query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1
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|---|---|---|---|---|
If Darwin and Wallace independently developed theories of natural selection and jointly presented their findings, why is Darwin the one associated with it? | [
"There was a good programme about this on the BBC a few months ago. Bill Bailey successfully campaigned to get Wallace's portrait put up in the Natural History Museum. Unfortunately it's not on iPlayer any more but you can watch some clips here - _URL_0_"
] | [
"Gottfried Leibniz and Issac Newton both separately developed the fundamental concepts and equations of Calculus independently of each other around the same time period. However, Issac managed to publish his work about 3 years earlier to Leibniz and that is why many people only refer to Newton as the father of Calc... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Top answer in an askreddit thread depicts decimation occuring in world war 1, is there any documented proof of this ever happening? | [
"> Does anyone here know anything about this? I know of no cases of 'decimation' ever being used in WWI, by any Army; that \"fact\", like that answer, is little better than hyperbole. In fact, rumours spread in the outbreak of the French Army Mutinies of 1917 that decimation **was** being used, and aside from turn... | [
"> first two world wars > Russia's losses > collapse Do you mean to ask about the heavy casualties in the wars and how they related to the rise and fall of the USSR? There are other.. stranger interpretations of this question so I'm trying to clarify for others."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Thursday Reading & Recommendations | April 18, 2019 | [
"Hi, all! Any suggestions for books that cover some of the strangest figures and events of the Middle Ages? Thinking along the lines of the Cadaver Synod. Especially where it concerns royalty, military or clergy."
] | [
"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:"
} |
Has there ever been a ruler with absolute power who did not oppress the people? | [
"This is a nearly impossible question to answer. What do you mean by \"oppression?\" What would you define as \"giving them liberties?\" How exactly do we define \"corruption\" in this context? As you can see from the thread that Ersatz_Okapi linked you to, most of the rulers cited as being \"good\" were also invo... | [
"State sponsorship from Roman Empire and then other countries. Isn't it lovely when your subjects believe monarchs rule by divine right and the regular people should just endure hardships and oppression to get rewarded in the afterlife?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
How was France able to afford an army conquer Europe during the french revolution if it was so poor? | [
"I'd raise attention to a [splendid post](_URL_0_) by /u/_elos on this subject."
] | [
"Look at where it comes from not it's meaning today. Land of the free originates from around the 1810's in the song Star-Spangled banner after overthrown the rule of the British and forming their own country. At that point in time Belgium was under the rule of the first French Empire which was an absolute monarchy... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Did Burr regret shooting Hamilton after finding out that H wasn't going to shoot him? | [
"Short answer, Burr didn't believe Hamilton wasn't going to shoot him. Long answer, [I discussed the Hamilton duel in our AMA last year](_URL_0_), with particular focus on [this comment](_URL_1_)."
] | [
"Because he shot at the people trying to capture him, and was killed in the firefight. There's no reason to believe he wouldn't have been given a trial had this not happened."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Does anyone have information about avocado pit ink used by Conquistadors? | [
"You might want to consider looking for sources in Spanish. It'd be \"tinta de aguacate en la colonia\" or \"tinta de aguacate españoles/conquistadores\". Here is once instance, written by Eduardo Galeano, who is an acclaimed historian and journalist. Last paragraph. _URL_0_"
] | [
"Along the same lines, can anyone tell me what to do with these seashells?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Has there ever been a "graying" society that reversed declining fertility rates through social policy? | [
"Hi, this question may be worth x-posting to /r/AskSocialScience for their input"
] | [
"A population can increase without making babies from increased immigration, and depending on what counts in the current population tourism and other travelers can boost population temporarily. Additionally, medical access, treatment, and retirement conditions plays a significantrole. The longer people live, the lo... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Did candle-making companies put up a huge fight before the lightbulb was released to the general public? | [
"the original rival of electric lighting wasn't so much candle makers as gas light utility companies and Kerosene lamps. For the most part, gas light companies did nothing, it helped that Edison Electric was backed by the most powerful Gilded Aged interests of Wall St such as J.P. Morgan and the Vanderbilt family w... | [
"It depends on who you ask. The story I have gotten is that it is all related to how cheap marijuana is in certain industries, most notably fuel and paper. If processed correctly it can be a cheaper alternative to what we use now. Back in the day, the industry executives got wind of this and freaked the hell out. T... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
When Hawaii and Alaska were gaining statehood in 1959 was there concern that the addition of four new senators would alter the "balance" of the senate? | [
"Yes. Hawaii’s entrance to statehood was blocked throughout the 1950s by southern Democrats who believed they would become proponents of civil rights legislation. Democrats delayed until 1959, when Alaska could be paired with Hawaii under the assumption that Alaska would vote with southern Democrats. Ironically, th... | [
"First, it's the Senate and the House of Representatives. Congress is basically a generic term used to lump the two together in the United States to signify the Legislative branch of government. The Senate is comprised of two senators from each state regardless of state population. This means in the Senate states w... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Did Vikings really steal wives from European countries? | [
"Keep in mind, one does not need to be married to a slave to share genetic information. The Icelandic population is one of the best understood, genetically, and it is clear that many of the women who initially settled the island (and left descendants) came from [Ireland or Scotland](_URL_0_). While this may not hav... | [
"The Turks created them. Back in the late 18th century, they were brought to Europe straight from the Ottoman Empire."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
If last Americans died in Vietnam was in 1975, why does this website says casualties happened until 1998? | [
"Those are \"war related deaths\" not combat deaths, so someone dying after the war due to wounds or disease from the war would be in those figures. According to the website 839 of the casualities were 1976-1998, and 10787 were non-hostile casualties, of which 1978 were due to illness or injury."
] | [
"November 11, 1918 is when ww1 ended, September 1, 1939 is when world war 2 began, This is 21 years. Most soldiers are ready to fight at the age of 18-21"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
How good is the history of /r/badhistory? | [
"It definitely depends on the specific post, but there are a lot of flaired users here that are also BadHistory regulars."
