query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1 value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
What other countries had secondary, but important roles in WWII | [
"Australia, India, and New Zealand played a vital role in the North African campaign, as well as, obviously, in the Pacific later on. Brazil sent an expeditionary force, which fought with some distinction in Italy, and was the only South American country to do so. On the other side, the Finns had their own (almost... | [
"The countries considered \"victors\" of World War II were included in the permanent member. China actually played a rather significant part in World War II."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What exactly was Yukio Mishima attempting to do? | [
"The entirety of Nathan's book essentially tackles this question so it's not something that can be answered simply. Did he want to restore power to the emperor? Certainly. Did he think he was going to be effective in doing so by holding people hostage? Almost certainly not. Nathan essentially argues that his variou... | [
"I have no idea what sensation you're describing can you explain?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What is the name of the person the furthest back in time that we know of? | [
"Not to discourage further discussion, but you can probably find helpful information in the FAQ. [Here's the relevant section.](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"It is absolutely possible in theory. However, we have found no evidence that it happened. As far as we can tell, all the life that's ever been on Earth is related."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Good book about the Minoans? | [
"J. Lesley Fitton's *Minoans (Peoples of the Past)* (2002) is highly readable, well set-out and reasonably up-to-date. As well as including the more recently found Minoan sites in her study, she gives an authoritative chronology in the first section, while making clear that this timeline will likely be improved upo... | [
"Are there any good introduction books to historiography in general? JFK in particular? Thank you"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Can someone explain the post-WW2 inflation ? | [
"Is this a homework question? It says in our [rules](_URL_2_): Our users aren't here to do your homework for you, but they might be willing to help. Remember: AskHistorians helps those who help themselves. Don't just give us your essay/assignment topic and ask us for ideas. Do some research of your own, then come t... | [
"Would it be against the rules for me to ask for clarification on the term \"realignment elections?\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Can anyone recommend a good survey of the US Army? | [
"You should definitely browse the U.S. Army's own historical library [here](_URL_0_). Most of these titles are available as PDFs or HTML - click on a title and look for the \"view this online\" link. The first title I'd start with is the two-volume *American Military History*."
] | [
"Additionally, do we have documents on the public perception of electricity?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What is this nation in present-day Southern France, from 1789? | [
"It is the Comtat Venaissin, which is around the modern day city of Avignon. It was purchased by the Papal States in the 11th century, and annexed or reincorporated back into France by a plebiscite during the French Revolution, sometime after 1789. I don't recall the exact year."
] | [
"In which country/region? The answers to your question will be *very* different for life in Rome in 100AD and in Australia in 100AD (both areas of interest for me)."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
"WWII was won with British intelligence, American steel and Russian blood" | [
"How was the US able to increase its GDP by over 80% in 6 years? That seems like a historically ridiculous pace."
] | [
"* Many of the people who were soldiers on paper were recent conscript, many boys and old men. * They had just lost allies in Italy and Vichy France, and had little hope of gaining new ones. * Hitler wanted Germany to live or die with him, but the military wasn't terribly keep on his scorched earth policies. With h... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Are there any ancient accounts of static shock; and if so, what were their theories as to its cause? | [
"This question gets brought up enough in this sub that it's part of the [FAQ](_URL_0_). [This comprehensive answer](_URL_1_) by /u/hillsonghoods linked there should answer your question, though there's always room for more discussion."
] | [
"Follow-up question: If it is purely a modern idea, where did this idea come from, and how much validity is there to it?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How successful was the Great Wall of China at preventing invasion and protecting the people? | [
"Separately, was the Great Wall worth it? That is, were the costs worth the benefit of its protections?"
] | [
"Was any Asian country capable of helping the United States during the revolutionary war?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about History:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage about History:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
What historical events have shaped Modern Australian national identity? | [
"It is my understanding (might be wrong it's been awhile) that the Australian involvement in the Gallipoli campaign during WWI had a big influence over Australian and New Zealand national identity. Edit* [This](_URL_0_) is a good summation of the events and remembrance of the battle at Gallipoli"
] | [
"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 Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
UK forces 'take no prisoners' during Falklands Campaign (1982) | [
"Can I ask which actions you've seen this claim made about? I've not seen this claim made about any action, but then I've mostly been working from British sources."
] | [
"The Chinese were equipped with Soviet made MiG-15 fighters. They outclassed everything that the UN could put into the air and it stayed that way largely until the introduction of the North American Sabre. While the Sabre closed the performance gap, it was by no means a superior aircraft. Source: Xiaoming Zhang, \"... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How did the first two different races to meet react after they learned of the other's existence? | [
"This is a hard questions since race is generally agreed on as a concept by historians. In other words, there is no such thing as biological race. Race is something that we as a society have created. Through out history, the idea of \"race\" has changed. It was not always about the color of skin. I will point out [... | [
"The actual reason for this phenomenon is roughly understood. One of the leading theories for this behavior is that it imitates their spaceships. The ones they used over 2000 years ago to make contact with the ancient Egyptians and enslaved them to create beautiful statues."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Was the Second Amendment always viewed from the perspective the NRA pushes today, or was it viewed as more of a National Defense act of its time? | [
"The Second Amendment had multiple purposes, and historical evidence of its meaning is mixed. It was subsequently given additional meaning and purpose by the Fourteenth Amendment, which was ratified contemporaneously with the formation of the NRA. The consensus view of the Amendment's meaning within the legal estab... | [
"America was formed from a country that revolted from a monarchy which restricted freedom through armed suppression of the population. In an attempt to prevent that ever happening again the right to bear arms was ensured to every citizen."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Why do seemingly all modern military organizations use the Western model? | [
"Would you be willing no elaborate on what you mean by \"standard European model\"? In the past century or so, there have been quite a few significant changes in how states and governments around the world, organized and equipped themselves for the business of organized violence."
