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

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How did “boo” become a word that people use when they scare people?

192 upvotes

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Is it true that the masters of indentured servants would try to work them to death before they reached the end of their service, so that they wouldn’t have to pay them their due?

95 upvotes

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How did the six string guitar become so incredibly dominant in western music?

84 upvotes

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I’m living in medieval England, and I suffer from severe depression. How would this mental illness be explained by my society?

62 upvotes

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Why are French people often portrayed wearing black and white striped shirts? Is there some historical reason for this?

59 upvotes

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Who most likely wrote the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John?

49 upvotes

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Political candidates often characterize their opponents’ hypothetical presidency as chaotic, and dystopian, and an end to American values, etc. Is this a common thread in American history, or is it a recent phenomenon?

40 upvotes

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If I were living in medieval Europe and I practiced a non-Christian religion like Hinduism or Buddhism, what would happen to me?

13 upvotes

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Why did prison uniforms used to be striped, and why did they stop using that design?

13 upvotes

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How did people throw things out before there were trash cans?

10 upvotes

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
How did “boo” become a word that people use when they scare people?	192
Is it true that the masters of indentured servants would try to work them to death before they reached the end of their service, so that they wouldn’t have to pay them their due?	95
How did the six string guitar become so incredibly dominant in western music?	84
I’m living in medieval England, and I suffer from severe depression. How would this mental illness be explained by my society?	62
Why are French people often portrayed wearing black and white striped shirts? Is there some historical reason for this?	59
Who most likely wrote the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John?	49
Political candidates often characterize their opponents’ hypothetical presidency as chaotic, and dystopian, and an end to American values, etc. Is this a common thread in American history, or is it a recent phenomenon?	40
If I were living in medieval Europe and I practiced a non-Christian religion like Hinduism or Buddhism, what would happen to me?	13
Why did prison uniforms used to be striped, and why did they stop using that design?	13
How did people throw things out before there were trash cans?	10