/r/askhistorians

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According to Wikipedia, the French casualties at Agincourt included three dukes, nine counts, a Viscount, an Archbishop, the Constable of France, Master of the Royal Household, and 3-5,000 other knights and squires. What would the effect of such a catastrophe had on the French feudal system?

2929 upvotes • OnlyInSilence

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How did 0-60 become the standard by which a car's acceleration is judged? Why did 60mph become synonymous with "fast"?

2927 upvotes • ThomasRaith

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In 1792, France experimented with decimal time, making a day 10 hours, an hour 100 minutes, and a minute 100 seconds. Why did this new standard for timekeeping not take off when so much of the world uses a base 10 system for measuring stuff?

2927 upvotes • A_B_E

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During the 1300s, there were two competing courts in Japan. Today's emperor is descended from the Northern court, but in 1911 it was decreed the Southern court was the legitimate court, which would make the current Emperor's ancestors usurpers. What was the reasoning behind the 1911 decree?

2926 upvotes • mangafan96

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In many medieval histories, you can read about people dying by "rupturing themselves". It seems like there are a lot of things that could cause you to "rupture yourself", like falling off a horse, laughing too hard, or eating too many lampreys. What did "rupturing yourself" mean in modern terms?

2925 upvotes • gunslingrburrito

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While reading the "Art of War" Sun Tzu says there are "no more than 5 musical notes". Why did ancient China believe there were only 5 notes? Is this related to pentatonics somehow?

2923 upvotes • fleetw16

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"The Darkening Age," by Catherine Nixey, argues that Christianity was hugely destructive to western civilization, destroyed art and classical thinking, and retarded the improvement of the Roman Empire. How well supported is her argument?

2922 upvotes • RusticBohemian

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Why didn’t unions in the US become as common and as strong as unions in Europe e.g Sweden?

2922 upvotes • MrOaiki

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Apparently, German- and English-speaking historians do not agree on the Identity of Cleopatra's mother. Why?

2922 upvotes • Kolibri8

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Did the Roman military have anything like an R&D department for developing new technology, weapons, or equipment?

2920 upvotes • saddetective87

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Title	Upvotes	Author	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
According to Wikipedia, the French casualties at Agincourt included three dukes, nine counts, a Viscount, an Archbishop, the Constable of France, Master of the Royal Household, and 3-5,000 other knights and squires. What would the effect of such a catastrophe had on the French feudal system?	2929	OnlyInSilence
How did 0-60 become the standard by which a car's acceleration is judged? Why did 60mph become synonymous with "fast"?	2927	ThomasRaith
In 1792, France experimented with decimal time, making a day 10 hours, an hour 100 minutes, and a minute 100 seconds. Why did this new standard for timekeeping not take off when so much of the world uses a base 10 system for measuring stuff?	2927	A_B_E
During the 1300s, there were two competing courts in Japan. Today's emperor is descended from the Northern court, but in 1911 it was decreed the Southern court was the legitimate court, which would make the current Emperor's ancestors usurpers. What was the reasoning behind the 1911 decree?	2926	mangafan96
In many medieval histories, you can read about people dying by "rupturing themselves". It seems like there are a lot of things that could cause you to "rupture yourself", like falling off a horse, laughing too hard, or eating too many lampreys. What did "rupturing yourself" mean in modern terms?	2925	gunslingrburrito
While reading the "Art of War" Sun Tzu says there are "no more than 5 musical notes". Why did ancient China believe there were only 5 notes? Is this related to pentatonics somehow?	2923	fleetw16
"The Darkening Age," by Catherine Nixey, argues that Christianity was hugely destructive to western civilization, destroyed art and classical thinking, and retarded the improvement of the Roman Empire. How well supported is her argument?	2922	RusticBohemian
Why didn’t unions in the US become as common and as strong as unions in Europe e.g Sweden?	2922	MrOaiki
Apparently, German- and English-speaking historians do not agree on the Identity of Cleopatra's mother. Why?	2922	Kolibri8
Did the Roman military have anything like an R&D department for developing new technology, weapons, or equipment?	2920	saddetective87