] | [
"What do you mean by downfall? This is still a dominant part of current culture."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What sort of tunes would the average man/woman have hummed on the streets of London during the 18th century? | [
"I’ve written [this post](_URL_0_) about popular British songs and street ballads of the 17th to early 18th centuries that includes a number of examples and song lists that might be of interest (although it is especially focused on songs relating to pirates and sailors and criminals)."
] | [
"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 Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Would you consider the Boston Tea Party a terrorist act? | [
"I think the word \"terrorism\" is thrown around very willy-nilly these days. The Boston Tea Party was a destructive protest, but it wasn't \"Terrorism\" in that I don't think it was ever intended to put fear into every-day British citizens in an attempt to make them change their political opinion. I'd put it more ... | [
"Could the rebuilding of Japan after WWII be considered a partial colonization by the United States?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Did the writers of the Bill of Rights intend for the amendments to be absolute rights? | [
"A very, very common misconception of the first amendment is what you said, that you cannot yell \"fire\" in a crowded building. The reason that is not allowed is because it is not *speech*. It is a *call to action*. This is how it was explained to me, with an extreme example. A white person could walk into inner D... | [
"Functionally, all the Amendments are officially part of the constitution and have equal footing. Ideologically, however, a lot of people tend to view the Bill of Rights as a set of core, fundamental ideals that should not be changed."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
How did monks deal with hand pain after writing for so long? | [
"Sheer brute willpower. Monks felt the same pains you or I might feel, aggravated by factors such as a lack of artificial light or heat that would drive most of us to distraction. They persevered because it was simply what they were required or expected to do. This does not mean they did it without complaint, howev... | [
"The little creatures in your blood poke the inside of your arm with tiny forks because they are mad at you for sitting in the same position for too long."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What happens when political marriages met war? | [
"I only remember Mara Branković, daughter of Đurađ Branković, and **step-mother** of the famous Mehmed the Conqueror. She married his dad Murad II, which helped Serbian and Ottoman relations, but he died and war did broke out and she left, living in the Empire but somewhere, in the Greek islands (part of the Empire... | [
"I want to know if prank calls take place between world leaders."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
History of the Gurkhas | [
"I think you'll struggle to get a complete history as most books that I've come across tend not to deal with the bulk of the Regiments that went to India after the partition in 1947. Having said that I've read a few books on the Gurkhas and can recommend these as jumping off points for you but they are mostly about... | [
"The Art of War in the Western World - Archer Jones"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment about Education:"
} |
What impact did the Doctor have on Dalek literature? | [
"Perhaps you have forgotten this haiku by Dalek Sec? \"Destroyer of Worlds, Beware him! Exterminate! The Oncoming Storm.\" This is, of course, an allusion to the destruction of Skaro by the Hand of Omega. Many great Dalek works have been based on this horrific genocide, including the famous opera \"Unlimited Rice P... | [
"How well regarded are the writings of Joseph Campbell by historians?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
What is the etymological origin of the word "dude"? | [
"Hey. While technically related to history, your question might be more appropriate for /r/etymology. Good luck!"
] | [
"What do you mean by the 'earliest breeds'?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
I sometimes hear that the new deal didn't really get us out of the great depression and in fact may have delayed it's end. Is there any truth to this? | [
"This is an excellent question that you unfortunately will probably not have properly answered in your lifetime. There are two reasons for this: 1. It is still intensely relevant to our current politics. How someone is inclined to interpret the New Deal is almost directly correlated to their contemporary political ... | [
"The best example would probably be the economic recovery of the United States during the great depression. I'm no specialist, but FDR was. He implemented a system of deficit spending, a system were the government would purposely put themselves into debt to promote public spending. This increased circulation of mo... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
In the show Versailles (which takes place in the 17th century) nobles are asked to show the paperwork proving their nobility. What would these papers say? | [
"Also, if I may ask, did this actually happen?"
] | [
"The biggest way was by being rich and educated. In a world where most people were illiterate farmers, wearing nice clothes, knowing how to ride a horse, being able to speak in the official, aristocratic accent, being able to read, wearing fancy clothes and jewelry, knowing who was who in the circles of power, and ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Dear Historians, this is my first post. Could you give me your opinion on the best textbook/work from which to learn American History? | [
"You aren't going to be able to do this with just one book."
] | [
"What are some of the primary sources that you have found? This sounds interesting. Would you recommend any books for a fun read?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Education:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Education:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How hard was it to emigrate to the United States from European countries held in good standing in the early 1900s? | [
"Immigration was much easier between 1900 and 1914. You could book passage in steerage class and take a family of twelve with you for the same price of one first class ticket. HAPAG would give you a thorough medical check-up to ensure you could pass through quarentine. This was another medical examination. If you d... | [
"Do you mean: \"Did the fear of communism enable the working class to obtain improved social conditions in 1950s until the 1980s in Western Europe?\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Are the roman numerals in this inscription on the US Tomb of the Unknown Soldier wrong? | [
"They aren't wrong, just a different form. There are other monuments that use alternate forms, the one you think of as correct is the most common modern form but it isn't the sole canonically accepted version, just the most popular one."
