/r/askhistorians

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When did the word "Gay" stop meaning happy and start meaning homosexuality?

1432 upvotes • [deleted]

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In 1755 an earthquake and subsequent disasters destroyed Lisbon. In 1761, Portugal became one of the first countries to abolish slavery. What role did slaves play in rebuilding the city before and after the abolishment? How controversial was this?

1432 upvotes • Jakeqs

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What did economics classes look like in communist countries, particularly in the USSR?

1431 upvotes • demonkangaroo

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How common was car theft in the 1920s U.S.? Was there a market for stolen cars? How hard was it to identify/change identifiers of a vehicle after it's been stolen?

1430 upvotes • LukeInTheSkyWith

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I once read that Gaulish warriors in the Roman arena didn't fight bears because they could kill them too easily by plunging their arms into the bear's throat. Is there any historical veracity to this?

1430 upvotes • Xenjael

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Around AD 552 two Byzantine monks smuggled silkworms eggs out of China, allowing the Mediterranean to produce its own silk for the first time. Were there any consequences for those who had been duped? Did the Chinese ever figure out the heist?

1429 upvotes • getintheVans

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Movies in the 1940s-1960s often displayed male "persistence" of courting behavior in the face of female disinterest/rejection that was rewarded by the eventual "capitulation" of the woman and the start of happily-ever-after scenarios. Was this "persistence" seen as extreme then?

1429 upvotes • RusticBohemian

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In the Netflix series "Narcos" Pablo Escobar was never shown using cocaine. Did he ever indulge in the drug, or was he strictly involved in the production and distribution of cocaine?

1428 upvotes • YWY

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If surnames are passed down to children and most are related to profession (Smith, Farmer, Cooper), how do names like Monk, Abbott, and Pope exist. Since these purple couldn't really have legitimate heirs to pass a name to?

1427 upvotes • DocMcCall

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90’s Norwegian black metal bands were infamously violent towards Christianity and churches. Did this antagonism originate within the metal subculture, or did it have roots in other movements of the time?

1427 upvotes • HugoWullAMA

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Title	Upvotes	Author	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
When did the word "Gay" stop meaning happy and start meaning homosexuality?	1432	[deleted]
In 1755 an earthquake and subsequent disasters destroyed Lisbon. In 1761, Portugal became one of the first countries to abolish slavery. What role did slaves play in rebuilding the city before and after the abolishment? How controversial was this?	1432	Jakeqs
What did economics classes look like in communist countries, particularly in the USSR?	1431	demonkangaroo
How common was car theft in the 1920s U.S.? Was there a market for stolen cars? How hard was it to identify/change identifiers of a vehicle after it's been stolen?	1430	LukeInTheSkyWith
I once read that Gaulish warriors in the Roman arena didn't fight bears because they could kill them too easily by plunging their arms into the bear's throat. Is there any historical veracity to this?	1430	Xenjael
Around AD 552 two Byzantine monks smuggled silkworms eggs out of China, allowing the Mediterranean to produce its own silk for the first time. Were there any consequences for those who had been duped? Did the Chinese ever figure out the heist?	1429	getintheVans
Movies in the 1940s-1960s often displayed male "persistence" of courting behavior in the face of female disinterest/rejection that was rewarded by the eventual "capitulation" of the woman and the start of happily-ever-after scenarios. Was this "persistence" seen as extreme then?	1429	RusticBohemian
In the Netflix series "Narcos" Pablo Escobar was never shown using cocaine. Did he ever indulge in the drug, or was he strictly involved in the production and distribution of cocaine?	1428	YWY
If surnames are passed down to children and most are related to profession (Smith, Farmer, Cooper), how do names like Monk, Abbott, and Pope exist. Since these purple couldn't really have legitimate heirs to pass a name to?	1427	DocMcCall
90’s Norwegian black metal bands were infamously violent towards Christianity and churches. Did this antagonism originate within the metal subculture, or did it have roots in other movements of the time?	1427	HugoWullAMA