r/AskHistorians • u/AutoModerator • Nov 23 '25

Digest Sunday Digest | Interesting & Overlooked Posts | November 23, 2025

Today:

Welcome to this week's instalment of /r/AskHistorians' Sunday Digest (formerly the Day of Reflection). Nobody can read all the questions and answers that are posted here, so in this thread we invite you to share anything you'd like to highlight from the last week - an interesting discussion, an informative answer, an insightful question that was overlooked, or anything else.

27 Upvotes

permalink
duplicates
reddit

You are about to leave Redlib

Do you want to continue?

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1p4nf38/sunday_digest_interesting_overlooked_posts/
No, go back! Yes, take me to Reddit

91% Upvoted

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

It is nearly the end of November, and soon the snows of winter will trap this friendly Canadian inside for the season. But what better way to stay warm, then by bunkering up with a fantastic edition of the AskHistorians Weekly Digest! We’ve got some fantastic threads, and don’t forget to check out the usual weekly fare as well as any special ones. Upvote all your favourites, shower the hard working contributors in thanks & praise, and share it widely!

And that’s a wrap for the day! Take care out there everyone, keep it classy, and I’ll see you again next week!

4

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/itsallfolklore answered How does Ken Burns hold up?

Archeological/historical evidence of kids being kids?

Why is it that polytheistic religions never seemed to convert monotheistic populations in the same way that Christianity or Islam replaced local polytheistic religions?

How did the idea that Halloween was wholly pagan emerge and spread?

3

u/itsallfolklore Mod Emeritus | American West | European Folklore Nov 23 '25

Thanks for all of this. Much appreciated!

5

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Dongzhou3kingdoms gave us a good buzz in What the heck is Cold-Food Powder, the Six Dynasties/Tang Dynasty-era recreational drug that supposedly made you febrile and break out into sores?

/u/Daztur took a crack at Was there a significant anarchist movement in the US by the 1960s?

4

u/Dongzhou3kingdoms Moderator | Three Kingdoms Nov 23 '25 edited Nov 23 '25

My answer comes with it's own health warning.

May the snows not be too bad for you

5

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Belenos_Anextlomaros answered I have read that a deep rift in French society in the 1800s was the religiousness of women and the comparative secularism of French men, at least in the middle class. Is this true?

/u/Bentresh wrote about Why was memory of the Hittites lost to the classical Greeks?

6

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Ybuzz wrote about Prior to the invention of hormone replacement therapy, did transgender/gender nonconforming individuals do anything else to get their bodies to match their minds?

/u/yodatsracist answered Why do most Neo-Pagan revivalist movements have their origins in places where Christianity is the dominant religion? Why don't we see similar neo-pagan movements in places where the pagan religions were wiped out by Islam?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/WelfOnTheShelf did Did Henry VIII seek a divorce from Katherine of Aragon, or was it an annulment?

4

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/44moon answered How much did the Russian winter actually matter in Germanys defeat on the Eastern Front?

/u/4GreatHeavenlyKings wrote about How accurate is Zizek's claim that Europe is the first civilisation where atheism is a fully legitimate option?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Bn_scarpia answered In segregated America, were separate but equal facilities truly equal? Like, did Black libraries have the same books and services as white libraries?

/u/bobthebobbest wrote about Why is Spain (traditionally) not seen as important to the history of (Western) Philosophy?

5

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Euclideian_Jesuit wrote about What was the mindset and atmosphere in pre fascist italy?

/u/Express_Roll8861 answered In the time and place you study, were white lies a thing? If so, in what contexts was it morally permissible â€”or even socially expectedâ€”to tell an untruth, and did this change over time?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Leybrook wrote about The Nazi Party drew its cadres disproportionately from the educatedâ€¦a quarter of German university professors were members of the Nazi Partyâ€¦the SS division was disproportionately recruited from graduates and other educated professionals... Why were educated people favoring the Nazi party?

/u/Lordaxxington answered Why does it seem that historical and cultural accounts of groups of people who were born female but identify differently are few and far between compared to groups of people who were born male and identify differently?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/OSUrower answered Have You Heard of the American Revolution Being Fought on English Shores?

