query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1
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|---|---|---|---|---|
Would people in medieval times take time off for the holidays? | [
"About 1/3 to 1/2 of the year, according to some estimates! Terry Jones's *Medieval Lives* ([this one, I think](_URL_0_)) talks about it. The point being, yes! Feast days/Holy Days were frequent (way more frequent than just Easter, New Years, etc.), and basically everyone went and feasted and socialized."
] | [
"It's not held on Sunday because they didn't want it to interfere with the Sabbath. It's not held on Monday because many people required a whole day to travel to their polling station by horse. So it's Tuesday."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
When and how did crossing our fingers become the symbols for both luck and lying? | [
"Try /r/askanthropology. It seems like a more cultural thing than a historical thing"
] | [
"It's a superstition. Not sure of the origin, but for usage, you say/do this to ward off something bad happening, usually in relation to something you just said. Example: \"I've never been in a car accident, knock on wood, but it seems awful.\" In this scenario, you said something, then used knock on wood as a sort... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
When did hazel become associated with British folk magic? | [
"Hazel is a wetland tree, often lining the bogs used for ritual deposition. It's also conveniently straight, so you can use it for rods and the like for a number of practical reasons. One is the tying down of bog bodies to prevent them from floating up, for example. I also once attended a lecture by archaeobotanist... | [
"What do you mean by downfall? This is still a dominant part of current culture."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Were there any player-controlled 'unique' characters in western RTS games in 1995 or before (like Tanya of Red Alert fame) | [
"Warcraft by Blizzard came out in 1994, and had hero units. These heroes had unique combat stats and vital to the campaigns, but really weren't great warriors. Spellcasting was limited to regular caster units, the heroees had no special ability (that I can recall). Before Warcraft there were a few console games wh... | [
"There is a group of heroes who have to save the world. That's basically it. Each game in the series is its own story with its own world and characters. Some names are recurring, some spells are recurring, some equipment is recurring, but the way specifics of fighting or how magic works is different in every game. ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
What was the Brethren Court? | [
"Was that an actual thing? I was under the impression they made that up for Pirates of the Caribbean."
] | [
"We created the first Taliban why not the next one."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Was the "Hitler Stash" a common style in Germany, or anywhere for that matter, or was it just an eccentricity? | [
"While waiting for answers here, you may find [this section](_URL_0_) of our Popular Questions page interesting."
] | [
"There were a heck of a lot of different gas mask designs during the war, was there one particular design you are talking about?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
What were the strengths of Douglas Haig in WWI? | [
"[I see /u/NMW permanently frustrated by this conception](_URL_1_) that the British commanders were incompetent buffoons who thought that it was still the 19th century, and many people seem to believe that Blackadder's portrayal, while humourous, is entirely accurate. I'm going to link several answers from /u/NMW h... | [
"Was any Asian country capable of helping the United States during the revolutionary war?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Has national independence for some former colonies from their former ruling nation been more of a curse than a blessing? | [
"There has been a movement for decades (off and on) for the Turks and Caicos islands in the Carribean to join Canada. There's even an offer from the province of Nova Scotia to annex them. It'd would become part of a developed nation, and get the benifits of Canadian healthcare, and other social programs. Beyond the... | [
"The British Empire was arguably one of the vehicles that enabled the virtual extinction of the slave trade. That must rank fairly high in a list of good things. In India, Suttee and the rigid caste system were broken under British rule, and similar improvements could probably be found for most of the other territo... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Wondering about the history of the fedora - when did it start being stylish? When did it start being associated with neckbeards? | [
"I have a followup question: some Classical sculptures, such as this [bust of the Emperor Nero](_URL_2_) feature what we today might call a 'neckbeard'. Was this a widespread style of facial hair, and what kind of social demographic would it have been popular amongst?"
] | [
"It's simply the way culture moves. What was once a fad becomes a permanent fixture in society, and what was once permanent fixture simply fades away. The way I see it, teenagers find some new way to dress, which is released into the public somehow. Then it picks up steam. But for this specific one, it's probably d... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
What were LBJ's true motivations for passing the landmark civil rights/race discrimination bills of the 1960s? | [
"I don't know if \"blatant racist\" is the right description of LBJ. Robert Caro makes a compelling argument in his multi-volume bio *The Years of Lyndon Johnson* that Johnson did support the cause of civil rights privately, regardless of the racist language he often used in his daily life. His early life in Texas ... | [
"The New Deal (1930s) started the change in voting patterns, and Truman's desegregation of the military (1948) also shifted the partisan identification of blacks in the US towards Democrats, but the overwhelming margins today stem from the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act of 1964 and 1965, which were two ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
What's the best, free method for researching family history on the internet? | [
"hi! while you may get some answers here, this question might attract more responses in /r/Genealogy"
] | [
"In which region? Or are you looking for global statistics on literacy?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Did Augustine of Hippo know that the Moon reflected the Sun's light when he wrote "City of God" (426)? | [
"I was under the impression that that metaphor originated with Pope Gregory VII. That said, in [Book X](_URL_0_) Chapter 2, Augustine says: > Plotinus, commenting on Plato, repeatedly and strongly asserts that not even the soul which they believe to be the soul of the world, derives its blessedness from any other ... | [
"The Book of Revelation is the last book of the New Testament in Christianity. The Christian Bible consists of the Old Testament and New Testament. What Christians call the Old Testament is the entirety of holy scripture for Jews, who simply know the Old Testament as \"the Bible\" or \"the Hebrew Bible.\" The Book ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
What happened to military tactical & technological innovation from 1815 to 1914 in Europe? | [
"Hey, this previous answer may be of use! :) * [We often hear about how war changed in the 20th century due to machine guns and tanks, but how was warfare revolutionized in the 19th century through technological advances? Were there any precursors to the 20th century's changes?](_URL_0_) Respond if you have any fur... | [
"Are there any books on Berlin during 1920s?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment about Literature:"
} |
How are generic names created and applied to entire nationalities in wartime? | [
"Ivan - _URL_0_ Gerry - Just shortened German. Charlie is for Vietnamese - \"Victor Charlie\" for VC (Viet Cong) It's just stereotypes."
