query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1 value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
State of Franklin Abbreviation | [
"The \"Official\" abbreviations that you refer to were developed rather recently. The standard two-characters-per-state was not created until 1963, and took a while before it was widely used. Source: _URL_0_ TLDR: No, there was no official abbreviation for Franklin."
] | [
"Coke: Can Dr Pepper: Bottle Barq's (Root Beer): Bottle Mountain Dew: Can Source- Caffeine Addict"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Historical Conspiracy Theories & Urban Legends | [
"I'm always taken aback by how many people, even scholars, seem convinced of The Great Streetcar Conspiracy. They often don't even get the players right (citing the wrong auto or oil company as conspirators), or they're talking about a city where the conspirators never played any role whatsoever—but their faith in ... | [
"Side 1 - For Vaccines: -Science Side 2 - Against Vaccines: -Paranoid idiocy"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Intellectual history of the concept of "redemption" in Western Civilization | [
"I would recommend this [BBC In Our Time](_URL_0_) episode about Redemption as an idea. It primarily deals with the Christian conception but what they got from Judaism. It's got three really good academics on it and should be a good overview."
] | [
"The French Revolution in regards to the mindset of modern culture. The Industrial Revolution when it comes to technological advancements."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
So the University I work for had an "All you can carry for $1" book sale. I grabbed almost every history book I could find. Did I grab some good ones? | [
"As the person planning on reading them, I'd ask you to tell us if you got anything good. ;)"
] | [
"Happy Christmas, lads. It's wonderful to be on break, so I guess it's time to get some writing done. Also, they've got me teaching Western Civ part I next semester, so I've got a lot to learn about the ancient world. Any book recommendations? I'm happy to check out anything that you guys think is interesting sinc... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Vox, a youtube channel, said most of Iraq's conscripted soldier fleed the battlefields as soon as they started fighting their first battle against ISIS in 2014, was this a problem in WW2 and WW1' conscripted soldiers as well ? If yes how big was the problem ? | [
"Hi there -- while we've approved this question, we'd like to remind any potential respondents to keep their answers related to conscripts in the World Wars, as our \"20-Year Rule\" prohibits discussion of events after 1997. Thanks!"
] | [
"Follow up question: What other types of bootcamp training strategies would drill instructors use? Also what were training structures like when there was a massive influx of troops who needed to be trained quickly, such as when the US joined WWII after Pearl Harbor?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Why did the Western borders of Tang China jut out? | [
"That extension to the Northwest is the modern Gansu Corridor and some areas along the Tarim Basin. These areas were strategically important because they controlled key overland trade routes with India, Central Asia, and the Middle East -- the proverbial Silk Road. This area was important for commerce, but also str... | [
"United States of Central America, Gran Columbia, The British Empire( for that matter all of the imperial empires after the second world war), the Soviet Union to name a few that immediately come to mind. An argument could be made that the Western Roman Empire never really \"fell\" but experienced a transformation.... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Flashlight batteries: why the odd naming scheme? | [
"The system was first standardised in the US during WWI by the War industries board, the battery manufactures and various agencies. Initially the system was 'A', 'B', 'C' and 'D' (and no 6 a carry over from an older system) But as time went on electronic devices became smaller and so the new AA and AAA sizes were... | [
"there were. and A batteries (as opposed to AA or AAA) AA and AAA came along later as devices shrunk, and before long, no one needed the middle of the road batteries anymore, you either wanted them small, or big. So A and B fell out of favor. They DO exist though..."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Did the military really deliver news of casualties from the Battle of Ia Drang using cab drivers, as portrayed in the movie We Were Soldiers? | [
"Yes, they actually were delivered by taxi drivers. The Army's notification system was completely overwhelmed by the amount of casualties that they had to send out the notifications through cab drivers. Julia Moore, the wife of Col. Hal Moore, was the driving force behind the change that came two weeks afterwards w... | [
"The Things They Carried by Tim O'brien is a great read that talks about what it was like to be a young man being drafted and sent to Vietnam from his own perspective. He continues the story in 2 more books called Going After Cacciato and If I Die In A Combat Zone."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
In the Netflix series "Narcos" Pablo Escobar was never shown using cocaine. Did he ever indulge in the drug, or was he strictly involved in the production and distribution of cocaine? | [
"I'm not sure if this just sneaks in to our *20 year rule* but, for what its worth, it would appear that Pablo Escobar did not personally partake in cocaine consumption. In an article written the day after Escobar's death, Patrick Cockburn, the Middle Eastern editor of the Independent newspaper (formally of the Fin... | [
"This is one of those cliff-notes history questions designed as ELI5, so I suggest you check out Wikipedia's page on cocaine, specifically the history section. That said, here's a quick rundown: Indigenous people knew about the effects of chewing coca leaves, Spanish explorers were skeptical about its supposed effe... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Is there a way for the public to access academic databases? | [
"You can go to your local University, assuming you live within driving distance of one. Most institutions have access to this as it's fairly well known (although I understand why your municipal library is less inclined to buy access to it). Most public universities will let you browse for free."
] | [
"It would be nice if there was someway to block these signals."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
What can you guys tell me about this pic? | [
"No, the *photographer's* name is Clive Limpkin. His original caption for the photograph states: \"*A girl skater, sucking lollipop, watches British soldier guarding a political rally, Ulster. 1971.*\" This particular photograph is taken during The Troubles in Northern Ireland, a conflict which lasted between 1968/... | [
"Could you find a picture of what you mean?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
How did Rose Water rise to its popularity and what caused it to decline? | [
"Rose water has been an incredibly popular perfume, flavoring, handwash, etc. in the greater Middle East for centuries and remains very popular. I don't want to to quite say it's been popular \"since time immemorial\" but certainly it seems to feature throughout the medieval and modern periods that I'm familiar wit... | [
"He was originally good at what he did then moved to being a movie star launching him to mystical status."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Monday Mysteries | Power Behind the Throne | [
"Many people know about the *Eminence Rouge* - Cardinal Richelieu, the \"power behind the throne\" of arguably the most powerful French King, Louis XIV. Lesser known is the fact that the *Eminence Rouge* had his own *Eminence Grise*, Francois Leclerc du Tremblay, a Capuchin friar whose role is very little known eve... | [
"Next Week's Theme: 'Royalty, Nobility, and the Exercise of Power' To be followed by: \"Eastern Europe\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
My family and I are driving up the east coast (from Arkansas) to New York City. What major historical sites should we visit along the way? | [
"An obvious observation is that Arkansas is not on the East coast; from where on the coast are you starting?"
