/r/askhistorians

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How did Liangzhu jade carvers five thousand years ago make 8~9 lines, indistinguishable to the naked eye, in just 2 millimeters of jade? What technology did they use?

1307 upvotes • IntransigentMemorial

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Why didn't Norse contact with the Native Americans start a disease epidemic similar to what happened later?

1307 upvotes • tehcowgoesmo0123

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A contemporary "protein shake" is just whey, a byproduct of cheesemaking, dissolved in water or milk. How old is the practice of drinking this for strength or fitness purposes? If I trained for the ancient Olympics would I be scooping protein powder into a ceramic shaker bottle?

1307 upvotes • Basilikon

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Why were squad or platoon leaders usually issued sub-machine guns in WWII instead of rifles?

1306 upvotes • Edmure

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Americans often say that older generations didn't express emotion like we do nowadays and that's why PTSD wasn't discussed. The Korean and Vietnam wars took place less than a decade from each other, however, and Vietnam is seen as a conflict that resulted in more soldiers with PTSD. Why is that?

1306 upvotes • TheEarthShallTremble

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When was the heyday of "Summer Camps"? What brought about their rise and fall in the American childhood experience?

1305 upvotes • ForWhomTheBoneBones

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Were the nazis involved in the occult?

1305 upvotes • theakman17

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Between 1596 to 1601, Queen Elizabeth I wrote a series of letters complaining of the “great numbers of Negars and Blackamoors” in England and authorizing their deportation. What was the exact ethnic and/or racial identity of this group? Why were they targeted in this way and not other groups?

1305 upvotes • Elbrujosalvaje

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The American Civil War was about slavery. But why did the average southerner care if they themselves didn't own slaves anyway? Did they see themselves as slave-owners temporarily down on their luck?

1305 upvotes • TheyTukMyJub

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Russian roulette - what is the origin? Has it actually been played? Are there testimonials from survivors?

1304 upvotes • zphi2

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Title	Upvotes	Author	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
How did Liangzhu jade carvers five thousand years ago make 8~9 lines, indistinguishable to the naked eye, in just 2 millimeters of jade? What technology did they use?	1307	IntransigentMemorial
Why didn't Norse contact with the Native Americans start a disease epidemic similar to what happened later?	1307	tehcowgoesmo0123
A contemporary "protein shake" is just whey, a byproduct of cheesemaking, dissolved in water or milk. How old is the practice of drinking this for strength or fitness purposes? If I trained for the ancient Olympics would I be scooping protein powder into a ceramic shaker bottle?	1307	Basilikon
Why were squad or platoon leaders usually issued sub-machine guns in WWII instead of rifles?	1306	Edmure
Americans often say that older generations didn't express emotion like we do nowadays and that's why PTSD wasn't discussed. The Korean and Vietnam wars took place less than a decade from each other, however, and Vietnam is seen as a conflict that resulted in more soldiers with PTSD. Why is that?	1306	TheEarthShallTremble
When was the heyday of "Summer Camps"? What brought about their rise and fall in the American childhood experience?	1305	ForWhomTheBoneBones
Were the nazis involved in the occult?	1305	theakman17
Between 1596 to 1601, Queen Elizabeth I wrote a series of letters complaining of the “great numbers of Negars and Blackamoors” in England and authorizing their deportation. What was the exact ethnic and/or racial identity of this group? Why were they targeted in this way and not other groups?	1305	Elbrujosalvaje
The American Civil War was about slavery. But why did the average southerner care if they themselves didn't own slaves anyway? Did they see themselves as slave-owners temporarily down on their luck?	1305	TheyTukMyJub
Russian roulette - what is the origin? Has it actually been played? Are there testimonials from survivors?	1304	zphi2