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

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The first-ever Sherlock Holmes story, written in 1887, depicts Mormons as a terrifying, murderous cult that sets up a North Korea-like society in the middle of nowhere. Was this a typical view of Mormonism at the time?

7520 upvotes

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John Wilkes Booth wasn't from any of the Confederate states. Why was he such a fanatical supporter of the southern cause?

3051 upvotes

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How did Martin Luther go from advocating better treatment of European Jews, to being a frothing antisemite who called for burning down synagogues and destroying Jewish homes?

2775 upvotes

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How did unicorns go from being thought of as dangerous beasts of the wilderness, to being possibly THE most stereotypical "cutesy thing for little girls" in modern western culture?

2614 upvotes

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Would I be able to have a conversation with George Washington, or has English pronunciation changed too much since his time?

2342 upvotes

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Fantasy games and RPG's usually feature weapon shops. Did the Medieval period actually have dedicated weapon stores, where anyone with the money could walk in and buy a sword and a bundle of arrows, or were weapons only ever made on commission?

2325 upvotes

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Why is Robin Hood so heavily associated with that particular hat?

2096 upvotes

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Did H.H. Holmes really build a murder labyrinth, or was he just a terrible architect?

1909 upvotes

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Was it actually popularly claimed that the Titanic was unsinkable, or did that part of the story grow in the years and decades after the sinking?

1660 upvotes

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In the movie The Northman, a woman deters a would-be rapist by smearing menstrual blood in his face. Did the Norse have some superstition around menstrual blood, or was she just doing it to gross him out? NSFW

1648 upvotes

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
The first-ever Sherlock Holmes story, written in 1887, depicts Mormons as a terrifying, murderous cult that sets up a North Korea-like society in the middle of nowhere. Was this a typical view of Mormonism at the time?	7520
John Wilkes Booth wasn't from any of the Confederate states. Why was he such a fanatical supporter of the southern cause?	3051
How did Martin Luther go from advocating better treatment of European Jews, to being a frothing antisemite who called for burning down synagogues and destroying Jewish homes?	2775
How did unicorns go from being thought of as dangerous beasts of the wilderness, to being possibly THE most stereotypical "cutesy thing for little girls" in modern western culture?	2614
Would I be able to have a conversation with George Washington, or has English pronunciation changed too much since his time?	2342
Fantasy games and RPG's usually feature weapon shops. Did the Medieval period actually have dedicated weapon stores, where anyone with the money could walk in and buy a sword and a bundle of arrows, or were weapons only ever made on commission?	2325
Why is Robin Hood so heavily associated with that particular hat?	2096
Did H.H. Holmes really build a murder labyrinth, or was he just a terrible architect?	1909
Was it actually popularly claimed that the Titanic was unsinkable, or did that part of the story grow in the years and decades after the sinking?	1660
In the movie The Northman, a woman deters a would-be rapist by smearing menstrual blood in his face. Did the Norse have some superstition around menstrual blood, or was she just doing it to gross him out? NSFW	1648