q_id stringlengths 5 6 | title stringlengths 3 301 | selftext stringlengths 0 39.2k | document stringclasses 1
value | subreddit stringclasses 1
value | url stringlengths 4 132 | answers dict | title_urls list | selftext_urls list | answers_urls list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5qzj1n | Clothing in Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic Greece | Heya :)
I recently made a character for a p & p whose homeland is oriented towards ancient greece, and I'd like to know more about the clothing aspect.
- What clothes were common, for what ocassion (work, travel, etc) and for whom (social class, gender)?
- What were common colours?
- How many (different) clothes did o... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5qzj1n/clothing_in_archaic_classical_and_hellenistic/ | {
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"text": [
"Clothes in ancient Greece are basically just a variety of rectangles. The most basic garment is a chiton and that is essentially piece of cloth folded around the body in a U shape. The opening fell on one side of the body, under the arm. The garm... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1tzb5w | Did medieval armies have NCO's or something like a centurian to help lead troops into battle? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1tzb5w/did_medieval_armies_have_ncos_or_something_like_a/ | {
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"text": [
"For the albeit limited examples of the Holy Orders, the Templars had Sergeants. [Literary Source here](_URL_1_), as did the Hospitallers. [Additional source here, ](_URL_0_) \n\nI do not know about the... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://books.google.de/books/about/The_Central_Convent_of_Hospitallers_and.html?id=C5FOrh6O_cEC&redir_esc=y",
"http://books.google.de/books/about/The_New_Knighthood.html?id=DhdfTczmwWoC&redir_esc=y"
],
[],
[
"http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1sbjda/which_were_the_military_... | ||
3gyt91 | Why did the silk road and the other primary east-west trade routes cross through the desert instead of going north through the Eurasian steppes? | I know that the steppes weren't particularly hospitable either but it seems like at least in terms of grazing for caravans' horses and beasts of burden as well as water sources the steppes would be easier to pass through than the mountains and deserts of central Asia and the middle east. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3gyt91/why_did_the_silk_road_and_the_other_primary/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"It's important to remember that very few (if any) traders travelled the entire length of the silk road- it was more like a relay of different traders.\n\nThe central Asian deserts were already populated by nomadic people with a long tradition of... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
12g9ax | What obscure folk tale/s from your area of speciality might have rivalled Grimm's fairytales if they had been helped to spread among Western culture at the right time? | I'd love to discover some of the best stories that are now lost outside of academia. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/12g9ax/what_obscure_folk_tales_from_your_area_of/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
2,
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"text": [
"The tales of Hershele of Ostropol are quite entertaining. They're relatively well known amongst some Jews and Ukrainians.",
"I'll refer you to [this story](_URL_0_), which isn't even very well known among Russians, I don... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/12ci5b/classical_scholars_what_are_your_favorite_obscure/c6u5yp1"
]
] | |
2a78y0 | WW2 - U-boats vs the D-Day invasion fleet | Were German submarines put to use in patrolling possible routes to detect/attack the Allied invasion fleet during the run-up to D-Day?
Or would that have been infeasible?
| AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2a78y0/ww2_uboats_vs_the_dday_invasion_fleet/ | {
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"text": [
"It was infeasible because it was suicidal. The invasion convoys were escorted by several dozen destroyers, frigates or other escort ships with Anti Submarine weapons on board. The RAF coastal c... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exercise_Tiger#Battle_of_Lyme_Bay",
"http://s-boot.net/sboats-km-channel44.html",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-boat",
"S-boot.net"
]
] | |
2ofydt | Why did French revolutionaries prefer an emperor to a king? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2ofydt/why_did_french_revolutionaries_prefer_an_emperor/ | {
"a_id": [
"cmmyl9f"
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"text": [
"In 1799, the French Directory was a corrupt political machine that used war to divert attention away from problems within France (such as how corrupt they were) and using war to gain funds for both the government and themselves. The coup of 18 Br... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1foogw | What is the most significant historical artifact that has been stolen or appropriated by a state after rediscovery? | For example, either outright stolen and sold in the black market only to disappear into some private collection, or something that may be sitting in a museum; which its country of origin is asking to be returned, while the current host country declines.
Thank you. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1foogw/what_is_the_most_significant_historical_artifact/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"I can't say that this was a re-discovery, but one of the more interesting examples of something like this was when Texas revolutionists attacked and killed General Santa Anna and his army. They stole his wooden leg, and it was held in a museum in... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
fdhmsz | I don't understand how a serf and a slave in Medieval Europe were different? Was serfdom just slavery with extra steps? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/fdhmsz/i_dont_understand_how_a_serf_and_a_slave_in/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Serfs were a bit similar to slaves, but a slight bit more well off. While slaves were considered the property of their owners, serfs were not. And while they did not live the luxurious lifestyles of those they served, they still had their place,... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
6k90nb | How did the Romans communicate their laws to newly conquered, non-Latin speaking territories? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6k90nb/how_did_the_romans_communicate_their_laws_to/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"I'm going to speak in broad and general terms here, since you've asked a question that concerns a wide area both geographically, as well as temporally and in terms of existing, previous legal practices (conquered Greek or Hellenistic cities, f.e.... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://avalon.law.yale.edu/ancient/charter_of_urso.asp",
"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Lex_Ursonensis_-_tabla_1_%28M.A.N._16736%29_01.jpg/1280px-Lex_Ursonensis_-_tabla_1_%28M.A.N._16736%29_01.jpg"
]
] | ||
2xwfo9 | What were the most sought after professions in the Ancient and Classic era? | Also some not so sought after professions would be interesting too.
I know in Ancient Egypt that Scribes were seen as elite and skilled but I would like to know some other jobs that would have been up there in the food chain. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2xwfo9/what_were_the_most_sought_after_professions_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"cp4ccb3"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Could you please specify more exactly what you're interested in? Antiquity encompasses a period of several thousand years, with myriad peoples and cultures interacting with each other for every moment of that time. Depending on time and place the... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3j99br | Concerning the SR-71 Blackbird: What did the USSR know about the plane? What did they think it was capable of? Did they attempt any similar designs of their own? | Specifically:
1. What did the USSR know about the plane and its capabilities? Did they believe it also functioned as a nuclear bomber / space plane / experimental weapons platform? Did they vastly overestimate its speed and ceiling or other capabilities?
2. Many Soviet plane designs often take after US bombers and fi... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3j99br/concerning_the_sr71_blackbird_what_did_the_ussr/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
38,
706,
49
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"text": [
"You might consider asking r/aviation too.",
"Finally something I can help answer! My senior thesis was done on the A-12 program. \n\nSo firstly, I need to mention that the SR-71 was a variant of... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.foia.cia.gov/collection/12-oxcart-reconnaissance-aircraft-documentation"
],
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/306pav/what_was_soviet_aerial_reconnaissance_like/"
]
] | |
4uv4jt | How well does the movie "Master and Commander" portray the life of 19th century British sailors? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4uv4jt/how_well_does_the_movie_master_and_commander/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Pretty well, actually. The costumes, props, sets, everything was pretty meticulously researched and they do a very good job of avoiding anachronisms or introducing stuff that's just flat out fiction. About the only thing that *really* made me ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
7a4hzm | Musketball vs. Bayonet | Are there any statistics or anything likewise that would tell us which was the primary cause of injury and death during early modern battles? Whether it was the musket or the bayonet that caused more casualties? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7a4hzm/musketball_vs_bayonet/ | {
"a_id": [
"dp70376"
],
"score": [
7
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"text": [
"You may be interested in [this older answer](_URL_0_) from u/PartyMoses on bayonets and their (non)use in warfare, which posits that bayonets were never much actually used for stabbing, but for intimidation. "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5i0pkg/why_were_bayonets_underused_in_the_american_civil/db52r6p/"
]
] | |
8ae7be | What is the current state of Japanese historical scholarship in Japan itself? | I am kind of curious, because when people ask questions about Japan the topics that often most reliably answered tend to be those for which Europeans were around in some form, leaving records, letters and transcripts there were passed down and interpreted by western historians.
