query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1 value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Recommend to me some ancient Chinese history books. | [
"I would recommend Burton Watson's translation of Sima Qian's *Records of the Grand Historian* (*Shiji*), which is widely available and very affordable. Written around 100 BC, Sima Qian's book consists of 130 chapters covering Chinese history from the Five Emperors to the Han dynasty. The influence of the *Shiji* o... | [
"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 Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
When Washington references the need to restrain political parties in his farewell address, how did he hope that would happen within the system of government at the time? | [
"Washington's farewell address was written and heavily influenced by Alexander Hamilton and a careful reading reveals more than what the High School history teaches. The address is primarily focusing on the emerging Republican party which Washington viewed as an illegitimate party, with the idea of a illegitimate a... | [
"In \"The Radicalism of the American Revolution\" (Gordon Wood) he argues the opposite. He claims that the Revolution completely changed American society by establishing a sense of egalitarianism that was directly linked with the new political system. He says that the Revolution created a whole new environment in t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
I've fallen in love with Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast; are there any comparable podcasts? | [
"There are two podcast series from the BBC that are excellent and that I use for my Western Civilization classes: [In Our Time](_URL_1_) - British historian Melvyn Braggs interviews experts on a particular issue from history/art/science. I find this show particularly good on ancient/medieval history. Most recent ep... | [
"Rome spanned over 1,000 years. Finding a good over view could be tough. Hopefully someone will chime in with some good reading recommendations, but in the mean time I'd recomend [The History of Rome](_URL_0_) podcast by Mike Duncan. I know you are requesting a book, but this is one of the best over views of Wester... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What does /r/Askhistorians think of Dan Carlin's "Hardcore History" podcast? | [
"While I don't wish to discourage new answers and new perspectives, for the time being allow me to direct you to [this section of our FAQs](_URL_0_)."
] | [
"Chronological: - Ray Harris Jr.- The History of World War 2 - Mike Dunkan - The History of Rome - Robin Pierson - The History of Byzantium (follow up podcast) - Khodadad Rezakhani - Iranologie (History of Iran) - The British History Podcast Other: - The AskHistorians Podcast (Intervies with AskHistorians contribut... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
What was the purpose of Hadrien's Wall? (Roman Historians) | [
"Hadrians wall served several purposes, primarily one of protection and a testament to Rome's strength and permanence. 'Having completely transformed the soldiers, in royal fashion, he made for Britain, where he set right many things and - the first to do so - drew a wall along a length of eighty miles to separate... | [
"British Empire -- > Post-WW2 / Cold War America -- > British and American pop culture -- > Silicon Valley."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Dear Historians, I want to learn and I'd appreciate your assistance. | [
"You're in luck with the Mycenaean Bronze Age, as I found a website only relatively recently that actually does a good job of looking at the possible Iliad period. Disclaimer; the author seems to have been responsible for a lot of rather dodgy reconstruction drawings/pictures, and the author's wife claims to have e... | [
"As the person planning on reading them, I'd ask you to tell us if you got anything good. ;)"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Education:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Education:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
News is reporting the GOP's new House majority the greatest since the 1940's. When was the biggest majority in US history? What about the senate? | [
"It's the biggest **Republican** majority since the **1920s**. You only have to go back to 2008 to find a larger (Democratic) majority of 256 to 178 in the House and 60 Senators (for a short period). The House has had a 435 members since 1913 (excepting short periods when temporary members were added at the admissi... | [
"It's also important to mention that in 1984 Ronald Reagan won 49/50 states. The only state he didn't win was Minnesota. By far the most impressive presidential victory in history."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Why do many ice-cream trucks use "Turkey in the Straw" as their music? | [
"Ice cream parlors at the turn of the century used to play minstrel music to keep their customers entertained. A popular song, set to 'Turkey in the Straw', was 'Nigger Love A Watermelon! Ha! Ha! Ha!' - it was very popular in its time. As a way to make a correlation between the pleasant experiences in a ice cream p... | [
"How about when you wake up with a song stuck in your head that you haven't listened to in years? I woke up with the damn \"wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round\" song stuck in my head yesterday. It was a rough day."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer about Science:"
} |
Why is Latin sentence structure so complex?!?!? | [
"It's not. It just seems that way. 1. You are generally reading literary and theological texts, that are written in a more educated style; it would be like reading dense academic texts. 2. You are reading 18th and 19th century translations, which have a different style of English, and are trying to replicate Latin... | [
"Please explain this post like I am 5 years old."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Wednesday What's New in History | January 20, 2016 | [
"I posted this previously, but it is worth repeating: the [Nevada Census Database](_URL_0_) has been placed online again after a hiatus of three years. This is an extraordinarily valuable tool, and dozens of dissertations, articles, and books are folded into these data simply waiting to be discovered. I helped deve... | [
"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 query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Are there instances in 20th Century warfare (WWI, WWII, Cold War, etc) where sex was weaponized in order to gain intelligence, the upper hand, etc? | [
"Are you speaking in the context of rape as a weapon too? If so I'd be happy to elaborate/ add sources."
] | [
"There's really only two: countervalue and counterforce. Counterforce strategy refers to targeting your enemy's military forces. The objective is to deprive your enemy of the *ability* to go on fighting. Countervalue means targeting things your enemy considers important, but which don't directly relate to their mil... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Napoleon's Death - I still can't accept the "official" explanation. | [
"I am familiar with the theory, however I see no reason to believe that he would have been assassinated."