] | [
"Is it strange? I live about 40 miles west of Boston and have been up and down the east coast from Maine to Florida and have had steak and eggs from many diners in between."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
How did ancient Greek Athletes train? | [
"You might be interested in my old answer [here](_URL_0_). The short answer is that they don't seem to have had any notable tools or machinery other than the *halteres* (shaped weights used for the long jump). They trained mainly be practising the sport they were trying to get good at, mixed with other sports to de... | [
"So when and where did playing cards as we know them come into being anyways?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Was academic dishonesty a serious concern/problem for colleges and universities in the Western world before the 20th century? | [
"Yes. Last year as part of my dissertation for my engineering degree, we got a special guest lecture on unfair practace and academic dishonesty by a philosophy professor. He was quick to point out the traps that one can fall into that tempt you to perform academic dishonesty, and that these traps are as old as the ... | [
"What are the must read books about the American revolution published within the last five years? What are the current arguments being discussed by historians who study the era?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Literature:"
} |
What conspiracy theories turned out to be true? | [
"Interestingly, almost none of the responses in those threads seem to really hit the nail on the head. They are more along the lines of \"what crazy secret things did we eventually find out happened\" as opposed to what I would have assumed the question was, which was \"what sorts of things were initially dismissed... | [
"For a long time, conspiracy theorists thought that this information was also accessible by the government. Turns out, they were right."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How impactful was the Revolutionary War on the collapse of British imperialism? | [
"The British empire did not reach it's largest extent untill 100+ years after the loss of the 13 colonies. It was nowhere near \"collapse\" after the revolutionary war, in fact it played a starring role in defeating Napoleon not long after and it's 19th century heyday was yet to come. So not very much although you ... | [
"Was any Asian country capable of helping the United States during the revolutionary war?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Why did the United States abandon its isolationist stance in the 1890s? What were the changes in U.S. foreign policy? | [
"I, and many historians, would question the notion that the United States was isolationist prior to the 1890's. Within the first 30 years of Independence, the United States was involved in no less than four separate wars against powers of the old world and the domestic political conflicts of the era are largely def... | [
"Was any Asian country capable of helping the United States during the revolutionary war?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Trying to learn more about Turner "Longbow" Harvey. | [
"Try looking for battles during Henry VIII's reign where the longbow was used. Flodden Field is the only one I can think of off the top of my head. The longbow could be anything from 5 foot to over 6 foot in length and would be made from yew. Typically the yew would have been sourced from Scandinavia (not from the ... | [
"Yes to both your questions. See: Spy satellites."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
In S02 E03 of Netflix's "Marco Polo" Kublai Khan is shown snorting some kind of drug. What could it be? | [
"I was actually wondering this when I watched the episode too. I did some research online, based on what was seen in the episode, and came to the conclusion it was likely ephedrine. In particular, the ma huang (*Ephedra sinica*) plant which is native to China. It's noted as the \"world's oldest medicine\" and has b... | [
"Oh I have a great poop related historical fact! The death of Uesugi Kenshin. Kenshin was a 16th century Japanese daimyo who is notable for many things in his life but his death is what applies to this thread. How he died is not entirely agreed upon by historians. The generally accepted theory is that a stomach can... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
How did Tsar Nicholas deal with the arms and ammunition problems in WWI? | [
"The big problem with the regime at the start of WWI was its Minister of War, General Sukhomlinov. The Tsarist government gave him funds for munitions, but Sukhomlinov refused to produce more ammunition. Sukhomlinov held a stubborn belief that baynoets, sabres, lances and charges were the way to go despite innovati... | [
"British soldiers would have been aware of the German invasion of Belgium; they probably wouldn't have known too much about the political details, but were probably shocked at the German atrocities. The big surge in volunteering, which overwhelmed the recruiting system, came after the Mons Despatch, which made clea... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Was it normal to receive guests between 4:00 am and 9:00 am in Medieval France? | [
"While I do not know if receiving guests at 4 AM hour was normal, I do know that before the introduction of electricity and artificial lighting it was common for people, especially in medieval times, to have two distinct sleeping periods and wake up in the middle of the night for a while. It was common during this ... | [
"The JFK Daily Diary at the Miller Center at the University of Virginia shows that he and Jackie were at their Glen Ora property in Middleburg, Virginia that weekend. They were having a house built there. I guess he decided to do that instead of lay a wreath at Arlington. The daily diary shows they arrived at Glen ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Is it true that the Mongol conquests scrubbed 700m tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere? | [
"So my background isn't historical, it's scientific, but I think I could potentially help with this question if you were to clarify it more. I can't think of anything off the top of my head that the mongols would/could have done to sequester 700m tonnes of carbon dioxide. If you provide a premise for how this might... | [
"There are two different isotopes of carbon. One type comes from things like trees, another comes from things like volcanic eruptions. Ever since the industrial era, the isotope of carbon that comes from things like volcanic eruptions, carbon 13, has been off the charts ever since that era due to burning of fossil ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Did I make this battle up? | [
"You may be thinking of a better-known battle, but a similar tactic is described in Frontinus' [Stratagems](_URL_0_): > When Domitius Calvinus was besieging Lueria, a town of the Ligurians, protected not only by its location and siege-works, but also by the superiority of its defenders, he instituted the practice ... | [
"How in the fuck did you test this?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
In Michael Crichton's Pirate Latitudes, a character with syphilis believes that having sex with a virgin will cure it. Is there a history of beliefs that virgins cure STDs and how would they not almost instantly realize that this was not true? | [
"As a follow-up, Crichton also has a character with the same belief in *The Great Train Robbery*, which takes place 200 years after *Pirate Latitudes*; assuming this isn't just a trope of Crichton's, how long did this belief persist?"