There seems to be less ability to reliab... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8ae7be/what_is_the_current_state_of_japanese_historical/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
" > how much access do Western (English-speaking, primarily) historians have to Japanese primary sources?\n\nAre you asking how easy is it for foreign historians to gain physical access to Japanese primary sources or are you... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
2zty7o | In one my my professor's lectures, he mentioned that Japan tried to surrender before Hiroshima, and the US rejected the proposal. After Nagasaki, they accepted a nearly identical proposal to the one they rejected. Is this true? | This was years ago and I just assumed it was a little-known fact among historians. The other day I was trying to find more information about the treaty that was rejected, and I wasn't able to find out if the version of events he told was true or not.
I think that this article may have summed the story up:
_URL_0_
Ba... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2zty7o/in_one_my_my_professors_lectures_he_mentioned/ | {
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"text": [
"Like most stuff that gets introduced in lecture courses, it's mostly right, but more complicated.\n\nPrior to the decision to drop the bomb, some members of the Japanese political leadership were w... | [] | [
"http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2008/08/hiroshima_hoax_japans_wllingne.html"
] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_War_Council_(Japan\\)",
"http://books.google.com/books/about/Racing_the_Enemy.html?id=iPju1MrqgU4C"
]
] | |
4mupmd | Did other nations have a similar "Manifest Destiny" period where huge numbers of settlers expanded the frontiers of the country? | According to wiki, there are three basic themes to manifest destiny:
*The special virtues of the American people and their institutions
*America's mission to redeem and remake the west in the image of agrarian America
*An irresistible destiny to accomplish this essential duty
Did other countries have any similar pe... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4mupmd/did_other_nations_have_a_similar_manifest_destiny/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Japan comes to mind with their expansion into the Northern region of Hokkaido. That period of history in Japan has many parallels to Western expansion in the states. Right down to the subjugation of the native people who lived in the region. In J... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
9sl4rx | Do we have any evidence that the Azores were inhabited by humans at any point prior to their discovery by the Portuguese? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9sl4rx/do_we_have_any_evidence_that_the_azores_were/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"We might! \n\nIt's very possible that sharp-eyed observers could have gained clues that the Azores were out there long before their official discovery; many migratory bird species stop there, and anyone watching birds moving northeast from the A... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Azores#/media/File:Corbitis_Atlas_(Azores_detail).jpg",
"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25394749"
]
] | ||
8oskfv | Did any of the ancient civilizations know they were one of the first human civilizations or have any understanding of the significance of that? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8oskfv/did_any_of_the_ancient_civilizations_know_they/ | {
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"text": [
"Hey all,\n\nIf you frequent the sub, you know the drill. If you're here from /r/all, or browse only occasionally, please be aware we have strict rul... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FAskHistorians&subject=Question%20Regarding%20Rules",
"http://twitter.com/askhistorians",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7s66yf/a_statistical_look_at_askhistorians_in_2017_part_i/",
"https://www.facebook.com/askhistorians/",
... | ||
15vmg8 | Has a wholly or mainly guerrilla opposition ever driven out a large conventional force, without the aid of another country? | Before we begin, I'd rather not discuss Vietnam(I don't feel it's what I'm asking about entirely), as I know that will be what this thread is flooded with.
Also, Afghanistan vs the USSR doesn't seem to be as much an actual military victory as much as it is a side effect of the Cold War's toll.
It just seems guerrill... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/15vmg8/has_a_wholly_or_mainly_guerrilla_opposition_ever/ | {
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"text": [
"There might be a few anti-colonial conflicts worth looking at here. The FNLA in Algeria didn't (AFAIK) receive any substantive aid from other countries, nor d... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shivaji#War_against_the_Mughal_Empire"
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[],
[],
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314w9p | Good Holocaust books dealing with holocaust denial? | I understand that I could read the histories in the book list, but Ideally I would like to read something that specifically targets the common arguments made by deniers, and has a focus on explaining what the sources and the like are. If only because I encounter a couple deniers on various things and it would be easier... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/314w9p/good_holocaust_books_dealing_with_holocaust_denial/ | {
"a_id": [
"cpyumzu"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"Michael Shermer and Alex Grobman's *Denying History: Who Says the Holocaust Never Happened and Why Do They Say It?* is a survey of deniers. \n\nGood luck engaging Deniers though, it's equivalent to yelling at a brick wall. Denialism thrives off o... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3dp0uy | What was the average number of children a Christian family had around 0 - 100 A.D.? | Not looking for specifics but rather a general answer. Trying to work out if family size was fairly similar to families today, or if they were significantly larger. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3dp0uy/what_was_the_average_number_of_children_a/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"This is an interesting, but extremely difficult question to answer. The reason for this is that the question transcends more than just a religious group. We have evidence that by 50 to 60 AD, Christianity had spread (although it was incredibly ... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.amazon.com/Christianizing-Roman-Empire-A-D-100-400/dp/0300036426",
"http://www.amazon.com/The-Rise-Christianity-Religious-Centuries/dp/0060677015"
]
] | |
6abqcx | Did the early-modern developers of the physical/chemical atomic theory explicitly credit ancient philosophical Atomism? | So, as a physicist, it's clear that the ancient Atomism and the physical atomic theory come from completely different approaches - philosophical Atomism is not empirical in the same way etc.
But at the same time, the early modern developers of the physical/chemical atomic theories chose to use the word "atom", apparen... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6abqcx/did_the_earlymodern_developers_of_the/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"By the late-18th/early-19th century the idea of Atomism had been hashed over for literally centuries. They weren't going back to the Ancients at that point. Dalton's own discussions of Atomism were rooted more in the work of Newton (who made vari... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2ovb8y | Why didn't slaves in ancient times just run away? and how were they distinguished from free men? | And by ancient i mean around 1500 years ago. since slaves came from different cultures and ethnicities you couldn't tell a slave from a free man just by appearance alone (I speculate). was there a way that someone could recognize a slave just by appearance?
also how come they didn't just run away? surely they were... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2ovb8y/why_didnt_slaves_in_ancient_times_just_run_away/ | {
"a_id": [
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131,
48
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"text": [
"Piggyback question: In the show Spartacus they paid the slave gladiators an allowance that increased with good performance. This was portrayed as making the slaves more loyal and eager to fight in t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://ipap.csad.ox.ac.uk/Preisigke-bw/300dpi/P.Cair.Preis.1.jpg",
"http://papyri.info/ddbdp/p.cair.preis;;1",
"https://books.google.com/books?id=IPU8ZAcrOtIC&pg=PA239&dq"
],
[]
] | |
3y30ob | What did Germany hope to achieve strategically with the invasion of Russia in WWII and how was this war sold to the public? | What were the main reasons for Germany's invasion of Russia? My understanding is that it was primarily ideological(lebensraum and hatred of the communists). Strategically, what did Germany gain by invading Russia?