] | [
"It has a few different meanings in different contexts. What setting are we talking about?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer about finance:"
} |
Why didn't the United States make any appeals to any Asian countries during the revolutionary war? | [
"Was any Asian country capable of helping the United States during the revolutionary war?"
] | [
"A related question were there public figures at the time who were apologists that tried to justify for the actions of the Japanese military at Pearl Harbor?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
what was the IRA’s official opinion on the Falklands war, during or after the conflict? | [
"While the IRA in theory would have supported anything that weakened the British Empire, it's important to note that the R in IRA stands for Republican. The Argentine government at that time was ruled by a military dictatorship, and so the IRA were not too keen to support them. There is also the issue that the IRA... | [
"Was any Asian country capable of helping the United States during the revolutionary war?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
In 1975 the CZ75 pistol was invented in Soviet Czechoslovakia. But the CZ company did not file an international patent (due to being a Warsaw nation). This allowed foreign firms to immediately produce copies. But, why didn't a foreign firm file their own patent and gain control over the designs? | [
"Because there is such a thing as prior art. If an invention exists and can be found by the patent examiner then it will not be granted, or if it is missed by the examiner then competitors could challenge it and have it overturned. It isn't just if it hasn't been patented before, it has to be novel. I.e. new."
] | [
"These things are often designed and manufactured by private companies, and then sold to government customers. The government manufactures almost nothing itself. So all those tanks and planes and weapons are made by businesses like Boeing, Chrysler, Colt, etc. For example, for many decades Colt held the exclusive r... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Thursday Reading & Recommendations | March 28, 2019 | [
"Buddy gave me \\*Authoring a PHD: How to Plan, Draft, Write & Finish A Doctoral Thesis or Dissertation\\* by Patrick Dunleavy. I suggest it to anyone in route to PHD. Best for someone early on in process, but even later, like me, it is very helpful."
] | [
"1. The First Salute by Barbara Tuchman 2. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown 3. The Civil War by Shelby Foote 4. Reconstruction by Eric Foner 5. The Proud Tower by Barbara Tuchman 6. Parting the Waters by Taylor Branch 7. Brute Force: Allied Strategy and Tactics in the Second World War by John Ellis 8. The... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Literature:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Literature:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Recommended reading for Evolution of Warfare? | [
"This might be a bit out of your way, but you might want to look at the works of Geoffrey Parker on the military revolution, it is more focused on early modern warfare and world history, but iirc its one of the theories that propelled military history out of event history and military academies, and thus very impor... | [
"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 document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Did Norse longships have any cargo area or were everything stored on the deck? | [
"So, the Norse had cargo ships, but they weren't really \"longships\" in the sense that they were called different things by the Norse. I wrote about this here: _URL_0_ the tl;dr of that thread is the the Norse cargo ship, the *knarr*, seems to maybe have had a half-deck, but we can't be sure because literally only... | [
"These ships are built with the heaviest components in the bottom. So things like engines and heavy equipment is placed all the way in the bottom of the ship. Sail ships used to fill the bottom of the boat with rocks to stay upright. We can track sailing routes by the rocks carried by the boats as they would load o... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
What are some good general history books on the Mexican Revolution? | [
"This question pops up from time to time. I'll repost my last answer. It's not by any means exhaustive. Maybe someone else has some recommendations. A very good one is John Mason Hart's *Revolutionary Mexico*: it's pretty commonly used. Friedrich Katz's *The Life and Times of Pancho Villa* is a truly excellent - a... | [
"This as incredibly helpful. I'm doing my master's thesis on the historical memory of free black societies in the north. Could you suggest anything worth reading on that subject?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What would a 1400's peasant woman expect her life to be like? | [
"For the first of your two questions—what was life like for 14th c. women?—there is an excellent, general-reader friendly book on this subject by Judith Bennett: *A Medieval Life: Cecilia Penifader of Brigstock, c. 1295-1344*. As for \"rising through the ranks,\" it was quite common for peasant women to take leadin... | [
"So /u/citrusonic has a really great answer with regards to music, but what if you had no talent for music or were not interested in playing it? What other activities would the daughters of English nobility take part in circa 1650? How much and what type of education would they receive? I've also seen in many perio... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
What is the oldest piece of machinery or equipment in the armed forces around the world that is still used regularly? | [
"Completely serious answer: the shovel. It is my understanding that many foot soldiers still carry shovels, or entrenching tool, in their rooksack."
] | [
"Also, would her military experience be any useful in finding a job? Did women serve in the British military during World War 1 and if so, did they go back into the workforce afterwards?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How has the social status of librarians changed over time? | [
"How long of a time frame you thinking here? I can walk you through the social worth of librarians from the 19th century to now in America, but I can't shake a stick at whatever they were doing in the Great Library of Alexandria!"