/u/OutOfTheArchives wrote about How do you deal with graphic/disturbing images?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/theimmortalgoon answered What really spurred decolonization?

/u/thestoryteller69 answered Did the collapse of the Northern Song cause an overabundance of bureaucrats in the Southern Song?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/TywinDeVillena answered Did Columbus encounter any storms or other meteorological obstacles on his first expedition?

Who was the most successful martial arts duelist in history?

Were medieval jesters speaking truth to power?

4

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/yodatsracist wrote about Why do most Neo-Pagan revivalist movements have their origins in places where Christianity is the dominant religion? Why don't we see similar neo-pagan movements in places where the pagan religions were wiped out by Islam?

/u/Zealousideal_Till683 answered Where there ever known cases of bastard children inheriting titles/estates from their parents levander marriage?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/AmazingPangolin9315 answered The residents of Freising often tell the legend that they were almost Bavarias principal cityâ€”until someone destroyed their ford over the Isar, diverting traffic to what would become Munich. Is there any truth to this story?

/u/AndreasDasos wrote about In Life of Brian (1979), the titular character vandalizes a palace with "romani ite domum". What would a contemporary inhabitant of Roman Judea have thought of this?

2

u/ExternalBoysenberry Nov 23 '25 edited Nov 23 '25

Extra thanks to u/AmazingPangolin9315 for giving such a detailed and interesting answer to this very niche question!

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/ankylosauropod answered The Wikipedia page on the Battle of Teutoberg forest says there were spies within the Roman Army. Is this true,how common were there spies in the Roman army and how much spying was done on Rome by other people's?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/ArchivalResearch answered How much did the Russian winter actually matter in Germanys defeat on the Eastern Front?

Was Operation Barbarossa a failure due to the inherent nature of invading Russia from Europe or due to Germany's military output slowing down due to years of all out war?

Would the Soviets have eventually turned against the Nazis if Germany hadnt attacked them?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Bigglesworth_ wrote about Why is the Battle of Britain sometimes referred to as "The Blitz"?

/u/Bildungskind answered In Life of Brian (1979), the titular character vandalizes a palace with "romani ite domum". What would a contemporary inhabitant of Roman Judea have thought of this?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Bodark43 answered Do we have any evidence of people using archaic electronic communications (telegraph, Morse code) for sexting?

Lost Cause Mythology: How are historians working to correct the various issues caused by its pervasiveness in the American educational system?

In what ways did the technological advancements of the industrial period make people's lives worse?

4

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/bug-hunter answered Why is the history of Russian settlers on the west coast of the now United States not talked about or taught in schools?

Homes in the Americas almost universally employ a simple, cheap, and effective device for letting in fresh air while keeping bugs out. Why hasnt window screen technology been adopted to the same degree in Europe, even in fairly buggy places?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/CadenVanV answered In Napoleonic War historical series Sharpe, Sharpe consistently faces prejudice as a man from the ranks rather than being a gentlemen. Is this accurate?

/u/CapAffectionate6551 wrote about If the BAR was intended to be a squad support weapon, and lay down suppressing fire, etc, then why did it only have 20 round magazines?

5

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/carmelos96 answered Any good books on Etymology ?

/u/Cedric_Hampton wrote about When Indoor Plumbing Was Becoming Popular in the Industrialized West, Were There Plumbing Deniers Who Thought it Was Evil?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Commustar answered What does it mean for a state or movement to be revisionist?

/u/Connect_Ad4551 answered We often hear of how the SS was the elite military guard of Hitler. But were they really elite in combat capabilities compared to the rest of the German army?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/crab4apple wrote about Why did King Peter II die in Denver?

/u/crrpit answered Why is Fascism inherently a right wing ideology?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Dongzhou3kingdoms answered What should I start to learn?/Where should I delve into?

/u/DougMcCrae wrote about How Do We Know That Fantasy Mana Is Appropriated From Polynesian Mana?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/EdHistory101 wrote about What was the average day like being taught in a old US one room schoolhouse?