] | [
"Coins are hard to identify from pictures but here's a start (I offer no comment on whether or not these are authentic or reproductions, only which type they are). * Coin 1 - Don't even dare to guess. * Coin 2 - Athenian tetradrachm? AOE is the greek legend for Athens, the reverse is the godess Athena. Appears cas... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
What effect did Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" have on the meat industry and what kind of reaction did the public have when originally published? | [
"President Roosevelt initially considered him nothing but a muckraker. However, the novel indirectly led to the Meat Inspection Act of 1906; Sinclair objected due to the cost to the taxpayer. He famously remarked in Cosmopolitan Magazine: \"I aimed at the public's heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach.\" B... | [
"Yes, absolutely! Unsubstantiated sensationalism can be a quick and dirty way for any media form to gain followers. One famous example would be the yellow journalism of the 1890's, which arose in part due to the rivalry between the big newspaper empires of Hearst and Pulitzer. Their newspapers frequently resorted t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What was the intellectual argument for succession for your average person in the south prior to the US civil war | [
"Southern States argued that because all powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution are given to States and because secession was not a topic explicitly mentioned in the Constitution they were allowed to leave the Union as they had joined as sovereign entities. However Lincoln and northerners disagreed and in... | [
"Follow up question (please don't delete) how influential were nobility titles on economic upward mobility in the Europe of that same time?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
[Book Request] About Soviet nuclear strategy and nuclear accidents during the Cold War. | [
"While it remains on my \"To Read\" list, so I cannot personally recommend it per se, [Plutopia: Nuclear Families, Atomic Cities, and the Great Soviet and American Plutonium Disasters](_URL_0_) by Kate Brown came highly recommended to me from my History of the Soviet Union professor in college."
] | [
"Was any Asian country capable of helping the United States during the revolutionary war?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Can anyone recommend a book about Appalachia from its settlement to the mid-19th century? | [
"The Frontiersmen by Allan W. Eckert is not strictly about Appalachia, but rather the push to explore and settle west of the mountains in the mid 1700s. It deals largely with Simon Kenton as well as some other major players. It's definitely a good read and gives you a good idea of how \"unknown\" the regions to t... | [
"I'm broadly researching the African American experience in the Wilmington N.C. area. I am an intern at Fort Fisher State Historic Site, so my research anchors around Ft. Fisher and Federal Point, but extends to the local area. This project spans from (roughly) 1800 - 1950s. If anyone has books or article suggesti... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Education:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Education:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Literature:"
} |
Tuesday Trivia | Black Widows & Other Dastardly Women | [
"Allow me to introduce you to Zoë Porphyrogenita. Zoë was married to Byzantine emperor Romanos III in 1028. Zoë developed a crush on an advisor of her husband by the name of Michael. Romanos didn't pay much attention to her, and he gave her very little spending money. Zoë began an affair with Michael, and she even ... | [
"High Crime + Dwindling Population + Crumbling Infrastructure + Diminishing Jobs = Perceived Shithole."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
14th century: What would the energy given to an arrow/bolt by a longbow/crossbow? | [
"A reply to /u/dutch_penguin This is a difficult question to answer here, so instead I recommend that you read this [thesis and test results](_URL_1_) which considers the same draw weight and length, but with different arrow types (yes, there were many types!) and target armor. The references therein are also very ... | [
"The classic counterweight trebuchets used a... counterweight, while the catapults, onagers and ballistae used torsion, and the traction trebuchet just had a lot of guy pulling the lever. The system scales up well: you need lots of strong hair for torsion systems, they were *not* giant crossbows. On the other hand,... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Was there any "pushback" to the use of electricity? | [
"Follow up: did some people have the same thought as the Internet in the early days? \"Wow, that's interesting, buts it's just a fad.\""
] | [
"To follow up on OP's question: was there much regional variation in selection?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Monday Methods: The Return of Video Games | [
"> How can we use video games as a medium to teach / impart history to the public? The gamification and warping of history in Civilization II, to my 11 year old self, was definitely a catalyst to my interest in further reading regarding all things historical. I was a 5th grader looking up Copernicus and Marco Polo ... | [
"The Art of War in the Western World - Archer Jones"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment about Education:"
} |
I have a question about something I heard from a history professor a few years ago. Not sure if there is any truth to it. | [
"According to Simon Schama in his book \"Citizens,\" the National Assembly was locked out by workmen preparing the hall for a ceremonial address by Louis XVI. The delegates took offense at being locked out, thinking this was intentional rather than inadvertent, and so they turned to the tennis court owned by the fr... | [
"Not only is that \"theory\" not true, it's not even a theory. There was a question asked on this just a few hours ago. Go have a look for an explanation as to why."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Historians of Reddit: what historical facts do you think are exaggerated or downplayed that could change the way people think about a certain historical event? (x-post from "askreddit") | [
"I'm doing a lot of work recently on Stalin, and I think if people somehow tried to forget about the stigma behind his name (well deserved stigma, but still) they would see that he was not all-powerful, and did not control the entire party with an iron grip. Many of the purges in the 30s were bottom up, the result ... | [
"Hi, I've approved the post, but just a note to you and potential respondents: this subreddit has a 20-year rule against discussing current events, so any answers will have to cut off at 1997. If you're looking for answers that can include 1998-2012, do consider x-posting elsewhere, eg. a foreign affairs sub like /... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What was the point of the Maginot line? | [
"More that can always be said, but /u/thefourthmaninaboat just responded to a similar question [here](_URL_0_) yesterday which may be of interest."
