query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1 value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
What was the first "country" to receive support from the U.S. to fight an common enemy, yet only later to become hostile towards America, resulting in conflict? | [
"Both France and Spain were allies during the revolutionary war whose relations with the United States soured very quickly after American independence. Americans wanted control of Florida and the mouth of the Mississippi river, a fact well known by the Spanish Crown, and there were numerous American filibuster expe... | [
"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 title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
"USA won every single battle in Vietnam". I often hear this claim when it comes to Vietnam war, how much truth is there to it? | [
"Right off the top of my head, Kham Duc was a tactical defeat for the US, so there's already your loss. Winning a battle and achieving your objectives are two different things. Tactical victory implies you held the field and drove the enemy off, but tactical victories do not matter as strategic objectives might be ... | [
"The name calling is used to silence and nullify their arguments. In WW2 France made a lot of poor decisions when it came to defense. The Germans broke through and stormed Paris, which was given up without a fight. The reality of the situation is more complex, but the obviously childish sentiment is fun to join in ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Economics after the French revolution | [
"Is this a homework question? It says in our rules: > 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 to us wit... | [
"Only if the federal government let it. See: American Civil War"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
In 'The Borgias' a character is depicting visiting an opium den. Did these institutions exist in 15th Century Rome and Italy? | [
"No. Opium smoking started sometime in the 16th century in China, and wasn't popular enough for there to be 'opium dens' until the 18th century or so. Most accounts of opium dens in Europe are 19th or early 20th century."
] | [
"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 title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
I want to become a Historian. Should I do it? Is it worth it? | [
"If you love it, go for it. But wait until you try out some senior-level university courses, since that's when you first start getting a taste of actual historical study. Graduate school is pricey and it can be hard to get a teaching position. It varies a lot, though. You almost *have* to be willing to move and lea... | [
"Related question: What if I want to become a mercenary? What do I do?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Are there any historically accurate movies depicting/focusing on naval warfare? | [
"I'm not an expert but I believe that Master & Commander, while not based on any real historical occurrence, does a very good job with portraying naval warfare in the 19th century. The uniforms, the weapons, organizational hierarchy are all in line with history - there isn't really anything that's out of place/time... | [
"I recently listened to a podcast that was about the British operation ‘Mincemeat’ in WW2. Can anyone recommend any books/websites/podcasts that are about British or American secret missions that involved out of the box thinking? Edit: does not specifically need to be about WW2."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Literature:"
} |
How did people from Ancient Greece keep their bodies amazingly fit? | [
"You might also be interested in /u/iphikrates' answer to [Did Socrates even lift?](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"We learned about germs... Hygiene keeps us healthy, We now live way longer than our ancestors."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Where can I find a critique of Zinn's A People's history of the United States | [
"You could start with the AskHistorians FAQ, [which has a section devoted to precisely this question](_URL_0_)."
] | [
"Well, if you want general history books about the US from the right and from the left, then read *A People's History of the United States* by Howard Zinn (left) And from the right, *A Patriot's History of the United States*."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Empires in Europe were at times forced to borrow to fund their military campaigns. How much influence, if any, did the interests of the creditors of Charles V and other rulers of the time period have on the internal politics and foreign policy decisions? | [
"This is not exactly the same as what you wanted - but the English Parliament under Charlies II funded an ambitious foreign policy in return for leeway and influence over religious policy. Grants from Parliament in 1665-7 provided £5367000 for the war against the Dutch. Parliament helped by passing the Navigation A... | [
"The British Empire was not developed through a grand scheme, but through gradual development. Trade deals with local chiefs could expand to settlements and extraterritorial rights, and eventually to a protectorate or formal incorporation into the Empire, over the course of centuries in many cases. British colonial... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Hollywood history - How did you get info in Hollywood before IMDB/Studio System/ internet resources? Was there a Thomas Guide for credits? | [
"There are many trade publications and fan magazines. The one that would contain info on people in the industry it The Film Daily Year Book. There are other magazines that focused on a certain specialty in film, such as projection.While fan magazines contained information on new films, actors and gossip. To find t... | [
"Before google, there was altavista. Before the \"internet\" there was AOL, Prodigy, Compuserve & Delphi all of which you had forums to ask questions and online encyclopedias, etc. Before those online encyclopedias you had BBSs, which had FidoNET, RIME, etc which also connected to USENet, so kinda like Reddit is t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
AMA Announcement Thread - this time with a passle of historians! | [
"It's great that these people are willing to do AMAs, they all should be very interesting. Also props to the people organising these AMAs - awesome work!"
] | [
"The mods have made this the official thread for the topic. Please post related questions here to avoid flooding ELI5 with very similar questions. Thanks!"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
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18th century Clothing, names and description. | [
"Most of the \"proper\" names are French, the fashion came from France, and since most of the elite spoke this language (a bit like English now), they rather had no problem with naming their clothes in French ;). So, although the names of these things are usually existent in English, French names are much more prec... | [
"British Empire -- > Post-WW2 / Cold War America -- > British and American pop culture -- > Silicon Valley."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Vonnegut says that the Texas Revolution was based on the idea that Mexico had outlawed slavery, which caused Texas to rebel. Any truth to that? | [
"Kind of a perfect storm.The Texans wanted slave ownership legal and church attendance voluntary; the Mexican government forbid slave ownership and had mandatory Catholic church membership. Not a few Texans had \"absquatulated\" from Mississippi and the South, losing their plantations and fleeing their debts when J... | [
"The American Revolution was the war that led the American being a nation independent of England. The Civil War was later, when a bunch of states decided they wanted to be their own country, and we had a long and bloody war to prevent it. It was over a lot of issues, slavery being a big one, but the outcome was, ba... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Good Books on Tenochtitlan? | [
"I recommend Barbara E. Mundy's recent book *The Death of Aztec Tenochtitlan, the Life of Mexico City* and also her article [\"Mapping the Aztec Capital: The 1524 Nuremberg Map of Tenochtitlan, Its Sources and Meanings.\"](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"High Crime + Dwindling Population + Crumbling Infrastructure + Diminishing Jobs = Perceived Shithole."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
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What philosophy/methodology is there to historical analysis? | [
"I don't want to discourage other answers, but I think [this thread](_URL_0_) may be in the neighborhood of what you are looking for. Provided, of course, that I've understood your question correctly. Basically, the thread goes into some detail regarding Great Man Theory, Trends and Forces, and how historians going... | [
"Can anyone suggest respected works that deal, on a theoretical level, with the concept of elites? Specifically from the standpoint of history."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
In the United Nations, is the U.S. still entitled to two additional seats? | [
"This submission has been removed because it involves current events. To keep from discussion of politics, we have a [20-year rule](_URL_0_) here. You may want to try /r/ask_politics or another current-events focused sub."