] | [
"They were misinformed that vaccinations cause children to become more likely to develop autism. I'm not aware that religion has anything to do with it, except for Christian Scientists, who believe that all illnesses can only be corrected by prayer."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Is there any real evidence of hallucinogenic fungi/substances being a contributing factor in events such as the Salem witch trials or the Münster Rebellion? | [
"*Must say that at times I'm tempted think that Western Europe suffered collective ergot poisoning from around 1480 to 1670* But seriously, ergot poisoning has many more symptoms than hallucinations, including vomiting, mania, and ultimately death, so outbreaks of ergot poisoning tended to be local and very short-l... | [
"There's some thought that the Delphic Oracles were sitting right on top of a fault line which was releasing gasses that made the priestesses stoned for lack of a better word. You can read more about that here: _URL_0_ But that's a very specific case. There are many other types of trances. Many are related to music... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
during the stone age, what was used to bind items (eg. rocks, sticks) without the use of rope? | [
"It sounds like you can use \"man-made\" materials if you make them your own self. So you should research how to make cordage from natural plant fibers. It's not too hard (given the proper raw ingredients), and with a small amount of practice you should be able to make ugly, but functional, rope or twine. This leve... | [
"Lots of stuff. The earliest was as a simple crusher. Put the nut or the clam on a rock and bash it with another rock. Woo! Food! Pounding eventually moved into bladed points that could be used to chop meats, and from there, bladed flints or obsidian (volcanic glass) that held a sharp edge and could be used to slic... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Has there ever been any serious attempts for any of the English-speaking countries to join together? | [
"The states you're talking about (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, USA) have been joined militarily since WWII through the UKUSA Agreement and the ACBA armies program. They also constitute the members of Five Eyes, possibly the most significant intelligence cooperation agreement in operation today. The UK and U... | [
"A follow up & relevant question, how close did the CSA come to being recognized by a European Power?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How much do we know about Andean quipu? Are there examples of its translation into the written form? | [
"Unfortunately, the exact details encoded in quipus remain unknown. About 500 examples of quipus are known today, in public and private collections. The colors of the textiles, the direction of the knots, the spacing and type of knots, and the length of the textiles are all believed to contain information—from cens... | [
"For some like Latin while the native populations stopped using it as their primary tongues, thus causing it to be classified as a dead language, specific groups continued to use it. For Latin these groups were the Catholic Church, and Academic Scholars. For others like Ancient Greek they utilize modern variants t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Whats the history and significance behind the phrase "Spring Cleaning?" | [
"During Winter, houses tend to be closed up a lot, to keep the heat in. They don't get a lot of fresh air. And, in the days of wood or oil heating, a lot of smoke and dust accumulated in the house. When the weather starts turning warmer in the Spring, it's time to open the windows, shake out the rugs, sweep the flo... | [
"What do you want to know about them exactly?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What did Benjamin Franklin think was "early" when he said his maxim "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise." | [
"We know exactly. He kept a detailed daily schedule. [here it is](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"It depends on the essay. Usually a thesis follows the order of: claim, because, therefore. Claim: This is the argument you're trying to make. Like, \"Pizza is the healthiest food on the planet,...\" Because: Here you would list all the supporting information you'll talk about in the body paragraphs: \"...because y... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
When was the first bleeping on television? | [
"As a technical note, it is not possible to bleep anything on a fully live show. There has to be a delay of at least a few seconds for the technician to react. Before computers, the standard way to delay is by recording and playback from a tape loop. The first viable videotapes were in 1956, so anything before that... | [
"I would assume this is all talking about the 19th century; is this a typo?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How do you combat Presentism in discussions about history? | [
"I more often run into quite the opposite of that. When thinking about History like the Middle Ages or extremely so in matters of pre-history, people most often think that the People back then were some kind of \"magic-believing\" deluded idiots < - for a lack of a better word. Mostly, when discussing details, the ... | [
"How well regarded are the writings of Joseph Campbell by historians?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Sunday Digest | Interesting & Overlooked Posts | April 30, 2018–May 06, 2018 | [
"[I wrote about the American perspective on the Baltimore affair which almost brought the United States into war with Chile in 1891.](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"1. The First Salute by Barbara Tuchman 2. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown 3. The Civil War by Shelby Foote 4. Reconstruction by Eric Foner 5. The Proud Tower by Barbara Tuchman 6. Parting the Waters by Taylor Branch 7. Brute Force: Allied Strategy and Tactics in the Second World War by John Ellis 8. The... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about News:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about News:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
[Spartans] the 'hot gates' are kai-ghe in protoindoeuropean or the asiatic inverse form ghe-kai which is phonetically similar to Xerses (ghe-kai). Is there a reason the hot gates might bare Xerses name? | [
"The name Thermopylae has its origins in Ancient Greek θερμός (*thermós*, meaning \"warm\" or \"hot\") and the plural of πύλη (*púlē*, meaning \"gate\" or \"opening). θερμός does come from a PIE root, [g^(w)her-](_URL_0_) \"warm\", but it's [not clear](_URL_1_) where πύλη comes from - it may be a loan from a non-In... | [
"yeah as said, it's just the pronunciation. national is pronounced 'nazi-o-nahl', the sozialismus bit doesnt even come into it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
What was Benito Mussolini's eye condition? | [
"I've never heard of Mussolini having an eye condition - could you provide the quote/source for us?"