Also, how was the war sold to the public? Did the Germans resort to using some sort of propaganda? I reme... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3y30ob/what_did_germany_hope_to_achieve_strategically/ | {
"a_id": [
"cya6gyv"
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"text": [
"Initially, one of the main reasons for the German invasion of Russia was food. The Nazi regime wanted to Germany to be able to support itself agriculturally, without having to rely on imports from the Soviet Union. The German administration had ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
6kgwn0 | Why has Linear B been deciphered but not Linear A? | If Linear B is an adaption of Linear A why has deciphering Linear A eluded us? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6kgwn0/why_has_linear_b_been_deciphered_but_not_linear_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"djm90iy"
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"score": [
13
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"text": [
"You must understand both the writing system and the language(s) in order to claim a decipherment. Most successful decipherments are based on bilingual or trilingual inscriptions (e.g. cuneiform, Egyptian hieroglyphs, and the Cypriot Syllabary) o... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
d5yqjy | In medieval Europe, how common would it have been for non-nobility to own weapons or have access to them? | As the title states, would it have been possible for your average peasant, artisan, etc, to own weapons like a sword or spear? Was this a common practice and was their ever anything similar to a modern 2nd amendment put in place? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/d5yqjy/in_medieval_europe_how_common_would_it_have_been/ | {
"a_id": [
"f0ufse4"
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"text": [
"'Middle Ages' are generally understood as a period of almost 1000 years, so the subject is quite complex. In the following entry I'll limit myself to High and Late Middle Ages, focusing on Germany, Poland and England.\n\nIn general, weapon owners... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
tkk4m | What are some modern social concepts that would be completely alien to a person living during the time of you expertise? | An example would be the conept of homosexuality and ancient Greeks
(Edit: As in, they didn't have an identity of being homosexual, it was just something you did)
The more surprising the better! | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/tkk4m/what_are_some_modern_social_concepts_that_would/ | {
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"text": [
"It's not just homosexuality - heterosexuality and bisexuality *as modern Western society understands it* would also be a strange idea ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://libcom.org/library/time-work-discipline-industrial-capitalism-e-p-thompson"
]
] | |
6ixij2 | WW2: What do these patches mean? | [deleted] | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6ixij2/ww2_what_do_these_patches_mean/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"The circular patches with the \"A\" are the insignia of the US 3rd Army, which in WW2 was under the command of Gen. George S. Patton. The triangular tricolour patches are the insignia of the US 16th Arm... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
85s4ns | About the fancy uniforms we see in war paintings. | Were soldiers like the finely dressed Jannisaries or colorful French Musketeers really dressed fancy, or is this more akin to making soldiers prettier to look at for the paintings.
If they really did wear such fancy clothing, was it for identification purposes? Or morale purposes? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/85s4ns/about_the_fancy_uniforms_we_see_in_war_paintings/ | {
"a_id": [
"dw1ab7s"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Artists who do not travel with armies or have the chance to see one in a situation other than a parade may improperly display soldiers in battle. For example, many artists during the american civil war will draw every soldier with their knapsack ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2rjj8a | Why does Patton seem to be disliked by most of the commanders of his day, yet a prominent figure by the enemy? | It appears that a lot of Allied commanders such as Bradley had personal issues with Patton as a General. Why did he earn this reputation? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2rjj8a/why_does_patton_seem_to_be_disliked_by_most_of/ | {
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"text": [
"I think you have to remember that Patton, for all his considerable skill, could be a thoroughly infuriating figure. Arrogant, rash, abrasive, impatient, and often intolerant of anything less than an almost reckless abandon f... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
5r3yj5 | How did Genghis Khan's father die, specifically? | [deleted] | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5r3yj5/how_did_genghis_khans_father_die_specifically/ | {
"a_id": [
"dd4li5j"
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"text": [
"Yesugai the Brave, by various accounts, was poisoned at a meal on the steppes, by Tatars who by custom owed even an enemy hospitality. \n\nWe do not know if it was actually poison. This could have been a simple bacterial infection. However, act... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
33kfrt | Has anything in the bible been proven to be historically wrong? | Has anything in the Bible been proven to be historically inaccurate? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/33kfrt/has_anything_in_the_bible_been_proven_to_be/ | {
"a_id": [
"cqltimo"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"Where does one begin?\n\nTo give a very brief summary of the kind of thing you're asking about:\n\n* The world was not created in 4,000 BC.\n* There was no global flood in the 25th century BC.\n* The world did not speak one language and all live... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
5rujl4 | Why was the Spanish colonisation of the Americas so brutal and destructive compared to their colonisation of the Philippines? | When you compare the Philippines to Hispanic America it seems the Philipppines retained so much of their indigenous culture. Filipinos all speak their indigenous pre-colonial languages and most of them are not mestizos or white due to mass rape. I read somewhere that something like 1% of Filipinos can even speak the Sp... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5rujl4/why_was_the_spanish_colonisation_of_the_americas/ | {
"a_id": [
"ddaxi9t"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"You have a mistaken impression about the Spanish conquest. I don't know much about the Mayans and others, but the Spanish didn't genocide the Aztecs, though in other cases, like with the Pueblo, there's certainly a case to be made for genocide. \... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1tm1ew | What different tactics were developed by both the French and Germans to assault enemy trenches? | Tertiary question that I want to tack on is, how did officers keep convincing soldiers who by the end of the war who had to know that charging an enemy trench was basically certain death to actually go over that trench instead of just saying "no, screw you"? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1tm1ew/what_different_tactics_were_developed_by_both_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"ce9agjv",
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"score": [
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6
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"text": [
"Are you referring to a specific war, or in general?",
"Towards the beginning of the war, the French and Germans utilized very similar tactics on the offense. This would involve extremely long preparatory bombardments (la... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Army_Mutinies"
]
] | |
2dh96q | When did mortgages start to be sold regularly? | It's now very common for a borrower's mortgage to change owners even three or four times, when did this come to be the case? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2dh96q/when_did_mortgages_start_to_be_sold_regularly/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjpirnz"
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"text": [
"In _The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World_ by Niall Ferguson, he discusses (among many other things) the history of debt instruments. The truth is, the buying and selling of debt obligations has been around almost as long as debt ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
24t08k | Was Jesus trying to reform the Jewish faith as opposed to trying to begin a new religion? | I took a humanities class at my university a couple of years back, and I recall my professor saying that Jesus was a, "Jewish guy trying to reform his *church*. Is this true? I was under the impression for a long time that Jesus was indeed beginning a new religion.
Thanks | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/24t08k/was_jesus_trying_to_reform_the_jewish_faith_as/ | {
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18,
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"text": [
"From the New Testament gospels, we can find a portrait of a Jesus wherein he certainly considered himself to be operating within \"Judaism.\" I mean, there are any number of phra... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Thess%202:14-1Thess%202:16"
],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
471u02 | What was life like for a Spanish citizen living in the new world in the 16th and early 17th centuries | During the time of the conquistadors I have heard of small communities existing around catholic churches. What were these villages like in a daily sense? Also curious about towns in the American south west and central American during the same time period. | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/471u02/what_was_life_like_for_a_spanish_citizen_living/ | {
"a_id": [
"d0akusf"
],
"score": [
2
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"text": [
"A reply to /u/thomasin500\n\nThe situation was different at different periods in different locations. But in the 16th-17th centuries, what tended to happen was that explorers came first, while clergy and administrators came later, and sometimes m... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3hrlno/how_did_the_spanish_defend_their_colonial/",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2acb7w/how_did_the_spanish_mission_towns_in_california/ciwgach"
]
] | |
3i93ej | What are some good books on the Battle of Kursk? | I checked out the book called "Kursk: The Greatest Battle" which is on the Books and Resources list on the sub, but i saw that it only has four reviews on Amazon with one of them saying that it's only an introductory work, and the other calling into question the facts stated on it. So i was wondering if there were any ... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3i93ej/what_are_some_good_books_on_the_battle_of_kursk/ | {
"a_id": [
"cuee6q1"
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"text": [
"I can confirm that *Kursk: the Greatest Battle* is a good book, it has a few bits and pieces that could be better. But its a solid work none the less. However another good book is *Armor and Blood: The Battle of Kursk* by Dennis Showalter.\n\nYou... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