] | [
"Because the UN does not have the power to do this. Such an order would have to come from the UN Security Council, where most of these countries have veto power."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Could children vote before the 26th Amendment? | [
"Basically, yes it was to unify the voting system. The law was you had to be 21 to vote in federal elections. Some states allowed 18-20 year olds to vote in state elections. There was a big push to lower the voting age to 18 since 18 year olds were being drafted to fight in Vietnam."
] | [
"They can. Specifically, by amendment. Example: The 18th amendment outlawed alcohol. The 21st amendment reversed the 18th."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Did people really lock up physically or mentally deformed family members in basements and attics or is this an invention of the horror genre? | [
"Thus far, every single response to this question has needed to be deleted for being a joke, speculation, or both. A reminder, then, to all who enter with the intention to post: This is AskHistorians, there are [rules](_URL_1_), and they will be enforced. [Do not post](_URL_0_) if you are not able to provide an inf... | [
"This photograph looks to be staged. It is possible that this photo was created as a form of commentary, and does not capture an image of something that literally was happening. Do you know where it came from? While I have never heard of children in the United States being sold in large numbers during the Great De... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Did the intolerable acts only apply to the colony of Massachusetts? | [
"The Wiki entry on the Intolerable Acts is good. Two of the acts, the Port of Boston Act and the Massachusetts Government Act applied only to Massachusetts. Two other acts, the Quartering Act and the Administration of Justice Act applied to all the Colonies but were directed at problems that had been particularly t... | [
"Follow up. If the American colonies were so upset by the raised taxes from the French and Indian war how did other British colonies view the war of independence?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
How did the Romans manage to deal with a phalanx's extreme range advantage? | [
"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... | [
"Mostly because that's generally not how premodern armies approached infantry combat; you kept your shield between you and the enemy, relied on the men next to you to cover you from attacks from the side, and thrust with your sword or spear. For hoplites, there's no point in having a spear if you're going to be fig... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Could someone please explain the WWII "Foo Fighters"? | [
"There's someone here who studies the history of UFO reports, he did an [AMA](_URL_2_) a while ago which was quite interesting. You might find some 'answers' there. If you want to read more on well-documented reports with multiple reliable eyewitnesses or physical evidence to back them up I suggest Leslie Kean's b... | [
"I'd have a tough time explaining this better than the answer enshrined in the Five Year Old's Guide to the Galaxy: _URL_0_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
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} |
What is the historical background for 1997’s most catchy British protest song, Tubthumping? | [
"[Tubthumping](_URL_15_) was a song written by Chumbawumba in the 1990's somewhere in between a response to mining strikes in the UK and a bet that they could easily produce a song with mainstream appeal while maintaining their political affectations as a decidedly anarchist band. The result is an odd mixture of p... | [
"Too catchy to ignore, too generic to like."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
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} |
How meddlesome were Churchill and Roosevelt in military affairs during WWII, and did this result in any notable failures? | [
"Yes, two decisions made by Churchill which had detrimental to the war effort was 1) The decision to intervene in Greece in 1941 when Germany invaded which resulted in the defeat of Commonwealth forces there. Not only that, but it quite possibly derived Wavell of the reserves he needed to finish off the Libyan cam... | [
"A follow up question, how was General Pershing viewed by American generals during World War 2? Was he involved in raising war bonds or other positions away from the front lines or back at home? Thank you in advance!"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
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} |
What is the legitimacy and/or likelihood of the supposed connection between the Zuni people? | [
"Considering how strong of an isolationist tradition Japan has I find this very unlikely. The journey from Japan to Southern California would have been unprecedented, as the only journeys remotely comparable came about a century after the author dates the supposed arrival of the Japanese in America, with Zheng He's... | [
"Just a follow-up question to the original question - what about the reverse. What was Napoleon's view of the United States?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
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Can anybody identify/give context to this photo from 1991 Russia? | [
"[This Czech article](_URL_0_) has the photo in black and white and the caption says it's Navy Day. They attribute it to what appears to be a stock photo website. I don't see any other sailors, though, and in my experience, Navy Day is a raucous occasion with sailors everywhere, especially places like the Arbat. [T... | [
"Did you mean in the USA, or in Japan?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
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Parachuting into battle during WW II | [
"While the AA fire appears to \"miss\" the planes, those flakk guns are really sending large shells into the air, which then proceed to fill it with shrapnel. With as delicate as even a \"armored\" plane is, they really didn't respond well to have many many small bits of metal making a mess of their engines, contro... | [
"Europe blew itself up with WW1 and WW2."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about World Affairs:"
} |
How did flipping a coin become a way to easily make decisions? | [
"Coin flipping as we know it was used by the Romans. The Romans knew it as [Navia aut Caput](_URL_3_), ship or head. Many coins had a ship on one side and the head of the emperor on the other. Coins such as a [silver denarius](_URL_0_) issued by Marc Anthony around 32 b.c. or a [debased quinarius](_URL_1_) minted u... | [
"You're not actually going to be able to get a solid answer. The decision itself is left to people who are not supposed to reveal their secrets."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
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} |
Where did the practice of flipping a coin to make a decision come from? | [
"See [this](_URL_0_) post from a couple of years back. The practice probably dates back to the beginning of coinage."