] | [
"You should read Anne Rice ' s Memnoch the devil. AND Milton ' s Paradise Lost. \"It's better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven.\" Or something like that."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Ancient Greek Historians/Lovers of Myth, could use some help understanding this question | [
"He's asking for examples of etiological texts....e.g., in the old testament, the story of Abraham and Isaac that explains the cultural practice of circumcision. From Greek mythology, there's the story of Apollo and Daphne, which accounts for the practice of awarding laurel wreaths, among many others. From Greek h... | [
"Would you like to share the criticism from Kant?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
were there other superweapons being considered for development before or at the same time as the atom bomb? | [
"Though more answers are perfectly fine, you might wanna take a glance over [this thread](_URL_1_) from 2 months ago. In particular, I think /u/restricteddata's answer [here](_URL_0_) provides good definitions for the nature of superweapons and how that tied into US wartime projects."
] | [
"Aside from Fat Man and Little Boy being the only two nuclear weapons that existed at the time, it really wasn't that powerful compared to modern nukes."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How true is the idea that the model of education in the West is based on a 'factory model of education', meaning that it was designed in the 19th century to provide obedient workers for industry. | [
"There's still more to be said on this topic, but you might appreciate an earlier response by /u/UrAccountabilibuddy: [\"'Modern education system was designed to produce complacent factory workers' is oft repeated idea. How true or false is this?\"](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"For the same reason tests are given as multiple choice, rather than short answer, and education is given as a, \"memorize these facts and regurgitate them later,\": the system is poorly designed from the bottom up."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Would Jesus have had a dog at any time in his life? | [
"It's very unlikely. Traditional Jewish attitudes towards dogs see them as unclean, and they were not generally kept as pets. The term was applied metaphorically to Gentiles, reinforcing their association with uncleanness. Dogs are only mentioned negatively in the canonical New Testament corpus. On this basis it se... | [
"The people who made the laws had a different opinion on what was acceptable at the time than you do now."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
How can AskHistorians improve on being able to answer *all* questions posted? | [
"I very much support what /u/sunagainstgold wrote below, especially about getting people engaged in providing quality answers and paging or pming users (I am always up for that) Another thing is though that not all questions can be answered. In my field of expertise some of the questions can't be answered because t... | [
"This post is perfect for /r/AskReddit but doesn't really belong here. ELI5 is for making complex concepts understandable, not for answering questions about personal experiences."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about education:"
} |
What are some historical examples of severe inflation or deflation of currency? When did people begin to understand what was happening and why? | [
"The Dutch tulip economy in the 1630's is by many regarded as the first speculative bubble and crash. In any regards it's a damn interesting piece of economic history: _URL_0_ Edit: just realized that wasn't your question at all, but it's still a damn interesting story."
] | [
"The current system has inflation, the gradual increase in the prices of goods and services, baked into it. Almost all of the structures are based on that assumption. There is no reason that a static or deflationary system would not work - indeed, for most of the history of human civilization, money was not inflati... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
What would an MBE have been awarded for in 1947 | [
"The announcements are published in the London Gazette. It appears to be a civil award based on the ribbon so the entry should have something about why it was awarded (services to X or Y). You can review the announcements by [year](_URL_0_) -although I didn't see him right away in either the New Year or King's Birt... | [
"Point of clarification, you're asking about the reaction of people 100 years after it was first published? First edition was 1667."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
I'm a farmer in North America in the late 18th century. How is my life affected by the American Revolutionary War? | [
"A followup question: Did citizens immediately accept the new government? I remember reading a post here about the Civil War and how long it took some remote southern communities to be OK with the outcome (some never were I guess)."
] | [
"Was any Asian country capable of helping the United States during the revolutionary war?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about history:",
"pos": "Represent the passage about history:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
"In 1850, 42% of free Negroes in Charleston SC owned slaves" How accurate is this statement? | [
"> By 1800, one third of colored heads of households in Charleston had slave property. Between 1820 and 1840, the percentage increased to 75 percent. By 1850, the percentage had declined to 42 percent. (Davis 1994). [Source](_URL_1_) Page 18 EDIT: Note that it says \"heads of households\". So considering that the f... | [
"9,638,453, of which 1,538,022 were slaves, according to the 1820 census. That's about the population of New Jersey."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about history:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about history:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
On WWI draft cards: If a draft card is on file, did they actually go to war or attend training? If so, would there be any special marks to the card noting it? | [
"A draft card on file does not indicate service, merely compliance with registration. Under the Selective Service Act, you great-grandfather might not have registered until AUG 1918 when the War Department asked that all males age 18-45 register (previously, the cut-off was 30). Do you know if he was a Class II or ... | [
"If you can discover the unit he served with you can learn the beach his unit landed on. Each unit was assigned a certain landing area and historical records should provide that information. The information may be referred to as \"Order of Battle\". With the unit designation you can learn what day his until landed... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about history:"
} |
Historical Art Piece - Need help | [
"Post to /r/arthistory. It appears to be Asian, but someone over there might know."
] | [
"Check out Robert E. May's *Manifest Destiny's Underworld*."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Sources of steel/iron in medival Europe. | [
"In early times, a lot of iron ore resources came from swamps [bog iron](_URL_1_). For example the Vikings and the Russians this was a major source of iron. The time period you're describing is medieval times, by then a lot of rich iron ore resources would be discovered already and much trade was present in Europe,... | [
"Many blues were made from copper. Malachite and Azurite were used at different times. There is a source for natural pigments and their use in history, here. _URL_0_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Is there a reason the Vikings didn't use paper? | [
"Paper wasn't used in Europe during the age of Viking raiding. The Arabs captured some Chinese paper-makers at the battle of Talas river, in 751 AD, The art of making paper had to spread from Persia to Egypt before making it to Italy. The document you saw the Vikings burn was probably a sheet of Vellum, which ... | [
"Can't imagine it will do much of anything. If they can't use that specific name they'll call it something else."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
This Week's Theme: Socialism | [
"Apologies to anyone who was stoked about oral history for not changing the theme last week! Measures have been taken to prevent that from happening again, and Oral History will debut as the theme for the last week of this month. **[Previously](_URL_1_)** **Current**: Socialism **Upcoming**: Women **In the hole**: ... | [
"Next Week's Theme: 'Royalty, Nobility, and the Exercise of Power' To be followed by: \"Eastern Europe\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why was the front wheel on the penny farthing so big? | [
"Simple. They didn't have gear trains to make the wheel turn at a faster rate than you were pedaling. If the wheel were say, 2 feet in diameter, you would only go 6 feet for every turn of the pedal crank. If the wheel was 5 feet in diameter, you would go 15 feet for every turn of the crank. Bicycles with chain driv... | [
"It's not so much the body curving inward but the wheels are. It straight vertical. Most cars are stances a few degrees."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Was there a stigma between weaker, academic types and stronger, athletic ones (i.e. nerds vs. jocks)? For example, was aspiring to be a knight viewed more favorably than learning how to scribe? | [
"Did you intend to place this question in a particular time period? It sounds like you did, but it's lacking a date or anything."