] | [
"How well regarded are the writings of Joseph Campbell by historians?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
The Central Bank v The Fed | [
"First, the important thing to consider is the economic context. Jackson was the president of a medium-sized mostly agricultural economy, where the duties of a central back could be devolved to the states (which is basically what happened). By the beginning of the 20th century, repeated panics showed that a nationa... | [
"Only if the federal government let it. See: American Civil War"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Before the advent of the light bulb/artificial light, was drinking primarily a daytime activity? | [
"Well its not like before the invention of the lightbulb we were all fumbling around in the dark when night fell. Oil Lamps have been around for thousands of years and torches and roaring fires give off a fairly hefty amount of light easily illuminating a room. Just think of anytime you've been near a roaring fire ... | [
"This is actually a bit of a fable, to tell the truth. During most of history humans drank water from a number of sources, though during some periods of development of more densely populated cities there were issues with sanitation and water-borne disease where the boiling and fermentation process of the creation o... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post about beer history:"
} |
What are the best historical documentaries/documentary series? | [
"Ken Burn's *The Civil War* and *The War* (WWII). And if you really want \"to learn a lot\", I would suggest some historical books... Some are quite easy to read and accessible!"
] | [
"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 query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage about Literature:"
} |
Have average people always kept pets? | [
"not discouraging anyone from contributing more info on this topic - especially with regard to *how common* pets were - but FYI there have been lots of questions about pets, so check out these posts for previous responses. [When and why did people start keeping pets?](_URL_2_) [When did it become common for people ... | [
"Nobody talks about the ones that become janitors."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do you learn about history without getting depressed by it? | [
"A: You didn't do it. B: You hold no responsibility for what someone else did who was in the grave before your parents were even born. C: In broad strokes things *are* getting better. Numerous massively destructive diseases effectively don't exist except for self absorbed anti-vaxers who think small pox is better... | [
"Many of course are teachers. If we do not remember our history we are condemned to repeat it. There are many ideas floating around, political ideas mostly, about how to run the government. Most have been tried. If we read our history we can try to avoid the mistakes of the past. History is a broad field. Genealogy... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Education:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post about Education:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Since when and how was porn a thing? | [
"I have covered this a number of times. Here are a few: _URL_0_ _URL_1_ I also discuss this at greater length in my book. But the quick and fast answer is that the concept of pornography as we have it originates from about 1850 or so."
] | [
"What do you mean by downfall? This is still a dominant part of current culture."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
How did a foreign traveler, such as Marco Polo, collect booty without getting robbed? | [
"Well, the polos were a pretty well established trading family. So his journey was not the first or last that his family would undertake. Also important was the time that he and his family travelled. The mongol khanates were well established and had locked down the silk road for diplomatic travel. So the land rout... | [
"A follow up questions: 1. If they did carry all this money around for the entire trip, what prevented dishonest rulers, warlords or chiefs from simply robbing the travelers. 2. To the best of my knowledge most explorers were traders looking to make a fortune and/or were commissioned by a noble or high ranking cle... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What are the best sources for learning about Sargon of Akkad (23rd/22nd century B.C.)? | [
"Westerholz' *Legends of the Kings of Akkade: The Texts* is an indispensable collection of primary sources. And there *is* quite a bit of legendary/fictional material here. Heinz's \"Sargon of Akkad: Rebel and Usurper in Kish\" in *Representations of Political Power Case Histories from Times of Change and Dissolvi... | [
"\"ancient times\" is very broad. Are there any specific cultures you're interested in (e.g., Republican Rome, Old Kingdom Egypt, etc.)?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Did the cost of maintaining the Empire outweigh the economic gains made by the British overall? | [
"Are you asking about the Empire (16th century to later 20th) or just about the relations of wars and the Empire. I am a bit confused to exactly what you are asking."
] | [
"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 Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
What were/are historians' responses to Max Weber's theories? | [
"As a related question, am I wrong in thinking that Weber's definition of the minimal requirement for a state (monopoly on the legitimate use of force within a limited and defined area) is still pretty damn useful?"
] | [
"Can you clarify what type of policymaking you're wanting to get into? While I can give you some suggestions for, say, foreign policy, I won't be of much help if you're interested in, for example, urban redevelopment. I wouldn't suggest you read Said's *Orientalism*. While it's an important work, there's no need to... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Literature:"
} |
Why didn't the Japanese use chairs? | [
"Not directly related to Japan, but in the Middle East, they had an abundance of cloth but not much wood. What did they do? Cushions and rugs. In fact, when I thought about it, Europeans are the weird ones for using chairs (excluding the Americas because they were colonized by chair-sitting Europeans). I seriously ... | [
"Was there a similar attempt to recruit Japanese scientists?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
What is the song "All The Young Dudes" by David Bowie about? What is a dude? What is the news? | [
"The song \"All the Young Dudes\" is performed by Mott the Hoople, though written by David Bowie. A dude is commonly used to refer to a younger man. In a 1973 interview with Rolling Stone, Bowie said that the news the young dudes were sharing was the same news as in his own song \"Five Years,\" the destruction of t... | [
"An album where all the songs follow a storyline or a general theme throughout, for example Rush - 2112 follows a world without music, Marilyn Mansons - Mechanical Animals is about the life of a successful music star whereas like Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf was inspired by Josh Homme driving throug... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What history are we missing out in becuse od the fire at the library of alexandria? | [
"hi, this is a popular topic! not discouraging anyone from chipping in with more info, but check out previous responses in the FAQ (link on sidebar): [Library of Alexandria](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"To their own community of academics. But how far back are we talking? Ancient greece? Renaissance? Isaac Newton era?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about History:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence about History:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Is the United States a democracy, republic, both, or neither? | [
"We are a Representative Democracy. e/ I feel like I should explain more. We aren't a true Democracy in that the entire voting population votes on every decision. We vote to elect representatives who vote on the decisions."