] | [
"The answer to your question differs very greatly depending on where you live."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
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Historians, How did Brian Boru rise to power in 1002? | [
"paging /u/depanneur! meanwhile, I thought there had been a few discussions about Brian Boru so I took a look around for you. Turns out there's not much, but since you asked for \"any additional interesting info\", here what turned up: * [Tuesday Trivia | Unsung heroes](_URL_1_) * [What was warfare like in Ireland... | [
"What drugs were popular in 19th century Britain?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
When did people start "believing" in aliens and flying saucers? What are the causes of this cultural phenomenon? Did other, older cultures ever have beliefs in alien visitors? | [
"Similar questions have been asked before, so take a look at these for some previous responses [Did the Romans or other ancient civilizations ever report paranormal phenomena such as ghosts, aliens, UFOs, etc?](_URL_5_) [When was the earliest written reference to aliens?](_URL_2_) [When did the concept of life on o... | [
"Mostly everything on the History Channel about Ancient Alien theory is sensationalist bulllshit. Their way of explaining it is usually along the lines of \"We don't quite understand how ancient people achieved this, or what these symbols that kinda sorta look like spaceships mean, therefore:aliens.\" That being s... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Best single book for a summary of all history? | [
"I'd recommend McNeil, McNeil, *The Human Web*. But of course, keep in mind the practical difficulty, or rather impossibility, of a meaningful single volume summary of the entirety of history. The reason I would recommend this book is because authors are well aware of it, not just as a convenient disclaimer in thei... | [
"What do you mean by downfall? This is still a dominant part of current culture."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Education:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Education:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Would the Greeks have known what monkeys were before Alexander's campaign in the east? | [
"I've never seen the 2004 film, but that's an absurd implication. Several frescoes from Akrotiri depict monkeys, and there's a fresco at Knossos that depicts these funky-looking green monkeys. Heracles is supposed to have been laughed at by the mischievous Cercopes, whose name means tail-men, and who were supposedl... | [
"There was *Garam*, of course, which would have traveled with the Romans - by 'Eastern Europe' what are you thinking about? The Romans conquered Dacia in the very early 2nd C AD."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
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AskHistorians Podcast 072 - Politics and the Kansas-Nebraska Act | [
"It was a tremendous pleasure to be a guest on my favorite podcast. Thanks to /u/400-Rabbits for having me. I'll have further reading and a small errata document up shortly. It's all written, I'm just listening to the episode again (literally as I write this) to make sure I know where the cut is so I don't miss any... | [
"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:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
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} |
AskHistorians Podcast 073 - Politics and the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Part 2 | [
"Hello listeners, As before I'm listening through the episode right now to be sure I caught any errors I made and can key in my works cited to the final cut. Look for both soon."
] | [
"1. The First Salute by Barbara Tuchman 2. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown 3. The Civil War by Shelby Foote 4. Reconstruction by Eric Foner 5. The Proud Tower by Barbara Tuchman 6. Parting the Waters by Taylor Branch 7. Brute Force: Allied Strategy and Tactics in the Second World War by John Ellis 8. The... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Did the Western Allies ever develop something similar to the Blitzkrieg "doctrine" or the Soviet Deep Operations doctrine? | [
"There were at least two major encirclement-type operations by the Allies in western Europe; the Falaise Pocket during the breakout from Normandy, and the Ruhr pocket after crossing the Rhein (the first *mostly* successful, the second almost entirely). The Allies were entirely willing to try encirclements when the ... | [
"In \"When Titans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler,\" (a solid overview source) Glantz & House mention that Shock Armies typically used to force a breakthrough of the enemy front; after forcing the breakthrough, mechanized forces would exploit the breakthrough and try to effect a wide encirclement of the en... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
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} |
In September 1911, police arrested poet Guillaume Apollinaire and painter Pablo Picasso on suspicion that they stole the Mona Lisa. What do we know about why the police suspected them? | [
"The late John Richardson outlined the story in his biography of Picasso, v. 2. Picasso was in the midst of his movement into Cubism , and had gotten very enthralled by African and primitive art. Security at the Louvre was lax, and a man who had been a secretary to Apollinaire was stealing things and re-selling the... | [
"Many believe her fame reached its peak during 1911 when she went missing from the Lourve in Paris for almost 2 years only to be found safe and sound. The only damage done to the Mona Lisa was the fact that she had been returned without any eyebrows. To this day scholars and historians alike wonder what happened to... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
[Meta] Africanists of /r/AskHistorians, are you going to African Studies Assoc. 2014 in Indianapolis? The proposal deadline is TODAY! | [
"I've been edging against it, in part because I'm tired, and in part because I'm not sure I have a theme-worthy paper to share or can get one put together in time. Maybe I'll submit one anyway."
] | [
"Why is election on weekdays instead of weekends?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
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What happened to concubines when they started to age? | [
"As it stands, your question is incredibly broad, covering thousands of years across the whole world and thus falling under our No Example Seeking rule. Could you please narrow down your focus a bit?"