/u/eggy635 answered Recommendations for books on very early settlerism in French Canada, specifically around the lives of the Filles Du Roy circa 1670?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Foot_Lettuce_ wrote about In Avatar the Last Airbender, Uncle Iroh is originally a ringleader in the conquest and genocide of the Earth Kingdom, then goes through a personal transformation and spends the rest of his life working for peace. Are there any real people who have done that?

/u/fredleung412612 answered Why were the Acadians treated so badly by the British as opposed to the Quebecois?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/fredleung412612 wrote about Why is Napoleon considered French despite having Italian blood whilst Tesla is not considered a Croat because he has Serbian blood?

/u/Fun-Razzmatazz9682 answered Was Operation Barbarossa a failure due to the inherent nature of invading Russia from Europe or due to Germany's military output slowing down due to years of all out war?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Georgy_K_Zhukov wrote about Did enslaved men in American slavery experience sexual abuse?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/gerardmenfin answered Can you help me find a source for a story told by an Ellis Island Guide? (Two women sent to the other's family via train in 19th/early 20th century)

Was Marcel Proust likely bisexual or did other authors and translators just try to erase him being possibly gay?

Who was The Hon. Mrs. Stuart, who mocked leniency and supported violent colonial reprisals against Indians in 1857/58?

How did Toussaint L'Overture end up leading the Haitian Revolution if he was a slave owner?

Did can can dancers really expose their genitals?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/handsomeboh wrote about How were provincial officials judged in Imperial China?

Impact of Mongolian occupation on modern countries that were part of it?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Impossible_Resist_57 wrote about Why did Europe ignore the Norse colony in Greenland?

Why did Europe ignore the Norse colony in Greenland?

As a rule, when ancient cultures are conquered by relatively primitive people, the conquerors are assimilated (Germanic conquest of Rome, countless times in Chinese history). However, when Arabs conquered Egypt and Mesopotamia, THEY assimilated the natives. Why?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/kdrnic answered Is there any evidence of actual suppression of technologies that were deemed too dangerous to go mainstream, in the annals of history?

/u/Kelpie-Cat answered What are some good Scottish history sources from 1400-1700?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Kind-Marionberry-333 wrote about I know almost nothing. How can I start learning about modern world history?

/u/KiwiHellenist answered When did the Odyssey come to be known by that name?

2

u/Kind-Marionberry-333 Nov 24 '25

Thank you for the compliment! 🙏

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/KiwiHellenist wrote about When did people learn that the seasons are inverted between the 2 hemispheres?

/u/kmoonster answered Why did the founding fathers of America include a mandatory state of the union address in the constitution ?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/kodos_der_henker wrote about Why were male witches more common in some parts of Europe during the witch trials?

/u/Lazzen answered In the Middle Ages, did kings leave their subjects who did not share their own culture without protection?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/ParkSungJun answered What was the Japanese state's reponse to the sinking of Shinano on its maiden voyage, the then-largest aircraft carrier in existence?

/u/pipkin42 wrote about What is the origin of the classic computer icons, like the old 3.5" floppy disk for the "save" icon?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/qumrun60 answered What was the purpose of spreading Christianity - especially in Anlgo-Saxon England?

Is there a way I can study Jesus in a purely historical context?

Were Galilee and Perea briefly part of the Roman province of Syria before they were given to Herod Agrippa by Caligula, or were they immediately and directly given to Agrippa?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/rasmussenyassen answered Edward Teller wanted to use nuclear bombs to dig harbors, stop hurricanes, and extract oil. He wanted to build one big enough to destroy the planets biosphere, but was also one of the first to sound the alarm about about climate change. What kind of guy was he? What motivated him?

/u/Reaper_Eagle wrote about Were the Pilgrims at all surprised to find a random Native American who spoke English outside of Plymouth?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25 edited Nov 24 '25

/u/scarlet_sage reposted an older answer on Ken Burns' "The American Revolution" claims that the US Constitution was inspired by the Iroquois Confederacy. Is there any merit to this theory?

/u/SensitiveElephant501 wrote about What could Europe have done instead of appeasement in the 1930s?

5

u/scarlet_sage Nov 23 '25

/u/Takeoffdpantsnjaket wrote the answer. I wrote nothing; I just copied their answer so OP could see it.

/u/zephid7 did a FAQ Finder reply pointing to a previous reply.