] | [
"A related question were there public figures at the time who were apologists that tried to justify for the actions of the Japanese military at Pearl Harbor?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How common were over-the-shoulder quivers? | [
"All the quivers from the Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance period I've seen (well pictures, I don't know if there are any surviving) are resting on the hip. This includes all of Europe, the Middle East and West Asia. I think the reason for this is as you say: > it seems rather ridiculously difficult to draw arrow... | [
"I'm guessing it has something to do with the history of war. Hair can become a liability in hand-to-hand combat."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
If Ulysses S Grant was such a bad president why is he on the $50 bill? | [
"It's less to do with the substance of his Presidency, and more to do with him winning the Civil War for the United States as a General, and then being elected to the Presidency. When Grant first appeared on a $50 gold certificate in 1913, he'd been dead for nearly 30 years: long enough to forgive some of the bad t... | [
"You yourself don't have to be rich to be president, you just have to have a lot of people willing to give you money. > If middle class Joe was really smart, went to the right schools, studied the right things, and did everything right, would he ever have a chance at becoming president? That's essentially Bill Cli... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Politics:"
} |
If you had U.S. money from the Reconstruction era, would it still be legal tender today? | [
"Yes. United States Notes are still valid forms of currency and until 1933, when the US abandoned the gold standard, they were redeemable for gold. The introduction of the now current Federal Reserve Note serves every function of the old United States Note, thus the United States Note was taken out of production. _... | [
"Banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System regularly deposit their cash in the regional Federal Reserve Bank. The Federal Reserve Banks can exchange notes that shouldn't be recirculated for new ones. The Federal Reserve Board has the authority to order from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (part of t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Did LBJ push the civil rights acts because it was a moral imperative, or just to score political points? | [
"LBJ knew what the cost were, so I would say moral imperative. _URL_0_ Bill Moyers, a former aide to LBJ, recalled, in a statement during a 1990 symposium at the Johnson Library: The night that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, I found him in the bedroom, exceedingly depressed. The headline of the bulldog ed... | [
"After Abraham Lincoln won the election and became the first Republican president, the current red states voted Democratic for like 100 years. Then Lyndon B. Johnson became president after JFK was assassinated. LBJ was a great deal maker who pushed massive amounts of significanant legislation through Congress. Wh... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
How do we have a full copy of The Gallic Wars by Julius Caesar? | [
"Followup question, did it help that this is a nearly ideal teaching-kids-Latin text? It is written in basic, nonflowery prose. The military subject matter is interesting to at least male children, compared to most other choices of old literature. Would Dark Ages and Medieval monks have always used this as a teachi... | [
"What if you want a printed version of what was said?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Considering that intelligence agencies and their covert operations are based around compartmentalization, is there any one person or group who knows close to every secret? | [
"I don't this is the best sub to ask this question unless you want historical examples of one person being completely in the know about what their intelligence agency was doing. But I think your question the way it's phrased is occupied with the present."
] | [
"FBI is internal, CIA is external, and NSA is oriented more toward signals intelligence than spies. Each has their own role but conceptually there is a lot of overlap and sharing of resources."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
William of Orange and the Dutch Revolt in popular culture | [
"Dutch and Flemish public television co-produced a series about William of Orange during the early 80s. It ran ten episodes and featured all the famous actors of the time. It was drama, but the historic narrative wasn't (over)fictionalized. According to Dutch customs the series featured quite a lot of nudity, somet... | [
"The Agrarian Origins of Modern Japan by T.C. Smith should be your starting point."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Were military coalitions ever formed in the middle ages or classical periods against a warmongering state, or is it a modern phenomena? | [
"If you consider the Greek city states of antiquity to be seperate nations, then technically during the invasion of Xerses I they created a multinational force led by the strongest state (Sparta) to stop it. I would probably point you towards the Mongolian invasion of Europe otherwise. Basically Poland, Hungary, pa... | [
"To add on to this. How many wars were actually \"declared\" back then? I was under the impression that most fighting was either raiding someone elses land or defending your own against raiders, and not necessarily the sort of wars we are used to in history books. Although I guess this question also enters \"what ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Jefferson and Hamilton: When did the debate or our politics shift? | [
"I'd be really interested to read this preface. I feel like this has less to do with party alignment and more to do with how these issues have changed over time. Example, a strong central bank was preferred by merchants and business. As an aside, and maybe Ferling will prove me wrong, I'm almost never a fan of the... | [
"It was the convention held in the United States which lead to the drafting of the Constitution. Do you have a more specific question?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
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"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why is there so little discussion about the Phillipine-American war in the United States? | [
"You mean as in, why isn't it discussed more as a part of US History education?"
] | [
"The main reason is because of the religious background of the United States."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
The History of Chemical Leaveners (baking powder & soda) | [
"The precursor to baking soda is saleratus. Is is a naturally-occurring form of sodium bicarbonate* that forms as a crust on the ground in certain areas. This was gathered, and used or sold. Think of the relationship between saleratus and baking soda like the relationship between mined salt and iodized table salt. ... | [
"Baking soda and baking powder are both leavening agents - they make your baking rise through an acid/base chemical reaction (like the baking soda/vinegar volcano in every show/movie involving a science fair). Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate (a base), and baking powder is sodium bicarbonate with cream of tar... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Most drugs in the United States have doses based on the metric system (specifically mg, mL, and mcg). How were drugs accurately dosed in the United States before the metric system became commonplace? | [
"I'm sharing this in case others were wondering, as I was, what an \"mcg\" is. It's a microgram, normally abbreviated as μg. Looking this up, I learned that in the United States it is recommended to be written as \"mcg\" for medical communication."
] | [
"The USA attempted to change to the metric system around the 1970’s. Since that would mean re measuring all highways and gas pumps, it was too expensive to do. So that’s why they didn’t do the change. Puerto Rico, an US protectorate, uses a mix of both metric and imperial: gas and roads are measured in metric, but... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
I am looking for a good Bio of George Washington | [
"I really liked Ron Chernow's \"Washington: A Life\". _URL_0_ ***** McCullough's Truman bio is awesome, BTW. I don't buy many books, preferring to read them for free from the library, but when I finished reading it, I went right out and bought a copy, just so I could have it on my shelf."