] | [
"This sounds like a great sociology topic and would probably reward some academic research. My guess is it stems from women historically being discriminated against. In the same vein, why is n***** far worse of a word than cracker?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Linguistics:"
} |
My Dad Is A "Lost Causer", I Have A Question | [
"The Southern articles of secession state pretty explicitly that the Confederate states seceded because they feared slavery would be abolished. /u/Georgy_K_Zhukov has a [great comment](_URL_0_) that links to some previous material he found (including other comments), and quotes some of the articles of secession."
] | [
"\"Local Man Asked For Hit Advice On Reddit Before Murdering His Wife, Police Say\" - I can see it now..."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Is there any historical precedent (besides the attempted assassination of Commodus) of an assassin stating from whom he had been sent in a way similar to A Song of Ice and Fire's "The Lannisters send their regards"? | [
"There's at least one Biblical example. > Ehud then approached (Eglon, king of Moab) while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose from his seat, Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the... | [
"Depends upon who you ask. Even to this day, most Northerners will completely deny any aggression on Robb Stark's part. Many inhabitants of King's Landing and the Twins (the house of the now extinct House Frey). Considering the multitude of letters sent between the three conspirators (Roose Bolton, Tywin Lannister ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Any good books on Mesoamerican and Southamerican civilizations? | [
"Why yes, we have a constantly updating and changing list of book recommendations at our [book list](_URL_0_) page."
] | [
"\"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 post about Education:",
"pos": "Represent the post about Education:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
How, when and why was the label "made in [country]" invented? When was it first used and to what purpose? | [
"[Made in Germany](_URL_0_), introduced by the British to mark the inferior quality and plagiarising German goods being imported. Quickly turned out to be a boon to Germany instead of a hindrance as originally intended."
] | [
"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 question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
In "Goodfellas", there is a scene where the whole gang is in prison cooking steak and enjoying glasses of alcohol in a private area just for the "wiseguys". Was prison actually like this for those men, or is this a cinematic liberty taken just to glamourize the mobster lifestyle? | [
"Edit: If you haven't seen the film, here is a clip from that scene: _URL_2_"
] | [
"The higher up you were in the food chain, the harder it was to get convicted. In most cases, the mob bosses never kill anyone with their own hands. That means that there is no physical evidence, such as fingerprints, that ties them with the crime. Futhermore, they never directly order anyone to kill either. The or... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
I'm a 14th century bohemian peasant. While working my farm I see a knight with a flag I don't recognise. Should I assume he's an enemy? Did peasant's know what to look out for should someone attack? | [
"Quick follow up question : I'm still the same 14th century bohemian peasant, assuming I know that the knight is supposedly friendly or is my lord. Would I be scared that he might just be violent or unpleasant (as in not respecting my property, my family, my fields etc) with me ?"
] | [
"* Seals and insignia, sometimes on rings. These were used to stamp official documents. * Knowledge, like how most of European nobles knew Latin and could read. * Nobles went to events and got to know each other. If a noble got mugged in a strange land, they would be going to a local sympathetic noble or merchant. ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
In 1926, British unions pulled off a rare feat: a nation-wide general strike. The consensus is that this had no effect on British Industrial relations. Why did it have no effect? This seems uncommon for general strikes, which usually have had either clear positive or negative effects for labor | [
"> the Swedish general strike of 1909, even if the reactionaries weren’t empowered, it was still a blow for labor. Followup question: Was this really the case? What I learned (being Swedish) is that while it was very much a short-time failure, it made the employers realize that organized labour was a force to be re... | [
"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 document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How did the ancient Greeks and Romans compare physically to today's athletes? | [
"I'm no expert, but look how much athletes have improved in the past 40-50 years alone."
] | [
"The British PR accent is considered sophisticated while foreign yet understandable to the american public so is perfect for representing ancient cultures like the Greeks and Romans in movies."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Are there any instances in history of artists that painted what a real location might look like from an angle they could not possibly see it from without the help of cameras? For example from a point of view floating above water looking at a beach, or what a field of flowers looks like from above? | [
"If you include mapmakers, absolutely. For instance, [here](_URL_0_) is what is known as the \"Castello Plan\" map of New Amsterdam in 1660. It was drawn by the Surveyor-General of the colony, Jacques Cortelyou, and thought lost until it turned up in an atlas in Italy around 1900. The map depicts all the buildings ... | [
"Look out your window. What do you see? With enough time, you could probably give us all a drawing of what 'outside your window' looks like from up in the air, from across the street facing your window, and from all kinds of other angles. You just need to be able to figure out how far away things are from each othe... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about astronomy:"
} |
What is the patch worn just above hitlers arm in this .gif? | [
"The badge on his arm represents the Italian fascist party, he is wearing it because he is visiting his fascist ally Mussolini."