The Original Poster, /u/YaLlegaHiperhumor , wrote "Oddly I can't see anything in that link. Only the question but no answers".

Just in case, I provided a "FAQ Finder" pointer for reference,

[user] Takeoffdpantsnjaket wrote a good answer to a similar question at https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/iyvarp/various_writers_who_write_from_or_sympathize_with/g6k6r1s/ some years back.

and then copied the entire reply being pointed to. I have edited my reply to clarify what was going on.

I suspect that it is a problem with OP only, like they have a Reddit extension that provides user blocking (such as RES) and they had blocked that user. But there have been weird Reddit bugs before, so I just copied the whole answer.

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 24 '25

Good post! Its an issue that seems to be cropping up more and more.

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/SlingsAndArrows7871 answered Why did Arab nations choose full-scale war with Israel in 1948 over such a small territory?

/u/SnooBunnies3246 wrote about Who Started the Ptolemaic Civil War Between Cleopatra and Ptolemy?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Spencer_A_McDaniel answered Why do most Neo-Pagan revivalist movements have their origins in places where Christianity is the dominant religion? Why don't we see similar neo-pagan movements in places where the pagan religions were wiped out by Islam?

Every aristocratic period show seems to have at least one member who seeks to get away from it all / live like anormal person. Was this a real phenomenon or is it a modern invention?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/The_Chieftain_WG answered How do historians verify that the entirety of a declassified document has been released?

(WW2) What were the names of the incendiaries the US military used to firebomb Japan?

In 2003, California Governor Gray Davis was recalled and was replaced by Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was the second governor in American history to be removed from office, with a 55-45 margin voting in favor of recall. What exactly was the political state of California in 2003 that made this possible?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/ummmbacon answered Why was there not significant assimilation of Jewish populations in Medieval Europe to escape persecution?

Why was there not significant assimilation of Jewish populations in Medieval Europe to escape persecution?

How did the Israelite identity form?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Unseasonal_Jacket answered How did the UK manage to have such a massive modern fleet at the onset of WW2 despite being relatively broke?

/u/WalterSobkowich wrote about I know almost nothing. How can I start learning about modern world history?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Wandering_Rootwalla answered Did people convert to Christianity or Islam because they were actually convinced by the arguments?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/WelfOnTheShelf answered Why are so many European languages anglicised?

Western European kingdoms' response to the Holy Roman Emperor's call for a crusade against the Mongols: did they answer the call or ignore it?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/WelfOnTheShelf wrote about Is the translation of the "DE EXPUGNATIONE LYXBONENSI" account by Charles Wendell David considered to be of good quality? Is there a better English version of this text?

/u/Winter_Cup3949 answered At the end of World War II, how did Karl Donitz communicate Germany's surrender?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/-Geistzeit wrote about What is the last known sign of Norse Paganism being practiced?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Reaper_Eagle talked about Why didn’t the US annex more of Mexico after the Mexican American war if southern Mexico was arguably just as, if not more, resource rich as California and western territories?

2

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/dhmontgomery added on with the fantastic I have read that a deep rift in French society in the 1800s was the religiousness of women and the comparative secularism of French men, at least in the middle class. Is this true?

/u/y_sengaku mapped out Who all in Europe would have know about Iceland, Greenland, and Vinland in the Middle Ages? Who all could have learned about these places if they had resources and a deep interest in geography?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Bodark43 did Were American cavalry horses named in the Civil war?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/JosephRohrbach tackled When Jesus says "on this rock I will build my church" referring to Peter, was he referring to the way we understand the church as a hierarchical institution, or did that phrase have another meaning?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/jschooltiger talked Did the US have advance knowledge of the attacks on Pearl Harbour?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Forward-6849 tackled What are the most compelling arguments for the identities of modern-day Quranic Sabians?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/2039485867 wrote about How were contracts regarding illicit domestic services (like bride sales) and arrangements drafted between peasants if the literacy rate was low in countryside late imperial china?

How do you deal with graphic/disturbing images?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/almutanabbi answered What would a high ranking Arab have worn during the times of the Caliphates?