] | [
"This would be a good question for /r/askhistorians"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
A poor family living in the woods circa 1500; how did they find husbands and wives for their children? | [
"Hi, can you specify which region/culture you're asking about? That will greatly assist anyone contemplating answering here. Thanks!"
] | [
"Because if you keep reproducing, maybe you will get lucky and some of your kids will grow up to adulthood, get a wife, and farm the scrap of land you own and provide for you when you are old and can't work anymore. You know, like how people did for pretty much all of recorded history."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Sociology:"
} |
Was there a designated route a Roman general of the Republic would take on his triumph through the city of Rome? | [
"The triumphal procession prepared itself on the Campus Martius and entered the city through the Porta Triumphalis, whose location is unfortunately not entirely certain (it was someplace right by the Campus Martius, probably in the Servian wall). Here the *triumphator* met the senate and the magistrates, and headed... | [
"Is there any evidence that the legion was lost? and not just destroyed at Carrhae? There is no evidence that I know of, of any kind of incursion of Romans in Han China at the time."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Was U-Boat commander Georg von Wilamowitz-Moellendorf (1893-1943) related to classical philologist Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff (1848-1931)? | [
"Yes, he was his nephew. Georg v. Willamowitz-Möllendorf was the son of Tello v. Willamowitz-Möllendorf (*1843 +1903), an elder brother of Ulrich v. Willamowitz-Möllendorf. Since he went down with the ship, he definitely seems to have been part of the more traditional prussian military side of the family (his fath... | [
"Portrayals of Haitian vodou really came into their own in the 1920s and 30s, in books like Beale Davis' [The Goat Without Horns](_URL_0_) (1925), William Seabrook's [The Magic Island](_URL_1_) (1929), and more recently works like Wade Davis' [The Serpent and the Rainbow](_URL_2_) (1985)."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do conspiracy theories seem to be a relatively recent developement in US popular culture? | [
"> Are conspiracy theories a relatively recent development? If not, what are some older examples? I'm not sure that they are. Richard Hofstadter's *The Paranoid Style in American Politics* cites American conspiracies and fears about the Illuminati, Jesuits, Catholics, Masons, and others going back to the revolution... | [
"Is the a formal, organized program of indoctrinating people? No, there is not. Do people get drawn into an ideology and spend more and more time with like-minded people who reinforce that belief and add details to it? Yes. Nothing special about liberals here -- same happens with conservatives and other value syste... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
How do we know it is actually the year 2015? | [
"[This](_URL_2_) [gets](_URL_0_) [asked](_URL_3_) [a](_URL_1_) [lot](_URL_4_). Also, there is no year zero in the Gregorian calendar, it goes straight from 1 BCE to 1 CE."
] | [
"A hundred years ago? Do you mean 5,000 years ago?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
someone once told me that even if the Romans had gun powder they couldn't have made cannon because there mental was so poor that they would just exploded if they tried. is it true that roman mental was much lower quality than what they had in the renaissance? | [
"Bronze, brass, and soft iron will all work quite well for cannon barrels as long as they're thick enough and the powder burns relatively slowly. It's the quality of the gunpowder that would make the big difference here; for example the English naval fleets once had a serious problem with cannons exploding because ... | [
"Jared Diamond guns germs and steel is a book which goes in to this. Boils down to availability of animals you can domesticate that are any bloody use. The Llama for example isn't very strong, the zebra is feisty and also not strong, elephants are a bugger to breed. We had horses, we lucked out, the industrial revo... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why did the cold war bankrupt the ussr but not usa? | [
"The comment below by A_Soporific is very detailed about the Soviet economy in general, but one thing that can't be ignored is that Ronald Reagan convinced Saudi Arabia, and thus OPEC, to slash the price of oil. There is some debate about the extent to which the Reagan administration influenced the decision by OPEC... | [
"Was any Asian country capable of helping the United States during the revolutionary war?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why was Korean paper so famous? | [
"Korean paper, at least the ones exported to China (there were at least 15 or 16 varieties at the time) was simply high-quality, and fairly popular in China. There are various Chinese records about Korean paper at the time, but it appears to have been popular because it was white, shiny, and durable, and one Chines... | [
"What's so bad about having something made in Israel?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
What do you experienced historians consider essential reading? | [
"I think \"Metahistory\" by Hayden White should be required reading for all historians, but also everyone in general. It encapsulates the linguistic turn as applied to history, questions the historical enterprise, and simultaneously forces one to ask very tough questions about the crafting of one's own life as a na... | [
"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 post about Education:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Education:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Does anyone know who the first company to ever offer a coupon was? | [
"Well the earliest well known coupon was done by Coca Cola in the late 1800s. It was a simple get one glass of coke for free. Here is a link to the actual coupon. What coke did was give 2 gallons of the coke for free to Pharmacists in return they would give coke the address and names of nearby customers who were th... | [
"A follow-up question, what was the most that one could make via legitimate methods and what job did they have?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
How historically accurate is the new Broadway musical "Hamilton"? | [
"Hiya! A question like this will generally get more/ more in-depth responses if you can specify which aspects of the story you're curious about. Meanwhile, there have been several questions on the musical here which can get you started * [I'm currently listening to the Cast Recording for the musical 'Hamilton'. Wha... | [
"It's like \"It's A Wonderful Life,\" but the opposite."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What is the origin of the word Estadounidense in Spanish? Further, what were the demonyms of the Las Provincias Unidas de Centroamerica y las Provincias Unidas de Sudamérica? Were they both provinciasunidenses, or were they called centroamericanos and sudamericanos? | [
"Costa Rica - > Costaricense Canada - > Canadiense Estados Unidos - > Estadounidense Etc"
] | [