] | [
"Just a follow-up question to the original question - what about the reverse. What was Napoleon's view of the United States?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What would be a good way of debunking African Olmecs? | [
"You can find my lengthy discussion of the topic [here](_URL_0_), mostly in response to Ivan van Seritma's *They Came Before Columbus.* The book is a mishmash of effects before causes, archaic scholarly sources, regressive notions of race, homogenized American and African cultures, and quotes from authors so abhorr... | [
"Part of the \"horned, cloven foot devil\" imagery is an attempt to discredit some older pagan mythological figures."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Are there any examples of non-violent major shifts in government/revolutions? | [
"The fall of communism is the eastern bloc (USSR + satellites like Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, East Germany, etc) is the first example that comes to mind, although Romania was an exception. The \"People's Power\" revolution against Marcos in the Philippines also comes to mind. The Spanish transition from Franc... | [
"Would you mind clarifying the question a little? Are you asking if the American participation in the Vietnam War is responsible for the recession of communism *now*?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Is the "YouTube historian" Lindybeige reliable? | [
"He has many widely varying interests and he tends to back up his arguments with sources and arguments. But he is not a historian. He is just a speculating hobbyist. And he'll tell you as much. I'm not sure why this is even a question. His videos are just opinions. The fact that he has a highly popular youtube chan... | [
"As a follow up, what do historians of this board think of this channel (if you've seen any of it)? Edit: I mean in regards to historical accuracy."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Are any of these youtube series reliable? | [
"Treat them as your starting point of research then they are ok-ish. Take for example, Kings and Generals described the Jin Dynasty as \"Chinese\" in the Mongol-Jin War episode, which is a big no-no to anyone who has a passing knowledge in Chinese history. Jin was a Jurchen dynasty, who were the same people as the ... | [
"As a person who frequently visits \"the internet\", this is the first I've heard of this. What are your sources?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
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} |
I am a warrior/knight/samurai in your time period: How did I stay in shape during peace time? | [
"There is a [section in the FAQ for historical exercising](_URL_0_) that may answer your question somewhat."
] | [
"1) They became great warriors and leaders because they survived - 2) Leaders don't actually participate in battle, they command the battle from behind the front lines."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
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} |
Just how fast a rate of fire could a Mongol/Turkic/Persian archer achieve? | [
"Not an expert but looking at the video some clear issues that make me assume this is more a feat of skill rather than any sort of serious military technique arise. First its pretty wasteful and there are only going to be a finite amount of arrows, secondly it sacrifices range, stopping power and accuracy for speed... | [
"Stirrups, well-disciplined cavalry archers, and the ability to live off the land easily. Supply lines weren't an issue, and Mongol cavalry could outmaneuver and outgun any adversary they faced."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
What's the proper way to pronounce the name Sacagawea? | [
"This might be a question better asked in /r/Indiancountry. You might find some native speakers there."
] | [
"Follow up question how do you even say Vijayanagara? I heard some Englishmen say it vagina-gara. How do you pronounce it properly?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
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} |
In ancient times, how could you tell slaves from freemen? | [
"In support of Valinorification, here's a passage from the Old Oligarch (aka Pseudo-Xenophon): > Now among the slaves and metics2 at Athens there is the greatest uncontrolled wantonness; you can't hit them there, and a slave will not stand aside for you. I shall point out why this is their native practice: if it w... | [
"Tradition, that's all. It's also a good way to annoy outsiders. They're legally the same thing as states."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Tuesday Trivia | Surprising Shenanigans of Cold War Spooks and Spies | [
"Famously the CIA translated a comic book that was made for the vietnam war on how vietnamese people could create uprisings in villages against communist authority using methods such as assassinating village leaders. I think it was used in niceragua. They tried to create a nuclear powered monitoring station on a mo... | [
"High Crime + Dwindling Population + Crumbling Infrastructure + Diminishing Jobs = Perceived Shithole."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
In Ambrose Bierce's 1911 book 'The Devil's Dictionary' he defines the word 'Phonograph' as "An irritating toy that restores life to dead noises." How common were negative responses like this towards the phonograph as it gained popularity? | [
"He also defines mad as \"MAD, adj. Affected with a high degree of intellectual independence; not conforming to standards of thought, speech and action...\" You shouldn't take anything in that book too seriously, everything is tongue in cheek."
] | [
"The answers so far have focused on Shakespeare's themes and characters, but let's not forget his vocabulary: Shakespeare invented a great many new words and expressions. For example, the phrases \"full circle\" and \"love is blind\" eloquently evoke the exact concept they're meant to signify. Coming up with stuff ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
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} |
Best of February results thread. | [
"Wow!! Hot damn guys, thanks!! And congratulations to /u/Jordan42 and all the other fantastic posters here. Y'all are the reason I keep coming back :)"
] | [
"> Your favorite askhistorians moment Four words: April. Fools. Rule. Changes. That was fantastic."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Announcements:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Announcements:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Does anyone know the history behind this... interesting statue or gargoyle? (I'm hoping it's not 'shopped) | [
"hi! it doesn't appear to be shopped: there are loads of hits for the grotesque under the statue of Konrad von Hochstaden on the Cologne City Hall (Kölner Rathaus). You may get answers here, but might be worth x-posting to /r/Cologne for local history/architecture buffs"
] | [
"I heard its supposed to be the ass of a bent over woman but I don't know if that's true."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Is there a greater amount of libertarian historians than other areas of academia? | [
"This is just an educated guess but I'd be surprised as hell if they didn't gravitate mostly towards Business School."
] | [
"I sincerely doubt there's much difference in personal liberties between America and Western Europe."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
what is the story behind the Andalusian Granada emirate's slogan "لا غالب إلا الله"? | [
"It's simply the motto of the Nasrid dynasty - Wa-la Ghalib illa Allah in kufic script - \"There is no victor but Allah\". There are a couple of myths on the origin which go back to Mohammed ibn Nasr. See pages 21 and 22 in [Vibrant Andalusia: The Spice of Life in Southern Spain](_URL_0_). Either an angel waving a... | [
"I believe that the word for pillow in Arabic al-mochada (المخدة) is the reason for the Spanish word, and just as you said it stems from خد (ched). الموَحدون (Al-Muwaḥḥidūn) or al-mohada is just a case of transliteration causing confusion. The words are not similar in Arabic. Edit: I got the source for the etymolog... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is the USSR described as being a ''Hollow giant''? | [
"I believe that this usually implies that, although the USSR was militarily strong, its internal economics, political, and societal difficulties meant that it was unstable."
