/u/OldTrailmix's posts in /r/AskHistorians

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In the 18th century, Edo had a population of 1,000,000 - the largest city in the world. How was this population sustained in pre-industrial Japan? What was life like for the poor? The rich?

3909 upvotes

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Why were book titles of the 19th and 18th century so long, as well as give away the plot?

241 upvotes

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I saw a video stating people in the past were not really shorter than we are today. Is this true?

41 upvotes

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Wellington called the Battle of Waterloo "The Nearest Ran Thing You Ever Saw" but from the bullet points it seems like the French were always losing. Was it ever that close?

37 upvotes

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How did the Japanese Seiza style of sitting come to be so prominent, and why was it so enduring? Did people really sit like that for extended periods of time?

25 upvotes

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Why are women's buttons on the opposite side as men's?

22 upvotes

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Did Leonardo da Vinci actually use a standing desk?

11 upvotes

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An ancestor of mine applied for a passport in 1919, desiring to go to Cuba. What would a well off 71 year old and his wife do in Cuba ca. 1920?

11 upvotes

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The phrase "Who Dares Wins" is most famously associated with the British SAS and its founder Sir David Stirling — but there are records of it as far back as the medieval era. Is there any consensus on the origins of the phrase? Where could Stirling have gotten it from?

4 upvotes

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CGP Grey recently released a video documenting his descent down a (oddly compelling) historical rabbit hole while researching the name "Tiffany" that ended without any useful info pertaining to his goal. Do any historians have similar stories of getting completely sidetracked?

4 upvotes

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
In the 18th century, Edo had a population of 1,000,000 - the largest city in the world. How was this population sustained in pre-industrial Japan? What was life like for the poor? The rich?	3909
Why were book titles of the 19th and 18th century so long, as well as give away the plot?	241
I saw a video stating people in the past were not really shorter than we are today. Is this true?	41
Wellington called the Battle of Waterloo "The Nearest Ran Thing You Ever Saw" but from the bullet points it seems like the French were always losing. Was it ever that close?	37
How did the Japanese Seiza style of sitting come to be so prominent, and why was it so enduring? Did people really sit like that for extended periods of time?	25
Why are women's buttons on the opposite side as men's?	22
Did Leonardo da Vinci actually use a standing desk?	11
An ancestor of mine applied for a passport in 1919, desiring to go to Cuba. What would a well off 71 year old and his wife do in Cuba ca. 1920?	11
The phrase "Who Dares Wins" is most famously associated with the British SAS and its founder Sir David Stirling — but there are records of it as far back as the medieval era. Is there any consensus on the origins of the phrase? Where could Stirling have gotten it from?	4
CGP Grey recently released a video documenting his descent down a (oddly compelling) historical rabbit hole while researching the name "Tiffany" that ended without any useful info pertaining to his goal. Do any historians have similar stories of getting completely sidetracked?	4