] | [
"As an additional question for when this gets answered, what about children birthed to concubines of royalty? Would they be royalty as well?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
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Book suggestions: Books written about the Pearl Harbor attacks between 1.) 1942-1946 and 2.) 1946-1961 | [
"#1942-1946 *We Cannot Escape History* by **John T. Whitaker**, Published in 1943 This 1943 book goes into detail for the first 300 pages or so about the nature of war, who will lead Britain after Winston Churchill, Nazi Germany, and France's future. Seeing as this is a book published so close to Pearl Harbor itsel... | [
"Gen X are the post Baby Boomers: 1960's - early 1980's. Gen Y/Millenials: Early 1980's- Early 2000's"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
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Already asked this question to /r/askhistory a while ago and I got some great answers but I want more info. What allowed the U.S. and Canada to be more successful than the rest of the American continent. | [
"Someone will answer this better than I can, but Spanish and Portuguese colonialism in the rest of the Americas was based around producing only one or two plantation crops or mining a couple of mineral resources. In British North America, the economy was more centered on production and trade and didn't suffer from ... | [
"For one thing, the American revolution happened relatively early on in the history of the British Empire, so American culture has had more time to diverge from British culture. Where as Canada had continued British influence, even to the present day to some extent. Other colonies such as Australia and New Zealand ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about History:",
"pos": "Represent the text about History:",
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Need advice on potentially going to grad school for history | [
"I'm just typing this from mobile and will add more to it later, but if you suffer from anxiety and depression, academia may not be the best choice for you. And I say this not to be discouraging, but because it can be *tough*. I'm currently doing my PhD in medical history and definitely wished I listened to everyon... | [
"You can, but you'll need to find a university that offers one. I've got a friend with an undergrad in physical education and a masters in martial arts instruction. I don't remember though where he got his Master's, but I think it was a smaller school."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
2018 in Reading: Share Your Reading List from the Past Year, and Plans for the Next One! | [
"2018 feels like a really long year, way longer than it was. Probably my favorite book I read in 2018 was Christopher Duffy's *Through German Eyes: The British and the Somme 1916*. Loved how he took a unique perspective on the battle (at least from what I've generally seen of English language treatments of the batt... | [
"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 Literature:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Literature:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How did people record the year before we used "b.c./ b.c.e." and "a.c./ c.e." to reference the year? | [
"More can always be said, but [this section of our FAQ](_URL_0_) may be of some interest to you."
] | [
"A.D. Is not after death. There would be time missing in between where Christ was alive. It mean anno Domino (in the year of the Lord). Edit: Towards the end of high school teachers began using B.C.E. which stands for Before Common Era. C.E. can be used in place of A.D. for Common Era."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
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Was it ever actually customary to offer a cigarette to a condemned man, a soldier perhaps, about to be executed by firing squad? Or is this just a Hollywood embellishment? | [
"Kinda related question: What are the first records of a last meal being offered to those about to be executed?"
] | [
"The phrase 'A bullet with your name on it' is the idea that out there somewhere, sitting in a box or a rifle, is the bullet that will kill you. This is an idea that has been around for a while, beginning with the phrase 'Every bullet has it's billet' first seen in print in 'E Cobhams Dictionary of Phrase and Fable... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Early/Ancient Man-Made Toxic Sites? | [
"A partial answer to your first question, and a request to the Roman experts. The Romans had a cinnabar mine at what is now Almaden, Spain. Cinnabar is the ore containing mercury. It looks kind of like reddish quartz, and if you grind it up you get a nice red powder that the Romans used for paint and cosmetics. If ... | [
"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 answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
German UBoat small arms | [
"This would be for a Type VII. > 3 x Machine Guns with 6000 rds each > 5 x Sub-Machine Guns with 384 rds each > 5 x Mauser Pistols with 56 rds each > 5 x Mauser Rifles + Bayonets with 90 rds each"
] | [
"A google search leads me to believe it is a Belgian Commando Beret form the Congo"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Wednesday What's New in History | November 16, 2016 | [
"Well, in more frustrating news, the Guardian is apparently reporting that [three Dutch warships](_URL_20_) have disappeared, and [three British vessels and an American submarine have been illegaly salvaged](_URL_19_). I don't know how reliable the Guardian is when it comes to reports like these. If it's true, it'... | [
"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 query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
What is the earliest example of writing about Sharks and how were they described? | [
"Well, the word \"shark\" *possibly* comes from the Mayan word \"xoc,\" which moved into English in 1569, thanks to Captain John Hawkins. That's the story according to Tom Jones in [\"The Xoc, the Sharke and the Sea Dogs: An Historical Encounter.\"](_URL_0_). That essay has quite a few 1500s-ish descriptions of \"t... | [
"What period and country are you asking about? There’s no context in your question."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about language:",
"pos": "Represent the answer about language:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Would like some help identifying the origin of this trebuchet design currently being deployed by the rebel forces in Syria. | [
"This doesn't fall within the normal guidelines of this subreddit which is a pity as it's a clean design that comes straight out of classical mechanics and likely has a historical precursor as a variation on various ideas seen historic trebuchets. The horizontal is the firing arm, the little hook on the left is ... | [
"Since nobody else has mentioned it, I frequently hear about conscripted forces being used to man the defenses at Normandy. Is this true? What is the ratio of conscripted to german troops?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
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I've heard that 300 is a common number in ancient texts signifying some great number. Is this is true, does this cast doubt about the 300 Spartans? | [
"It may be that 300 could be used as a formulaic large number in some contexts, but it seems unlikely in the case of Herodotus' or Diodorus Siculus' estimates of the Greek army at Thermopylae, since both use larger numbers for other groups - for example, Herodotus has the Tegeans and Mantineans both sending 500 sol... | [
"There are calculations based on the lifetimes of people mentioned specifically in the Old Testament that trace a continuous line right from the start of around 6000 years to now. So that's how old the earth is. But you have to believe in the absolutely literal interpretation of the Old Testament, that;s a relative... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
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"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
How accurate is Hollywood's standard depiction of cowboy dress in the Old West? | [
"Not discouraging anyone from chipping in more info on this, particularly regarding your specific examples, but, FYI, there are a few posts related to western movie dress in this section of the FAQ* that can get you started: [Did people really wear such heavy/ornate clothing?](_URL_0_) *see the \"popular questions\... | [
"Not only were they not as common none of the violence was as common as portrayed in westerns. Bank Robberies were no more prevalent than they are today. In fact in my city St. Louis they are more common. The cattle town of Tombstone famous for gang shootouts.......4 deaths the year of the shootout at OK corral. So... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about movie accuracy:",
"pos": "Represent the document about movie accuracy:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Any non-fiction recommendation for books on Eleanor of Aquitaine? | [
"I have read \"Eleanor of Aquitaine\" by Alison Weir. It is a biography, not fiction, and it is pretty exhaustive; first published in 1999, so it his up to date. It is popular history, to be sure. Keep in mind that Weir also wrote an historical fiction novel on Eleanor in 2010, called \"The Captive Queen\" - quite ... | [
"Are there any good introduction books to historiography in general? JFK in particular? Thank you"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Can videos be considered a primary source? | [
"Librarian hat on! Depends on the video. \"Text\" by itself does not tell you if something is a primary source (like a letter or email), secondary source (essay or book), or a tertiary source (like an encyclopedia), likewise, \"video\" does not tell you what sort of source it is, by itself. Here's some examples t... | [
"In my view, as a teacher, and former professor, the purpose of an interview requirement is to use primary sources: asking people who were there. Otherwise, you can efficiently read a historian's account. Did the teacher approve your topic already?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
It's reported that following the shooting of Ronald Reagan, some students at UC Berkeley celebrated the idea of the president dying. Were there any similar public reactions in response to the assassination of John Kennedy? | [
"What newspaper? If it isn't from Berkeley it may be something projected upon a known bastion of liberalism - and it may not have happened. What is your source?"