] | [
"Because the \"Second\" world doesn't really exist anymore. Some definitions: The \"First\" World - The United States and its Allies, Capitalists countries The \"Second\" World - The USSR and its Allies, Communist countries The \"Third\" World - Developing countries that the 1st and 2nd world fight over. So the end... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Inaccuracies and bias in The World at War | [
"Forgive me, but I'm a bit confused as to whether you're asking a question or making a statement. What is this evidence that you refer to? Is there a particular book on the subject you're referencing? Just by itself, the presence of eugenics and anti-semites in other countries doesn't necessarily preclude those cou... | [
"What do you mean by downfall? This is still a dominant part of current culture."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Is it a coincidence that Sun Tzu and Machiavelli titled their books about strategy "The art of war" of was Machiavelli somehow aware of Sun Tzu's book? | [
"According to /u/Platypuskeeper, it was [a coincidence](_URL_0_). Machiavelli would not have had access to Sun Tzu's work."
] | [
"I don't know about \"military leaders studying military history,\" but one of the oldest military treatises that I know of is the Liutao written by Lu Shang, a Zhou dynasty general sometime around 1000 BC. He wrote this treaty upon reflecting on his defeat of the Shang dynasty forces during the overthrow of the Sh... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
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} |
Was "salting the earth" a real tactic used to destroy enemy lands? | [
"Hi, you may be interested in the last thread on this; it also includes a link to more in the FAQ * [How effective was literal salting of the earth?](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"a) Post WWII Nuremberg trials were very German centric. We also ignored Japan's war crime against China (Unit 731, Nanjing massacre, etc) & Korea, Russia's war crime against Germany (a lot of rapes), England's fire bombing of German cities, and many more. b) Nuclear bombs weren't a war crime at that time. No one g... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
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} |
The Vermont Republic | [
"Also, does anyone know if there was a formal treaty ceasing hostilities between Vermont and Great Britain? In the treaty of Paris (1783), Great Britain relinquished their claim to this territory but did they ever recognize the Vermont Republic? Or was it the opinion of Great Britain that Vermont was simply apart o... | [
"_URL_0_ It says here: Base 21, Mios Woendi, Biak Mios Woendi on wiki: _URL_1_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How did sporting events attendance and relevance fair during years when the world was at war? | [
"International cricket, arguably the major sport of the British Empire, ceased completely during both World Wars. As a result many players had shortened careers (or died) and cricket historians now think of eras of the sport as being defined by the wars. You hear a lot about how Don Bradman was the greatest cricket... | [
"Mainly because around the time that competitive sports leagues were getting set up in the US in the late 19th and early 20th century, the soccer leagues were absolutely inept and prone to infighting."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
U.S. Colonial Historians: Any examples of back country rebellions against the colonies or imperial officials? | [
"Look up the Regulator movements in the Carolinas. The Watauga Association established a rogue government in the Appalachians before the Revolution. Connecticut had a disputed claim to part of Pennsylvania, and Connecticut settlers actually fought with Pennsylvania militias on a couple of occasions before the war... | [
"Follow up. If the American colonies were so upset by the raised taxes from the French and Indian war how did other British colonies view the war of independence?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
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} |
bar ownership in 19th Century America | [
"This totally depends on where these bars are located. In urban working-class areas, saloons were likely owned by someone from whatever immigrant group dominated that area. These would probably be located close to (or within) residential areas or right next to factories or wherever it was men in these areas worked.... | [
"Would you like a list starting in 1867 or including pre-1867 British Canada?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
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What is a good book on "big" history? | [
"I really enjoyed reading \"Maps of Time: an Introduction to Big History\" by David Christian for that kind of perspective. It does cover natural history as well, but I find the quantitative way that various measurements of human development are presented was very illuminating. If you love the big picture of histor... | [
"What do you mean by downfall? This is still a dominant part of current culture."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How has the perception of miscarriage evolved over time in Western society? | [
"Since you asked about Jewish opinions, Judaism doesn't treat miscarriage as a child's death--there aren't mourning rituals involved. In fact, mourning rituals aren't even mandated for an infant who dies before 30 days of life. While classical Jewish sources do sometimes regard miscarriage/stillbirth as a grief-ind... | [
"How well regarded are the writings of Joseph Campbell by historians?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What things did the myth of Romulus and Remus aim to teach/communicate to the Roman people? | [
"*\"So perish every one that shall hereafter leap over my wall\"* ( Romulus ) _URL_0_ Once you cross the pomerium ( without any authorization ) you become an ennemy of the city and by killing his brother, Romulus acted as its guardian. **Civic duties are more important than blood ties** , importance of the law. W... | [
"Probably not. A lot of the stuff you hear is exaggerated and conflated. Orgies, contrary to popular belief, were more a religious ceremony than a purely carnal one. Orgies were part of the Cult of Bacchus, known in the Greek pantheon as Dionysius. Their focus was to connect with the god of wine by being carnal rat... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
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Can you recommend a book on WWII history for the layman? | [
"The first one that comes to my mind after you replied to /u/sp668 would be John Keegan's \"The Second World War.\" It gives a general breathe of the war, without be overly specific. This obviously has a great many downsides, but for what you are asking for it more than suffices."