] | [
"A republic is a country without a monarch. A democracy is a country where there is freedom of speech, association, assembly etc. and citizens have a right to elect their leaders. The two are by no means mutually exclusive. The US is democratic and a republic. The UK is democratic but not a republic, it's a constit... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
What are some major events in Canadian history? | [
"Would you like a list starting in 1867 or including pre-1867 British Canada?"
] | [
"The main reason is because of the religious background of the United States."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How close were the Romans to developing/harnessing steam power? | [
"Not close, at all! The only real evidence od steam devices from the Roman Empire are the Aeolipile, essentially a parlor trick for Greek temples, and a device making use of steam power, that was designed by Heron of Alexandria ... to open and close temple doors. Aside from its' appearance in his writings, there is... | [
"Actually, in 1400, Europe was just coming out of the Dark Ages, so the changes from 1400 to 1500 are pretty significant. Navigation improved, gunpowder started change the face of warfare, trade routes to the East were established, and the New World was discovered. What followed was the Age of Enlightenment. Quant... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
How did merchant republics and other small states survive when surrounded with large kingdoms? | [
"**Geography** Having natural borders, such as mountains or major rivers is a big plus. It restricts the movement of enemy armies and creates natural choke points. **Great power rivalries** With being a large kingdom comes a large number of adversaries - small kingdoms can form alliances with the rivals of the grea... | [
"If you mean in history the answer is no, look at the History of East Asia where there has usually been a hegemon (China) who often interfered in the affairs of its neighbors (modern Korea and Vietnam, but it also includes the many peoples whom China absorbed over time). If you mean specifically in Europe, the ans... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Are there any incidents of fuedal societies colonizing or settling new lands? How was it handled? | [
"I'm afraid I don't have the opportunity to expand on this much, but you might take a look at Robert Bartlet's *The Making of Europe: Conquest, Colonization, and Cultural Change, 950-1350*. He argues that from a \"core\" region in France, England, the Rhineland, and northern Italy, medieval societies effectively co... | [
"The problem is that the further back we go, the more regions we know relatively little about. For example, in 200 AD I can talk about the Persians, Romans, Kushans and Chinese, but I'd know almost nothing about the relative peace of the American continents, or most of Africa, or many other parts of Asia, or Russia... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Was the USA ever an "empire"? | [
"You will probably get a lot of differing answers, but at the end of the day it all depends on how you define \"Empire\" and if you include informal Imperialism in this definition. If you are looking for formal Imperialism, it gets a bit easier: The USA was an Empire after the Spanish-American War of 1898, when it ... | [
"Could the rebuilding of Japan after WWII be considered a partial colonization by the United States?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
1918 divorce, help explaining context? | [
"The location of the divorce is important and provides context to interpret what was intended here. In general, it was less common for the man to file for the divorce; that \"honor\" was often yielded to the woman so that she would not be seen as at fault. Lawyers typically crafted the complaint to match the existi... | [
"Would you like a list starting in 1867 or including pre-1867 British Canada?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Is there any evidence of ancient swordsmen suffering from muscle skeletal imbalances? | [
"Not to detract from any more answers that might come your way but a relevant answer from a [prior question](_URL_0_) may be helpful. It's a bit more specific to archers though. Credit goes to u/jschooltiger who had a great response there and a bit below it I kicked in a meager contribution with what I could from ... | [
"This is an old wives tale. There is no evidence of cravings supplementing nutritional deficiencies."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
We hear about the Napoleonic Era revolutionizing warfare, but what specific innovations are noteworthy? | [
"[This older answer](_URL_0_) by /u/dandan_noodles will be a reasonable starting point."
] | [
"[Many of these words to come to us from French](_URL_0_), explaining their odd pronounciation. Why French? It was not only the language of educated people and diplomacy during the 18th and 19th centuries but they were a major military power during a period in which military tactics were rapidly changing due to the... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
How was Europe so readily able to populate for WWII after the major death toll in the first? | [
"You're overestimating the population loss. Britain lost around two percent of its total population during the war. France lost just over four percent and Germany just under four percent. Tragic and horrifying, yes, but not large enough to totally disorder society."
] | [
"Three times as many people died in combat in WW2 and four times as many total deaths occurred. There totally were more losses and the war was much more devastating on the civilian population. The Eastern Front of WW2 was some of the most horrific months of violence in human history."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
How is Cuba, a communist country, so religious while China, DPRK, and former USSR outright banned religion? | [
"Religion isn't necessarily banned in China, they just don't allow it to make decisions for the state. Chinese citizens are allowed to follow 5 religions - Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism. The Chinese constitution specifies... > Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of re... | [
"China hasn't been communist for a very long time. We call it socialism with Chinese characteristics. A mixed market economy with enough room for both the government and the private sector. It's extraordinary, the sheer number of foreigners who think that China is communist because of the communist party. North Kor... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
When calenders changed, why didn't holiday dates change? | [
"The whole point of removing days from the Gregorian calendar was to restore the holidays (particularly Easter, but everything else as well) to the times of year in which they occurred when they were first instituted, in the first century AD."