] | [
"That is the \"Band\" ( Ribbon) of the Iron Cross second Class worn on the buttonhole. Higher honors were worn on the left breat pocket as you can also see in the picture."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
I have at least 4 photos my great uncle took in Nagasaki about a week after the bomb dropped. Original prints. What should I be doing with these? Should I scan and send to a museum? Or.... | [
"Donate them to an archive/special collections. They will have the expertise and equipment to preserve them and you can easily get really nice high res scans in return. Like this: _URL_0_ You can donate them in your great uncles name (they might be catalogued as the XXXXXXXXXXX Nagasaki Photo Collection for exampl... | [
"Okay, if you're damaging the book, stop immediately. Framing is almost never ever a good preservation option, if we do frame in the archives world it isn't done with consumer level methods. Usually it traps air, you get mold, plus exposure to light for damage. Put framing out of your mind. This sounds like it sho... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage about Archiving:"
} |
How and when did The U.S. and The U.K. become allies? | [
"This is covered in the FAQ's _URL_0_ _URL_2_ _URL_1_"
] | [
"Was any Asian country capable of helping the United States during the revolutionary war?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Question on Ancient India. | [
"It is hard to fit Indian history into a Tytler cycle but try this : 1. Abundance under the Guptas (4th to 6th century) 2. Selfishness, complacency and apathy from the 6th to 10th century AD.(Kinda forced that to fit) 3. Dependence leading to Bondage under Muslim rule(approx 11th cent to 17th century) and British r... | [
"There is a post on the frontpage on the topic: _URL_0_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Did people ever actually go on quests? | [
"You can find a very good answer from /u/Rittermeister to a similar question [here](_URL_0_)."
] | [
"They do it under the guise of them filming a TV show about what it's like to work, or something like that."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer about Law and Entertainment:"
} |
Full scale Cold war? | [
"I'm not sure if this is permitted as an answer or not, but [this thread](_URL_1_) contains [this link](_URL_0_) which describes a theoretical timeline of a full-scale global nuclear war occurring when the nuclear stockpiles of the US and USSR were at their peaks. It does not address your question of whether either... | [
"British Empire -- > Post-WW2 / Cold War America -- > British and American pop culture -- > Silicon Valley."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
did the Republic of Texas have an embassy in England or any other European country? | [
"The Republic of Texas maintained legations in London and Paris. The London legation was at 4 St James Street, just about opposite St James' Palace, and is marked with a plaque today. There's a few pictures on [this blogspot site](_URL_0_)."
] | [
"You mean an embassy? Because the United States and Soviet Union had diplomatic relations. Countries that have diplomatic relations with each other have embassies in each other's countries."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
MacArthur's return and speech to Congress after his dismissal, what are your thoughts? | [
"MacArthur returned to the U.S. with significant support, and was seen as a viable contender for the presidency in 1952. He had even intimated such intentions to Eisenhower at a meeting before the RNC. Given MacArthur's confidence, ego, and political standing at the time of his speech there is almost no chance a co... | [
"He probably gets let off the hook for being reluctant to go to war and rejection of his military life after the war. He became president of then Washington College (Now Washington and Lee University) and said his greatest mistake was a military education."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
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} |
In the tv series "Vikings", the protagonist is partially converted to Christianity by a captive, how common was this? | [
"I am not aware of any primary sources that depict this manner of conversion. The primary ways that Christianity spread through the Norse was through \"forced\" conversion of the rulers as a condition of peace or through missionizing campaigns. The Great Heathen Army was supposedly dispersed after Alfred the Great ... | [
"Generally because of war. Catholisism spread via the Roman empire, which became the holy Roman empire. It was then spread by the Spanish, Portuguese, British, Dutch and Danish empires. Protestantism spread via the British empire. Same with Sunni, Shia and other Islamic denominations. A random tid bit is that gengi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
We're there any 49-star American flags produced between January and August of 1959? | [
"Yes. Under the [Flag Act of 1818](_URL_1_), it was decreed that new stars would be added on the July 4 following the state's formal admission. So, Alaska's star was added on July 4, 1959, and Hawaii's star was added on July 4, 1960. For more information on the design of the 49-star and 50-star flags, the U.S. Army... | [
"IIRC, \"In God We Trust\" has been on coinage and money since the 1850's. The addition of \"Under God\" was done during the early Cold War as a means to draw distinction between us and the \"Godless Commies\". Both are easily searched for. Edit: \"In God We Trust\" on coinage since 1864 and paper money since 1957.... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
I'm trying to track down information on a late grandfather of mine who was in the Japanese military, specifically the Imperial Japanese Navy, during World War 2. Could someone kindly help me find a repository of historical records on IJN personnel during that era? | [
"You may find help with this question by cross posting it over in /r/Genealogy. They help with requests for genealogical records, including military and historical records. You could also try to contact the NIDS and request their military service records. _URL_0_"
] | [
"From the first picture, your late grandfather was attached to the 1st Regiment, 1st Battalion of the ROC Air Force Security Guard Force (中華民國空軍警衛部), possibly based in Nanchang (南昌). This was a military police unit which was later integrated with the ROC Military Police Command. Unfortunately, that's all that I can... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer about history:"
} |
Tuesday Trivia: Is the laugh mightier than the sword? | [
"I would like to suggest the incident of the [\" Hauptmann von Köpenick\"](_URL_0_) A small-time ex-convict in pre WWI-militaristic Germany was frustrated by his inability to get a job, or even reside in any town. He stole a captain's uniform , then marched up to some soldiers and told them to follow him. They all ... | [
"You can only have a Weekend at Bernie's situation for so long."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
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} |
Apologies if this question would be better suited to /r/homework help. For my junior history final, I'm doing a TED talk on the history of race relations in the US, why they're so divisive, and why other countries with a history of slavery have different dynamics. More info in body. | [
"Have you read Kendi's recent book on race in America, *Stamped from the beginning*? It would be a good (accessible, informative, and well-regarded--it just won two national awards) starting point for your research: _URL_0_"
] | [
"cultural inertia, the US is fairly conservative, culturally. They take a long long time to change things, and this applies to damn near everything from the things you mentioned to language, politics, and socio-economic phenomena. A lot can be said looking at who originally coloniized the US as to why this was, and... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
El Salvador’s history | [
"Awesome! I would definitely start reading these, thank you so much!"