24yjaq | Were there any notable cases that caused the public to distrust the "insanity defense"? | It's certainly a common literary trope by the mid-20th century that pleading insanity at trial is an easy way to avoid punishment for a serious crime: the idea seems to be you will be sentenced to a mental institution and then released swiftly once "cured". That's certainly not how legal insanity works these days, but... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/24yjaq/were_there_any_notable_cases_that_caused_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"chc78q4"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"Probably the most high-profile successful insanity defense was probably too late to inspire the literary trope, but was nevertheless very important: the case of John Hinckley Jr., who shot President Ronald Regan in 1981. Hinckley was obsessed wit... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2fwdyn | Is there any evidence of Soviet/Communist involvement in the black civil rights movement? | Nixonland says it was pretty common for politicians and the press to associate the two, but was it at all justified? What was the Soviet view of the civil rights movement and activists like MLK? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2fwdyn/is_there_any_evidence_of_sovietcommunist/ | {
"a_id": [
"ckdepwl",
"cke60n9"
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"score": [
13,
2
],
"text": [
"Someone else actually asked [a similar question](_URL_2_) a few months back. My answer was: there is some evidence that the Soviets attempted to infiltrate and co-opt the civil rights movement — they weren't providing suppo... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://vault.fbi.gov/cointel-pro",
"http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Enemies.html?id=fpqq_hATMy0C",
"http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/27cclt/did_the_ussr_ever_actually_become_involved/",
"http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_FBI_and_Martin_Luther_King_Jr.html?id=CtMWAQAAIA... | |
1s8jws | Rolling Stone recently published a fascinating article about JFK and how he faced down the military brass during the Cuban Missile Crisis, thereby preventing all-out nuclear war. They make it sound as if he nearly lost control of the generals. Is that sensationalized or factual? | _URL_0_
> From the outset, the Pentagon, the CIA and many of JFK's advisers urged airstrikes and a U.S. invasion of the island that, as a Soviet military commander later revealed, would have triggered a nuclear war with the Soviets. JFK opted for a blockade, which Soviet ships respected. By October 26th, the standof... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1s8jws/rolling_stone_recently_published_a_fascinating/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
" > as a Soviet military commander later revealed, would have tri... | [] | [
"http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/john-f-kennedys-vision-of-peace-20131120"
] | [
[],
[
"http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/01/the-real-cuban-missile-crisis/309190/",
"http://www.amazon.com/Cuban-Missile-Crisis-American-Memory/dp/0804783772/ref=la_B001KHJF62_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1386341297&sr=1-1"
],
[],
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[],
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"http://www.amazon.com/... | |
cylfba | What would a dark age church service look like? | Let's say you are a peasant living in France. Right now the black plague is still bopping it's way along the silk road and you have never even heard of it. You and your family farm rye in order to survive. when you go to church for service, what events would happen? what sort of sermon would be given? What sort of tith... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/cylfba/what_would_a_dark_age_church_service_look_like/ | {
"a_id": [
"eyursqs"
],
"score": [
11
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"text": [
"There are a great number of possible variations on the following, but I'll do my best to give you an idea.\n\n**Tithing**\n\nFirstly, my family are rye farmers. Much depends on what that means. If we're at the bottom of the social pile producing... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
12dyrb | Who was the first person to have their own army? | I understand that there have probably been people with armies since prehistoric times, so maybe a better question would be who had the first real army, as in a well-organized and lasting military force? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/12dyrb/who_was_the_first_person_to_have_their_own_army/ | {
"a_id": [
"c6u9mxu"
],
"score": [
12
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"text": [
"As far as I am aware, the first recorded individual was a ruler named Sargon of Akkad. He apparantly created a standing army of 5400 men:\n\n_URL_0_\n\nKeep in mind we have pictorial evidence of people fighting in organized bodies prior to that,... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/gabrmetz/gabr0004.htm"
]
] | |
3qzgda | Was bronze ever used for (chain) mail? | I'm wondering about whether bronze was ever used as material for mail. I was under the impression that it was not, but then I read the wikipedia article about the [lorica hagmata](_URL_0_) and it implied bronze was used in the construction as an alternative to iron.
Googling didn't give me anything except a dead link ... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3qzgda/was_bronze_ever_used_for_chain_mail/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwlv29m"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"The Roman period is before my period of expertise, so I can't say much about the Lorica Hamata.\n\nHowever, in the Middle Ages there are occasional uses of latten (a copper alloy, generally containing Zinc - basically brass) to make mail. The mos... | [] | [
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorica_hamata",
"https://www.google.se/search?q=lorica+hamata+bronze&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=y_U0VpOpJuOeygOMmqKwBQ"
] | [
[
"http://www.tforum.info/forum/uploads/post-21950-1309115935.jpg",
"http://wallacelive.wallacecollection.org/eMuseumPlus?service=DynamicAsset&sp=SU5mxm4Yx%2FVaV1DPqh%2B3byn7vHPO0vGEbSO2CZa%2FyluWyUdAw6XbIJo%2FXSd3RdPIQGDltaCq%2FweZm%0AHsV76GnM8XFlKwOoejtfLb4rovvvgK7ogYiTww824Q%3D%3D&sp=Simage%2Fjpe... | |
5rfwhu | Were there any Christian or Muslim rulers who converted to a non-Abrahamic faith in History? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5rfwhu/were_there_any_christian_or_muslim_rulers_who/ | {
"a_id": [
"dd7a719"
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"text": [
"The one person who comes to mind is the Roman emperor Julian (360-63), who, though raised Christian, turned back to the Greek religion of the Homeric gods and tried to reestablish that faith as the principal religion in the Roman empire. For that... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
7490b9 | What factors lead to Opera's decline in popularity in the United States? | While it still has fans, it seems that opera is, at least in America, not incredibly popular among the general public. Has opera's niche appeal always been the case, or did opera's popularity decline over time? Why did the art form lose its popularity if it did decline? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7490b9/what_factors_lead_to_operas_decline_in_popularity/ | {
"a_id": [
"dnwv0eu"
],
"score": [
11
],
"text": [
"Kindly release opera from its grave! Just because you don't personally consume something, doesn't mean it's dead. For America in particular, I can comfortably state that you live in the best time of all for consumption of opera. As of today oper... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/highlights-from-2012-sppa-revised-oct-2015.pdf",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2goadq/when_were_classical_music_opera_and_jazz_at_their/ckl2bpg/"
]
] | |
24hk6m | At the Battle of Ulundi, during the British-Zulu war, how did the British win while only destroying such a small part of the opposing Zulu force? | These were the stats of both armies, via wiki,
* **British**
* 4,200 British[2]
* 1,000 Africans
* Two Gatling Guns
* 10 cannons
* **Zulu**
* 10000-15000 men
The results of the battle were such that the British suffered ~100 causalities and the Zulu ~1500.
This still leaves the Zulus outnumbering the British possi... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/24hk6m/at_the_battle_of_ulundi_during_the_britishzulu/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"It's important to know that battles are not determined by how many casualties each side takes. Without getting into a lengthy discussion about strategy, in general, the goal is to make the other side withdraw. Whether this be a rout (enemy cohesi... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.britishbattles.com/zulu-war/isandlwana/map.jpg",
"http://www.britishbattles.com/zulu-war/ulundi/map.jpg"
]
] | |
4kiozn | Historian's with a specialty in religion, how have your studies impacted your faith? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4kiozn/historians_with_a_specialty_in_religion_how_have/ | {
"a_id": [
"d3fcb3a",
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"score": [
41,
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],
"text": [
"[Here](_URL_0_)'s a similar question I asked a while ago, and received an amazing reply from /u/sowser.",
"For me, being a historian of religion has made me very skeptical of claims that modern people make like \"Judai... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4if1dq/is_it_more_of_an_advantage_or_a_disadvantage_for/"
],
[]
] | ||
3z8i85 | Is Albert Speers book on the Third Reich a good source? | I imagine there might be some bias and one could get a distorted view from reading it? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3z8i85/is_albert_speers_book_on_the_third_reich_a_good/ | {
"a_id": [
"cyk6g49",
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"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Hello - I read this book two summers ago and may I say I found it to be a riveting read. It provides details into the intimate workings of the Reich, and Albert Speer's relationship with Hitler that would be difficult to fin... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1t5wtc | How was it to attend or work in a university in Nazi Germany? | I know that's an impossibly broad title, so I'll try and narrow my query down here. There's really a few key things I'm interested in. Firstly, a lot is made of Nazi ideology being implemented in school curriculums, but if one was studying, say, a political course at a university in Nazi Germany, was there room for aca... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1t5wtc/how_was_it_to_attend_or_work_in_a_university_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"ce4o15n"
],
"score": [
10
],
"text": [
"One thing you have to keep in mind about the Nazis is that from fairly early on they began a program of \"coordination\" which made sure that practically all organizations that had any sort of state connection were rearranged along very linearly... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1xwati | Why did the Marshall Mission, the American attempt to create a unified government between Chinese Communist Party and Nationalists following WWII, ultimately fail? | The [Wikipedia page](_URL_0_) is very vague. So, I have a few questions that I hope can help focus this discussion.
