/u/Fredfredbug4's posts in /r/askhistorians

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Uncle Tom of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" stands up for his beliefs, helps other slaves escape and is killed after refusing to divulge their location to his master. How did "Uncle Tom" become an epithet for a black person who betrays or abandons the African American community?

8029 upvotes

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Modern people generally believe that technology will continue to improve and progress as time moves on. When and why was this attitude popularized? Did our ancestors ever believe technology could never get more sophisticated? Was there even a concept of technology before industrialization?

245 upvotes

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The British Empire was referred to as an Empire as early as the 1700s, yet the monarchs never held the title of "Emperor" or "Empress". Why is this?

143 upvotes

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How so historians/anthropologists distinguish between fiction and religion?

22 upvotes

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How do historians/anthropologists distinguish fiction from religious stories?

11 upvotes

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Have historians and archaeologists ever discovered something that was meant to "prank" or confuse them?

5 upvotes

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How come almost every civilization in history managed to invent the bow?

5 upvotes

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
Uncle Tom of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" stands up for his beliefs, helps other slaves escape and is killed after refusing to divulge their location to his master. How did "Uncle Tom" become an epithet for a black person who betrays or abandons the African American community?	8029
Modern people generally believe that technology will continue to improve and progress as time moves on. When and why was this attitude popularized? Did our ancestors ever believe technology could never get more sophisticated? Was there even a concept of technology before industrialization?	245
The British Empire was referred to as an Empire as early as the 1700s, yet the monarchs never held the title of "Emperor" or "Empress". Why is this?	143
How so historians/anthropologists distinguish between fiction and religion?	22
How do historians/anthropologists distinguish fiction from religious stories?	11
Have historians and archaeologists ever discovered something that was meant to "prank" or confuse them?	5
How come almost every civilization in history managed to invent the bow?	5