{ "a_id": [ "de4wfo2" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Point of clarification. What are you looking for when you say \"a general history of *the Reconquista*?\" Although the underlying crusade ideology is there for the Christians, and as time wore on Muslims definitely realized their al-Andalus (by t...
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1ekmbg
What festivals did the romans celebrate (pre-christianity)?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ekmbg/what_festivals_did_the_romans_celebrate/
{ "a_id": [ "ca16o1u" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "The Romans celebrated plenty of festivals, and I'll highlight a couple of the more important ones for you.\n\n* **Lupercalia:** This is possibly the most famous Roman festival, along with Saturnalia. It was celebrated during February (13-15) and...
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50l1qn
How and when were tanks, semiautomatic weapons and planes started being deployed in warfare?
Sorry for possible grammar errors, english is not my mother tongue. I wanted to know what exactly changed so much in warfare from 1870's to 1914. In WW1 we see automatic weapons, tanks, and planes but just a few decades ago armies were using rifles and cannons that weren't so different from past centuries. Was WW1 the...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/50l1qn/how_and_when_were_tanks_semiautomatic_weapons_and/
{ "a_id": [ "d756slw" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The Second Industrial Revolution happened.\n\nGenerally considered to have started in 1870, the Second Industrial Revolution saw the development of a wide range of technologies, manufacturing techniques and chemicals that made many of the weapons...
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2erc0r
Help identifying a Japanese battle flag from WWII
_URL_0_ Background: This flag was taken off the body of a dead Japanese soldier in the Pacific theater during 1942 (I can get a few more details on that later). It belongs to my wife's family and I wanted to see if any of you could give me more information, such as a translation of the text, which I understand is usua...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2erc0r/help_identifying_a_japanese_battle_flag_from_wwii/
{ "a_id": [ "ck2b6ak", "ck2ibtq" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "I can't answer your question directly, but you might try x-posting this /r/japan", "I can't read all of it--the vertical text on the sides is quite difficult and I will leave it to somebody else. But the text on the top ...
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[ "http://snag.gy/IgeZO.jpg" ]
[ [], [] ]
177ivh
Would it be inaccurate to say that in general, the common people of modern first world countries eat better than medieval European royalty?
I'm sure medieval kings were given the best food the land could offer, but back then they did not have very good sanitation or preservation techniques. Their variety in food was also probably very limited because they could not import foods from very far away. Nowadays however, any person in the first world could go t...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/177ivh/would_it_be_inaccurate_to_say_that_in_general_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c82yjqy", "c833wvz", "c833zp2" ], "score": [ 13, 11, 52 ], "text": [ "In terms of quality and variety, I would assume you are right. Although, they had vats of wine, honey, and all sorts of cheeses and wild game, I imagine the quality was not great. \n\nIt's also inter...
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[ [ "http://www.slideshare.net/whitehouse/menu-2012-uk-state-dinner" ], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH5O_fCstyI" ], [] ]
1u8b3h
I am a Roman equite from the age of Augustus examining Rome during the reign of Constantine. What has changed most noticeably? Is the new Rome even recognizable to me?
I understand that answers about life for commoners in Roman times must often resort to speculative and circumstantial evidence. I would appreciate anybody who can introduce us to some of the prevailing views about how life in Rome changed as the empire evolved. EDIT: Should have been "eques", not equite.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1u8b3h/i_am_a_roman_equite_from_the_age_of_augustus/
{ "a_id": [ "cefnlcu", "cefol63", "cefs5sy" ], "score": [ 86, 7, 26 ], "text": [ "^I'm ^not ^sure ^what ^you ^mean ^by ^\"examining ^Rome\". ^If ^you ^mean ^something ^like ^walking ^through ^the ^city ^of ^Rome, ^this ^would ^be ^my ^answer:\n\n & nbsp;\n\nRome has changed massive...
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an27d5
Why doesn't the US-Canada border follow the St. Lawrence River all the way to the Atlantic?
With some exceptions, the US-Canada border is mostly determined by the 49th parallel from Vancouver Island to Lake Superior in the West and then by the Great Lakes in the Midwest. The border then follows the St. Lawrence out of Lake Ontario for about 100 miles before cutting across the 45th parallel for about 150 miles...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/an27d5/why_doesnt_the_uscanada_border_follow_the_st/
{ "a_id": [ "efqbjcd" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "A very brief answer can come from looking at patterns of European colonialism. The Mississippi river, the St. Lawrence, the Columbia, the Fraser, all these are rivers that when they reach the ocean they come out in the middle of a political unit ...
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1kb7u2
What type of weapons would have been available to medieval peasants?
Would they have been limited to farming tools or would they have something like a family sword if their lord called them to war?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1kb7u2/what_type_of_weapons_would_have_been_available_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cbnaghm", "cbnd87i", "cbo71gh" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "A peasant levy was not often called upon but there does exists various folk wrestling and stick fighting traditions that may vary from region to region. \n\nPaulus Hector Mair collected fighting treatis...
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[ [ "http://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Paulus_Hector_Mair" ], [], [] ]
3qxdfv
At what point did European settlers outnumber Native Americans in what would become the modern United States?
Was either group aware of the shift? When did Americans begin to see the natives as a smaller group collectively than themselves?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3qxdfv/at_what_point_did_european_settlers_outnumber/
{ "a_id": [ "cwjm0qq", "cwjrak0" ], "score": [ 3, 9 ], "text": [ "I think Thornton's [American Indian Holocaust and Survival: A Population History Since 1492] (_URL_5_) would probably be a good resource for answering your question (it's at my work office atm, so I'm reluctant to give a mor...
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[ [ "http://www.usdakotawar.org/", "https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f7/76/be/f776be148f2f41ab4ba6988b0b22550b.jpg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clatsop", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._communities_with_Native_American_majority_populations", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
9w6uex
This Week's Theme: Immigrants and Emigrants
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/search?q=flair%3AMigrants&sort=new&restrict_sr=on&t=all
{ "a_id": [ "e9i4agt" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "**Current:** Immigrants and Emigrants\n\n**On Deck:** Trauma\n\n**In the Hole:** The Balkans\n\nRemember to ask theme-related questions in [a new thread!](_URL_1_)! If your submission doesn't get automatically flaired, [send us a modmail](_URL_0_...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FAskHistorians", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/submit?selftext=true" ] ]
5j4rkk
What is the longest "unbroken" chain of royal or dynastic succession in known history?
I ask broadly because I don't even know how to clarify this question. One answer may be in terms of leaders who "choose" the subsequent leader pursuant to some ritual, but I understand that it may be more complex than that. Basically I'm wondering about the longest line of succession without a major intervening fact...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5j4rkk/what_is_the_longest_unbroken_chain_of_royal_or/
{ "a_id": [ "dbdhld9", "dbdilgm", "dbds6ni" ], "score": [ 429, 36, 17 ], "text": [ "Japan has the oldest continuous, hereditary monarchy in the world -- and would, I believe, even qualify as oldest if we included non-hereditary or interrupted-hereditary successions. The Japanese ro...
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[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Kinmei" ], [], [] ]