/r/askhistorians

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I am a native English speaker with a hypothetical time machine. How far back in time in England can I go and still communicate intelligibly with the locals?

193 upvotes • Charlie--Dont--Surf

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I've noticed that in old films (Specifically, All Quiet on the Western Front), it seems like everyone holds their spoons and forks the way they hold a sword or a dumbbell, whereas now everyone I know holds cutlery like a pencil. Is that cultural or did something happen in history to change it?

193 upvotes • fathercthulu

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Why did Persia change it's name to Iran?

193 upvotes • happy_satan999

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Did militaristic ancient cultures have a "thank you for your service?"

193 upvotes • captainmidday

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What did Caesar mean before Caesar was Caesar?

193 upvotes • silverfirexz

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Why did Elizabeth II refuse to accept the title of queen in Rhodesia when other nations such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa remained under the monarchy with their independence?

193 upvotes • Eddie-Karlsson

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Why did the Catholic Church ban Victor Hugo's Les Miserables?

193 upvotes • Sikran

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What are the origins of the trope (mainly in animated entertainment) where a bad performer is pulled from the stage using a long pole with a hook on the end? Did this ever happen?

193 upvotes • doomladen

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Jacob Fugger is often called "the richest man ever lived". How did Fuggers (i.e. Rothschilds of the 15th and 16th centuries) gain their riches? To which extent they influenced politics of Habsburg empire? Why did they lose their influence?

193 upvotes • Kerkinitis

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The Red Scare is well-known, but did the USSR have its own anti-western "scare" during the Cold War?

193 upvotes • chivestheconquerer

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Title	Upvotes	Author	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
I am a native English speaker with a hypothetical time machine. How far back in time in England can I go and still communicate intelligibly with the locals?	193	Charlie--Dont--Surf
I've noticed that in old films (Specifically, All Quiet on the Western Front), it seems like everyone holds their spoons and forks the way they hold a sword or a dumbbell, whereas now everyone I know holds cutlery like a pencil. Is that cultural or did something happen in history to change it?	193	fathercthulu
Why did Persia change it's name to Iran?	193	happy_satan999
Did militaristic ancient cultures have a "thank you for your service?"	193	captainmidday
What did Caesar mean before Caesar was Caesar?	193	silverfirexz
Why did Elizabeth II refuse to accept the title of queen in Rhodesia when other nations such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa remained under the monarchy with their independence?	193	Eddie-Karlsson
Why did the Catholic Church ban Victor Hugo's Les Miserables?	193	Sikran
What are the origins of the trope (mainly in animated entertainment) where a bad performer is pulled from the stage using a long pole with a hook on the end? Did this ever happen?	193	doomladen
Jacob Fugger is often called "the richest man ever lived". How did Fuggers (i.e. Rothschilds of the 15th and 16th centuries) gain their riches? To which extent they influenced politics of Habsburg empire? Why did they lose their influence?	193	Kerkinitis
The Red Scare is well-known, but did the USSR have its own anti-western "scare" during the Cold War?	193	chivestheconquerer