] | [
"Connections, hard work and a cultural importance of a good education."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
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} |
I'm watching Troy right now, how do the soldiers of that time know if they're actually attacking the enemy? | [
"[Here's a link to the FAQ where this has been asked before](_URL_0_) But in short: 1) friendly fire did happen on occasion, but 2) battles didn't really look much like we see in the movies."
] | [
"Well assuming you weren't born in or around the 1980s I can see how this could be confusing. Yes it pretty much is Cowboys and Indians but with higher stakes. It's easier for ELI5 this as though you and I are allies, we need to practice what would happen if some stuff actually went down with a country that was not... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
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} |
What is the source or reason for using "Roger" when in radio communication? | [
"\"I have received all of the last transmission\". R was called Roger in the radio alphabets or spelling alphabets in use with the invention of the radio (before being replaced with Romeo). *Roger* does not mean or imply both \"received\" and \"I will comply.\" That distinction goes to the contraction *wilco* (from... | [
"I'm sorry, but what do you mean by the \"failure\" of Citizen Kane?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
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"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why did Ramón Mercader use an icepick to kill Leon Trotsky? Was it the only thing on hand? Was it symbolic? Why wouldn't he just shoot him? | [
"I am afraid there are no reliable theories supported by notable scholars. In fact, many authors - such as A. Scherbakov in his \"Russian Political Emigration\" point out their confusion considering the location of the murder, Mexican city of Coyoacan, wasn't exactly known as a hub of alpinism. There's a lot of sp... | [
"As long as I threaten you with it, you won't shoot me, and as long as you threaten me, I won't shoot you. If you start threatening me and I don't threaten back, you know that you can get away with shooting me, and you're more likely to actually do it. That's the theory behind MAD, at least."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
What are the oldest loans/debts still in existence? | [
"_URL_0_ Might be of interest to you it includes the Napoleonic War debt and public bonds in the Netherlands from 1624. Details inside!"
] | [
"It is the residents of the countries which hold the debt. The debts have different terms. China firms probably have short term debt for purchases. This will be paid quickly, in a week or at most a few months. United States debts in the form of US treasury bonds is often listed as years. The bonds will mature years... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
I've been playing Rome: Total War and want to know more about the Thracian and the Seleucid peoples | [
"Wikipedia is actually very good here. The [Seleucid Empire](_URL_0_) was one of the successor states to Alexander the Great's empire. Long story short, Alexander conquered most of the known world in less than 20 years, and then died suddenly without an heir. His empire was divided up by his generals (the Diadochi)... | [
"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... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
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} |
How big of an issue was cardio in medieval battles? | [
"As a quick addendum: what about potty breaks? Im sure they wouldn’t mind going in their armour but wouldn’t that cause it to rust / ruin faster? Plus m, diseases?"
] | [
"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 Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Would cavemen have sucidal tendencies ? At what point was suicide recognised as a phenomenon? | [
"You may have more luck getting an answer at r/askanthropology"
] | [
"I think it's because before the invention of modern medical care people had to have a keen sense of their health based on things like odors. It's an instinct left over from that time 10's of thousands of years ago. You're not disgusting. Those impulses allowed your ancient ancestors to live longer and spread their... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Psychology:"
} |
How did the "MOTHER/MOM" heart tattoo come to be the stereotypical tattoo design for use in comics and cartoons? | [
"I don't have specific answer that I can document, but I can tell you that nearly all of what we now think of as \"traditional\" tattoos --anchors, swallows, hearts and the like-- have a nautical origin and that as such, it's a good bet that \"Mom\" does too. (A tattoo artist acquaintance of mine just texted me bac... | [
"Because to most teenage boys, male genitalia is vulgar as opposed to female gentilia, which is attractive to them. The whole point in drawing a dick on something is because whoever's belonging it is, they don't want a dick on there. A nice pair of breasts however, they usually wouldn't mind. Similar to how some me... | eli5_question_answer | {
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} |
What would life have been like for a New Zealand farm labourer on his father's farm around 1914? | [
"> Just over 100,000 New Zealand troops served overseas from 1914 to 1918, from a population of barely one million. Your labourer was probably one of them. * _URL_1_ * _URL_0_"
] | [
"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:",
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} |
There exists footage of Syrian and African rebels using WWII-era German small arms and howitzers. How could massive stores of STG44s and large cannons end up in some warehouse in Syria? | [
"You might be interested in past posts on this topic: * [_How much German equipment was still in use after WW2?_](_URL_1_) ^(29 Jul 2014 | 13 comments) ^(A [deleted] user gives a detailed rundown of the fate of various German weapons after the war.) * [_The availability of surplus weapons immediately following W... | [
"Many of the weapons spread throughout Africa and the Middle East are remnants of the collapse of the U.S.S.R. There were so many spread throughout the region that when it fell many of the weapons ended up on the black market etc. That is one reason you see so many with AK's. That and AK's are one of the most relia... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
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} |
How did individuals fund their Hajj? | [
"I can't give any direct information on this topic, however I do want to point out that the stipulations for making the Hajj state that it should be carried out by Muslims who are able-bodied enough to make the journey and wealthy enough to be able to afford it. Basically, if you *can* afford the journey and are ph... | [
"How they make a living? Working in restaurants"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
How did people deal with bugs and pests in the past before chemicals and pest control? | [
"I know at least as far back as the Middle Ages, Europeans used herbs and related plants in their homes and gardens. They planted certain plants aside others to deter pests. We call that companion planting these days. They also would chop up and spread such pest detering plants around the home or place inside bed s... | [
"Probably because we are willing to use harsher chemicals on our pets than on ourselves."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
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} |
Can you think of a culture that existed 1000 years ago, anywhere on the planet, where people (at least most people) didn't believe in corporal punishment as an element of good parenting? | [