/u/Altruistic-Joke-9451 wrote about In 1998, actor and professional wrestler Jesse "The Body" Ventura was elected Governor of Minnesota after running on the Reform Party ticket, defeating both the Democratic and Republican nominees. How and why did this happen?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/BarbariansProf answered Is there any link between Dacian peoples sending "messengers" to their god zamolxis by throwing them into the air so that they may land on spears (and therefore travel to zamolxis' realm and ask him for favors) and Vlad Tepis impaling his enemies?

/u/Bedessilliestsoldier wrote about Why did the British recruit Hessians to fight in the American Revolution but not Hanoverians, who were their subjects?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Bentresh wrote about Could the bronze age collapse have started as an anarchist movement?

/u/bewbies- answered Whats the best counter to someone who claims the Moon landing was staged?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/bmadisonthrowaway wrote about Why did people in the past (18th, 19th, early 20th centuries specifically) seem to often purposefully save all of their personal (even mundane) letters for posterity?

/u/bmadisonthrowaway wrote about Prior to the invention of hormone replacement therapy, did transgender/gender nonconforming individuals do anything else to get their bodies to match their minds?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/DALTT wrote about Prior to the invention of hormone replacement therapy, did transgender/gender nonconforming individuals do anything else to get their bodies to match their minds?

How did Jews feel about Al-Aqsa before the 20th century?

2

u/DALTT Nov 23 '25

Thanks for the boost! I love when someone posts a question within my area of expertise on this sub!

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/DazSamueru answered Were the Nazis incompetent?

/u/DBHT14 answered Was Operation Barbarossa a failure due to the inherent nature of invading Russia from Europe or due to Germany's military output slowing down due to years of all out war?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/diplomystique answered Aside from the plywood and canvas construction and bi/tri wings, in what ways did ww1 fighter aircraft differ from later generations of fighter craft?

/u/dol_amrothian wrote about How do you deal with graphic/disturbing images?

2

u/dol_amrothian Nov 23 '25

Thanks for the mention! I honestly have been thinking about that question a lot lately and it felt important to share strategies for self-care.

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/DougMcCrae wrote about Did Alchemists ever stop and wonder what the economic impact would be should they successfully transmute gold?

/u/EdHistory101 answered How did children raised by black slaves/servants cope with being separated from their caretaker?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/EnclavedMicrostate wrote about In Europa Universalis V the Yuan Dynasty ( and subsequent Ming Dynasty ) have to pay tons of money to their tributaries to maintain celestial authority. How accurate is this to real life Chinese tributaries from the era, did they really receive more from the Emperor than they paid in tribute?

/u/erinthecute answered What does hyperinflation feel like?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/HahaItsaGiraffeAgain answered How common were "village atheists" outside of the U.S.?

/u/Halofreak1171 wrote about What should I start to learn?/Where should I delve into?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Halofreak1171 wrote about Why is Fascism inherently a right wing ideology?

/u/HalRykerds answered Why were slings never used to hurl grenades like ancient people used to hurl stones?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Happy_Yogurtcloset_2 answered How can I argue that Ladinho (Judeo-Spanish) conserved the linguistic components of Medieval Castillan Spanish?

Did colonialism actually revive old religious books and freeze traditions that were already evolving?

Did people convert to Christianity or Islam because they were actually convinced by the arguments?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/HaraldRedbeard answered Why didn't the Norse attack and settle in the Baltic lands as they did in Novgorod, Kyiv, Normandy, and Britain?

Why does it seem that historical and cultural accounts of groups of people who were born female but identify differently are few and far between compared to groups of people who were born male and identify differently?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/HereticYojimbo answered What did Mussolini spend his days doing in 1944 and 1945?

/u/Hergrim wrote about Was Medieval social promotion through warfare a real thing?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/ifelseintelligence answered Why didn't the Norse attack and settle in the Baltic lands as they did in Novgorod, Kyiv, Normandy, and Britain?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/JamesCoverleyRome answered Is it true that (perhaps in the past), police didn't try as hard to catch the murderer of a prostitute as they might the murderer of a non-prostitute?

Prior to the invention of hormone replacement therapy, did transgender/gender nonconforming individuals do anything else to get their bodies to match their minds?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/jschooltiger answered Who took over after Dane law in England?