] | [
"No, they don't pay. Major presidential candidates get Secret Service protection; this has been standard after the 1968 assassination of candidate Robert F. Kennedy."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
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} |
How does the HRE compare to the EU? | [
"Confusingly; it's rather an apples-to-oranges comparison. For one thing, the HRE existed over a period of nearly a thousand years, and underwent several structural changes in that period; the HRE of one century and the HRE of another could be very different entities to compare to the EU. For another thing, the HRE... | [
"OP, how about a short explanation about how you know this?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Wednesday AMA | September Schedule Announced | [
"I don't want to volunteer, but I just wanted to say that I've really been enjoying this series, and the \"days\" in general."
] | [
"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:"
} |
Which famous person instructed a disciple of his to kill him, because he thought he had figured out what lies beyond life? | [
"Could you slightly be misremembering the story of Socrates' death? The Platonic version has him explaining to his followers why they should not regret his death before he commits suicide."
] | [
"Because the believed: * the CIA was about to parachute in and torture their children * they were going to live on in a new plane of existence That is one of the true horrors of religion. Great evil can be tolerated, because it will always be balanced by eternal bliss."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
The Three Fifths Compromise was made to make sure Slaves wouldn't give southern states too much power in the House of Representatives. Were northern abolitionists concerned that ending slavery would end this check on the South's power? | [
"No - in fact they (correctly) believed the opposite. At the beginning of the secession movement, most Southern seats in congress were controlled by Democrats, while most Northern seats were held by Republicans, who had close ties to the abolitionists. After emancipation, slaves naturally gravitated to the Republic... | [
"Two reasons: * The people who wrote the constitution thought that the general public in some states couldn't possibly be informed enough about candidates in states far from them. * The electoral college system gives small states more weight then they would have with a popular vote system. The creation of this syst... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Want to study a war where a country/state is in between two other countries/states. Historical examples? | [
"France/Belgium/Germany seems relevant. Sandwiched between both major powers, Belgium was used by the Germans as a backdoor into France in both World Wars. Is that helpful? In truth I'm a little confused as to what exactly your looking for. Could you elaborate a bit more? Perhaps if you give us some insight as to t... | [
"There is no way someone can explain the entirety of the foreign policy of any great power in a single reddit post. Russian foreign policy where, regarding what? Russia has a \"foreign policy\" that regards 190 states individually. Ask a more specific question."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Help me understand the fetishism of commodities? | [
"You'll first want to understand that when he uses the term \"fetish\" here, he's not doing so in the sexual context more common to us today, he's referring to fetishes as religious icons. In that context, a fetish is believed to be a sort of conduit between a worshipper and the god or spirit represented by the fet... | [
"Reading that literally made me yawn. How is that related to the contagiousness?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Did scientists have any expectations as to what the Trinity-explosion would look like, and if so, how accurate were these predictions? | [
"I wonder whether u/RestrictedData knows the answers to the following three Qs as well: - why was it \"golden, violet, gray, and blue?\" what caused these *particular* hues? - would this light have been any different from other *kinds* of light (e.g., sunlight) in its effect/aesthetic/appearance? if so, in what *... | [
"> Was it ever recreated or or successful in any way? It was almost certainly made up by the Polish journalist Igor Witkowski in order to sell his books about alleged \"wonder weapons\" of the Nazis. There is no evidence that anything of the sort ever existed or was attempted, so certainly there is no way to recrea... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Historians, what offensive beliefs can we pardon long-dead figures for and what should we hold them in contempt for? | [
"This is a question about moral judgement, not historical fact. Historians are no more qualified to answer this question than any other person."
] | [
"You need to look at it form the other direction. The atrocities the Nazis committed are used to invalidate many of the the positions they held. So if you support some of those ideals, in order to make them valid, you need to find ways to minimize their culpability in committing those atrocities."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
How does it come that Malaysia and Singapore have a better relationship with North Korea than other countries? | [
"Sweden also have a somewhat good relationship with NK, mostly because they owe us a huge ammount of money but they have not paid anything for decades. This was the main reason to establish an embasy, to have someone to keep track of the debt. The Swedish embassy was for a long time the only embassy from a western ... | [
"Because over time they have been distancing themselves from China, to avoid implying that the government of mainland China has rights over them. Similarly they often call their country just Taiwan these days."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
What were presidential debates like before TV and radio? | [
"There weren’t presidential debates in the way we think of them now prior to the advent of radio. The 1960 debates were the first actual presidential debates between the major general election candidates. There were a small handful of primary debates prior to the 1960 presidential debate. I’ve always known about ... | [
"Richard Nixon declined to debate in 1968 and 1972 (there was also no TV debate in 1964 between LBJ and Goldwater), probably in no small part due to his infamous performance in the debate in 1960 with JFK, which has come down as popular wisdom as the epitome of not only the power of television (it was the first tel... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
The BBC has cast a black actor to play Javert in their new adaptation of Les Misèrables. Is this unrealistic? | [
"Just for my curiosity, has the BBC made a statement Saying that this casting in an effort to be historically accurate or plausible?"