"You might want to consider looking for sources in Spanish. It'd be \"tinta de aguacate en la colonia\" or \"tinta de aguacate españoles/conquistadores\". Here is once instance, written by Eduardo Galeano, who is an acclaimed historian and journalist. Last paragraph. _URL_0_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Why did WW2 Japan think that an alliance with genocidal white supremacists was a good idea? | [
"At the time, they were rather racist themselves, to other Asians. They treated European prisoners *comparatively* well, as opposed to Chinese, Koreans, etc. Also, to add to /u/idm03's thoughtful answer, Japan's \"Asia For The Asians\" motto was very attractive to Germany, as well as Japan, as colonial Allied power... | [
"> Hitler wanted to take over the world and implement the master race. No. The closest thing he had to an end-goal was to depopulate what is today Eastern Europe and settle German farmers in their place. He also wanted a negotiated peace with Britain that left Germany the dominant European power. The \"master race\... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
What was JFK doing on Veterans Day, November 11, 1962? | [
"The JFK Daily Diary at the Miller Center at the University of Virginia shows that he and Jackie were at their Glen Ora property in Middleburg, Virginia that weekend. They were having a house built there. I guess he decided to do that instead of lay a wreath at Arlington. The daily diary shows they arrived at Glen ... | [
"* Calvin Coolidge was sworn-in by his father, a notary public, in the early morning hours of August 3, 1923. He delivered his first State of the Union four months later on December 6. * Harry Truman was sworn-in on April 12, 1945. Although he addressed a joint session of Congress four days later on the prosecution... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about History:"
} |
We all know of the "Hitler moustache", but has a phenomenon like this ever happened in previous history? | [
"The Amish don't grow mustaches because of their association of mustaches with the military. Are you asking if people generally have, over history, associated certain grooming habits with sets of cultural associations? Yes. Absolutely.That's how styles happen, and why they change over time. You might want to look ... | [
"As a Brit, I've certainly not come across the idea that it was accidental. Quite the opposite. Where is that interpretation taught?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Where is Jimmy Hoffa? Is his disappearance one of those mysteries that's only a mystery in public imagination? Is there a "Yeah, we haven't found his body, but this is almost certainly what happened..." thing going on with the case? Or no? | [
"Also to add: how did Jimmy Hoffa and *his* disappearance become a wide pop culture phenomenom? Many people have disappeared but Jimmy Hoffa's has been the reference to go to. Why?"
] | [
"The main reason was so that there wasn't a place where his followers could congregate or attack or do anything else. The lack of a known last resting place limits those kind of opportunities. As far as your followup question, well, if someone *wants* to believe that something else went down, then that's enough of ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Did the proposal to create an Imperial Federation out of the British Empire have any chance of succeeding? | [
"Late in the age of imperialism, there was also some pseudo-progressive talk of uniting into some greater democratic federation. But such talk is always tinged with, at best, paternalism. Really, what bound the empire together? Well, a few hundred years ago the British came and murdered your ancestors so hard that ... | [
"Could the rebuilding of Japan after WWII be considered a partial colonization by the United States?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How did BMXs come about from traditional cycling and how did it evolve into what it is today? | [
"**Note to Commenters:** Since BMX is nearly 50 years old, the question is not breaking the 20-year rule, as long as you keep your answers to historical developments and. You can address any development up to and including 1995 in your answers."
] | [
"So when and where did playing cards as we know them come into being anyways?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Did people really eat 250,000 year old wooly mammoth meat at the Explorers Club 47th Annual Dinner? | [
"This is were I originally read it _URL_3_"
] | [
"Do you usually feel like eating a big juicy burger and a side of fries at 7:00am?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Can someone shed light on the lending practices of the Classical Greeks? | [
"I presume you're referring to the passage in the *Clouds* where Phidippides refers to the day of the old and the new (τὴν ἕνην τε καὶ νέαν)? A slightly more literal, though kind of nonsensical translation, for τὴν ἕνην τε καὶ νέαν would be \"the day of last month and the new month.\" The ἕνη καὶ νέα is the last da... | [
"Just a follow-up question to the original question - what about the reverse. What was Napoleon's view of the United States?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
At several points in the musical "Hamilton," "Wall Street" is used as a metonym for the American financial sector. Was Wall Street firmly established as the center of finance and banking in the United States by the late 18th/early 19th century? | [
"As a follow up question, at the turn of the century Melville's \"Bartleby the Scrivner: A Tale of Wall Street\" involves the goings-on of a law office. Was Wall Street associated with lawyers as much as bankers before the 20th century?"
] | [
"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."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How were brass instruments made during the Classical period? | [
"Did you have any in mind. Non historical but thinking of the classic trumpet that existed at the time, it was a horn with no valves, similar in function and build to a modern bugle. Brass is easy to work and a horn such as that could be hand beaten and rolled, then brazed together with a metal such as silver. I wo... | [
"\"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 query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What are the origins of eggnog? Were there other forms of nog that did not involve egg? | [
"As a secondary question I've heard that drink recipes like 'ale flips', and 'yard of flannel' were precursors to eggnog. Is there any truth to this?"
] | [
"Chocolate was a component in a hot drink for the Aztecs and was introduced to Europe in the 16th century, where it was served as a drink with sugar and vanilla. It was popular drink in coffeeshops for a couple centuries before it started to be used in confections. So I expect having someone over for chocolate woul... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Is there a website shows changes in countries borders year by year ? | [
"I think you might be looking for this: _URL_0_"
] | [
"In which region? Or are you looking for global statistics on literacy?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Did Reagan’s Star Wars project really contribute to the fall of the USSR? Was the collapse mostly dues to internal or external factors? | [
"u/Kochevnik81 Do you have any idea why Reagan offered to share SDI? Was it a bluff on top of a bluff?"