] | [
"Just like everyone else. Just because the exact day of your birth doesn't appear that year doesn't mean you don't age that year. On non leap years, they legally turn a year older on March 1st."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Pets in pre-Colombian South America? | [
"Llamas were domesticated; I don't know if they could be regarded as \"pets\" but there's traditional Andean festival in which the llamas all plied with chicha and get extremely drunk ([Steele 119](_URL_2_)). Guinea pigs were domesticated for food. Parrots were kept in basketry cages, and dogs were definitely pets... | [
"The exotic animals in the Rome were mostly bought from traders. Mostly traders from North Africa and the Middle East (for lions and tigers) and also from India and Persia (for elephents). The Alexandrian Tariff, a document issued between AD 176-180 lists commodoties subject to taxes in Alexandria on the way to Rom... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage about English iconography and heraldry:"
} |
Have people always thought nature is beautiful? | [
"hi! here are a couple of related posts; check them out for previous responses [Has society always found beauty in nature (mountains, beaches, etc.), or is this a more recent phenomenon?](_URL_2_) [How has our attitude towards \"Nature\" varied with time and place?](_URL_3_) (I believe the question was also posted ... | [
"I think in western culture, it feels good to be desired."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Day of Reflection | February 03, 2014 - February 09, 2014 | [
"Lots of good stuff this week... - /u/Anastik's comment about [Civil War paroling](_URL_4_) has already been linked to, but it's seriously amazing. - /u/caffarelli has yet another [excellent post about eunuchs](_URL_5_), this time regarding their place in modern culture. - /u/NMW posts [an enormous reply](_URL_3_) ... | [
"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 title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
As an English speaking Englishman... how far back in time would I have to go before communication would start to become a serious problem? | [
"Somewhat of a sideways answer, but Melvyn Bragg's series on the history of the English language [is up on youtube.](_URL_5_) If I remember right there are quite a few spoken examples of the different forms of English through the years throughout the episodes, why not see what you can and can't recognise?"
] | [
"If you have spent a significant amount of time mastering English or hearing/seeing it on various media, there will be a point when your brain remembers random words or entire phrase structures quicker than it remembers the equivalents of those words/phrases in your native language. When that happens, your brain us... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument about Language and Translation:"
} |
When were Che Guevara's famous last words first reported? Are they factual or is this a case of a hero being mythologized? | [
"Does the CIA have hitmen or did they contract an outside force?"
] | [
"Your choice. When the book was first released, Ford's Theatre refused to stock the text in its bookstore due to historical inaccuracies. Supposedly these have since been fixed. Still, IMHO, it appears a little too sensationalist for my liking."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
In 1908 President Teddy Roosevelt agreed that the US would adhere to the International Agreement for the suppression of the White Slave Traffic. What was the purpose of this treaty? Why did it only signal out whites? | [
"I can only answer the second part of your question, which is that \"white slavery\" was a polite-ish euphemism for sex trafficking and forced prostitution."
] | [
"Wilson is commonly misconstrued when taught about in history courses. Under his administration he carried out policies such as racial segregation, and there were a lot of military invasions. Example: The United States was involved in Latin America more times under Wilson's administration than at any other point in... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
How come big armadas like Spain's/Britain's weren't set on fire while they were docked? | [
"You are thinking along the right track--it was a real tactic for fire-ships to be sent into ports holding hostile fleets. This was done on at least two famous occasions--during the Spanish Armada (which didn't burn any ships but did scatter the fleet) and during the Dutch raid on the Medway in 1667. Obviously flee... | [
"They tried. Many of the land based artillery guns had a longer range than the ship-mounted guns, so they were simply out-ranged. Plus they didn't want to run the risk of obliterating the beach and not being able to actually land on it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Is there any truth to Air America buying and selling opium to fund efforts in Vietnam? | [
"There are claims, allegations and rather dubious \"confessions\" from former workers and witnesses, but never anything solid. These theories and claims are mostly thrown around by conspiracy theorists."
] | [
"Follow up, if this warrant a new post please tell me: How did politicians and the general public react when they found out these companies were aiding Nazi forces in WW2?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What did people do for thrill and fun throughout ancient times? | [
"Ancient times encompasses a large portion of history and recreation probably differs from culture to culture as well as from economic class to economic class. Theater, sport, poetry, music, board games can be found in most civilizations."
] | [
"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 text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
what's the name of the push sticks used in combat planning in WWII? | [
"I don't know, I know that the table is called a plotting table, and searching retrieved information on the tables, the electronics behind them, the mapping process and history...the name of the objects being pushed around but not the name of the stick. I would suggest contacting [The museum](_URL_0_) that maintain... | [
"I dont exactly know what your talking about do you have a photo of a reference of this ?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
What set the precedent for the "campy" style of early superhero pop culture? As opposed to the gritty/realistic style we see today. | [
"can you clarify the timelines you are thinking about? The really campy stuff doesn't start until the 60s after the pushback from the book \"seduction of the innocent,\" (where criticism of superhero books was included along with other violent comic books) sparking a moral panic and the comics code. As a result of ... | [
"Neal Adams, as artist on Batman in the 70s made a concentrated effort, working with writer Denny O'Neil to do a more serious Batman. They introduced Ra's Al Ghul, and purposefully pushed Batman away from the POW BAM ZONK that the Adam West show popularized, wanting to tell stories more in line with the earliest Ba... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What happened in Rajasthan, India that made the entire area radioactive? | [
"Rajasthan is a state, and it's not radioactive, I've been there myself (great historical monuments). That said, natural radiation coming from the underlying rocks can often make an area uninhabitable."
] | [
"It's still going on but isn't getting the same level of attention is was a few years back. According to the news, they've moved on to Iranian vessels."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Thursday Reading & Recommendations | February 21, 2019 | [
"Did a particular book get you into history? For me, it was reading Braudel's Civilization and Capitalism when I was in my early twenties. Barely understood any of it. But I fell under a spell, and knew that I there was this whole world out there--the world of the past--that I could become familiar with, and unders... | [
"1. The First Salute by Barbara Tuchman 2. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown 3. The Civil War by Shelby Foote 4. Reconstruction by Eric Foner 5. The Proud Tower by Barbara Tuchman 6. Parting the Waters by Taylor Branch 7. Brute Force: Allied Strategy and Tactics in the Second World War by John Ellis 8. The... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Literature:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Literature:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
[META] Has AskHistorians considered detaching from Reddit? | [
"This question was asked some time ago [here](_URL_0_) and it appears that, even with all the negatives Reddit presents, the overall consensus was “no, not really,” although there were a couple differences of opinion."