] | [
"Hollywood has long been criticized for not providing enough roles for minority actors, and for rarely casting them in leading roles outside of ethnic movies. So when a minority character is played by a white actor, it is seen as perpetuating this inequity. If a Native American actor can't even land the part of a N... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Accurate numbers for Biblical armies | [
"Just for comparison, you might want to have a look at the corrected number for the Exodus. [Colin J. Humphreys (1998), *The Number of People in the Exodus from Egypt: Decoding Mathematically the Very Large Numbers in Numbers I and XXVI*, Vetus Testamentum Vol. 48, Fasc. 2 (Apr., 1998), pp. 196-213](_URL_2_)"
] | [
"Labour costs, more dodgey occupational health and safety standards etc"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Wednesday What's New in History | January 13, 2016 | [
"I am very pleased to see [the Nevada/federal census database](_URL_0_) back online. I had developed the database together with a demography professor who subsequently died. My office maintained the data online for researchers, but it was taken down after my retirement. As of today, University of Nevada, Reno has p... | [
"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 question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Stephen Hawking says there was a limited agreement - that the Nazis agreed not to bomb Cambridge and Oxford if the Allies would refrain from bombing two important German university cities, one of them presumably Heidelberg. Is there any evidence for this? | [
"Nonsense I'm afraid. Cambridge was certainly bombed _URL_2_ _URL_0_ Oxford was, perhaps difficult for the German bombers to identify? It was certainly a legitimate target as the Morris motor works were there at Cowley, building military vehicles, amongst others. Other cities without particular military importance ... | [
"Some Jewish soldiers served in the German army by keeping their Jewish heritage a secret. I don't think any openly Jewish people served in any branch of the German armed forces. Do you have a link to something that suggests otherwise?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Is there a copy of Henry Kissinger's 377 page 1950 Harvard doctoral thesis "The Meaning of History: Reflections on Spengler, Toynbee, and Kant" floating around anywhere? | [
"*The Meaning of History* was Kissinger's A.B. thesis. It was not published, but, like other Harvard honors theses, a microfilm copy is kept in the Harvard University Archives at Pusey Library at Harvard. His PhD thesis was *Peace, Legitimacy and the Equilibrium; a study of the statesmanship of Castlereagh and Mett... | [
"So I'm calling to, well, everyone! As a few are aware, my goal these days is to compile an essentially complete bibliography of modern works which deal with dueling. I'm doing pretty well so far, with well over 100 books, and according to Mendeley, 373 journal articles/chapters from essay collections. But I contin... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post about Literature:"
} |
Japan and it's history in refined steel. | [
"No, actually: Japan had exceptionally poor iron deposits and could not make quality steel, as there were too many impurities. By repeatedly folding the steel, impurities are slowly released. The fact they had to do it so many times shows how awful their native sources were. In addition, this actually backwards in ... | [
"2000 years of collecting property, art and gold."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Did the Greek 'Trireme' have any ranged weapons? | [
"The classic period Greek trireme didn't have any siege weapons. They usually did carry some kind of missile weapons like bows or javelins. The number of marines that were carried depended on how the trireme preferred to fight - if the ship mostly intended to rely on its ram and thus rely on maneuverability they'd ... | [
"A few diffrent ways. I'd recommend /r/askhistorians for a more complete explanation. There's a few things that were done: 1. ramming other boats, either to breach their hull and to sink them, or to send over troops for boarding actions. 2. Archers stationed on deck firing arrows, either regular ones of fire arrows... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument about History:"
} |
About Economic Archaeology...... | [
"To a certain extent this is what I (try to) do, but I am not quite certain what you specifically want. If you want a quick description of the field, I found [this](_URL_1_) that gives a nice introduction. If you have the opportunity, you may enjoy the works of [Peter Temin](_URL_0_) (papers linked), an economist w... | [
"The Art of War in the Western World - Archer Jones"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Education:"
} |
Are there historical examples of hostage situations where the demands were actually granted? | [
"Not sure if it quite what you had in mind but taking a knight or high class person hostage and demanding a ransom for their release was commonplace during the middle ages([wiki reference](_URL_1_)). Richard the first of England for example was captured on his way home from the crusades and ransomed for a sum sever... | [
"Terrorism is as much defined by the goals as by the acts. If you go blow up a plane because you're angry at your ex who is on the flight crew, that's not really terrorism. Terrorism requires a political motive and the desire to put fear into the population. Somebody with a hostage may or may not have a political m... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Is there a historical reason why is Athens is a "Dog city" and Istanbul is a "Cat city?" | [
"In many Islamic cities, dogs are thought to be quite unclean and untrustworthy, or perhaps it is just that cats are preferred. There is a Hadith recording that the Prophet Muhammed awoke from his slumber to find Muezza, his favorite cat, sleeping on the sleeve of his tunic. He took the time to cut the sleeve off o... | [
"Paris - Capital City of a First World Country, also known as the City of Lights, a premier tourist destination. Brussels - Capital City of a First World Country, also HQ of the EU Compare those places to... Syria. A god forsaken hell hole in a god forsaken region that most people probably can't pinpoint on a map."... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Experts of the Cold War: Were "Doomsday preppers" that obsessed over food and bomb shelters something that was new to the world? | [
"This is just a meta comment, but you really don't want experts of the Cold War here. You want experts on periods _prior_ to the Cold War. It is worth noting that pretty much all of the millenarians of the past — the people who believed the world was close to ending — believed it was going to be because of divine ... | [
"My personal theory is that they come from American suspicions during the Cold War that the Russians might be more advanced in terms of equality than America was. Nothing anti-patriotic, just the realization that a really free and egalitarian system ought to allow for more women in positions of power than was seen ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
New to it all, want to start reading about Socrates /r/AskHistorians where should I start? | [
"If youre interestind in Socrates, start out with the [Trial and Death of Socrates](_URL_0_) by Plato. It contains the main dialogues, Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo. Plato was a disciple of Socrates, and after Socrates' execution (in the Phaedo), Plato fled Athens and began writing about the life of Socrate... | [
"You might get better responses from r/askhistorians. Or just search their archives. They know everything!"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
"On the historicity of Jesus: Why we might have reason for doubt" by Richard Carrier | [
"There's always room for more, but here is an older thread in which Carrier is discussed and which you may find interesting as you await more responses: _URL_3_"
] | [
"for religious books on ancient times, two come to mind: For early Jewish life, I recommend reading: The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant by John Dominic Crossan. The book is probably 60% on the political and social structures of life leading up to the 1st century c.e. Jesus the Apocalyp... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument about Literature:"
} |
Wednesday What's New in History | December 14, 2016 | [
"The location and general design of Sanadamaru, the fortification built and manned by the men of Sanada Nobushige (popularly known as Sanada Yukimura) at the Siege of Osaka in 1614 has been quite conclusively settled. The fortification is the site of a famous engagement that gave the Shogunate forces enough of a he... | [
"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:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
I found out my grandfather was a cook in WWII, and received the purple heart. How is this possible? | [
"Well, MTO stands for 'Mediterranean Theater of Operations' but without more information I can't say much. Did he serve in the Navy? Army?"
