/u/JJVMT's posts in /r/askhistorians
In most countries, the title of a cabinet member matches the government body they head (e.g., the UK's Minister of Defence heads the Ministry of Defence). Why is the US mismatched in this regard (e.g., the Secretary of Defense heads the Department of Defense and not the Secretariat of Defense)?
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Well known are the acts of voter suppression (e.g., so-called literacy tests, grandfather clauses, outright violence) to which black Americans were subjected for at least a century after emancipation. Were women voters subjected to similar acts in the elections of the 1920s and 30s? (3rd attempt)
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Nowadays, we see the matching (and often colorful) suits of 50's and 60's rock bands as old-fashioned or even twee. What impression did they give when they were current? Were they considered rebellious, or were they rather an attempt to appease the older crowd on whom they depended for record deals?
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During my first year at the university, my very opinionated Western Civ. professor claimed that the 20th c. in Europe is called "the Age of Dehumanization." Is this actually an established periodization term, or is it something he himself made up?
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During the 1988 US presidential election, was Michael Dukakis negatively affected by his non-WASP heritage? Did Bush surrogates attempt to use this against him in their rhetoric (e.g. suggesting that it made him less authentically American than Bush with his Mayflower ancestors)?
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In many 1790's English Gothic and Sentimental novels set in the then-present (or within 30 years of it), characters often switch suddenly to "thee"/"thou" for emotionally intense speeches. Does this reflect real usage? I thought that secular use of "thou" was already dead or moribund by the time.
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Does Psalm 14 ("The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God") imply that atheists existed in First Millennium BC Israel/Judea?
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In recent history, aesthetic procedures such as rhinoplasties and hair transplants have been somewhat stigmatized and some who've had them might not want to admit it in public. Was this ever also the case with the use of dental braces (at least where one's ability to chew didn't depend on them)?
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I've long had the idea that Russia in the 90s under Yeltsin was characterized by rapprochement with the West. Did Russia and/or the EU ever seriously consider Russia as a potential new EU member during that time? If yes, why did such plans ultimately fall through?
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