] | [
"You may want to consider posting this in Askscience as well."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Plantagenet as a family name | [
"The name Plantagenet originated from Geoffrey of Anjou. It was his nickname due to the shrub, [a *planta genista*](_URL_0_), that he kept on his hat. He married Empress Matilda, the granddaughter of William the Conqueror, and it was their son Henry II who took the throne after Stephen, Matilda's cousin and the cur... | [
"One is the British term, the other the American. They are the same thing."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
A good book on the Plantagenets? | [
"I recently read The Wars of the Roses by Alison Weir, and then followed it up with The Princes in the Tower. It's definitely not a broad overview of the Plantagenets, but it's very detailed on the Wars of the Roses and then the downfall of the House Plantagenet, and the rise of the Tudor line."
] | [
"When the US has only existed for a fraction of the length of time that the kingdoms in the British Isles have, I think you can understand just how immense the history of Blighty truly is. I say first you must commit to a time period before proceeding. Do you want Brythonic, Roman, Romano-British, Saxon, Norman, Vi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about history:"
} |
How strongly did you have to speak out against the Chinese government to be a political prisoner or get executed? | [
"Interesting Smithsonian article on the [Hundred Flowers](_URL_0_) campaign. In short, after having slaughtered ~700,000 counterrevolutionaries, Mao encouraged \"constructive criticism,\" and the massive amount of criticism directed at the Communist Party, the outcry from intellectuals and those critical of the new... | [
"Right now Hong Kong and China operate under different legal systems with different laws, despite in concept both being part of China. What the proposed change would do is allow people to be arrested and extradited to China from Hong Kong, meaning for example the bookseller who distributes literature critical of th... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Was the protagonist of the ancient drama Medea by Euripides played by a man? | [
"All speaking parts in both Classical Athenian tragedy and comedy were played exclusively by men, or at least boys. This includes both the actual actors and the chorus. While women might appear in comedy and lower forms of theater like mime and pantomime they did not speak--their role in comedy was generally basica... | [
"Could Sun Tzu be one name credited for the words and works of a few authors the way scholars believe the writings of Homer are quite probably those of more than one writer?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
I have heard of Hitler's use of amphetamines and read a little about it here but am looking for more, are there any primary or other "reasonable" sources detailing this use and its affects on his personality and daily life? | [
"*[Adolf Hitler's medical care](_URL_0_)* (pdf) features an appendix with a handy list of all of Hitler's main physician Morell's prescriptions with information about present day equivalents. It's based on the information in David Irving(1)'s book *The Secret Diaries of Hitler's Doctor* but compiled and annotated b... | [
"I have a bit of a tangential question. I've heard numerous times that the decision to criminalize marijuana was influenced by lobbies such as pharma, paper, textiles, etc.; however, I've never seen any reliable sources report this. Is there any validity to this claim?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Caring for old documents | [
"UV light filtering glass is very expensive and not bulletproof light protection, unfortunately. We almost never use them in archives land, outside of very special situations where the originals need to be in constant display, like things in Washington DC. There is not a single thing in a UV frame at my archives, w... | [
"2000 years of collecting property, art and gold."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about Archiving:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence about Archiving:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
How historically accurate is Ken Burns' Civil War? | [
"u/Georgy_K_Zhukov has written a lengthy [response](_URL_0_d86qc8w/) in [other](_URL_1_) similar [threads](_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 Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
What where people smuggling into California in the 1850's? | [
"Richard Henry Dana mentions smuggling in his book, 'Two Years Before the Mast.' Basically, American merchant ships in the 1830's would have to go to Monterey, pay duty on their goods before trading with the locals. The uninhabited Channel Islands were a perfect place for the merchants to meet up with 'ghost ships'... | [
"What drugs were popular in 19th century Britain?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Not sure this the right place, but can anyone provide some good places to learn about 18th century military tactics and strategy? Particularly Prussian. | [
"Carl von Clausewitz - On War would probably be a good place to start. There's an online version here: _URL_0_"
] | [
"Just asked this in the other sticky, but maybe this is the better place for it: Does anyone have any good book recommendations about the Nigerian Civil War or about Biafra as a country?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about Education:",
"pos": "Represent the argument about Education:",
"neg": "Represent the argument about Literature:"
} |
Before typewriters, did people have to write two copies of any correspondences they had? | [
"They could make a *letterpress copy.* [Here's a description](_URL_0_) of how that was done."
