askhistorians

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We often read about the rise of Modern Science in the Western world in terms of the work of folks from Western Europe, like Newton, Galileo, and Descartes. Was there an emergent scientific community in Eastern Europe around the same period?	598
Was Marcus Aurelius unique among Roman emperors for his philosophical interests?	322
I was rewatching Disney's Peter Pan with my young nephew and was... taken aback... by the "What Makes the Red Man Red?" sequence. Was there any pushback from Native American groups at the time (or more recently)?	270
I've often read that Newton called himself a natural philosopher, not a scientist. Even up til the time of Kant, I know Newton was still referred to in this way. When and why did we start calling folks like Newton scientists rather than philosophers?	255
Under the Tokugawa shogunate, Christianity was suppressed in Japan. What was the response of the major Christian powers (especially Portugal, given that country's involvement in Japan) and the Papacy?	168
The killer of William the Silent, Balthasar Gérard, was subjected to an absolutely horrific execution. Was there any public reaction or outcry against this cruelty? What factors led to such a sentence being imposed? Am I wrong in thinking his sentence unusually cruel for the times?	159
In 1974, Greece held a referendum on whether to establish a republic. The former king gave televised addresses arguing for monarchy. Almost 31% of voters voted against the republic. In general, who were the Greek supporters of monarchy and what arguments or issues were important to them?	151
Multiple old Looney Tunes cartoons involve gags involving someone' tongue being painted green (examples linked below). I feel like I don't get the joke. Can someone explain it to me?	118
I've heard that during the siege of Antioch in the First Crusade, the crusaders found a "holy lance" that they believed prefigured their victory. What ever happened to it?	99
I've heard that the Emperor Trajan tried to take and hold a city on the Gulf coast in order to bypass the Parthians and establish a direct trade route between Rome and the East. Any truth to this?	45

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