* What differences could not be settled between both parties?
* What missteps did American diplomats and/or George C. Marshall make?
* What impact did the Soviet Union have on these negotiations? I ass... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1xwati/why_did_the_marshall_mission_the_american_attempt/ | {
"a_id": [
"cffefzz"
],
"score": [
9
],
"text": [
"Hello, and thank you for this thoughtful and well-worded question! I'm unfortunately not an expert on the Chinese Civil War, but I'll try my best to provide some background.\n\nThe very short answer to everything is that Mao Zedong and the Commun... | [] | [
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Mission"
] | [
[]
] | |
2sqbrh | Did the Mughals cultivate special breeds of elephants, as Westerners do with horses? | ...or did any other South Asian cultures do this? What traits did they value most? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2sqbrh/did_the_mughals_cultivate_special_breeds_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"cnrz9zk",
"cns04c6",
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"score": [
163,
115,
31,
20
],
"text": [
"Due to the long lifespans and long gestation periods of elephants, breeding them as one does with horses was impractical at best. There are no known acknowledged \"breeds\" o... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/ReproductiveScience/ElephantBreedRepro/"
],
[]
] | |
3isdsd | What did the North Vietnamese Army do to all of the South Vietnamese Army once they captured Saigon and ended the war? Were a lot of people killed on the South Vietnamese Army side once the Americans left? | I just read a basic understanding of the Vietnam War and this is what popped into my mind after learning about it.
How was the ARVN (South Vietnamese Army, for those that don't know) treated as soon as the North stormed through Southern Vietnam and Saigon was captured? Were alot of people executed for being the North... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3isdsd/what_did_the_north_vietnamese_army_do_to_all_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"cujk76y",
"cujore3"
],
"score": [
50,
14
],
"text": [
"[I have written about this before here](_URL_0_), which might answer some of your questions.",
"Hey I got a related question. I asked about this but never got a response!\n\nAre there records of ARVN units continuing t... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1j3p9a/im_a_pretty_standard_southern_vietnamese_citizen/cbaxe7b"
],
[]
] | |
6e9fz3 | Why are "elite" forces of the Napoleonic era beefed up standard regiments with special honors while "elite" forces of the modern era are special operations units? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6e9fz3/why_are_elite_forces_of_the_napoleonic_era_beefed/ | {
"a_id": [
"di8t5cg"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"This is just one an example of the centuries long trend in modern military history of increasing dispersion in the face of increasing firepower.\n\nElite troops (i.e. Guard Regiments) in Napoleonic times were elite because they were better organi... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
aiyeh2 | How come that whole state of New York was named after a city? | Title. Was there any particular reason to why this is, or did americans think " Oh yea, the biggest city is New York, so we're gonna name the whole state after it" ?? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/aiyeh2/how_come_that_whole_state_of_new_york_was_named/ | {
"a_id": [
"eergi2v"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"It's less that the state is named after the city or vice versa, and more that both geographical regions were given Anglicized names at the same time. While the legacy of Native tribes and people can be seen in place names such as Manhattan (base... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6h3l8z/why_did_the_europeans_like_naming_cities_after/divuowu/",
"https://www.jstor.org/stable/1834176?seq=3#metadata_info_tab_contents"
]
] | |
8a8rg1 | Were there revolutions outside of Europe/North America (pre-20th century) that implemented enlightenment (or something similar to them) ideas? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8a8rg1/were_there_revolutions_outside_of_europenorth/ | {
"a_id": [
"dwwrptp"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Sorry, we don't allow [\"example seeking\" questions](_URL_1_). It's not that your question was bad; it's that these kinds of questions tend to produce threads that are collections of disjointed, partial, inadequate responses. If you have a quest... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3nub87/rules_change_throughout_history_rule_is_replaced/",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/rules#wiki_no_.22example_seeking.22_questions"
]
] | ||
54q7tb | When did Countries became Countries? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/54q7tb/when_did_countries_became_countries/ | {
"a_id": [
"d840698",
"d84ghkv"
],
"score": [
5,
4
],
"text": [
"Can you clarify your question? Do you mean when did they consolidate as political entities?",
"Do you mean the rise of the modern nation-state? Or are you asking about the transition from hunter-gatherer tribes to organi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
2z0ami | Is the UK/ island of Britain a fatherland or a motherland? | Germany is a fatherland , theres mother Russia. I have no idea what the UK or Britain is called.
( i know the UK isn't Britain because i live here so don't comment that) | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2z0ami/is_the_uk_island_of_britain_a_fatherland_or_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"cpf2r7y"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"Neither, or both.\n\nThis is more a linguistics question in the field of contemporary and historical usage, but in the interests of fulfilling your question, let me talk about these terms for awhile.\n\nFirstly, “Fatherland” and it’s cognates has... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1zsxbm | Are there any entirely fictional people commonly taught in history classes in North America? | The reason for my question is I currently live in China and students here learn about entirely fictional people, or, more accurately, real people whose entire biography is fictional.
I see this as a crass propaganda tool, but I also wonder if the same isn't happening back home. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1zsxbm/are_there_any_entirely_fictional_people_commonly/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfwtb02",
"cfxcg7w"
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"score": [
8,
3
],
"text": [
"Do you mean as a way of illustrating an \"average\" person? It's a common thing to 'create' people in order to help children understand more complex ideas from a relatable viewpoint. For instance life in a 13th century Engli... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
ze3xi | How was marriage viewed in the 1800s - early 1900s as opposed to now? | Were marriages viewed as giant love-fests like they are now. Also, how different were the parties? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ze3xi/how_was_marriage_viewed_in_the_1800s_early_1900s/ | {
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"c63sinl",
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"score": [
37,
24,
7,
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"text": [
"For much of Korean history, marriage for most was quite like a business arrangement between families. Women as well as men worked in the fields or in craft industries - men and ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/events/reith_99/week4/week4.htm"
],
[]
] | |
974dmv | "Under God" was added to the US Pledge of Allegiance in 1954; what was the background behind this change? Was there any controversy accompanying it at the time? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/974dmv/under_god_was_added_to_the_us_pledge_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"e46doxa"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"The change to the pledge was part of a broader movement over the past decade in the United States to distinguish Americans from \"godless Communists\" during the Cold War. There was a rise of civil religion—church attendance and profession of be... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
79mzam | What was the decision making process behind choosing Normandy as a target for invasion as opposed to Calais, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, etc? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/79mzam/what_was_the_decision_making_process_behind/ | {
"a_id": [
"dp37fgv",
"dp3amgq"
],
"score": [
3,
54
],
"text": [
"Forgot to mention in the title, in World War 2 of course",
"Choosing a landing site required finding a compromise on a number of factors. The chosen site had to be within aircraft range of the UK, so the beachhead could... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
fjjk1l | Did the confederacy during the civil war ever make any music? Like a confederate "Hail to the chief"? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/fjjk1l/did_the_confederacy_during_the_civil_war_ever/ | {
"a_id": [
"fkndsaz"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"[This older answer of mine](_URL_0_) focuses on one of the most popular songs of the Confederacy."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/cat2qs/during_the_american_civil_war_did_the_federals/etaw0bt/"
]
] | ||
1oyz1z | Why do people use "old timey voice" when mimicking historical people from the past 150 years? | An example of the voice is found here used by Conan O'Brien at 5:27: _URL_0_
Is that how everyone talked? If so, why? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1oyz1z/why_do_people_use_old_timey_voice_when_mimicking/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccx4ck1"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Public speakers, leaders, and entertainers in the 19th century were almost always trained in elocution. It was an important part of education - search for elocution in this 1857 [McGuffey's Reader](_URL_0_) for an example, and in passing to marv... | [] | [
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUMwIwOD49g#t=5m27s"
] | [
[
"http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/15040/pg15040.html"
]
] | |
362ylz | Silk Road Reading | I'm looking for a book that gives a general overview of the Silk Road trading network, any recommendations? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/362ylz/silk_road_reading/ | {
"a_id": [
"craag59",
"craarui"
],
"score": [
2,
3
],
"text": [
"*Travels of Marco Polo,* and for the highly entertaining historical fictional twist, *The Journeyer* by Gary Jennings",
"Also, *Foreign Devils on the Silk Road* is a really fascinating and engaging look at history of exc... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
27wwt6 | In protracted conflicts and wars, especially where soldiers were conscripted, does the 'quality' of soldier decrease as the war goes on? | So I was reading a book (*Tripwire* by Lee Childs, if anyone is interested) and there is a passage in it when the characters are talking about the war in Vietnam and the fact that the quality of soldiers decreased as time went on.
