/r/askhistorians

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Mermaids used to be considered evil, attracting and drowning men. However, now people (Especially children) generally see mermaids as being nice which probably is due to Disney's little mermaid. Where did this idea of mermaids actually being nice come from?

247 upvotes • jonisen22

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To what degree is the fantasy trope of “skilled warrior” - the knight who charges into battle time and again, emerging unharmed - reflected in reality?

247 upvotes • blackhood0

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Who decided or said that a grave should be at least 6ft deep? Where does this originate from?

247 upvotes • Stuyvesant1994

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Why did Germany think they could rule all of Europe, when no one had been able to for the past 2000 years?

247 upvotes • Worldly_Ball_9879

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Why is England's national animal the lion even though lions are not native to the area?

246 upvotes • public-access-acct

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Why do historical Scottish Clans have their mottos primarily in Latin or French, instead of Gaelic?

246 upvotes • Andarne

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Did the Soviets really send their infantry through minefields as if they weren't there?

246 upvotes • MaxRavenclaw

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Why do conscript armies fight?

246 upvotes • [deleted]

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In the Little House books, Mary Ingalls loses her eyesight after a severe illness. She later attends a "college for the blind" after her family raises the money needed for the fees. What would have been taught in these schools in the 1890s? What happened to the students after graduation?

246 upvotes • ruanlingyu

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Mein Kampf is atrociously written and a struggle to get through. Mussolini claimed to have never finished it. Was this a reason why the appeasers underestimated Hitler's ambitions?

246 upvotes • Rob-With-One-B

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Title	Upvotes	Author	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
Mermaids used to be considered evil, attracting and drowning men. However, now people (Especially children) generally see mermaids as being nice which probably is due to Disney's little mermaid. Where did this idea of mermaids actually being nice come from?	247	jonisen22
To what degree is the fantasy trope of “skilled warrior” - the knight who charges into battle time and again, emerging unharmed - reflected in reality?	247	blackhood0
Who decided or said that a grave should be at least 6ft deep? Where does this originate from?	247	Stuyvesant1994
Why did Germany think they could rule all of Europe, when no one had been able to for the past 2000 years?	247	Worldly_Ball_9879
Why is England's national animal the lion even though lions are not native to the area?	246	public-access-acct
Why do historical Scottish Clans have their mottos primarily in Latin or French, instead of Gaelic?	246	Andarne
Did the Soviets really send their infantry through minefields as if they weren't there?	246	MaxRavenclaw
Why do conscript armies fight?	246	[deleted]
In the Little House books, Mary Ingalls loses her eyesight after a severe illness. She later attends a "college for the blind" after her family raises the money needed for the fees. What would have been taught in these schools in the 1890s? What happened to the students after graduation?	246	ruanlingyu
Mein Kampf is atrociously written and a struggle to get through. Mussolini claimed to have never finished it. Was this a reason why the appeasers underestimated Hitler's ambitions?	246	Rob-With-One-B