] | [
"Just asked this in the other sticky, but maybe this is the better place for it: Does anyone have any good book recommendations about the Nigerian Civil War or about Biafra as a country?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about Education:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Education:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Literature:"
} |
in the 1890s what proportion of humanities' mass produced goods were made in the UK? | [
"While I cannot answer the question precisely, I can offer some context. By the 1890s, the US and Germany had vastly stepped up their industrial efforts. With Germany having a massive global market share on most things chemical. Siemens (German company) had also been the one to provide the alternator to power the w... | [
"Heavily debated (sometimes by less than reputable people) but the general consensus is no, it has more to do with the fact that the majority of black people and Arabs live in poor regions of the world with sub-par education which leads to lower average intelligence from a global point of view."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Architecture:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Architecture:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Where and how did the modern heart develop? | [
"This is a great question. You may also be interested in this previous thread: [When did the heart become associated with love?](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"The main reason is because of the religious background of the United States."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
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} |
What's the origin of "break a leg"? | [
"It's a theatrical term from a long time ago. It refers to an actor's reaction to the crowd's applause for him for his performance at the end of the play. In acknowledging the audience's appreciation he would bow and genuflect to them; bending or \"breaking\" a leg. Hence before a performance an actor would be told... | [
"If I'm not mistaken it's called \"In with the good, out with the bad\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
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} |
What were common hobbies for English nobility/royalty around 1000 AD? | [
"I know that the [Exetor book](_URL_1_) contained many riddles, so word games could be seen as a hobby. We also know of Old English Epics such as beowulf which were popular. Hunting was certainly popular can can be seen on the first panel of the Bayeux tapestry. We know that Gambling and dice games were also popula... | [
"The Middle Ages is a pretty huge period that spanned centuries, so you might want to refine your question. The daily life of a monarch in the 8th century was incomparably different from that of a 16th century one."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
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} |
I'm an average citizen living in Moscow in the 1960s. I have just found out I have cancer. How would my care be? | [
"Solzhenitsyn actually wrote a semi-autobiographical novel on this very experience, called Cancer Ward. If anyone who can answer OP's questions can comment on how accurate a depiction it was, that would be very interesting."
] | [
"He's former KGB, his enemies have a habit of suffering acute heavy metal poisoning (and not the musical kind), he's connected to a lot of government corruption to help his friends get rich, and he's pushing the invasion of Ukraine. I'm sure there's some specifics I've left out."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
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[HELP]Does anyone have any links to free online sources for an in-depth discussion regarding the religious aspects of the Spanish Armada? Was its formation inevitable? | [
"[The Spanish Armada: Revised Edition](_URL_4_) - Pages 59 and 60 talk about Phillip II's thoughts and motives Most of [The Defeat of the Spanish Armada](_URL_2_) is available online The same goes for [England and the Spanish Armada: The Necessary Quarrel](_URL_1_) The Spanish Armada isn't my area of expertise, b... | [
"Just a follow-up question to the original question - what about the reverse. What was Napoleon's view of the United States?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Education:",
"pos": "Represent the argument about Education:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
How historically accurate is the film The Imitation Game? | [
"Obviously spoilers about the movie follow.. It has drawn quite a bit of criticism for its inaccuracies especially by the British press. The scenes at Bletchley Park just get lots of things wrong. There was no tense interview to start his time there. He had worked with them before, and started the first day of the ... | [
"Don't consider this a full and proper answer, but it seems relevant to point out that the movie in question was largely based on a book about Lincoln's cabinet and political work during the Civil War, also touching on his election and position within the Republican Party. Check out Doris Kearns Goodwin's *Team of ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How accurate is 'The Imitation Game'? | [
"There were decisions over what action to take based on Ultra intelligence so as not to reveal the source of the information, but certainly not taken by Turing and his team; there's some more detailed discussion about the use of intelligence in in a previous thread: * [I just watched \"The Imitation Game\". Is it t... | [
"1. The First Salute by Barbara Tuchman 2. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown 3. The Civil War by Shelby Foote 4. Reconstruction by Eric Foner 5. The Proud Tower by Barbara Tuchman 6. Parting the Waters by Taylor Branch 7. Brute Force: Allied Strategy and Tactics in the Second World War by John Ellis 8. The... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
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} |
I would like to learn about Vikings. Where should I start? | [
"It's not a broad overview, but a very well-written and engaging book is *Bloodtaking and Feudmaking: Feud, Law, and Society in Saga Iceland* by W.I. Miller. I'd strongly recommend that. For an overview, I would strongly recommend *The Viking World* by James Campbell. It is direct, approachable, and full of picture... | [
"Related question: What if I want to become a mercenary? What do I do?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Education:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage about Education:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Review of YouTube Series "Real Crusades History" | [
"hi! there's lots of room for commentary on various aspects of these videos, but you can get a great start in this thread, which includes links to a handful of other posts about similar claims * [What is the consensus on Real Crusades History?](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"Next Week's Theme: 'Royalty, Nobility, and the Exercise of Power' To be followed by: \"Eastern Europe\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
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} |
Sunday Digest | Interesting & Overlooked Posts | May 30, 2016–June 05, 2016 | [
"The two stand-out answers for me this week are /u/Astrogator on [the role of Christianity in the re-modeling of the Roman naming conventions](_URL_0_) and /u/alriclofgar on '[Was violence a defining characteristic of barbarian societies?](_URL_1_)'. These two questions are fascinating and are both quite big topics... | [
"It's a bit unclear what you're interested in. (Early US education? Mann? Cremin's perspective?) But here are some resources that may help: > Binder, Frederick M. The Age of the Common School: 1830-1865. New York: Wiley, 1974. > > Glenn, Jr., Charles Leslie. The Myth of the Common School. Amherst: University of M... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about News:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence about News:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Everyone touts MLK as the leader of the peaceful Civil Rights Movement. Is there evidence that his agenda may not have come to fruition without the actions of more violent factions of the movement? | [
"The Black Panthers weren't a violent group, they just carried guns in public and held demonstrations, which was perfectly legal. It was J Edgar Hoover who demonized them and named them Public Enemy Number 1."