The section reads;
> Even if you signed up again right away it was nine months minimum... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/27wwt6/in_protracted_conflicts_and_wars_especially_where/ | {
"a_id": [
"ci5le6s",
"ci5m2nl",
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],
"score": [
5,
5,
2
],
"text": [
"It would rather depend on the nature of the state and its army at the time.\n\nIn Britain, there is no indication of a deterioration in the quality of the army as the Napoleonic wars went on, and I have... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/27zowe/did_the_us_military_reorganize_itself_after_the/ci650x6"
]
] | |
4p0pi2 | Religious relic? | Hello, I'm a concrete cutter and a fellow coworker for another company was requested to dig this item up. They were super hush hush about it all. Its about as big as the palm of your hand and has these markings. Church people from byu where there and took it immediately once it was dug up. They requested no pictures b... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4p0pi2/religious_relic/ | {
"a_id": [
"d4haskv"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"I agree with Bodrk43: it looks like a benchmark or surveyor's mark of some sort. If it's a US Geological Survey benchmark, then destroying it is a crime. If it was set by some other agency or a private party, I don't know what the law says but I ... | [] | [
"http://imgur.com/FX7du7F"
] | [
[]
] | |
51jnjz | Have there been female rulers with harems? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/51jnjz/have_there_been_female_rulers_with_harems/ | {
"a_id": [
"d7ct10t",
"d7dbejj"
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"score": [
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10
],
"text": [
"Follow up question: the Ottoman and various chinese dynasties had harems where concubines competed for political influence, and occasionally one concubine rose to the top of the entire governemnt, fir example Wu Zetian. W... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
cj1ugu | Western texts talk at length about Eastern goods received from the Silk Road such as spices and silk. What Western goods went east through the Silk Road of Antiquity that were in high demand for Eastern traders? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/cj1ugu/western_texts_talk_at_length_about_eastern_goods/ | {
"a_id": [
"evb7c4h",
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"score": [
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264,
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],
"text": [
"Perhaps [this answer](_URL_0_) by u/Mighty_Dighty22 to a similar question can shed some light while we wait for other answers.",
"With respect to the Roman period, we have a few clues. *The His... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/bz66f2/we_always_hear_about_how_the_silk_road_benefited/eqr8uzo"
],
[
"https://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/hhshu/hou_han_shu.html#sec12"
],
[
"https://www.jstor.org/stable/20619501",
"https://books.google.ca/books?id=FVgzAQAAQBAJ&... | ||
zumia | Would the Third Reich have supported the creation of Israel? | I know this may sound a bit ridiculous, but it's a thing I've wondered about a few a times. The nazis wanted to get rid of jews from Europe. Zionists wanted jews to move to the Holy Land from Europe. Before WWII, Palestine was a British mandate, and it was of little importance for the germans, especially before the war... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/zumia/would_the_third_reich_have_supported_the_creation/ | {
"a_id": [
"c67v67o",
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"score": [
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12,
9
],
"text": [
"I think this is a fair question to ask, given that much of the groundwork of the Jewish state was well in motion by the time of Nazi Germany (Third Reich is a propaganda term they themselves coined).\... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
3irkqy | How were battles fought during the Flowery Wars involving the Aztecs, in terms of tactics, weaponry, etc.? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3irkqy/how_were_battles_fought_during_the_flowery_wars/ | {
"a_id": [
"cuj902q"
],
"score": [
33
],
"text": [
"According to Ross Hassig, flower wars were pretty much the same as other conflicts. The exception being is that armies would not make use of projectiles. Part of this reason is that projectiles can easily kill a person, but projectiles are also ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
425p5u | In Ontario, Canada. Why are there two towns/cities named "London" and "Paris"? Did the names have any influence from the much larger, famous European counterparts? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/425p5u/in_ontario_canada_why_are_there_two_townscities/ | {
"a_id": [
"cz82a22"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"I have a great book called [\"Ontario Place Names\" by David E. Scott](_URL_0_). He has tracked the history and meaning of the name for pretty much every hamlet/village/town/city in Ontario. Some are quite brief and he cannot determine the meanin... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/ontario-place-names/9781551050874-item.html"
]
] | ||
6zvkpl | Were there any Confederate generals who were anti-slavery? On the other side of that coin were there any Union generals who were pro-slavery? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6zvkpl/were_there_any_confederate_generals_who_were/ | {
"a_id": [
"dmzazzx"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"I do not believe there were any Confederate Generals who were anti-slavery. In 1861 it was actually quite dangerous for any American citizen to express anti-slavery views while in the South. You will see quotes from men such as Lee which indica... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
ft9gco | AITA for asking some maroon friends to help me steal from the Spanish only to accidentally spark a four-year-long scorched earth campaign against my allies? | Okay so some background. In 1572, my good buddy Francis and I went to Panama to try and steal some of that sweet sweet Peruvian silver from the Spanish. Things went pretty well. After a bit of a kerfufle in Nombre de Dios we regrouped and even made some friends with some local runaway slaves, *cimarrons* they call them... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ft9gco/aita_for_asking_some_maroon_friends_to_help_me/ | {
"a_id": [
"fm69iww",
"fm6dehw"
],
"score": [
12,
19
],
"text": [
"NTA. Now, I normally don't support things like stealing and interfering in other people's affairs, but it sounds like good came out of it (the Maroons freeing slaves). Yes, there might have been a lot of deaths, but sounds... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
45ycr8 | Why are there so many things named "Columbia" in the United States. Does it have any relation to Columbia the country? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/45ycr8/why_are_there_so_many_things_named_columbia_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"d01nudu"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Only insofar as they have the same source: the name of Christopher Columbus.\n\n\"America\" is kind of an odd name, taken from cartographer Amerigo Vespucci. But it caught on, the way things that are kind of counterintuitive will sometimes.\n\nTh... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1104uo | helpful maps | I received exceptional help the last time I visited this subreddit and I was hoing to receive some more. I am trying to study the political struggles of Prusia and the Hohenzollern dynasty. I was wondring if anyone has any suggestins for websites or applications for world maps. I struggle trying to keep up with my read... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1104uo/helpful_maps/ | {
"a_id": [
"c6i4k0d",
"c6ia4ik"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Could always try /r/mapporn there is loads of useful images there.\n",
"_URL_0_ is my goto map website."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"davidrumsy.com"
]
] | |
ujf7c | [Meta] New r/askhistorians official policies. | I. Posting
Every post must be one of three things, an actual question, an AMA, or a [Meta] post. Anything that is not one of these three things are to be reported and subsequently deleted.