] | [
"The two soldiers names were Paul G Bennett and Charles Khul. Both survived the war. Paul G Bennett continued to serve in the Army and also fought in the Korean War. He ended up as a SFC and he died in 1973. He is buried in South Carolina _URL_0_ As for Charles Kuhl he also survived the war and died in 1971 after ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What was the logic behind the creation of the imperial system of units? | [
"The Imperial System as it's known today is what remains of the English system of units (fun fact, Imperial in the US is actually 'US customary weights') thus why it's also known as British Imperial. The standardisation of the British Imperial System was done by the 1824 Weights and Measures Act, which eventually c... | [
"The main reason is because of the religious background of the United States."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
if i were to travel back in time to the middle ages, how would my immune system cope? | [
"You should bring this question over /r/askscience. I am sure they could you a good scientific response."
] | [
"reading the comments here make me wonder what sort of experience it must be, to be blind all of your life, and then gain sight. the stimulation must be overwhelming."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What was so special about Microsoft's DOS program? In a time before standardized gui's, what was stopping IBM from making a simple DOS program themselves? | [
"IBM did make a version of DOS themselves. PC DOS was the IBM brand for their PC operating system. Up through DOS 5 it was basically a rebranded MS DOS. In 1993 MS released a version 6.0 and IBM released a separately developed \"PC DOS 6.1\", which would go on to have several subsequent major revisions. The IBM DOS... | [
"I guess it depends on what you consider an \"operating system\". A lot of early PCs booted to built-in interpreters for simple programming languages like BASIC, which you were expected to use to program everything else. Then manufacturers started adding more built-in functions, like utilities to automatically load... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Example of a successful liberalisation of an economy? | [
"If you are just trying to find governments which adopt Laissez Faire (traditional liberalism) policies to great effect, I would recommend Britain at any point in the 19th century, the United States especially after the Civil War, and generally most industrial powers. That idea of Laissez Faire became the default e... | [
"What do you mean by downfall? This is still a dominant part of current culture."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is "Enterprise" such a persistent ship name? | [
"I would point out that Enterprise is not unique in this regard. Other ship names get used over and over again. For example, there have been at least [14 Endeavours](_URL_1_), and [7 Indefatigables](_URL_2_), and [7 Victorys](_URL_0_). They're inspiring and/or strong names, so they get used a lot."
] | [
"What do you mean by downfall? This is still a dominant part of current culture."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
A quote from Roland Barthes, in his famous essay "The Death of the Author": ". . . saying that Baudelaire's work in the failure of the man Baudelaire, Van Gogh's work his madness, Tchaikovsky's his vice. . ." What was Tchaikovsky's vice? | [
"More than likely, his homosexuality. It was a known quantity, and a thing that people regarded with great disdain until recently, for all the obvious reasons. It's even the title of a short opera about the last days of his life that premiered in 2017, Michael Finnissy's \"Shameful Vice.\" The Soviet government wor... | [
"> Not even the demons themselves were able to relieve the composer of all need > for reflection, for trial and error, for discard and hard work. Nor does this in > the slightest diminish Mozart's genius and, as Jacob Burckhardt put it, his > “Reichlichkeit” (the \"prodigious abundance\" of his talent, so to spe... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
The history of wool carding | [
"Needles in wooden blocks for carding go back at least as far as early Anglo-Saxon England. They found a set in a grave in the 5th-7th century cemetery at Lechlade, England. They look almost identical to the ones that are still used by crafters today; it's one of those technologies, like hammers and chisels, that h... | [
"Sometimes they assume the smell of the wood surrounding it in which your drawer is made of."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Before our understanding of nuclear fusion, what were scientific conjectures as to why the sun and starts emitted light? | [
"I got an article by [Herschel](_URL_2_) from [1801](_URL_0_), which asks why the sun emits light. However I haven't read it completely, but thought it is nice to know that 200 years ago people thought as we do today. Helmholtz and Kelvin proposed that it is the gravitational energy which makes [light emit](_URL_1_... | [
"Basically, we know roughly the rate at which the sun is burning hydrogen and other elements, and we know its composition (what proportion is made up of each element) size, and age. From observations of other stars, and calculations, we can work out roughly how long it will be until our sun collapses into a white d... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the post about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the post about Astronomy:"
} |
What (if any) modern agricultural products come from atomic gardens? | [
"Fascinating topic, isn't it? In 1998, Cambridge University Press came out with a guide to mutation breeding that I think will be right up your alley. A section of *Mutation Breeding: Theory and Practical Applications* deals with examples of products created by the process. [This one in particular may be of interes... | [
"Almost all of our modern medicine is a result of military engineering, as well as jet airplanes, and radios."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
> > *RE-POST FROM GENEALOGY* < < A photo of Adolf Hitler and my great-grandfather, Jakub John Postl. | [
"The modern-day Czech Republic was almost entirely inside the Austria-Hungary until the formation of Czechoslovakia at the end of the WWI, so that would explain why he was in the Austrian Army; there would be no way to be born in Czechoslovakia in 1897."