] | [
"It means that the person writing the letter didn't care enough about the message or the recipient to bother personally proofreading the message. They just dictated it off to a secretary, and then didn't even bother to check that the typist had gotten their words correct. This suggest that the person or message is ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Did the Harrapans have contact with any other literate peoples? | [
"About a thousand years after the Mesopotamians invented writing and at the beginning of the \"Mature\" Harappan period, Mesopotamia and the cities of the Indus Valley (like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro) were in maritime contact with each other. Many peoples along the Persian Gulf, such as those from Bahrain and Oman, ... | [
"They were a group of indo-Europeans who went over to present-day India and essentially conquered the Dravidian people."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
If I were to try to have a conversation with a 10th-15th century English person today, would they understand me at all? | [
"FYI, there are a few related discussions on this topic in the FAQ* [How far back could I go and still communicate?](_URL_0_) *see the link on the sidebar or the wiki tab"
] | [
"Do you have a period you specifically want to know about? This is ranges from slightly different to totally different if we're talking about Asia Minor and Syria circa 333 B.C., Italy in 216 B.C., Gaul 500 A.D., Palestine 1066 A.D., Brandenburg in 1630/31 A.D., Silesia in 1740 A.D. or Sedan in 1870. I'm sure we co... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Did civilizations like ancient Greece or Rome have fads every few decades like we do today? | [
"[Women's hairstyles](_URL_1_) in Rome changed as new things came into vogue. Part of training in Roman archaeology and art can be gaining the ability to distinguish the dates of statuary based on hairstyles. For instance, new drilling techniques meant that curls could be more intricate, like in the beards later em... | [
"So when and where did playing cards as we know them come into being anyways?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
What kinds of evidence have to be, or should be, present if we are to determine the existence of a certain disease in the past? | [
"If you're going to be strict about this, you require molecular genetic evidence. Diseases rarely have a set of symptoms that are unique and therefore unmistakable, and due to evolution it's hard to be certain that a given condition isn't due to microbes that have either mutated or otherwise since gone into hiding.... | [
"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 post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
When did China learn about Europe and America? | [
"Is this a question on when China learned of Europe or America? Also is the question also about did China know the world was spherical? If so a good answer by /u/svendskov explains why even though some knew the world was round it didn't get applied to cartography _URL_0_"
] | [
"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 argument about History:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
What are some of the biggest criticisms of Henry Kissinger's political actions and philosophies? | [
"Christopher Hitchens wrote a whole book on the subject and discussed it at length in multiple interviews, I have included the link to one such video below: _URL_0_ As far as I understand it, the main allegations relate to Vietnam and Cambodia, specifically the allegation that Kissinger deliberately orchestrated t... | [
"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 question:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text about Literature:"
} |
What is your opinion on school history textbooks? | [
"You can find my thoughts/findings on the representation of American cultures [here](_URL_0_). It's always *great* to find that what you and everyone you know has dedicated their life to studying receives a single awful paragraph in just one, upper level textbook. Americans are clueless about the most basic facts 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 title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Did people in Britain in the 1960s & early 1970s (before Margaret Thatcher became PM in 1975) believe that unions were too powerful? | [
"I was fairly young at the time, but I remember people being pretty hacked off with the miners in respect of the [three day week](_URL_0_). My father went so far as to fit mains gas lighting in the kitchen of our house as he had no confidence that the issues with the supply of electricity would be resolved."
] | [
"Generally because they inherited a hard-won and prosperous welfare state but then proceeded to dismantle it in the name of short-term profit at the expense of their children. This current generation are the first who, on average, are going to be worse off than their parents, and the policies of deregulation and pr... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
What did Jimmy Carter do that was good/successful? | [
"I don't think Carter was a \"horrible\" president. He certainly wasn't exciting or glamorous, but people only seem to remember him for the hostage crisis…. Some things he did that were overlooked: -He brought Egypt and Israel together at the Camp David Accords (which would generally be considered good if you are... | [
"Excuse my ignorance, but why is Watergate such a big deal? Of all the slimy things politicians do nowadays this doesn't seem all that bad to me."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
So what was the ideal end game for the Axis in WW2? | [
"The end game would have been pretty much Italy forming a new \"Roman Empire\" with colonies in North Africa, Middle east, and territory in the Balkans. Japan was trying to create a \"Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere\" where their idea was basically to take over China, Korea, and South East Asia and modernize them (read:... | [
"A follow up & relevant question, how close did the CSA come to being recognized by a European Power?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Did anybody anywhere ever think the world was flat? | [
"The [Flat Earth Society](_URL_0_) seriously advocates the idea that the Earth is a flat disc shape with the North Pole at the middle. They've always been pretty fringe, of course."
] | [
"There is no proof that they actually did it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage about Law and Entertainment:"
} |
In the Cold War era, was being a communist in America actually illegal? If so, what was the legislation that made it illegal? What was the penalties or the enforcement agency? | [
"I was going to say no, but I googled it to make sure. Then I found this: _URL_0_ Apparently, it is illegal to be a communist. According to the article, though, it has never been enforced and federal courts refuse to uphold it. No one has ever tried enforcing it obviously, since the Communist Party still exists pub... | [
"Nothing. The President can only be impeached if he himself has committed \"treason, bribery, [or] other high crimes and misdemeanors\". Being the beneficiary of the crimes of some other foreign government is not grounds for impeachment so long as they were acting without his knowledge or consent. If, however, it c... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
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Saturday Reading and Research | December 23, 2017 | [
"*A Hideous Monster of the Mind* all about race theory in \"early\" America -it goes to the 1850s- is in the can. It wasn't bad, but was really dry. I'm not sure I followed every fine distinction, but I know where to get them if I need to now. From there I have started *The Problem of Slavery in Western Culture*, ... | [
"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 title about Literature:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Literature:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do Pakistani people view Ghandi? | [
"The PAK middle class i had some contact to is rather fond of Gandhi, particularly because of his final days. You might want to look into [the courtroom apologia](_URL_0_) of his former associate and **assassin** Nathuram Godse. It is regarded as the tipping point in the Cold War between India and Pakistan, very mu... | [
"Are you asking why Christians don't hate Hindus?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
When and why did fish become allowed on Fridays? | [
"The Catholic Church's requirement to fast from meat on Fridays is [Canon 1251](_URL_0_). The Latin word translated \"meat\", however, is \"caro\", which means flesh. Fish is distinguishable from flesh meat by several standards. - Experientially, a freshly caught fish, when sliced open, will not bleed. - Scientif... | [
"That's why pork and other foods are prohibited by many religions."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
In the year 1900, what countries were regarded to be the next big economic superpowers of the 20th century? Was there a consensus on which one would be the next global leader? If not, what influenced their differing opinions? | [
"Argentina was widely believed to be one of the next major world players, and was well on its way to do so, but decline set in with the loss of trading partners in WWI and subsequent shocks. There is an accessible overview of this in a [recent Economist](_URL_0_) which might lead you to more scholarly literature."