] | [
"Follow up question. Boris Yeltsin was a famous alcoholic. Did this change how seriously he was taken in the days directly after the fall of the USSR?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Monday Mysteries | Roots of Urban Legends | [
"Hopefully this isn't forbidden in the rules, but may I ask a question? Are there any urban legends which have been proven true? For instance, has there been a murder by gang members when an individual flashed their lights at a car one night? Did a scuba diver get sucked up in a fire fighting helicopter and plunge... | [
"Next Week's Theme: 'Royalty, Nobility, and the Exercise of Power' To be followed by: \"Eastern Europe\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How similar was Hero of Alexandria's ball-and-steam invention to a modern steam engine? | [
"Very very very different. What makes steam engines (the modern ones) so useful is that they use steam to move a piston inside a cylinder back and forth with tremendous power (modern gas and diesel engines do the same). The modern steam engine has valves which allow steam to pressure the inside of the cylinder push... | [
"Are you asking about the screw as a simple machine? (e.g. olive presses and C-clamps?) Or the screw as a fastener?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Can anyone provide any information or sources on the history of food storage? | [
"Well in the US from the peak of the railroad in the 1800s until the widespread adoption of electricity and refrigerators, ice boxes were used. There was a whole industry around producing and harvesting ice blocks in colder climants. The blocks were shipped via insulated railcars and then distributed by delivery me... | [
"Additionally, do we have documents on the public perception of electricity?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Battle Art: Was it accurate? | [
"Joe Flatman wrote a book examining part of this issue. He was trying to determine if representations of ships in medieval art were generally accurate. Some of his work did involve battle scenes. What he found was that they were surprising accurate. Here's a link to the book on Amazon. [Link](_URL_0_). Its expensi... | [
"Has someone been reading A Song of Ice and Fire?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about movie accuracy:",
"pos": "Represent the text about movie accuracy:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Did Cao Cao (曹操) leave behind a will? What did it say? | [
"Well, there are many stories regarding Cao Cao's death. But many of these stories are either from word of mouth over generations, or from *Romance of the Three Kingoms* which was written in 14th century and is considered a fiction. The *Records of the Three Kingdoms* (which is a legitimate historical record regard... | [
"Lü Bu was a real person, yes. Chen Shou's *Sangouzhi* (三國志, Records of the Three Kingdoms, written in the 3rd century) mentions him, and that's pretty much the most cited historical document for the time period/location. While the site itself is mostly dedicated to Luo Guanzhong's *Sanguo yanyi* (三國演義, Romance of... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
The frontier in the American Civil War. | [
"Alvin Josephy's *The Civil War in the American West* (1991) is a place to start. It's mostly an extension of the war itself and getting a little old, but you may find some useful analysis there."
] | [
"Only if the federal government let it. See: American Civil War"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Did sailors/pirates really walk bare foot on wooden ships? Wouldn't they get stubbed toe's and splinters very fast, especially after and during battles? | [
"Yes they would go without shoes. The decks on a ship were quite well worn, sanded, pitched and sealed. Additionally, bare feet also were good for climbing rigging as well. As for worrying about stubbed toes and splinters. You're thinking very modern first world.... Feet that aren't protected by nice thick socks an... | [
"I've heard that the pads of dogs and cats paws can get frost bitten and extremely dry. So they recommend putting booties on dogs if the temperature is incredibly low and lotion on their paws or something to keep them from getting too chapped"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Why is it only now that artists seem to be able to draw in hyper realism? What was preventing past artists from painting/drawing something that was hyper realistic? | [
"Hi there, this question has been asked a few times before. You may be interested in [this section of our FAQs](_URL_0_) while you await new answers. `"
] | [
"Most of us only know these paintings from pictures in books or a computer. I haven't even had the pleasure of seeing a masterpiece apart from when I went to the Smithsonian when I was like 9. I had someone once tell me that you won't understand what makes these seemingly abstract or \"plain\" (like those painting... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about Art and History:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Art and History:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How long did it take for Europeans to realize that America was not India? | [
"Amerigo Vespucci, who first approached the realization in June 1502. _URL_0_ Therefore it took Europeans exactly 10 years."
] | [
"Christopher Columbus thought he was sailing to India but accidentally found a new continent. As such he called them Indians."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How has North Korean pop culture developed under the Kim dynasty? | [
"If you don't mind me piggybacking off this, I'd like to add to your question: Has \"celebrity culture\" in North Korea included many people outside the Kim family? Like, singers or actors that have adored by the public and gossiped about and swooned over, or has this sort of public adulation always been reserved f... | [
"Could the rebuilding of Japan after WWII be considered a partial colonization by the United States?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
What did the 177 Aero Squadron do in WW1? | [
"Sadly the details on that particular squadron seem to be scarce. [Here's](_URL_2_) a New York Times article reporting their return from Europe on November 22 aboard the SS Minnekahda, allong with approximately 7,000 more troops. The article states there were 2 officers and 230 enlisted men in the squadron. [This ... | [
"What drugs were popular in 19th century Britain?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What works prepared the public consciousness of Victorian England to so quickly latch onto Mary Shelly's *Frankenstein*? | [
"Can you clarify your question? Particularly, why Victorian England? Frankenstein was published in 1818 originally (the first edition, anyway, often considered the more cheerful version), and in 1831 for its final revised edition (the depressing one). That makes Shelley's novel a predecessor of the Victorian period... | [
"That depends on how you define the genre of \"Fantasy\", and where you put its beginnings. The beginnings of Undead creatures in fantastic literature can be seen in Mary Shelley's 1818 opus *Frankenstein*, often considered to be the first science fiction work, and science fiction and fantasy are often combined in ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do the laws surrounding claiming of found artifacts exclude countries of origin that were colonies? | [
"They don't. Found colonial artifacts and structures are generally considered the property of the descendant government. However, the recently discovered wreck of the San José and many other Spanish wrecks contain dead Spanish sailors, whose remains are generally Spanish property and they have claimed the whole sit... | [
"> Do these end up in so called private collections? Most likely they do end up in the possession of wealthy individuals who don't care about laws in the country from which they were stolen."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Why hasn't human civilization clumped up around the equator? | [
"Actually, population is most dense near the the [tropic of cancer](_URL_0_). There have been plenty of relatively population dense civilizations nearer to the equator, e.g. South China and Mesoamerica. Contemporary cultures tend to be more economic developed outside of the tropics, such as the USA, Europe. Howeve... | [
"> So why seek to settle on another planet? Because it's there. To explore space. To develop and refine the technology of off-Earth living. To give the human race a lifeboat. Why colonize the Sahara or Antarctica? We aren't running out of room in more livable places."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Do what laymen read in terms of historical research and what historians read the same thing? | [
"Yes, historians write papers. There are a large number of journals, probably the most important in the United States is the [American Historical Review](_URL_1_), which is published by the American Historical Association. But there are literally hundreds of other journals dedicated to specific focuses, both locall... | [
"It is a terrible book to read if your desire it to learn about evolution, read modern books on the subject."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How did the Lend-lease program affect the relationship between America and Russia post-war? | [
"Just a clarification: goods supplied through the Lend-Lease program that were destroyed, used up, or consumed in the course of the war were not subject for repayment. Only items that were still intact after the war needed to be either returned back to the US or paid for at cost. Since much of what was sent was foo... | [
"Was any Asian country capable of helping the United States during the revolutionary war?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
How did the people of the Marquesas Islands (or others) make their way to the Hawaiian Islands? What techniques/special skills would they have used, what items did they take with them, how did they alter the environment they found there. | [
"More of course can be said, but we do have a good section on the topic of [Pacific Islander navigation in the FAQ](_URL_0_), with answers from /u/b1uepenguin , /u/cnzmur, and /u/thefairyguineapig that might interest you!"