] | [
"| Conjugal Status | Birthplace | Age | Names | Father's Occupation | |:-----------:|------------:|:------------:|:-----:|:---| |Bachelor | Basle, Switzerland| 26 | Freidrich Wilhelm Reichenbach, Louise Schwarz| Farmer | | Spinster | Berry, NSW| 26| William Kn--y? Cockerell, Sarah Elizabeth Penny? | Blacksmi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Sunday Digest | Interesting & Overlooked Posts | October 05, 2015–October 11, 2015 | [
"I would like to note both /u/Smilin_Dave and /u/International_KB 's respectful [debate](_URL_0_) about Lenin's opinion of Stalin prior to the former's death. This is a somewhat thorny and politicized issue that is not entirely clear-cut. Both commentators respectfully presented their arguments clearly and an infor... | [
"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 document about News:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How did the White House stay safe during the Civil War when D.C. was surrounded by Maryland (a slave state) and Virginia (a Confederate state)? | [
"An equally valid question could be asked - how did Lincoln manage to *not* be assassinated until 1865? He would often go about Washington D.C. without even a bodyguard. Washington D.C. at the time was apparently full of Southern sympathizers, spies, etc."
] | [
"Because it wasn't just about slavery. It was about the federal government's right to end slavery. There were four slave states that stayed in the union- Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware. If the government had tried to end slavery right away, they probably would have joined the Confederacy."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Is there any map that shows all the ancient civilacations and when they existed? | [
"I assume you mean civilizations, and I don't think there is any map that shows *all* ancient civilizations. It'd be hard to depict in times with different ideas of territory and borders. [However, Shepherd's Atlas](_URL_0_) is a good place to start. I have a hard copy of this and it's wonderful, albeit a bit old a... | [
"What kinda of medieval maps? There are so many types of medieval maps."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why has China historically been so afraid of a flood of refugees from North Korea? | [
"Same reason the US isn't too keen on Mexican immigrants crossing into their territories and taking low-paying jobs, or why Palestinian refugees were a huge burden on the Jordanian government back in the day. Most countries don't like having to deal with a flood of poor people who speak a different language."
] | [
"A multitude of different reasons. Some of which are: - Syria's civil war, which has displaced millions of Syrians - Sectarianism and cultural/religious marginalization and persecution throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa - Escaping volatile countries e.g. Afghanistan, Iraq - The chance to live a life fre... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
What does Kissinger mean when he talks about the “efficient bureaucracy” of Prussia? | [
"I would assume this is all talking about the 19th century; is this a typo?"
] | [
"This has nothing to do with the communist system itself, but it's noteworthy. From what I've learned, communism was especially frightening during the mid-20th century due to numerous violent communist uprisings in Europe and Asia (Zaedong, Ho Chi Minh, Stalin). As Marx said, a destructive revolution was crucial to... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
What are the best primary sources to consider when looking at Nixon's visit to China? | [
"The US Government publishes its most important (and not classified) diplomatic documents in a massive series titled _Foreign Relations of the United States_. Most of them are available online through the University of Wisconsin or the US State Department. The volume that covers Nixon's visit to China is available ... | [
"What are the must read books about the American revolution published within the last five years? What are the current arguments being discussed by historians who study the era?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Literature:"
} |
There's a picture on the front page of a Swedish vikings graffiti on a byzantine church, what would he have been doing there? | [
"Due to the location of the \"graffiti\" - the Hagia Sophia, if I'm not mistaken - I would say that it was most probably made by Scandinavian mercenaries, known as Varangian, rather than by raiders. Some of them were adopted as elite soldiers in the Byzantine army in the early 10th century, forming the Varangian Gu... | [
"Sometimes a man got paid to wake them up throwing small stones to their windows or with a long stick. There is a picture of this profession, I think I saw it in reddit."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph about History:"
} |
Info on historian D.J. Goodspeed? | [
"D J Goodspeed is one of my favorite historians of World War One, and I think his biography of Lundendorf was well done. However, I read \"The Lost History of 1914\" by Jack Beatty and was disappointed that neither one of DJ Goodspeed's books were included in the slender 24 item bibliography of that book. I don't r... | [
"The Art of War in the Western World - Archer Jones"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage about Education:"
} |
Monday Mysteries | Local History Mysteries | [
"There has a been talk / rumors going round for years that a few decades ago the original great doors to [this church](_URL_3_) where there has been a religious site of one sort or another for nearly 1000 years (met with a local historian a few years back) were lined or contained in their make up in someway with hu... | [
"Next Week's Theme: 'Royalty, Nobility, and the Exercise of Power' To be followed by: \"Eastern Europe\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Did Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto truly say ""You cannot invade mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass."? Or is this just a misquote? | [
"Not to discourage other answers, but /u/notbobby125 actually talked about that in [this](_URL_2_) recent thread."
] | [
"Clearly you missed the Old Testament where God was positively genocidal. But more importantly, religion is typically more of a justification than a motivation for such behaviors. Religious teachings are nearly infinitely mutable to match the desired position. \"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Good books on class struggle in America during the late 19th and early 20th century? | [
"This is my end of the pool, so to speak. I could rattle off a bunch, but here's a few to start: Barrett, *Work and Community in The Jungle* Salvatore, *Eugene V. Debs: Citizen and Socialist* Storch, *Red Chicago* Halpern, *Down on the Killing Floor* All of these (and many^many^many others) will give a good idea of... | [
"Yes. Slavery in Rome was not tied to race/skin color like it was in the United States during the 1700-1800s"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
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