1A. Questions
Questions should be regarding history, either directly (e.g. What events led up to the War of 1812), or indirectl... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ujf7c/meta_new_raskhistorians_official_policies/ | {
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1w12rs | Why is there virtually no outside sources for the Kingdom of Israel during the time of David & Solomon? | It is thought that the earliest mention of the people of Israel is in an Egyptian inscription of Pharaoh Merneptah (c.1200BCE), so some 200 years before the first king of the united monarchy, Saul. The text only makes passing reference to Israel as a group of people and probably located somewhere in the Palestinian reg... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1w12rs/why_is_there_virtually_no_outside_sources_for_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cexsa98"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Part of the answer is that most people stopped being interested in the area. The Egyptians gave up campaigns in the Levant around 1175 until Shoshenq around the early 900s (who is mentioned in 1 Kings 14 although some dispute this), and New Kin... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
awmwkv | Was homosexuality seen as normal in the middle east prior to 1885? | [deleted] | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/awmwkv/was_homosexuality_seen_as_normal_in_the_middle/ | {
"a_id": [
"eho3x55"
],
"score": [
33
],
"text": [
"...kind of.\n\nNot \"homosexuality\" as we think of it today, though. That is to say, an outright sexual relationship between two adult men would not have been regarded as acceptable behavior. However, under certain limited circumstances same-ge... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
72a12w | Romance of the Three Kingdoms is one of the most famous works to come out of China, however it is not historically accurate. What is a historical description of Cao Cao, Liu Bei, et al.? | For example, one could see Cao Cao as a villain while Liu Bei was the hero, and this is because in the romance Liu Bei is simply the protagonist because he represents carrying on Han. But what is another understand in which we could see Cao Cao as being heroic and Liu Bei being villainess? What were they really like? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/72a12w/romance_of_the_three_kingdoms_is_one_of_the_most/ | {
"a_id": [
"dnhraym"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Add on-- which (if any) of the central generals that are not real. I.e. Did Lu Bu exist? Guan Yu? Zhang Fei? Sima Yi?"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1k8600 | Do historians in the US/Europe study the south american independence wars and consequences? | I would like to no know if the subject is covered at all, considering it is my main field of study and I rarely see any question about the time period in this subreddit.
| AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1k8600/do_historians_in_the_useurope_study_the_south/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbmc4vp",
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"score": [
2,
5
],
"text": [
"Of course it is! One of the most known scholars of this period in Europe is Professor John Lynch, who is Emeritus Professor of Latin American History at the University of London. He's written several great books on the topic... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1iestn | From the beginnings of the Republic until the fall of the Western Roman Empire, did Roman architecture change significantly and, if so, how? | For clarification: whilst I am interested in architectural changes that increased the utility of buildings, I am leaning more towards the visual aspects of architecture. We're all familiar with the Neoclassical style, but is this just represenative of one particular century/decade within or did the styles really not ev... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1iestn/from_the_beginnings_of_the_republic_until_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cb3v4e4",
"cb44r0p"
],
"score": [
17,
2
],
"text": [
"Roman architecture is a HUGE topic - they tended to borrow bits and pieces from here and there (Etruscan arches, Greek columns...), and adapted their architecture depending on where in the Empire it was.\n\nThere's actually... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://oyc.yale.edu/history-art/hsar-252#sessions"
],
[]
] | |
2hi4hp | When did supermarkets first appear? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2hi4hp/when_did_supermarkets_first_appear/ | {
"a_id": [
"ckt3aq2"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Various elements of the modern supermarket arose in different places, mostly in the 1920s.\n\nThe first self-service grocery store is thought to have been a Memphis Piggly Wiggly opened in 1916. The concept was patented and franchised to other o... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1oct4r | Was there a strong national identity for Israel before it was formed in 1947? | Israel is a fairly recent nation, which gave Jews a homeland for the first time in centuries. However, before Israel's formation, was there an Israeli national identity? Did Jews living in Palestine identify themselves as Israeli, or is the current Israeli national identity a byproduct of an Israeli state's existence? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1oct4r/was_there_a_strong_national_identity_for_israel/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccqtpq7"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"First of all Israel officially came into existence in 1948 when David Ben Gurion declared the birth of the country. \n\nNow to actually address your question. It is hard to get a perfect answer when it comes to this as the idea of an Israeli nati... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1nwud6 | Monday Mysteries | Secret Societies, Cults and Organisations | **Previously:**
- [Astonishing individuals](_URL_14_)
- [Suggestion thread](_URL_22_)
- [More research difficulties](_URL_8_)
- [Most outlandish or outrageous historical claims](_URL_11_)
- [Inexplicable occurrences](_URL_23_)
- [Lost (and found) treasures](_URL_18_)
- [Missing persons](_URL_5_)
- [Mysterious images](... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1nwud6/monday_mysteries_secret_societies_cults_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccmsoik",
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],
"score": [
58,
37,
14,
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24,
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],
"text": [
"My favourite cult has always been the one... | [] | [
"http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ce73h/monday_mysteries_notable_disappearances/",
"http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1fl9uw/monday_mysteries_local_history_mysteries/",
"http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1gz7ac/monday_mysteries_your_family_mysteries/",
"http://www.redd... | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hassan-i_Sabbah"
],
[],
[
"http://g1b2i3.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/jacopo-amigoni-jacopo-amigoni-and-his-portrait-of-farinelli-and-friends.jpg",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GarterInsigniaBurkes.JPG",
"http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract... | |
1ipjoz | Have terrorists through history ever succeeded in achieving their political/ideological aims? | I didn't see anything in the FAQ after a cursory look and this question interests me. I know the definitions will get murky, and honestly the debate over what the term means is half the reason I wanted to ask this question.
As a starting off point, lets riff off Kissinger and assume "terrorists are really people that ... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ipjoz/have_terrorists_through_history_ever_succeeded_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"cb6uehc"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"In short, no, at least going off of the definition of terrorism you wish to be used. This isn't, however, to say that terrorist groups do not effect change in the domestic or international scene. There are really two levels of objectives for te... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.amazon.com/Bringing-War-Home-Underground-Revolutionary/dp/0520241193/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374362590&sr=1-1&keywords=bringing+the+war+home+the+weather+underground",
"http://www.amazon.com/How-Terrorist-Groups-End-Countering/dp/0833044656/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8... | |
1obkn8 | A good biography of Lenin | What it says on the tin. Looking for a biography or, ideally, a pair of biographies with opposing view points about good 'ol Vladimir Ilyich. I'm fairly familiar with late Russian somewhat less so early Soviet history, so I'm looking for something fairly comprehensive. Any suggestions? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1obkn8/a_good_biography_of_lenin/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccqpei9"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"There's a great little book called [\"Lenin for Beginners\"](_URL_0_), which I highly recommend. \nIf you're looking for something more standard, give [this one](_URL_2_) a go. \n\n\nIf you ask me, I'd say you can't view Lenin in a proper conte... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://ge.tt/4vmCgvT/v/0?c",
"http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1939/x01/",
"http://www.amazon.com/Lenin-Reaktion-Books-Critical-Lives/dp/1861897936/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351464974&sr=8-1&keywords=lih+lenin"
]
] | |
5z4wmm | Comrades: A World History of Communism - Its just me or this book is biased ? | I found a reference when author of Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar, give a thanks for helping in his book to Robert Service. So I borrow his book, Comrades: A World History of Communism but I found it very odd.
Montefiore Stalin was a great book in portraiting a man in every aspect of his life which was due to poli... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5z4wmm/comrades_a_world_history_of_communism_its_just_me/ | {
"a_id": [
"devk1a1"
],
"score": [
23
],
"text": [
"**Part 1**\n\nAh yes, Robert Service, focal point of lots of controversy and yet still somehow getting glowing press reviews for the most part.\n\nTo put it very succinctly: Your impression that Service is biased is completely spot on, at least ... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.theguardian.com/books/2007/may/12/featuresreviews.guardianreview8",
"https://academic.oup.com/ahr/article-lookup/doi/10.1086/ahr.116.3.900",
"https://books.google.de/books?id=q_JoAAAAMAAJ&q=robert+payne+life+and+death+of+trotsky&dq=robert+payne+life+and+death+of+trotsky&hl=de&... | |
4d38vd | Is it possible that dinosaur fossils played some role in the origin of dragon myths? | This is something I've wondered about for a long time. Dinosaur fossils have (obviously) existed for the entire history of humanity, and while some are deeply buried, many (especially the first ones discovered) are near or on the surface, and quite easy to find. This, combined with the fact that humans have been diggin... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4d38vd/is_it_possible_that_dinosaur_fossils_played_some/ | {
"a_id": [
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],
"text": [
"It is possible, yes, that fossils (not necessarily just dinosaur fossils) did play a role in the development of dragon myths. It's mostly all speculation, really. \n\nMost fossil... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/faq/religion#wiki_here_be_dragons"
],
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrangel_Island#cite_note-Vartanyan1-10",
"https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/187609/ibn-fadlan-and-the-land-of-darkness/"
]
] | |
59b3zl | What are the best books on the everyday life of individuals in the past? | I'm looking for books that give an insight into what life was like for normal people, over 100 years ago (kind of vague, but I don't mind which time-period/geographic area). Which books/sources can you recommend?