] | [
"I understand the question you're asking, but it's not a very good one. There isn't one timeline of human culture, where some communities are closer to \"advanced\" than others. Native communities had the technology they needed to cook and communicate, and the knowledge to travel by boat and use plants as medicine.... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Pre-Columbian Iberian Celtics in America | [
"Yeah this either a massive typo or a claim with absolutely no supporting evidence. Flattened fort hills were often built by Celtic people's as stronghold's around territory. However it makes no sense that Iberian Celts could cross the Atlantic (their certainly not known for sea faring). And then also travel deep i... | [
"British Empire -- > Post-WW2 / Cold War America -- > British and American pop culture -- > Silicon Valley."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
When was the last fully declared war between two democracies? | [
"Adding on to this question: When was the last fully declared war between two democracies, *where neither country is Russia*? This edit sidesteps the entire debate about if Russia is currently considered a democracy or not, which I have heard entirely too many times in my college Polisci classes."
] | [
"Was any Asian country capable of helping the United States during the revolutionary war?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How was suicide viewed/how common was it in your period of interest? | [
"Answers for some periods here: * [What were the suicide rates in the Middle Ages?](_URL_1_) * [How often did slaves (of all time) commit suicide?](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"A follow-up and related question: how about young people in other parts of the world in this time period? I.e. South Asia, China, West Africa, South America?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Advice for book on history's great leaders for middle school? | [
"I'd be careful given that middle schoolers will have very little context for the people you're trying to introduce. It's hard to truly understand why, say Roosevelt is a leader if you don't understand WWII or even really know what it was. If I was trying to teach a course on leadership I'd focus on practical aspe... | [
"Is this conversation normal for nine year old children?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
[Victorian times] Flirting between men and women, did they really use a lot of props? Courtship in general. | [
"The link is very interesting, thank you for sharing. I'm torn over how much credence to give it - it could certainly be genuine advice, but on the other hand it's so exaggeratedly detailed that it feels like it could almost be a parody of etiquette guides or over-mannered young people. If you want to read up more... | [
"They think they are beautiful basically, they compare it to a woman's beauty."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Victorian courtship and flirting:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Victorian courtship and flirting:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Language and Culture:"
} |
Why is the Philippines so poor? | [
"You realize that the Philippines were conquered by the US (after buying it from Spain) before the second world war and gained independence after the war? It's not the same situation as Korea which was a \"client state\" only after the Korean war, some 50 year after the Philippine-american war and has strong Americ... | [
"What's so bad about having something made in Israel?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why would David Hume write that there had been no non-white civilized nations? | [
"I think a very important question to ask before answer your question OP, is when Hume says \"white\" who exactly is he referring to? Even today the term \"white\" has very different meanings depending on who or where in the world you ask. Is he referring to people of European descent only? Perhaps just Northern Eu... | [
"At the very least 380 BC since that this is one of the major topics discussed in the first parts of Plato's Republic. It is hard think of a Western period where it was not accepted. What else would be the point of rulership? Even when people believed in divine rights, they believed God told kings to rule the peopl... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Why did the British keep granting their colonies more and more freedoms until they effectively then actually had independence? | [
"Not at all. This is kind of hard to provide an answer for because there are so many different examples of colonialism ending, but as a rule, Britain never \"wanted\" to lose its colonies *per se*, and it was only political and economic pressure that caused them to be given up. I was taught by [Richard Reid](_URL... | [
"While the countries you mention have the British monarch as their sovereign, these countries are, for every practical purpose, completely independent from the UK. And yes, in Canada and other commonwealth countries, the PM is not the head of state -- the PM is the head of government, and the Queen is the head of s... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
I am a Romanian and i want to know from non-Romanian historians what are the causes that East Europe is more undeveloped then West Europe. | [
"This is a huge topic and there are very many good books to suggest. A standard text on economic development is Sylla and Toniolo's \"Patterns of European Industrialization\" which does focus a lot on post-1800 history but also gives a solid modern perspective on the very influential Alexander Gerschenkron's theori... | [
"Until WW1 Russia was rich and influentlial. Tsars were directly related to the english crown for example. Then there was the revolution that ended the tsars and later there was stalin and his bunch. Many educated and wealthy russians fled during those times. On top of that they are geographicly isolated. They have... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
What would Mjolnir actually look like? (How did the norse warhammers looked at the time) | [
"The modern day reproductions of the pendants are usually based off of actual archeological finds like [this](_URL_0_). This design is also found on several runestones and is most likely the way people pictured Mjölnir. Realistically it would have been an impractical weapons, unwieldly and with a very limited range... | [
"He's the oldest, having been born before WW2 and then kept in suspended animation for a few decades. You would probably guess that Thor was the oldest, being a God and all that, but he's technically just a crippled med student named Donald Blake given the mantle of godhood on contact with the hammer of Thor (Mjoln... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Who was the last American Presidential nominee to skip the Presidential debates? | [
"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... | [
"Each is running to be the nominee from their respective party. In a few months, both parties will have their primary elections to choose who will be their party's nominee."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
So what happened to the English house of York? | [
"Hello! Basically it goes like this - Henry Tudor was the last (male) descendant of the House of Lancaster, which had been wiped out by the Wars of the Roses. He married Elizabeth of York, the oldest daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville. Her brothers were the Princes in the Tower ostensibly killed by Richa... | [
