/r/askhistorians
The Soviet Union had a number of “propaganda villages”. How did someone get chosen to live there and how productive were they? Were they keystones of the economy or purely a facade supported by other towns?
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Polygamy was practiced in early Judaism, but appears to have tapered off after the 2nd temple. When, why, and what changed to cause the transition to monogamy? NSFW
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Tomato juice is somewhat of a niche beverage, yet it is extremely popular aboard north american aircrafts. When, and how, did tomato juice become so popular and ubiquitous in this situation?
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What actually made knights obsolete? I've seen various explanations such as the creation of the crossbow, the invention of gunpowder, and the appearance of new infantry formations. Or did non-warfare related factors such as the end of feudalism also contribute to the decline of knights?
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Serious question here. If all historians have to go on are historical texts and documents, how does history as a discipline move forward assuming that very few relevant new texts are discovered each year? How is progress distinguished from pure speculation?
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When I was younger I liked to think of Alexander the Great as a noble figure who wanted to unite the world and erase the differences between peoples. The more I think about it though, the more he seems to resemble a mere Hitler-like dictator. Is there any nobility in the historical Alexander?
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What were the logistics of gunpowder (i.e. getting the raw materials, refining, measuring and transporting) in the early days of gunpowder wars for different cultures.
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