I'd like to know what the routine was like, what the social life was like, what they spent their time thin... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/59b3zl/what_are_the_best_books_on_the_everyday_life_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"d97s0pe"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Well, there is Greenwood Press's *Daily Life in ________* series. These are of variable quality, at least the ones I've looked at. One of the strengths is the narrow scope of their focus. Like, there is a \"Daily Life during the Spanish Inquisiti... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2ig2kw | What is the worst anachronism: To impose modern theory on the past, or to assume that we're able to understand history "as it was" | AskHistorians | self | {
"a_id": [
"cl28l7y"
],
"score": [
8
],
"text": [
"Rankes 'bloss zu zeigen wie es eigentlich gewesen' is the core for your (and a historians) 'as it was'. Now, calling that an anachronism is in the light of Ranke a bit weird. \n\nIn 'as it was' histories, we are trying to recreate a (not the) pic... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
17osad | What would have pre-colonial North American battles looked like? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/17osad/what_would_have_precolonial_north_american/ | {
"a_id": [
"c87pe1v",
"c87qac6"
],
"score": [
27,
9
],
"text": [
"**The Early Colonial Example**\n\nLooking at some of the earliest clashes between Colonists and Natives can give some indication of how groups at the \"tribe/complex chiefdom\" level of organization and population would hav... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tepoztopilli",
"http://0.tqn.com/d/create/1/0/R/6/B/-/aztec-warriors-Codex-Mend.jpg",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macuahuitl",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlatl",
"http://books.google.com/books/about/Aztec_Warfare.html?id=7M1o9g8MARgC",
"http://www.milita... | ||
3qyzdr | How appropriate is to call "The American Civil War", a "Civil War", instead of something like "Southern States Revolt"? | Generally when considering Civil Wars it comes to me as indicative of a war by opposing sides with different positions for how the state conducts its affairs.
In the case of The American Civil War it seems that its focus was on whether the Southern States would or would not split from the Union.
Wouldn't it be more ... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3qyzdr/how_appropriate_is_to_call_the_american_civil_war/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwjvccq"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
" There's a lot of debate on 'what' the war was, which has carried on to today. And revisionism is a hotbed topic between the majority of America and regional nationalists like the *League of the South,* or the *Sons of Confederate Veterans.* (Let... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20war",
"http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/world/middleeast/26war.html?pagewanted=print&_r=0",
"http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/civil-war"
]
] | |
sm13a | Is there going to be a WW3? Why weren't there any major wars like WW1 and WW2 in the past 67 years? | What stopped from sparking a war like WW1 and WW2? Why is everything so nice now? Will there be a WW3?
Why? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/sm13a/is_there_going_to_be_a_ww3_why_werent_there_any/ | {
"a_id": [
"c4f2uti",
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"c4fj04i",
"c4iw28l"
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"score": [
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29,
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2,
3
],
"text": [
"Because MAD pretty much makes this kind of thing impossible. \nAlso, define \"World\" war. \nI could, but probably won't argue that the 'Nam war was a \"Wor... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
e1f99b | Did scientists at Los Alamos genuinely believe that atomic bombs could ignite the earth's atmosphere? | I'm currently writing a paper on the relative totality of warfare and came across a historian arguing that the most intense humanity has come in waging war was through the testing of the atomic bomb where they believed this could be the outcome. His footnote is a bit underwhelming though, a comment from a friend 'Aaron... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/e1f99b/did_scientists_at_los_alamos_genuinely_believe/ | {
"a_id": [
"f8olwu7",
"f8ouu7p"
],
"score": [
6,
4
],
"text": [
"No. Their general opinion was that the atomic bombs couldn't \"ignite\" the atmosphere (the suggestion was that the bomb might be able to trigger a fusion reaction). The only dissenting opinion was Arthur Compton, who was no... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/c1jei5/is_it_true_fdr_authorized_a_test_during_ww2_that/"
],
[
"http://blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2018/06/29/cleansing-thermonuclear-fire/"
]
] | |
aqe5rx | Friedrich Engels owned multiple factories. Did he manage them based on communist principles? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/aqe5rx/friedrich_engels_owned_multiple_factories_did_he/ | {
"a_id": [
"egg2xc7"
],
"score": [
30
],
"text": [
"The simple answer to this is \"No, he did not\". Now, this is not because Engels was a hypocrite,but rather because of the following two reasons:\n\na) Friedrich Engels never actually owned any factories.\n\nThere were plenty of factories within... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2anu63 | Is there any plausible evidence for occurrences of single combat by "champions" or highly esteemed soldiers in the field of combat? | There are numerous mythic and literary references to the idea of two champions of their respective forces duelling to the death in single combat, but did this ever occur in reality? The notion obviously seems fanciful, but not completely out of the realm of possibility.
I know that sometimes military commanders would ... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2anu63/is_there_any_plausible_evidence_for_occurrences/ | {
"a_id": [
"cix7ab0"
],
"score": [
11
],
"text": [
"Single combat is mentioned quite frequently in the history of Ancient Rome – the Horatii's defeat of the Alba Longan Curiatii in the 7th century BC is reported by Livy to have settled a war in Rome's favor and subjected Alba Longa to Rome; Marcu... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
t63vz | Who really built the Kaaba in Mecca | I always wondered who really built the Kaaba and why that specific artifact is so sacred to Islam? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/t63vz/who_really_built_the_kaaba_in_mecca/ | {
"a_id": [
"c4jv04e",
"c4jvibd",
"c4jx1yq",
"c4jxq3u",
"c4jzinf"
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"score": [
19,
6,
4,
2,
20
],
"text": [
"I am not an expert in pre-Islamic Arabia, but I do have some knowledge of the area; as I recall, the Kaa'ba was already a sacred artifact in the Arabian pen... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abd_Allah_ibn_al-Zubayr",
"http://whi-a.wikispaces.com/file/view/kaaba.jpg/101457901/kaaba.jpg",
"http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=8803",
"http://www.amazon.co.uk/Arabia-Arabs-Bronze-Peoples-Ancient/dp/0415195357",
"htt... | |
1rmalf | How much value has been placed on humor by societies of the past? Has being funny always been considered such a positive trait as it is today? | I've been noticing lately what a huge portion of the conversations I have on a daily basis involve humor or jokes of some kind at some point. In fact it seems being able to make a witty little quip is the #1 most important asset to social success among your peers.
I feel this probably hasn't always been true though, e... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1rmalf/how_much_value_has_been_placed_on_humor_by/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdotz81",
"cdouhe9",
"cdov3tk",
"cdowfty",
"cdoz7f2",
"cdp00io",
"cdp5j6n"
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"score": [
75,
31,
7,
6,
3,
9,
13
],
"text": [
"Rhetoric scholar here. Cicero and Quintillian wrote extensively about the persuasive use of humor, and at least... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.theguardian.com/culture/charlottehigginsblog/2009/apr/03/classics"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://uk.reuters.com/article/2008/07/31/uk-britain-joke-life-idUKL129052420080731",
"http://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/mar/13/roman-joke-book-beard"
],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.o... | |
3z6tt5 | I am a typical peasant farmer in western Europe in the 16th century. Where do I get my drinking water from and how safe is it? | I read that beer consumption was high because of unsafe drinking water. Was that an issue restricted to urban areas? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3z6tt5/i_am_a_typical_peasant_farmer_in_western_europe/ | {
"a_id": [
"cyjojd6",
"cyk7hm9"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"There's always room for discussion, but perhaps the sections [Drinking Water](_URL_1_) and [Beer](_URL_0_) from our FAQ will answer your inquiry.",
"One thing to keep in mind is that Cholera, one of the more severe patho... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/health#wiki_beer",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/health#wiki_drinking_water"
],
[
"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs107/en/"
]
] |
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