"And to hijack this in a related way, what were the alternatives to \"America.\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Can someone explain what "Bismarckian diplomacy" entails like I'm 12 years old? | [
"A famous quote of Bismarck's describes his approach pretty well: \"A statesman cannot create anything himself. He must wait and listen until he hears the steps of God sounding through events; then leap up and grasp the hem of his garment.\" Meaning that he was very good at identifying and making the best of opport... | [
"Can someone explain the question to me like I'm five?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
What led to San Francisco catching fire as it did after the great 1906 earthquake? | [
"The earthquake ruptured the gas mains even as it allowed ignition accidents in various ways from the hundreds of open flames being used for lighting and cooking. The wooden buildings caught fire easily, and the water mains damaged by the quake were useless for firefighting. The city was rebuilt with brick cisterns... | [
"It's the deadliest hurricane to hit the US since 1928. It's also the costliest natural disaster to ever hit the US"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Is Panama a country that was 'invented' by the US? | [
"While you're waiting for a more detailed answer about Panama specifically, [you may be interested in this old post about how continental Latin American states more broadly gained their independence](_URL_0_). It only has a line or two about Panama, saying there were pre-existing secessionists, but they weren't suc... | [
"Just the US as far as I know. To the rest of the world he was just another dictator. Possibly something to do with the proximity of communism to the US."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Monday Methods: "Not the mere accumulation of knowledge but the emancipation of man from slavery": The Frankfurt School, Critical Theory, and critical theory | [
"If a writer takes their approach from critical theory why shouldn't I take that as a warning that they may have less interest in getting at the truth of the matter than winning me over to a political and social goal?"
] | [
"Pre-modernism: We have the truth. Modernism: We can find the truth. Post-modernism: There is no truth."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What would computer hacking been like previous to the development of ARPANET? | [
"In the Bell System Practice from 1956 which details the data transmission system (314-550-100), there is no mention of security measures. However, this was really cutting edge stuff at the time so the chances of anyone having the technical capability to intercept this information would be low. I suppose you could ... | [
"That depends upon whether or not the technology is classified. If it's classified (nuclear weapons, NSA advanced snooping tools) then absolutely not. If it's not classified, then it's available for all. The most famous \"not classified\" government invention would be the internet. ARPANET was the the first versio... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Are there any historical figures that suddenly changed their beliefs/actions and we have no clue as to why? | [
"in 374 AD Ambrose became Bishop of Milan and went from being a fairly moderate Catholic who was tolerant of Arian Christians to a staunch anti Arian who tried to stamp out Arianism. Pretty radical change, I don't remember reading a clear explanation as to why. Any one able to confirm or is it a mystery?"
] | [
"Well, I guess simply put, we have very few examples of sane and respectable people who have made credible claims of God talking to them, but plenty of examples of unstable, mentally ill people claiming that God has talked to them. If you claim God has spoken to you, it's much more likely that you're in the second ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
1950s children's book series Eloise depicts a young girl living permanently in a hotel room. What's the cultural history of semi-permanent or permanent habitation in hotels? | [
"Well if this wasn't the most worthless thread to view."
] | [
"In the 19th and 20th centuries, many single young men who moved to the cities to work lived in boarding houses, where they rented a bed or a room, and shared washing and dining facilities with the other tenants. The landlady might have provided some sort of simple meal (bread, stew, etc) or at least access to cook... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Where the Cursades truly a "holy war" to retake Jerusilam and surrounding areas or was there other more prominent motives? | [
"hi! Not at all discouraging further discussion on the points you raise here, but fyi, you can get off to a great start in the FAQ: * FAQ section [The Crusades | Cause and Motivation](_URL_1_) ... specifically the first post, featuring /u/ambarenya : * [Who started the Crusades? (Each one)](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"a crafty warlord that needed to rouse troops in order to fight under false pretenses in order to promote his sole agenda."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Who first settled in mainland Britain (Specifically Scotland) | [
"You're getting into the realm of pre-history here. Maybe /r/askanthropology might be able to help."
] | [
"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 Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
In the movie Troy (2004), the ships the Greeks use look more or less like the biremes of Classical times. What would Mycenaean galleys of the Late Bronze Age really have looked like? | [
"In Shelly Wachsmann's book [Seagoing Ships & Seamanship in the Bronze Age Levant (1998)](_URL_0_) he goes into a great amount of visual evidence for what Mycenaean ships looked like and draws upon ceramic vessels, murals, and even graffiti. Unfortunately, no Mycenaean shipwreck has been found yet unlike for other ... | [
"Chariot wheels are not built like wagon wheels, they're built more like bicycle wheels -- a large number of spokes on a very lightly built wheel. In fact, it's fairly certain that wheels like this were used on Roman and Etruscan chariots at some point. Compare this 2nd century A.D. carving to the 6th century B.C. ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
If all the bodies of water dried up, what historical sights/artifacts/etc. would we find? | [
"Not to discourange any new contributions to this question, but a similar question recieved many responses: [If the oceans were drained, what would be the top archaeological digs? What would be some of the top salvages?](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"The earth is alive. Ruins can be found under sand due to winds moving the sand dune. Others may have been flooded and as the water evaporated, left behind deposits. Other ruins are buried as things grow and die on top of them. The ancients didn't stop sweeping, they moved out or died out. The natural processes the... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
I have heard it suggested that in the C18th and earlier, the English were seen as an emotional, demonstrative race by other Europeans. This is at odds to the more modern perception of repression & stiff-upper-lip etc. Is there any truth to this change in character? If so, what caused it? | [
"You got the answer bang on- the Victorians were the 'prudes' previously to them the British had a similar stereotype in the the continent as we see the Italians now."