"The best I can do is point at the San people, who are hunter gatherers in the southwest of Africa. Their culture has likely persisted in the same location from the Paleolithic era, because it's so inhospitable there they wouldn't have many people trying to take from them their lands. Their childrearing philosophy ... | [
"It has been and is socially acceptably in a huge range of cultures, and not just Japan. From ancient Rome to the modern Netherlands, it has long been enshrined as acceptable in both law and custom in many different places and specific contexts. I humbly submit that you're confusing your own location with the rest ... | eli5_question_answer | {
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} |
Why do many old houses along the New England coast display pineapple iconography? | [
"It's iconography from the era of the whaling industry. According to the Nantucket Chamber of commerce, > The symbol of the pineapple, which is used in the hospitality industry, flourished on Nantucket. Sea Captains coming home after long voyages to the Pacific brought this tropical fruit and proudly displayed it ... | [
"I'm guessing on the tour they told you that it was done in the Beaux Arts French style and that the architect had styled in on the halls at Versailles. There's nothing in the Beaux Arts cannon that dictates coloration, but if you google \"Bancroft Hall\" you'll see that it has plenty of copper on the roof and in i... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
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} |
Have there been any cases of people in isolated areas not realizing there's a war going on around them? | [
"I'm not sure if this is what you meant or not, but even if it's not, it's fascinating. In WWII there were groups of natives in the pacific islands who were almost entirely ignored when the Japanese and American navies came through to build bases on their islands. Since the navies were uninterested in the natives a... | [
"Hopefully this isn't forbidden in the rules, but may I ask a question? Are there any urban legends which have been proven true? For instance, has there been a murder by gang members when an individual flashed their lights at a car one night? Did a scuba diver get sucked up in a fire fighting helicopter and plunge... | eli5_question_answer | {
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Sunday Digest | Interesting & Overlooked Posts | September 14, 2015–September 20, 2015 | [
"Weekly rundown! /u/TheoAngelopoulos on [\"Did the Greeks and Romans have any knowledge of Chandragupta and Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire?\"](_URL_2_) /u/Imperial_Affection on [\"How did storms affect medieval battles? Would armies waiting to engage the enemy call off a planned encounter if they saw a storm coming? ... | [
"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 post about News:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about News:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do some US & Canadian cities have signs that display the population? | [
"The strongest motivators are civic pride and identity. A town that has grown large might consider itself successful on that account alone. There were many towns that were founded but did not grow, and disappeared. Sometimes the town grew due to the civic leadership, sometimes it was environmental factors, but the ... | [
"If I recall correctly, they did decide to convert to the metric system a good number of years ago. so the obvious answer would be any other way then that."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
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Why do cities in the US advertise their population size on their signs? What purpose does or did it serve? | [
"Old thread, but not too much in there. u/MrDowntown gave an answer but it's unsourced. _URL_0_"
] | [
"When it comes to getting to other markets, it's all about, well, marketing. Be it word of mouth or organized advertising. I suppose part of it might be the fact that India (and the immediate region) is a huge market in and of itself so there's less incentive to try and push outwards."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
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In pre-modern times, what are the reasons to build and live in tall buildings? | [
"According to Tom Holland, the Romans built insulae for the same reason we build apartment blocks today. Land in cities was expensive to buy, so to make the best return on investment, the owners built upwards instead of outwards. Building upwards meant that you could fit more people into your building, and hence ge... | [
"I am not an expert on architecture but I think it has something to do with the time at which most of these buildings were made. Also keep in mind that even in cities with artistic buildings many will still be very basic looking because it is spatially and economically efficient."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
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Where does the image and origin of the wizard( in popular culture & imagination) come from? 🧙♂️ | [
"Without discouraging further discussion, since it answers only part of your broader question, u/TheLionHearted wrote [an answer] (_URL_0_) about the iconic pointy hat."
] | [
"So when and where did playing cards as we know them come into being anyways?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
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What was life like for a jester/royal fool on the medieval era? | [
"See also these similar questions: [What would life be like as a court Jester in the Middle Ages?](_URL_1_) [How accurate is the stereotypical \"Court Jester\" trope? How were Jesters selected for duty? Did they apply or were they chosen?](_URL_2_) [Is it true that, during Medieval Times, the court Jester could oft... | [
"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:",
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What demands would the Central Powers have demanded if they had won WWI | [
"From the sidebar: Keep in mind that this forum is for asking questions about what did happen, not what could have happened had something gone differently. For those types of questions, check out [/r/historicalwhatif](_URL_0_)."
] | [
"There isn't really an established procedure to this - it all depends on what the war was about and what the winning country wants out of it. After World War I, the victorious Allies imposed a bunch of punitive measures against Germany and the other defeated Central Powers. After World War II, the victorious Allie... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about History:",
"pos": "Represent the passage about History:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
What was the book that was published before Origin of Species that hinted at change over time in animals? | [
"Not certain about the first one- there were many many thinkers before Darwin that suggested that species change over time, though none of them quite reached his theory. Just to name a few: [De rerum natura](_URL_0_), various publications of [Leclerc](_URL_1_), the works of [Erasmus Darwin](_URL_3_) (Charles' grand... | [
"The controversial part of Darwin's theory of natural selection was not that animals change from generation to generation. That was obvious to almost all people and, as you say, farmers had been practising selective breeding for thousands of years. The controversial aspect of Darwin's theory was that over time *spe... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
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The Music Man is of course fictional, but was there a real moral panic about pool in the US in the early 20th c.? Also, was billiards seen as a wholesome game in contrast to pool? (third attempt) | [
"Follow up question: if there wasn't a moral panic related to pool or billiards, were there other similar panics in the early 20th c. US that the authors of the musical may have been inspired by?"