] | [
"Follow up: What *were* his reasons for siding with the British?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
In the Netflix Original, Roman Empire, Crassus defeats Sparticus and then goes on to crucify 6000 of his men along a road for miles. How often did this sort of thing happen? Also did using all the resources for these kinds of display have any impact on the well-being of the legions? | [
"Not to criticize the question because it is interesting and I would also like to know the answer but that show also ends by saying that Julius Caesar was killed on March 14th (it was the 15th). It also implies that there is only one consul of Rome (failing to mention there were two at a time). Probably best to not... | [
"They couldn't. Rome had three slave uprisings during the Republic that turned into full scale wars. The uprisings that were less successful dont get mentioned. Spartacus and his army could have escaped Italy at one point even as they had made it to the Alps. But for some reason they turned around to keep fighting... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Education:",
"pos": "Represent the post about Education:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Help me identify this US military base? 1943-'4. Possibly Admiralty Islands. | [
"_URL_0_ It says here: Base 21, Mios Woendi, Biak Mios Woendi on wiki: _URL_1_"
] | [
"I will explain like via the medium of pictures! _URL_1_ German factory in 1945. _URL_0_ American factory in 1945."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument about World Affairs:"
} |
Can anyone tell me what baby Charles II is holding in this painting? It looks like a lipstick dagger. | [
"It's a [teething coral](_URL_0_), an early version of a baby pacifier. The tip wasn't always coral, sometimes it was a bone or ivory. The \"daggar\" handle has a whistle and some jingly bells for a rattle. They were popular in the 1600s."
] | [
"Basically they are looking for a penis. My mom always said they were looking for \"turtles with tails. \" If it looked like a turtle with a tail, it was a boy. If there was no tail=girl."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is the Storming of Bastille considered France's Independence Day instead of perhaps the day the National Assembly was formed or the Death of Louis? | [
"Nitpick: It is France's National Day, which doesn't necessarily have to be a country's Independence Day. For example, Spain's National Day is October 12, commemorating the Discovery of America, which is hardly Spain becoming independent from anyone. Portugal's Days are April 25 (the Revolution that brought democra... | [
"Okay, so most likely your book is glossing over the Waterloo and more historical parts that explain the politics behind it. After the defeat of Napoleon, the Bourbons returned to power and worked to undo the reforms of the Revolution. Most of Europe was under a reactionary phase which was more repressive and fearf... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about History:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence about History:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
If you were to recommend one military history book what would it be? | [
"Catherine Merridales Ivans War. It describes the experiences of ordinary soldiers of the red army in the second world war."
] | [
"That's a pretty big topic, so it'll be hard to get you good recommendations. Is there a particular region or aspect of Latin American culture you're interested in?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Education:"
} |
In the first half of the 1800s (1800-1850, what would the female nickname "Poll" be short for in the Americas? | [
"My only guess would be \"Polly,\" which was still a very popular girl's name by 1880 in the US according to the SSA registry (the records I'm looking at don't go back any further). It was the 245th most popular girl's name in 1880. You can see a popularity graph of \"Polly\" [here](_URL_1_) or see the SSA statisti... | [
"There are for men. The honorific term for an unmarried male is \"master\". But that honorific fell out of use in the late 1800s early 1900s. But it has remained in use is some regions and specific places such as with some very proper butler schools (think Alfred with Bruce Wayne)."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What happened to european slaves kidnapped by the barbary corsairs? | [
"[Good article](_URL_0_) on the BBC webpage. Also, here's an [OSU webpage](_URL_1_) dealing with the subject for some complement of information."
] | [
"not arguing about the dutch but why do you think the portuguese didn't left an impact comparable to the spanish?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
What books do you recommend about ports' history? | [
"This is of course a broad question, as a port's history is going to intersect with several different subfields of history (urban history, economic history, maritime history, etc.). One recent book that seemingly fits your bill is Mary Lindemann's [*The Merchant Republics: Amsterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg, 1648-1790... | [
"I'm looking for recommendations for books to read if I want an overview of the history of the LGBT+ movement in the United States but don't have any previous background knowledge in the subject."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Literature:"
} |
Is there anything in the literature that tries to draw a parallel between the rise of "free cities" and merchant city-states of the past, and the more recent rise of city-states like Hong Kong and Singapore? | [
"You might be interested in studies of the rise and changes in \"entrepots.\" These (and the cities you mentioned) are usually cities thriving on trade and being commercial hubs instead of goods produced locally. I don't have the reading lists available at the moment, but look for research on the port of Aden, Sin... | [
"If you mean in history the answer is no, look at the History of East Asia where there has usually been a hegemon (China) who often interfered in the affairs of its neighbors (modern Korea and Vietnam, but it also includes the many peoples whom China absorbed over time). If you mean specifically in Europe, the ans... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Are the cartoon/media depictions of revolutionary war era military campaigns (Where soldiers line up and shoot each other) accurate? How did this strategy come to develop? | [
"[I have written](_URL_2_) [extensively](_URL_1_) [on tactics](_URL_6_) [and military theory](_URL_4_) [during the Revolutionary](_URL_3_) [and Napoleonic Wars](_URL_5_) [which you might like](_URL_0_). If you have any other questions, please ask, I am more than willing to answer on this."