] | [
"Difficult question to answer since it's so ambiguous. One explanation that might contribute to that idea is the general character of Ontario, which is where I suspect this stereotype is derived. Up until the 1960s, Ontario was fairly British, Protestant and Conservative. As in, you couldn't drink on Sunday, and yo... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about History:",
"pos": "Represent the post about History:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Why did 'f's and 's's look so much alike and when did they start looking different? | [
"The Wikipedia article on [Long s](_URL_1_) is quite detailed. You can also make your own nifty charts like the one on that page by using [Google Ngram Viewer](_URL_0_). It would seem that Google's OCR interprets \"ſ\" as \"f\"."
] | [
"An allograph is a variation of a letter in another context. Uppercase and lowercase letters are allographs. Before the letter U was added to the Latin alphabet, the shape V was an allograph and stood for both the vowel U and the consonant V. It wasn’t until printing standardized letter shapes in the 1600s that the... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Does anyone know this french 17th/18th century general? | [
"I don't recognize him but FYI embassy staff are generally quite friendly and willing to answer simple questions from people on topics exactly like this. If you sent a polite email to presse.londres-amba@diplomatie._URL_0_ you can be almost assured an answer."
] | [
"in italian the word \"bambina\" means \"young girl\". That is the origin of the girl's name, not the movie."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Were roads in medieval times as dangerous and lawless as they are portrayed in films and television? | [
"You might be interested in an earlier answer of mine: * [In fantasy books, bandits seem to be a very common occurrence. Was that really a problem in medieval Europe?](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"Because for whatever reason, western society has become more accepting of depictions of violence than it has of depictions of sex. You see the same thing in films, TV, book, and other entertainment media."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
In "The Madness of King George" many parliamentarians are depicted as having been (semi-openly) very pro-American. Is this accurate? | [
"The extent to which some parliamentarians supported the American revolution varied. Men like Fox or Wilkes - both radicals who were almost outcasts to the political mainstream, which was still dominated by the vestiges of Whig oligarchy - certainly supported the American revolution (Fox notoriously wore the colour... | [
"Franklin acknowledged one illegitimate son, William Franklin, who later stayed loyal to the British during the Revolution and was appointed royal governor of New Jersey. As far as I know, he didn't have any more extramarital liaisons, or at least none that became known. Much later, when posted to the French court ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why was the Catholic Church so offended when Galileo proposed that the earth was not the center of the universe? | [
"There've been several good threads about Galileo in the past; [here's one that seems on-point](_URL_0_). In short, the Church weren't offended by his scientific proposals - Copernicus had published his theory earlier without any problem - so much as by his strident insistence that Copernicus was right while comple... | [
"The \"Flat Earth\" thing is one of those insults that dumb people think makes them sound smart or science-y. Most scholars, and this goes back before Christ, knew that the Earth was round or at least spherical. This Myth came out of the anti religous establishment back in the 1800's. Anti Christians have seized o... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Is the world more or less violent now than it has been in the last 100 years? | [
"Much safer. [Steven Pinker explains this very well.](_URL_0_)."
] | [
"Plague killed a shitload of people in Asia too. Various outbreaks in China have killed at least 50 million people over the last few hundred years."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
George Washington and swearing? | [
"\"[T]he foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing ... is a vice so mean and low, without any temptation, that every man of sense and character detests and despises it.\" * Extract from the Orderly Book of the army under command of Washington, dated at Head Quarters, in the city of New York (3 Aug... | [
"Because he became President and his name wasn't George W. Bush."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
When the Moors colonized Iberia, did they force their standards of beauty on the locals? | [
"> They ruled Iberia for seven hundred years (792-1492), **longest colonial empire in history** This not true, along the correct period (711-1492), there were different and independent kingdoms. Just because they were Muslim it doesn't mean they belonged to the same continuous state: The Emirate directly dependent ... | [
"The Iberian peninsula fell under Islamic rule after the Arab Conquest of Hispannia. Muslims love to name their children Muhammad. As a response to this habbit by their Muslim rulers, the Iberians began to name their children Jesus. The short answer is Hispannia fell under Muslim rule, hence they adapt their practi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
In the early 16th century, codpieces became very popular, but were objects of parody and derision by the end of it. What contributed to the rise and fall of this bizarre fashion trend? | [
"Hi, hopefully someone can answer this more fully, but you may be interested in these * /u/kittydentures on the rise and fall of codpieces wrt changing fashion and resulting developments in clothing construction in [Medieval tight pants, how did they make them so tight, are they easy to wear?](_URL_1_) * /u/Stone_t... | [
"After men had been wearing them for the most part. They were originally for men. They were for people such as soldiers who rode on horseback. The high heels aided in keeping their feet in the stirrups. This goes back into more ancient days. High heels for women seems to have only really aught on in the last few ce... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
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Do historians consider the Cold War to be a real war on the scale of other wars? | [
"It really depends on what you consider as an actual \"war.\" The general consensus, I believe, is that the Cold War is not considered to be a \"war\" per se, rather the term \"war\" is used in a metaphorical way rather than a literal way. The Cold War is a term - perhaps dramatically used - to describe a period of... | [
"The answer is a matter of perspective. From the point of view of the Americans, it was a war between two nations. For the British, it was a civil war. Really, the only difference between a civil war and a revolution is who wins."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
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How can one explain the issue about the term "America"? | [
"Perhaps it's just that \"United-Statians\" is harder to say -I only half-jest."