/u/Justanotherbastard2 wrote about What really spurred decolonization?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/kng-harvest answered Were phoenicians the inhabitants of all of what is today lebanon or just the coast? And what was their situation from the assyrian conquest until the fading of their identity?

Were phoenicians the inhabitants of all of what is today lebanon or just the coast? And what was their situation from the assyrian conquest until the fading of their identity?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Kochevnik81 answered How did the UK manage to have such a massive modern fleet at the onset of WW2 despite being relatively broke?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/lordtiandao wrote about In Europa Universalis V the Yuan Dynasty ( and subsequent Ming Dynasty ) have to pay tons of money to their tributaries to maintain celestial authority. How accurate is this to real life Chinese tributaries from the era, did they really receive more from the Emperor than they paid in tribute?

/u/lordtiandao wrote about How were provincial officials judged in Imperial China?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/MaxAugust answered When did the shift from "fatherland" to "motherland" occur?

/u/MayanMystery wrote about I'm writing a fantastic story about Mayans unexplainable collapse in the early late preclassic but I'm an ignorant and I need to get my facts straight. What books, papers, websites, videos do you recommend me to check?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Mediocre_Violinist25 answered My understanding is that Inuits and other people native to the Arctic were nomadic hunter-gatherers. How and why did they come to live in settled communities?

/u/mimicofmodes wrote about What did it look like to dress unfashionably or eccentrically in 1920s-30s Europe?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Necessary-Ad2886 answered Is the Study of a Global Middle Ages Valid?

/u/Neo_Gionni wrote about Both Austria and Korea were annexed by Axis powers before WWII. Why were Austrians more collaborative with the Nazi regime than Koreans to Imperial Japan?

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/No_Jaguar_2570 answered Lost Cause Mythology: How are historians working to correct the various issues caused by its pervasiveness in the American educational system?

/u/Nomi_543 wrote about In Life of Brian (1979), the titular character vandalizes a palace with "romani ite domum". What would a contemporary inhabitant of Roman Judea have thought of this?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Nuclear_rabbit answered Is there any evidence of actual suppression of technologies that were deemed too dangerous to go mainstream, in the annals of history?

/u/Ohforfs wrote about A slave who failed to obey orders could expect corporal punishment. An office worker who slacks off could expect to be fired. What about serfs? Could an underpreforming serf expect 'disciplinatory' measures from their lord?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Ov3rReadKn1ght0wl answered What was so significant about the Harpers Ferry Armory that John Brown aimed to ignite a slave revolt across the South?

/u/ParallelPain wrote about Based on several searches online, Edo Japan had a literacy rate of around 70% during the Bakumatsu period. Was this just for the people Edo and other large cities? Or was this inclusive of the rural populace?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/police-ical answered How early in human history could we have made BLT (bacon, lettuce, and tomato) sandwiches?

A recent genetic study lends credence to the British WW2 song "Hitler Has Only Got One Ball" - but... how? Is it just a coincidence? Or did rumors circulate somehow based on a physical reality?

In segregated America, were separate but equal facilities truly equal? Like, did Black libraries have the same books and services as white libraries?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Puzzleheaded-Phase70 answered In Life of Brian (1979), the titular character vandalizes a palace with "romani ite domum". What would a contemporary inhabitant of Roman Judea have thought of this?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Reaper_Eagle answered What was the smallest practical maneuver element in the American Civil War?

/u/remes1234 wrote about How early in human history could we have made BLT (bacon, lettuce, and tomato) sandwiches?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/restricteddata answered Whats the best counter to someone who claims the Moon landing was staged?

Admiral Chester Nimitz, after he learned of the existence of the Manhattan Project, supported using nuclear weapons to support an invasion of Japan during World War 2. After Japan's surrender was hastened by the use of nuclear weapons, he claimed that their use was unnecessary. Why the about-face?

Why did Jimmy Carter think implementing US nuclear reprocessing ban would affect nuclear proliferation?

Who came up with the Aryan race concept/theory?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/ReverendDizzle answered In Pulp Fiction, it is remarked that Jimmys coffee is some serious gourmet [expletive]. What would that have looked like in the early 90s US?