] | [
"Contrary to what many people are saying guns in the Civil War were way, way more accurate than the guns your average solders was using 20 years before the civil war. The problem was that they were still using black powder. Because of the range and power of [rifled muskets] (_URL_0_) meant that the first couple of ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about history:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post about history:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post about history:"
} |
Are there times where military failures ended up being longer term strategic victories? | [
"The Dieppe Raid during WW2 was a total failure. It was a raid (possibly not even authorised) on the German occupied port at Dieppe. Thousands of mostly Canadian troops were killed to barely any Germans. Pretty much all the equipment the Allies landed with was lost. I've heard that the Germans joked that the entire... | [
"Generally, a country will only choose to go to war if they believe that the benefits of winning are worth the losses they will take getting that victory. The thing about the Cold War is that there were very few upsides to any potential conflict and a mountain of downsides."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
What was the extent of foreign diplomacy by the CSA in the Civil War? | [
"It's well known that the Confederacy was actively courting Europeans for help against the Union. Britain, for one, is usually portrayed as being torn between its mercantile interests (cotton) and its moral conscience (anti-slavery). Some people think that if the war's tide had turned in favor of the Confederacy, t... | [
"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 sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
What happened to the Portuguese sailors who discovered Japan for Europe? | [
"Well the Portuguese were rather well received in Japan. They landed in 1543 and brought foreign goods, most notably guns. Many of the warlords around the area where the Portuguese landed were quite responsive to European trade, and Christianity. Christian churches were set up and many of the Japanese were converte... | [
"Christopher Columbus thought he was sailing to India but accidentally found a new continent. As such he called them Indians."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
My grandfather was a combat photographer, what should I do with his photos? | [
"More importantly, do you still have the negatives? If so definitely don't discard them. Offer them with the photos."
] | [
"My great grandfather was in World War I and would never talk about it. The family was always afraid to ask him questions. One day when my parents went to visit him toward the end of his life, he suddenly started talking about the war. My dad said he talked for hours and it was totally unprovoked and unexpected. My... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about history:",
"pos": "Represent the document about history:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What got you interested in history? | [
"Age of Empires. No, seriously. That's what piqued my interest in military history. I am not a historian though, just someone who's quite interested in history."
] | [
"Did you have a specific time period in mind?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Education:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Education:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence about history:"
} |
What was the typical working week like in the Soviet Union? | [
"It is a very broad question. Maybe you can elaborate it a little? Because Soviet Union existed for almost 70 years and the lives of the people of different social stratas in different time periods was quite distinct."
] | [
"Follow up question, was life insurance a common policy to have in an American home at this point in time?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Any information on what this is? I found in the back of a photo album | [
"Hi! The banknote in question is of WWII origin. It is Japanese occupation currency produced for its occupation of the Philippines. That was simple enough. What is more interesting is the stamp on the note and the history behind it. \"The Japanese War Notes Claimants Association of the Philippines, Inc\" is what t... | [
"Mine has one, the only time it used is for newspapers, only actual mail goes in the mailbox."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Book about the Night of The Long Knives | [
"Unfortunately, there are not a lot of good English-language books on the Blood Purge itself; most accounts tend to be pop history-ish. There is a very good German-language book written by the journalist Heinz Höhne, *Mordsache Röhm: Hitlers Durchbruch zur Alleinherrschaft 1933–1934*. If you dig through some of the... | [
"Check out Robert E. May's *Manifest Destiny's Underworld*."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
I'm defending my M.A. thesis on Tuesday. Any advice on how to prepare? | [
"Get a good night's sleep, practice your 15 minutes. Be familiar with your material. Anticipate questions and prepare responses. Listen to the feedback, don't take it personally, but do take it seriously. If you don't have to start from scratch, you did a good job."
] | [
"Hi guys! Apologies if this isn't the right place to post this. If so, mods - please delete! I'm a circus performer who went to grad school, and I'm in the final stages of publishing a book about the history of juggling. \"Juggling - From Antiquity to the Middle Ages: the forgotten history of throwing and catching\... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post about Literature:"
} |
Why did ancient humans emphasize the significance of 'blood' in familial relations in a time before genetics? | [
"Sorry for not putting a specific time and location for this, but it's pretty universal, going back to tribal cultures. For some reason, people that share genetic makeup are seen as \"sharing blood.\" I suppose that our blood cells are one of many types of cells carrying our genetic information, and perhaps we more... | [
"Because humans are the only species with a complex enough social structure to allow for emotions such as embarrassment."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Help me idenfify this sword/bayonet, please reddit. (x-post from pics and history) | [
"I'm leaning towards a Brunswick or Baker rifle bayonet, probably made outside of England. The blade shape resembles some Brunswick bayonets, and it looks to mount to a side mounted lug like the Brunswick or Baker."
] | [
"hi! Do consider x-posting this to /r/vexillology (the flag sub!)"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
In the time period of your expertise, what was the most profitable profession? | [
"Being a king. That applies to most parts of history."
] | [
"People with hands and regrets about their life choices. This is why many systems request you sort them yourself."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
[Half Meta] Historical examples of liberal vs authoritarian discussion | [
"I've deleted this post. \"Throughout history\" questions, as stated in our rules, [are too broad for this subreddit](/r/AskHistorians/wiki/rules#wiki_no_.22in_your_era.22_or_.22throughout_history.22_questions). Moreover you're obviously trying to make a point about the way this subreddit is run which makes me doub... | [
"/u/yodatsracist to the rescue! In [this earlier answer, and answer to the first follow-up question](_URL_0_), yodats addresses: (1) What distinguishes a social democratic, liberal, and conservative (economically speaking) society? (2) Why the U.S. is different from Europe, even from the U.K., with our economically... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
What was the Secret Service in the late 1800's Kentucky? | [
"No it probably was the U.S. Secret Service, they were started by President Lincoln and if I remember right the in the early days they did things like fight counter-fitting and gather intelligence. It wasn't until after President McKinley's assassination that they became presidential protection."
] | [
"What drugs were popular in 19th century Britain?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Did the Pepsi Corporation buy military submarines and ships from the soviet union? | [
"Yes, they did - sort of. Due to the Soviets' lack of hard currency (rubles werent terribly useful outside the USSR), PepsiCo accepted submarines and ships to sell for scrap to allow them to repatriate earnings out of the USSR. PepsiCo wasnt particularly interested in them because they were warships, but because th... | [
"The can seize them or buy them. For example ISIS have seized a lot of weapons that were given by America to the Iraqi government. They also buy them from countries like Saudi Arabia."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What are some books that cover how and why people identify themselves in national, ethnic, and linguistic ways and how that changes? | [
"Benedict Anderson's Imagined Communities is a classic for this one I think. Give it a go!"