] | [
"Malcolm X was racist for most of his life, but toward the end when he rejected the Nation of Islam, he similarly rejected racism. Otherwise, to put it succinctly, he was one of the most prominent black intellectuals and activists during the Civil Rights Era. He spoke, wrote, and put himself in harm's way to promo... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How did the number 13 and Friday the 13th become associated with bad luck? | [
"The generally accepted answer to this question is that the notion of bad luck derives from the Crucifixion of Christ. The day before the crucifixion, there were 13 guests present at the Last Supper, Jesus and his 12 disciples. It was at this meal that Jesus revealed that one of the assembled would betray Him, and ... | [
"The Last Supper, the last meal Jesus Christ shared with his 12 apostles, had 13 men total attending it, the 13th of which betrayed Jesus. So 13 was then felt to be an unlucky number by Christians because of it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
What are the historical equivalents of our Mounted Singing Trouts? | [
"There's a couple of flint fish-hooks in the national museum in Copenhagen. They're terribly hard to make, and are outperformed in every way by fish-hooks of bone or wood. They're right next to a flint sword, made to look like a bronze one; I imagine Denmark during the Bronze Age being full of expert flint knappers... | [
"And to hijack this in a related way, what were the alternatives to \"America.\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Did Nazi Germany have anti-association laws? | [
"I'm not crazy about looking to Nazi law as a source of how the government worked. Insofar as there were such laws under the Third Reich, they were generally subordinated to the Führerprinzip, meaning that absolute subordination to the will of one's superiors was what was generally valued, rather than legalistic o... | [
"Was there a similar attempt to recruit Japanese scientists?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Do we know exactly how strong the Olympians of ancient Greece were compared to the Olympians of today? | [
"Keep in mind that the Olympics was a ritual rather than a purely athletic event. Ancient Greeks did not generally record the distances, weights, or times of the races and competitors. All that mattered was beating everyone else - lifting more than all the previous people, finishing this race first. Doing better th... | [
"Because it still has active believers. If Christianity had died out a thousand years ago we’d see it the same way we see the Norse gods. Jesus could have been a member of The Avengers if history had played out a little differently."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Supposed I'm a middle-class man in Early Renaissance London and I wanted to carry a weapon on my person in public. What sort of rules and regulations were there for me to own and carry one? | [
"On a related note, when and where were the first \"gun control\" (or any other weapons control) implemented on a large scale? I know the japanese banned sword ownership in the 1600s, but were there other earlier cases?"
] | [
"Practical or legal? I don't know the practical implications, since I rarely carry at all and am certainly not experienced in life threatening situations. Legal? In most US States, you need a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Not mine (Vermont) but we don't have regulations about open or concealed carry. I believ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Is there any physical evidence of Leif Erickson's settlement on North America? | [
"Not to discourage further discussion, but [this previous answer](_URL_1_) to a similar question discusses L'Anse Aux Meadows in Newfoundland, which may answer your immediate question."
] | [
"Are you talking about the Vinland sagas? These are stories about a guy \"Erik the Red\" who was thrown out of Norway for being a murderer. He settled in Iceland for a while and got into more trouble, which encourages him to seek new land to settle. The two books you want are: \"Saga of the Greenlanders\" and \"sa... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about history:"
} |
What were the motivations behind sending out Voyager 1 & Voyager 2? | [
"Up until this point there had been no close-up pictures of the outer solar system. The planets were in positions so that the probes could effectively \"steal\" some of the planets momentum to increase their speed. This is done very often and is called a gravity assist, (I'm on my mobile so I can't link it but look... | [
"We didn't. The first probe to get to Venus was Mariner 2 which did a flyby in 1962, and the first Mars flyby was Mariner 4 in 1965."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
When did man start exercising for physique and fitness reasons as opposed to getting natural exercise through daily activities (hunting, farming, etc...)? | [
"Roman baths often had an exercise room called a Palaestra where people would go to work out and play games after they had had their bath. The Romans however did believe that one of the reasons for good health was regular exercise so it is conjecture how far they worked out for the purpose of looking good or mainta... | [
"Nearly all of your body's energy is expended on fighting the disease when you're sleeping, whether be hosts of bacteria in your intestines or viruses in your respiratory system, whereas in the day, energy is used for all sorts of other purposes -- walking, talking, surfing Reddit, etc."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Medical:"
} |
How credible are the suggestions of Welsh prince Madog ab Owain Gwynedd sailing to/settling in America during the 12th century? | [
"I discussed [this topic](_URL_0_) about a month. Hopefully that conversation will answer your question, but if you have any follow up questions, feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer them, assuming no one else beats me to it."
] | [
"Are you talking about the Vinland sagas? These are stories about a guy \"Erik the Red\" who was thrown out of Norway for being a murderer. He settled in Iceland for a while and got into more trouble, which encourages him to seek new land to settle. The two books you want are: \"Saga of the Greenlanders\" and \"sa... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence about history:"
} |
When did world leaders and politicians start dressing like businessmen? | [
"My impression is that the shift you are referring to took place over the course of the 18th and 19th centuries. Even today, countries have military dictators who habitually dress in military uniform, although there are fewer of those around than there once were. Getting back on topic, I think looking at the port... | [
"Because even the most eccentric billionaires aren't crazy enough to think that running around in tights is a good way to stop crime."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
what are some the biggest unanswered questions in history? | [
"Some of the biggest mysteries in history are definitely in music. We have *very* few (x < 100) examples of music before ~800 CE. Even in the expanse between the Medieval and Renaissance eras of music, we have very little idea of what music was like outside of the liturgy. Long story short, before Gregorian chant,... | [
"If any one can answer this on ELI5 it would solve one of the worlds greatest mystery's"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about science:"
} |
We've gone, historically, from celebrating the goofy spring holiday in May (May day) to April (April fool's day). It's totally global warming, isn't it? | [
"Here in Australia it's gotten so bad that April Fools Day is in Autumn."
] | [
"It wasn't a celebration of the dead. You're thinking of Dia De Los Muertos. Halloween was originally a celebration of the end of the harvest season and superstitiously believed to be a night when spirits and demons could infiltrate the human world. As for when the transition happened, probably gradually, and defi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
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