] | [
"An interesting read on the subject is the article *An Empire of the Obscene* in journalist Eric Schlosser's 2003 book *Reefer Madness*. It focuses on the career of Reuben Sturman, who was the biggest distributor of pornographic materials from the 60's onwards and a very big figure in the business until 1989 when h... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
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} |
How big was the profit margin for a, say portuguese trader in the 17th century? | [
"In short, it depended on what region the Portuguese were trading with. Sugar was an extremely profitable product coming from Brazil beginning in the late 16th century and through the 17th century. In Africa, gold and slaves were the valuable commodities. Trade throughout the *Estado da Índia* was much more complic... | [
"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 post:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
The siege of Candia lasted around 21 years. How the belligerents managed to stand for so long ? | [
"Both sides were supplied by sea and frequent naval action took place in attempts to block the supply for the enemy force. The siege took so long because the Ottomans were unable to completely blockade the port and the Venetians could thus supply the garrison. Candia was a strongly fortified and very good harbour f... | [
"On the European continent the French and Spanish laid siege to Gibraltar for over three years but did not succeed in capturing it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
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What's the least accurate period film you've seen? | [
"That's a hard question to answer. Should we even consider movies like \"300\" or \"A Knight's Tale\" or \"Inglorious Basterds\", when they are basically Monty Python movies as far as the history goes? I think a better question might be \"what do period films get wrong even when they are trying to get it right?\""
... | [
"The problem with this question is that it's very subjective. Everyone has their own opinion on what is or isn't good. Good Acting - Did you believe the characters? Good writing - Did you enjoy the story and dialogue? Good Directing - Did you enjoy the film? The normal audience opinion doesn't matter any less than ... | eli5_question_answer | {
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In 1967, 90% of Australia voted "yes" in a referendum to recognise Aboriginals as Australian citizens. With such overwhelming public support, what did the "no" campaign look like? | [
"I'm curious as to the popularity of the vote among the Aboriginal peoples. Did they favor citizenship, independence or a separate status?"
] | [
"Australia's WW2 Prime Minister, John Curtin, protested during WW1 against both the war and the possible introduction of conscription (which was not introduced due to opposition from the Australian voters) and was arrested. I believe this makes him the only Australian Prime Minister to have spent time behind bars. ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer about history:"
} |
X-posted from Ask Reddit: As an English speaker, how long into the past would I have to go before I couldn't converse with an Englishman? | [
"[From the FAQ.](_URL_0_) TL;DR, around the early 1500s, though things would still be a bit weird by the mid-late 1500s. The first video link, with the 1500-1600 pronounciation, is dead, and I don't remember what exactly it was, but [this is very similar.](_URL_1_)"
] | [
"You can say the words out loud, but you can't really \"speak\" it, because it's not a living language with real speakers. You can only study it. Even if you do speak to other Latin scholars, since there aren't any native Latin speakers you won't know if you're pronouncing it like it would have been in ancient Rome... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
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} |
Tall ships and fish. | [
"No, people on ships (at least during the period I study) did not generally rely on fish as a main source of food -- at least not fresh fish, unless they could fish or buy fish inshore. The reason is that most of the world's fisheries are in shallow waters near shore, or offshore in shallow waters like the Grand Ba... | [
"TYL the highest mountains in florida are landfills."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
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Is the Ancient Egyptian word for cat, "Mau", inspired by their meow? | [
"This would've been a good candidate for the \"Short Answers to Simple Questions\" thread since there is not much to say on the topic, but yes. In the *Etymological Dictionary of Egyptian* (Vol. 3 p. 134), Gábor Takács notes that the word is \"purely onomatopoetic\" and there is \"thus no reason to search for Afro-... | [
"Because the name translates to Joshua in English. Edit: And we differentiate the Son of God by using Jesus, (the Greek name for Joshua)."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
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WW2-94. Any successful Invasion to democracy examples. What lead to the success? | [
"Japan and West Germany. Ingredients for success: * Leaving much of the bureaucracy intact * The Soviet threat that pretty much forced the Germans and Japanese to cast their lot with the US * I suppose the Marshall Plan helped too"
] | [
"Not have most of their forces across the Atlantic ocean?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
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} |
Are there examples of First Nations/Indigenous peoples causing environmental harm? | [
"While waiting for an answer this post by /u/tsaihi answer some of what you are looking for and more: _URL_0_"
] | [
"Book Request: Looking for reading on the settlement of Alaska and/or the Canadian far west. Subjects could include exploration, gold rush, economic development, interactions with indigenous populations, etc. All suggestions, general or specific, appreciated!"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
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"neg": "Represent the sentence about Literature:"
} |
Around 1700, Scotland attempted to start a small colony in Panama, in an area Spain had claimed. They were forced out after a Spanish blockade. Did the Scots anticipate this response? If so, why did they still attempt to create this colony? | [
"The Darien Scheme ruined the Scottish Coffers, both the royal as well as private ones. Turns out there really isn't that much arable land or mineable resources in Panama given the technology at the time (also really dense jungle). Those who set out mostly died in horrible ways from tropical diseases unfamiliar to ... | [
"The British were resettling these places with their own people. When the U.S. became independent, they were taken seriously be the Europeans, they understand European diplomacy, and how to navigate European politics, and how to utilize European technology. Spanish colonies kept the native populations, and just had... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
When did Space become known as Space, and what was it called before that? | [
"The term \"space\" was first used to mean the region beyond Earth's sky by John Milton in his 1667 novel Paradise Lost. The term \"outer space\" was first recorded later actually, as an astronomical term used by Alexander von Humboldt in 1845. H.G. Wells popularized the phrase through his writings in the 1900s. So... | [
"To be a little less specific, what did people think the future in general would be like before the Industrial Revolution?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
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} |
What is (and isn't) history? | [