... | [
"The \"universal language\" of the world is the language that the most powerful country/countries in the world uses as a trade language. During the Roman era that was Latin and that is why it has so many descendant languages (French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian). For English it came into uses as the glob... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Was writing immediately recognized by societies encountering it for the first time? Was its significance appreciated? | [
"Howard Zinn (using as source Phillip Hoose's *We Were There, Too!*) talks about the Cherokee chief Sequoyah and his daughter Anyokah, who \"brought a written language to the Cherokee people and found a way to prove its importance to the tribal elders.\" First they created a system of writing that could represent t... | [
"And a further question: How, if at all, did this inner dialogue exist before language existed? Would that even be possible? If so in what form would it manifest?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
How accurate is this graphic depiction of British soldier armament? | [
"The 1244 one strikes me as off in a few places. The boots seem too tall, [this](_URL_1_) is about the tallest I've seen boots in that period. The helmet by 1244 should be more than just face protection, and should really be an early barrel helm [like so.](_URL_0_) Another two little niggles are the kite shield,... | [
"It has a few different meanings in different contexts. What setting are we talking about?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about movie accuracy:",
"pos": "Represent the document about movie accuracy:",
"neg": "Represent the document about finance:"
} |
What newspaper article is being read at the end of the movie Dunkirk? | [
"It was a reprint of Winston Churchill's famous \"we shall fight on the beaches\" speech, which you can read [here](_URL_0_)."
] | [
"On this topic, how accurate is the description of life at the front, in \"All Quiet on the Western Front\"?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
JFK said "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard". What exactly were these "other things" he mentioned? | [
"Climb the highest mountain, fly across the Atlantic for the first time, and have Rice play Texas in football. [Transcript](_URL_0_) [Video](_URL_1_)"
] | [
"If it's OK for me to do it, it has to be OK for everybody to do it. If it's not OK for everybody to do it, then it's not OK for me to do it either."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Ottoman Historians: Would Ottomans place slaves purchased from the transatlantic slave route as Janissaries? | [
"I've never read anything suggesting that they were. The primary method of recruiting jannisaries during its period as a slave-based institution was through the [devshirme](_URL_0_) which recruited from a quota of Christian boys, mostly from the Balkans. As the devshirme declined, it was replaced by a system of fre... | [
"You may be looked at oddly however the concept of race that has been developed today did not exist then. Also, there was significant contact with the Far East and Rome which cause great consternation from the conservative elite as the rampant purchase of luxury goods was seen as decadent. Pliny the Elder remarked ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
I'm a typical college student in America and I'm going to a party. What should I expect if I was in the 1920s, 40s, 60s and 80s? What were the differences/similarities? | [
"The region would dictate much more than you think. Southern? Northern? City? Agriculture college? As well as socio-economic status of the university. EDIT: I don't think most of you understand what I meant by what I said. I was just establishing parameters and trying to make OP understand how broad his question wa... | [
"If you're talking about America, that's simply not true. Go to any big Reddit thread and you'll see hundreds of comments talking about what a glorious socialist utopia Europe is. Many Americans also have varying degrees of obsession with British culture. Half the women in my family got up at 3 in the morning to wa... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
How have general mannerisms and etiquette changed over time? | [
"This is kind of a vague question, maybe if you could narrow it down to a specific place and year or decade? Mannerisms and culture change within society on a very quick turnaround (think about the differences in culture between now and 1990 alone) so it would help if you could specify"
] | [
"The French Revolution in regards to the mindset of modern culture. The Industrial Revolution when it comes to technological advancements."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Who was on the last helicopter out of Saigon? | [
"Just watched [this](_URL_0_) last night. Last helicopter took out 11 marines who were stuck on the roof of the embassy and had to blockade the doors from the stairwell to keep out the crowd of Vietnamese who had been left behind in the embassy compound. Apparently, the ramp closed with only 10 marines on board and... | [
"North Korea is on a whole 'nother level compared to Saudi Arabia and Qatar."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
During the American Civil War, monitors from the European Powers traveled to America to examine the course of the war. What were the general assessments of both armies from these monitors? What was their response to a hastily built rebel army consistently defeating the US in the opening years? | [
"I wrote about Arthur Fremantle a few months ago, here: _URL_0_ Fremantle was an unofficial observer from England, but was not a sanctioned or official \"monitor\" as OP suggests, however. Fremantle came on his own to just sort of sightsee, but had the amazing good fortune getting in with some prominent company, no... | [
"To add a little to I_Provide_Feedback's very good answer as to the larger effects, there was a smaller but significant one. In the early stages of the Seven Years' War, when it was only the various governors trying ( or not trying) to mount a military response, George Washington learned how to keep an army in the ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
How do people fact check medieval books? | [
"Do you mean, did the authors in the Middle Ages fact-check what they were writing? Or are you asking, do modern scholars verify what they read in medieval books?"
] | [
"What about the US election do you want explained, specifically?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What is Charles II holding in the portrait of him as an infant painted by Justus Verus ab Egmont? | [
"Can't speak about the dog, but it's a teething toy made of coral! [Some Google image search pictures.](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"Minor point: Katherine was the first wife of Henry VIII, not Henry VII."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
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