] | [
"Race is a social construct whereby all people are divided into 5-6 races, defined by various phenotypes - superficial traits - such as skin color. Ethnicity is quite different. An ethnic group is a group that identify with each other based on common ancestral, social, cultural, or national experiences. And you can... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Social Sciences:"
} |
Is it true that much of what historians consider to have happened is based merely on unfounded speculation rather than documented facts? | [
"No. But then it depends. Our visions of the past is always narrowed by the sources left behind for us. Sometimes we might consider information to be 'facts' but our sources also leave us plenty of 'unfounded speculation' and attempts to make themselves look good or something else look bad. There are few uncomplica... | [
"You would source documents and records of the time as well as statements from people who were alive at that time. Just because it happened some time in the past doesn't make the writing exempt from needing reliable and accurate sources in order to back up its claims."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
In North Korea's short history, have any government officials turned against any of the supreme leaders and attempted assassination or anything else highly treasonous? | [
"Whilst I don't know any other assassination attempts apart from the one already given (a testament perhaps to the power of the Kim cult of personality), arguably the greatest crime a member of the party (an accolade only given to the elite) or someone on the top of the *songbun* class system can do is defection, w... | [
"There are a lot of elites in North Korea who are happy with the way things are. If something were to change, these elites would lose their cushy lifestyles in a best case scenario or be tried and sentenced to death in the probable scenario. They have a very strong iterest to prevent change and would likely assassi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
When did the framing of social issues in the U.S. become militarized (War on Poverty, War on Drugs, War on Crime) and what has been its significance for American public policy? | [
"Since no one has replied yet, this isn't my field but my understanding is that this rhetoric dates back to William James' 1906 essay \"The Moral Equivalent of War,\" in which he calls for civilian progress to be made on a war footing. He asks for a conscription of men in peacetime to \"coal and iron mines, to frei... | [
"Military, intelligence, and foreign policy: virtually all of the power. Law enforcement and social issues: some power. Economic issues: practically no power at all."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
What trends in popular memory, on and off reddit and internet culture in general, contribute to this sub being dominated by questions about Medieval Europe and the Roman Empire? | [
"I’d be curious to know too if there is a “Game of Thrones” effect, as I noticed there seems to be a lot of questions asked in relation to tv tropes."
] | [
"A side question related to this, when did it also go in the reverse in western culture (or at least in most English speaking parts of the world) and tanned skin become more the desired look."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What are some examples of nations that lost the war but won the peace? | [
"Russia after WWI. Initially Russia was forced to sign a very humiliating separate peace treaty at Brest-Litovsk by which it was required to surrender a vast territory to Germany and her allies. However because Germany itself eventually lost the war, the treaty was abrogated."
] | [
"They are - or have been - involved in most of the same wars as the U.S. Further, if you'd had your countries virtually destroyed twice in the last hundred years, you might believe that it's important to maintain a strong military even in times of peace."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Could private citizens own a operational cannon after the revolution? | [
"Yes, and in fact they still can. [Here's](_URL_1_) a thread from a while back with more detail. Essentially, the most common private citizen cannon ownership was its use on ships, for example [American privateers](_URL_0_). In 1934, the United States passed the National Firearms Act which regulated [\"destructiv... | [
"A follow up & relevant question, how close did the CSA come to being recognized by a European Power?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
When those iconic images of "evolution of man" were created? And by whom? | [
"It's called \"The March of Progress\" It was commissioned by Time-Life books back in the 60's for one of their nature series and is by Rudolph Zallinger. It's not really accurate, but it's powerful. _URL_0_"
] | [
"The same way they have movies set in the Middle Ages even though there were no recording devices capable of filming it at the time. They're either drawings, computer simulations, pictures of other galaxies that are believed to look like ours, etc."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument about astronomy:"
} |
Historiography of body image beyond the wide-spread availability of mirrors? | [
"Fantastic question--inspiration on the Piccadilly Line? Pure spitballing, but I wonder if people had ways of seeing themselves that were cheaper than mirrors. With the right light conditions, it would be easy to have a shallow basin of water that would create a reflection."
] | [
"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 Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Photos I found of the 1929 International Socialist Youth Day in Vienna. Anyone have info about this? Was this a Communist movement? | [
"I found this reference but I have no idea how to access. _URL_0_"
] | [
"They were made in chronological order from when the state became part of the US."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Sunday Digest | Interesting & Overlooked Posts | September 11, 2017–September 17, 2017 | [
"Y'all gave me some super fun questions to answer to celebrate my two-year anniversary writing on AH! * [When and why did thespians decide *Macbeth* is cursed?](_URL_2_) * [What would keep an 18-year-old English serf from up and leaving an oppressive lord's manor for a different manor or a city?](_URL_0_) * [Would ... | [
"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 query about News:",
"pos": "Represent the comment about News:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
"Since 1945, the USA has attempted to overthrow more than 50 foreign governments." | [
"What the hell happened to this thread? I saved it to read through it later and now everything's deleted."
] | [
"Actually, the United States had a habit of overthrowing left leaning democratically elected leaders in Latin America for decades and replacing them with horrible dictators. \"Implementing democracy\" was just a guise for the United States to exploit Latin America for its personal economic benefit."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Has music therapy, such as the effect on mood, been used in history? | [
"Convineniently, /u/caffarelli just posted about an example of this pertaining to Philip V of Spain in a different thread right here! _URL_0_ There's a direct link to the comment, hopefully it's what you're after."