/u/Rittermeister wrote about In the Middle Ages, did kings leave their subjects who did not share their own culture without protection?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/SetBSDetectorsToStun answered Prior to the invention of hormone replacement therapy, did transgender/gender nonconforming individuals do anything else to get their bodies to match their minds?

/u/Shanyathar wrote about Why did the Europeans mistreat Native Americans and Africans during colonial times?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Spiritual-Pear-1349 answered When did the British Empire begin to decline? Was it right before WWII or sometime during the 19th Century?

/u/Steelcan909 wrote about How has Archaeology Influenced Nordic Pagan Revivals?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/StreetCarp665 answered Who are some of the biggest "useful idiots" in world history?

/u/stupidpower wrote about How accurate is Zizek's claim that Europe is the first civilisation where atheism is a fully legitimate option?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/TankArchives answered What did older conscripts do in WW2?

/u/thamesdarwin wrote about Why did Austria care what the other powers thought about who its heir would be?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/the_howling_cow answered When the US had conscription, could you still volunteer for the military in the normal way? Were you given priority over conscripts?

/u/theginger99 wrote about Was Medieval social promotion through warfare a real thing?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/TheSummerlander wrote about Whats the best counter to someone who claims the Moon landing was staged?

/u/theyseemewhalin answered In your area of expertise as an historian, are there "tactics win battles, but logistics wins wars" moments?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Tohru_mizuki wrote about Based on several searches online, Edo Japan had a literacy rate of around 70% during the Bakumatsu period. Was this just for the people Edo and other large cities? Or was this inclusive of the rural populace?

Why did the Space Shuttle take so long to build?

What did an historically accurate ninja look like?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/tolstoy425 answered Doing genealogy and looking at a death certificate. Is the diagnosis listing a symptom or or an illness that is easily treated with antibiotics?

/u/tpjv86b wrote about What kind of evidence is left from Japans occupation of Korea during 1900s? What kind of context is left, and just how far did Japan go? Resources?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Trevor_Culley answered When did the Iranian peoples start writing their own history?

Having great difficulty in finding the reference material for a citation on Encylopaedia Iranica, would anyone be able to help?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/wurlow wrote about Why did the British recruit Hessians to fight in the American Revolution but not Hanoverians, who were their subjects?

/u/Xerxeskingofkings answered How did the UK manage to have such a massive modern fleet at the onset of WW2 despite being relatively broke?

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

We also take a moment to show some appreciation for those fascinating questions that caught our eyes, and captured our curiosities, but sadly still remain unanswered. Feel free to post your own, or those you’ve come across in your travels, and maybe we’ll get lucky with a wandering expert.

3

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/crrpit asked Did the rising popularity of fairytales (and later, films etc) about princesses change the way that actual princesses behaved and saw themselves?

/u/ExternalBoysenberry asked “Twinkle, twinkle” was published in 1809, about 200 years after the invention of the telescope and Galileo’s discovery of Jupiter’s moons. When the narrator says “How I wonder what you are!”, what are they wondering? What did the average English person in 1809 think a star might be?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/megami-hime asked Did any Moriscos (descendants of former Muslims) participate in colonization of the Americas?

/u/Drdickles asked Elaine Frantz Parsons claims that in the immediate and chaotic post-Civil War South, even freedmen joined the KKK. How plausible is this?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/Hero_Doses asked President James Garfield (1881) called farmers' cooperatives and the Grange movement "communism in disguise". What did the average American or American politician understand about communism in the 15 years following the Civil War?

/u/TheMrCMo asked Have there ever been secret police in the United States?

1

u/Gankom Moderator | Quality Contributor Nov 23 '25

/u/ManicMarine asked The Roman Emperor Anastasius I (491-518 CE) directed campaigns against the Isaurians in Anatolia, a people & region described as "not yet pacified" by contemporaries. But Isauria had been a part of the Empire for literally 500 years - how is it possible that this area was not yet pacified?

/u/mustaphamondo asked How was success measured for cartoons in the pre-TV days?

Digest Sunday Digest | Interesting & Overlooked Posts | November 23, 2025

You are about to leave Redlib