] | [
"What makes you think there is an additional reason?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
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Where/how/when did the game rock/paper/scissors come from? | [
"I'm sure someone will post here, but there are a couple of good answers in this older thread: _URL_0_"
] | [
"Can you give some examples of how gen-xers gave birth to punk? The oldest gen-xers were pubescent when punk was starting to coalesce."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
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The idea of whether presidents will be remembered kindly, or not, by history after leaving office | [
"Well, let me list the final approval ratings of all Presidents since Truman. * Truman: 32% * Eisenhower: 59% * Kennedy: 58% * Johnson: 49% * Nixon: 24% * Ford: 53% * Carter: 34% * Reagan: 63% * Bush I: 56% (34% in the final poll before the election). * Clinton: 66% * Bush II: 34% I suppose there are three Presiden... | [
"In all places on earth without reverse development, society is closer to this ideal now than at any other time in history and approaching this goal. It takes time. People are trying. The world has changed drastically in recent times and history books and the consciousness of society has not begun to communicate or... | eli5_question_answer | {
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When discussing American Presidents, we often hear the phrase "History will be kinder..." Are there any President to whom you feel history has been/should be less kind? | [
"History hasn't been especially kind to President Hoover. His administration's laissez-faire response to the stock market crash of 1929 is still widely blamed for the Great Depression. According to a 2012 presidential popularity poll by Public Policy Polling, President Hoover has an approval rating of 26-29%. Sour... | [
"I will say that some of the authors include beliefs that might be considered less objective. For example, the Warren G. Harding biography was written by John Dean of Watergate fame. While historians often consider Harding to be one of the worst presidents, Dean tries hard to present him as less of a failure and em... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about History:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about History:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why are shermans seen as bad tanks? | [
"I'm sure plenty more can be said, but I found some previous answers that might be of interest to you. There's a section about the Sherman and Allied armor in the [FAQ](_URL_1_). /u/TheHIV123 also wrote a very thorough evaluation of the Sherman [here](_URL_0_). Of course, where the reputation comes from was not dir... | [
"Mainly, The germans early were prepared for war. Hell when It first kicked off the british didnt even expect anything to happen and treated it like a show of power for political prowess. So A well supplied motivated german force was more than a match to what opposed them. Also trench warfare heavily favored the de... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
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The Chilean economy did poorly in the early 1970s. Many plausible causal factors were at work, including falling copper prices, Allende's policies, and CIA shenanigans. Do historians agree on which factor(s) were most important? | [
"Follow-Up: Do Historians agree that the Chilean economy did badly in the early 1970s?"
] | [
"In a market economy, prices are set by supply and demand, without an gov't influence. No country has a pure market economy, as there are always some form of gov't subsidies or price controls. Market economies can go wrong, resulting in price bubbles and collapses. The financial crisis of the late 2000s is a good e... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about economics:",
"pos": "Represent the document about economics:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
With what language did Isabel and Ferdinand communicate? | [
"Aragon's court language was castilian as well. At the time Aragon was a confederation of several Kingdoms ruled by a single king (Aragon, Catalonia, Valencia, Sardinia, Sicily and Naples): Catalan was spoken in Valencia and Catalonia only."
] | [
"I do not think this is genuine for several reasons 1) the bible is from the 18th c. It was printed almost 150 years after the events you are describing. 2) the letter is written in English. Both Perez and Philip were native Spanish speakers. Why would a minister of the Spanish king write a resignation letter in En... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
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} |
In 1940, The U.S. gave the U.K. 50 naval destroyers in exchange for 99 year rent-free leases of British land in the West Indies. Will the land actually be returned to the U.K. in 2039? Or has the details of the agreement been altered since then? | [
"Here's the status of the bases. Bermuda (not part of the original deal, but the US got basing rights there for free): Closed as a US base 1995. Newfoundland (as Bermuda): The bases were closed 1961, 1966 and 1994. The land had been turned over to Canada 1975, but the US maintained a presence (a radar station) with... | [
"International pressure. Our original treaty with Panama did give us indefinite ownership of the Canal Zone, however after we intervened in the Suez Crisis to prevent France or Britain from doing the exact same thing to the canal in Egypt, there was an increased outcry for us to relinquish control. So we signed a n... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
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} |
"1984," "Animal Farm," and "Fahrenheit 451" were all published in living memory: How did they become emblematic of American high school English class so quickly? | [
"There's always more than can be said, but two responses from a previous question get at your question. [Here](_URL_1_), I explore the evolution of the canon in American English class as it relates to the shift from a classical curriculum to liberal arts and [here](_URL_0_), /u/phosphenes gets into some particulars... | [
"Why not? It's a fairly expansive genre, and books like *1984*, *Brave New World*, and *Atlas Shrugged* are some of the most widely referenced works in today's culture. Not only that, but they are fairly encompassing when it comes to human nature and society. There are fairly grand statements being made by most dys... | eli5_question_answer | {
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Need help archiving ancient documents | [
"Hi there. I work at a museum and the sheet protectors/sleeves that we use come from the company Gaylord Archival: _URL_0_. You could give them a try. Best of luck!"
] | [
"Do you have a link that contains examples of these images?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Archiving:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Archiving:",
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} |
Are there any well-written accounts of French/English court intrigues during the 17th century? | [
"Oh, please, please, allow me the pleasure of introducing you to THE BEST PRIMARY SOURCE IN THE WORLD. Meet Elisabeth-Charlotte von der Pfalz, Liselotte to her friends, princess of the Rhine Palatinate by birth, and by marriage Duchesse d'Orleans at the court of the Sun King. Perhaps the greatest gift of the 17th c... | [
"Not an answer but a question for OP, are you asking about the different in feasting tables of England in 1048 Anglo-Saxon England vs 1103 Norman England? Or a feasting table in Anglo-Saxon England in 1048 vs a feasting table in Normandy in 1103?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
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} |
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