] | [
"Brain damage to certain areas and studying how this altered people's behaviour and skills was the first key to knowing what was happening."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Can anyone give me information on “The Von Benedict Treason” | [
"Your struggle may be the product of misinformation. The extract your are quoting (which sounds like a Google Books snippet - is it?) comes from CB Comstock's *A Comstock genealogy* (1907) and the passage actually continues: > \"Careful search at Frankfort-on-the-Main, and at Breslau, fails to find any trace of a ... | [
"The single technical term for this would be 'Fucked Up'"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Bataan Death March Artifacts (WWII) | [
"I can tell you that Bataan Death March happened in 1942. Gen Akira Muto was charged for war crimes(1946) against POWs and Filipinos and executed Dec. 1948. The \"One Shilling Note\" is Japanese invasion currency for Australia. I believe made in 1942 or there after."
] | [
"Check out Robert E. May's *Manifest Destiny's Underworld*."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
american paratrooper arms and equipment in ww2? | [
"There was a comparison of soldier's inventories here _URL_4_ Not sure of the historical accuracy of all of those, but would be curious to know that also."
] | [
"Origins World War Two V for victory meaning the end of the war and hopefully a new lasting peace to follow."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why did the authors of the US Constitution (or any Congress thereafter) not provide for a mechanism to dissolve the legislative branch? | [
"The model used in the European Parliament hadn't been developed yet in 1789. The very first British government to fall on a vote of no confidence was Lord North's administration in 1782, due to the British defeat in the American Revolution. There, an explicit motion that the House had no confidence in the governme... | [
"If you’re not referring to the US Constitution at all, please disregard this entire post. If you mean “Who has the authority to amend the US Constitution,” then it can be done by either a convention of the states, requiring three fourths of the states to vote in favor of the amendment, or by three quarters approva... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Calligraphic script in 12th century France? I want to be as historically accurate as I can for an assignment | [
"It depends on what you're going for. I assume you're aiming to recreate the letters of the pair as they would have been written, instead of the texts that were handed down, yes? In that case, I'd stick to the Carolingian script if the choice is between that and Gothic. Obviously, there are considerations. If you'r... | [
"It's more properly called a Blackletter typeface, rather than Olde English. Common forms are Textualis and Fraktur. Hopefully these will give you something more useful to Google. I only found a reference on Wikipedia that this type of lettering is popular in hip-hop, but it didn't say why or provide a source, but ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Sunday Digest | Interesting & Overlooked Posts | September 19, 2016–September 25, 2016 | [
"* /u/papiriuscursor answered [\"If the Romans studied a lot about Alexander the Great, why is it they lacked the ability to conquer the far middle east, Persia, and India.\"](_URL_2_) and [\"When was the Roman army at its most effective? and was the later Roman army weaker or had its opponents simply gotten better... | [
"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 title about News:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage about News:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Was the spanish tercio as vulnerable to flanking and rough terrain as the macedonian phalanx? | [
"I think the answer here may be more simple than you think. The Tercio is a square formation with a mobile core of ranged support. A square formation is inherently strong versus flanking attacks and encirclement but weak against a concentrated attack aimed at breaking one side of it. The phalanx is a line formation... | [
"Main tactics would be to flank it as mobility would be a major advantage on the Roman's side and also Roman infantry would be equipped with Pilum (Javelin with a tip that would bend on impact to render objects that it hits, e.g. shields, unusable) and they would use the Pilum to either force the enemy Phalanx to d... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
How dangerous was it to be a messenger in Ancient Times? | [
"\"ancient times\" is very broad. Are there any specific cultures you're interested in (e.g., Republican Rome, Old Kingdom Egypt, etc.)?"
] | [
"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 query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
We often hear of "killing the messenger," but how dangerous was it, really, to be a messenger bearing bad news or unwelcome demands in Classical or Medieval Europe/Near East/North Africa? | [
"With all due respect to u/NoseDragon and u/Knightofhavoc, who are focused on the \"unwelcome demands\" part of this, I've always understood the phrase applying to those delivering bad news to their own ruler. For example, having to tell a King that he lost a remote battle. Is there any answer for that scenario?"
] | [
"\"ancient times\" is very broad. Are there any specific cultures you're interested in (e.g., Republican Rome, Old Kingdom Egypt, etc.)?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
the wine label 19 crimes claims it's named after the 19 crimes that warranted a sentence of transportation in 19th century England. One one of their advertisements they list one as "Impersonating an Egyptian". Any truth to this? | [
"The term Egyptian is refers to gypsies (there was originally a widespread , though incorrect belief that the Roma gypsies came from Egypt). It was originally an offence to keep company with gypsies or impersonate them (for instance by offering palm reading services) - [source](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"It is related to the Unlawful Oaths Act of 1797 (UK). It was a law passed by the British Parlament as a way to tackle the increasing number of mutiny incidents (See: Nore Mutiny and Spithead Mutiny). The law considered unlawful oath the ones that engaged in any mutinous or sedition purposes. The maximum punishment... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Under the Fugitive Slave Act, how did authorities know which owner to return an escapee back to? | [
"Runaway slaves were advertised in newspapers across the nation. They would give the slave's name, a brief physical description, and any pertinent details that may help his recapture. These ads also included rewards to whoever turned the slave in. Furthermore, if a slave was captured and the owner could not be foun... | [
"It wasn't a long process to manumit a slave. You went down to the courthouse and declared before a justice of the peace that the person or persons are hereby free. [Here is an example](_URL_2_). In practice it was far more complicated for the freedman than getting a job and buying a house. Between social and legal... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Missions of the German Secret Service in North America during World War I | [
"Hello and thank you for this AMA! I've had the pleasure of reading the first book (*In Plain Sight*) in your series on Felix Sommerfeld and I was impressed by the amount of research that went into the book. A fascinating book and I can't recommend it enough. My question is regarding the Villa raid on Columbus, New... | [
"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:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Did all of the citizens of 19th century imperial nations support the conquest of weaker states? | [
"Short answer: No. There is always dissent in politics. It's right on the edge of the time period in question, but other than that the [American Anti-Imperialist](_URL_2_) league sounds like exactly what you're looking for. US abolitionists opposed imperialist action in the American Southwest because they saw it as... | [
"They, like all the old European powers, had colonies in the lands that are now terrorism hot spots. They treated millions of people very badly."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Was the South really as poor prior to the New Deal as commonly described? | [
"The civil war and the end of slavery exhausted the Southern economy. So yes, a lot of the Southern States were very poor. In fact, during the governorship of Theodore Bilbo in Mississippi(1928-1932), the state had less than $2000 in it's treasury and was over $10,000,000 in debt."