"Twenty years is generally regarded as the break point between journalism and history. At the other end and going back in time, history is generally regarded as being supplanted by archaeology when the perception of the past is defined by artifacts rather than the written word. Both zones are a bit grey, however. F... | [
"What do you want to know about them exactly?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why have I never heard about the English Armada? | [
"> year later there was an English Armada which seems to have been just as devastating for the English in virtually identical circumstances. Note that this is more of a question than an answer: Is this really the case? From what I recall, the significance of the Spanish Armada was that it paved the way for the ris... | [
"Are you sure they were defeated at all?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why was clause 23 included in the Magna Carta? | [
"[I remembered an earlier post with similar information in the answer](_URL_0_)! It isn’t exact though, so I’ll be fascinated to see direct answers here! /u/sunagainstgold"
] | [
"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 query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
My chemistry text says Aristotle's view that matter was continuous put off exploration of atomic theory until the 17th century. Were there any explorations prior to this? | [
"I'm not sure if this is precisely what you are asking, but there were certainly \"atomists\" in ancient Greece. The outstanding example is [Democritus](_URL_0_), who held that change was possible via the action of multiple individual unchanging things (atoms) that make up the large and complex things we see and in... | [
"The prevailing model of physics prior to special and general relativity was Newtonian. Under Newtonian mechanics, there is no theoretical maximum speed. Prior to the 17th century and the work of Ole Rømer, Light was believed to be an instantaneous phenomenon, however it was not until much later, around the turn of... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Are there any sources for the Liechtenstein Army story about them going to war with 80 soldiers and coming back with 81? | [
"There is a source, but according to this source, the story is only half-true. As is described in the link you posted, the story took place during the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. The contingent was stationed in Southern Tyrol, where they were supposed to guard the Austrian/Liechtenstein border against Italian troo... | [
"Towards what end? They have rugged, mountainous terrain unsuitable for tank battles and mandatory military service for all able-bodied male citizens. Their military is also open to women, though I don't think it was in the 1930s. It's a lot of work for not much. The germans prefered to work with neutral Swiss bank... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Books about the "Great Game" | [
"I assume you are taking about the contest between Britain and Russia in Central Asia? Peter Hopkirk's *The Great Game* work is a classic. It focuses on the agents involved and their expeditions and schemes. Very readable."
] | [
"Possibly \"After the Reich: The Brutal History of the Allied Occupation\" or \"Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II\" \"Postwar\" is an excellent book."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How did human species protect themshelves before the ability to make tools? | [
"Since toolmaking by hominids far predates written history, this question is better asked in r/askanthropology"
] | [
"It's an evolutionary adaptation that is obsolete now that humans have invented brown pants."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Did any of the people involved in Georges Milies' A Trip to the Moon live to see the 1969 moon landing? | [
"I'm not sure if IMDB is a reputable source, but according to it, [Henri Delannoy](_URL_0_), who played the Captain of the rocket, lived until 1976."
] | [
"The Soviets landed an unmanned probe on the moon 10 years before we landed a human. So, we knew that we wouldn't sink in or burn up."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
What was the first documented case of a "retro" movement? | [
"The first thing that pops to mind is Roman emperors and generals like Pompey Magnus emulating Alexander's swept-back \"anastole\" hairstyle to appear more dashing. In fact, in studying Roman coins and busts, you can see how certain hairstyles, or the idea of wearing a beard, come in and out of \"official\" fashion... | [
"They don't; you're thinking of a different kind of battery."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
How realistic was the "Business Plot" to overthrow FDR using WWI vets. | [
"I can give you the official line from the McCormack–Dickstein Committee (forerunner to [HUAC](_URL_0_) which is : > In the last few weeks of the committee's official life it received evidence showing that certain persons had made an attempt to establish a fascist organization in this country. No evidence was pres... | [
"Smedly Butler wrote the book \"War is a Racket\" in 1935. It was a scathing indictment on the US intervention in WWI. Butler was hardly alone. Look into the Nye Committee, a congressional investigation into the \"Merchents of Death\". The businessmen of the munitions industry are said to have lied the Americans in... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
How long have bolts/nuts and screws existed? Do we know who invented them, or what culture they arose from? | [
"Although I don't know who definitively invented them (although I suspect it was the ancient Greeks), I can tell you that they existed at least as early as Imperial Rome and Byzantium. In military sections of works such as *De Ceremoniis Aulae Byzantinae* (10th Century AD), logistical lists and descriptions mention... | [
"So when and where did playing cards as we know them come into being anyways?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Bought an old house - why does every interior door have a deadbolt? | [
"Is it possible that your house was once a boarding house, and the locks were to give the residents some privacy?"
] | [
"Because with a cheap lock, you can do it. _URL_0_ It's now become completely overused in media, but with a cheap lock, the locking mechanism only makes it so you can't turn the handle. If that's the case, and if you can fit the credit card inbetween the door, there's a chance you can reach the bolt and actually pu... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Have political cartoons ever been that important? Which are some of the most significant? | [
"[Thomas Nast](_URL_0_), who did cartoons for *Harper's Weekly*, which was incredibly popular in the United States in the second half of the 19th century. His most famous cartoons targeted the corrupt regime of Boss William Tweed and Tammany Hall, which had a vice-grip on the politics of New York City. When Tweed f... | [
"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 title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer about Literature:"
} |
In Asterix & Obelix there was a particular scene about huge amounts of cheese being molten and eaten, can you give me some historical context for this? | [
"If it is indeed [the fondue scene from *Asterix in Switzerland*](_URL_3_) that you are talking about, there is no evidence that the Romans had anything like it. The first known piece of evidence for something resembling fondue is a recipe for \"Käss mit Wein zu kochen\", in English \"To cook cheese with wine\", fo... | [
"Follow up question/example: When I was at Herculaneum, which in the famous eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD was destroyed and preserved, I remember seeing adverts as you describe. I remember it was an advert in big red script outside of a street cafe or bakery of some sort. This might be a good example to use if someo... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
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