] | [
"Could the rebuilding of Japan after WWII be considered a partial colonization by the United States?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
What is the best book about Lewis and Clark? | [
"Well, it may not be the best book, but it is a delightful read and a fresh new perspective. Try out *Our Natural History, the Lessons of Lewis and Clark*, Daniel B. Botkin, 1995. Berkeley publishing group, New York."
] | [
"One of these is not like the others."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Strange and Bizarre forms of Government | [
"The [liberum veto](_URL_0_) in Polish Parliament from the 16th to 18th century is a fun example. Essentially, any single legislator could, on their own, end the current session and nullify all legislation that had passed in the current session at any time."
] | [
"The things that are touching get tangled. ELI25 Version: Pursue a Ph.D. in Material Science...we still don't have all of the answers."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
German Banks in the 16th century | [
"Take a look at the Fugger familly. _URL_0_ They were prominant financiers in the sixteenth century."
] | [
"Follow-Up: Do Historians agree that the Chilean economy did badly in the early 1970s?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment about economics:"
} |
Millions of Americans went on strike in the immediate aftermath of World War II. What were the long-term effects of this on the American worker? Did they achieve their objectives? | [
"Follow up question: Was this strike used as an example of communist influence in the US?"
] | [
"Yes, absolutely. There are labor strikes in the US, sometimes with significant effects. US labor has a very long history of using work stoppages as a way to pressure employers."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Is there any documentation of paper airplane-like toys or child playthings prior to the invention/discovery of man-controlled flight? | [
"Yes paper planes pre-date manned flight, but obviously they weren't called 'paper planes' they were called 'paper darts' in British English. Some examples dating from the late Victorian or Edwardian period were found at an archaeological search during the refurbishment of St Anne's chapel in Barnstaple, Devon _UR... | [
"Not close, at all! The only real evidence od steam devices from the Roman Empire are the Aeolipile, essentially a parlor trick for Greek temples, and a device making use of steam power, that was designed by Heron of Alexandria ... to open and close temple doors. Aside from its' appearance in his writings, there is... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How did the moon landing change the the world in other ways than just setting foot on the moon for the first time? | [
"The political implications were widespread. This represented a failure of the Communist Soviet Union when they had multiple firsts in the space race, such as Sputnik and Yuri Gagarin. Conversely, this represented a great achievement of the capitalist United States. Kennedy had promised that a man would walk on the... | [
"It's really expensive, and not incredibly valuable scientifically to send humans to the moon. You are far better off spending those dollars on probes sent to other planets and moons in the solar system. The only justification for sending humans to the moon is to 1.) Prove you can do it, and 2.) One up the Soviet U... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
John Stuart Mill in On Liberty quotes a speech of "an under-secretary of state" given in November 1857 which demands that "the superstition which they call religion" of the Mahommedans and Hindoos should not be tolerated by the British. Who was that under-secretary? The internet yields no answer. | [
"According to my edition of \"On Liberty\" it is William Nathaniel Massey. He was MP for Salford and Undersecretary of State for the Home Department. The source for the speech is The Times of 14 November 1857."
] | [
"The \"sincere intentions\" of the Japanese Imperialists were similar to those of any other expansionist imperialist power. The Imperialists honestly believed, or convinced themselves they believed, that expanding the Japanese demesne would be good for both the Japanese people and those they were conquering. The pr... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about History:"
} |
Is it true that an alternate translation of Caesar's last words run something equivalent to: "[Expletive], you stupid children"? (context in description) | [
"Suetonius writes that Caesar died with a voiceless sigh but that some claim he said καὶ σὺ τέκνον; to the approaching Brutus ([Iul 82](_URL_0_)). The question mark (\";\") is certainly the editor's work here but even disregarding that there are only so many ways you can reasonably interpret \"and you child\" (\"y... | [
"Google is your friend. > Euphemistic variant of for Christ's sake, for God's sake; \"Pete\" perhaps invoking Saint Peter or perhaps influenced by for pity's sake. At least that's what I found over at [wiktionary] (_URL_0_) Sounds plausible at any rate."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
How widely known and accepted were homoerotic relationships in British public schools at the turn of the 20th century? When did this practice start to die out? | [
"I read a book on homosexuality in regency era England, and it appears to have been very common in the British boarding school tradition. Symonds said that the first thing another boy said to him when he got to school was \"come frig me,\" and lord Byron almost certainly consummated in one way or another his many f... | [
"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 document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.