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

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Origin of the word "barbarian"

137 upvotes

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Did Medieval castle designers actually build one step a little higher than the rest to trip intruders climbing staircases?

123 upvotes

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Tattooing was illegal in NYC from 1961-1997...apparently. What were some New Yorker attitudes about tattoos in the 5 years or so before the ban and why did it take so long to repeal it?

123 upvotes

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Was an assignment to a tropical colony sought after by the common European soldier in the 17th and 18th centuries?

118 upvotes

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Where was the North getting its tobacco during the US Civil War? Was there a shortage?

115 upvotes

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When did swastika and SS tattoos become popular in among American white supremacists?

106 upvotes

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Did Native Americans along the coast primarily fish fresh waters or inlets? What were some saltwater fishing techniques? Bluefish and stripers are close enough to the shore that I imagine they were caught frequently, but was something like tuna just off the menu?

101 upvotes

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I got mugged at rubberband-point this morning at work and had the last Boston cream donut stolen from me. When and why did Take Your Child to Work Day get underway?

96 upvotes

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Do we have any idea where the concept of "king" came from?

91 upvotes

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When did banshees/washer women/hags of the mist start appearing in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales? Do these apparitions ever have sinister intentions or are they always indifferently heralding death? Are they descended from older folklore?

87 upvotes

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
Origin of the word "barbarian"	137
Did Medieval castle designers actually build one step a little higher than the rest to trip intruders climbing staircases?	123
Tattooing was illegal in NYC from 1961-1997...apparently. What were some New Yorker attitudes about tattoos in the 5 years or so before the ban and why did it take so long to repeal it?	123
Was an assignment to a tropical colony sought after by the common European soldier in the 17th and 18th centuries?	118
Where was the North getting its tobacco during the US Civil War? Was there a shortage?	115
When did swastika and SS tattoos become popular in among American white supremacists?	106
Did Native Americans along the coast primarily fish fresh waters or inlets? What were some saltwater fishing techniques? Bluefish and stripers are close enough to the shore that I imagine they were caught frequently, but was something like tuna just off the menu?	101
I got mugged at rubberband-point this morning at work and had the last Boston cream donut stolen from me. When and why did Take Your Child to Work Day get underway?	96
Do we have any idea where the concept of "king" came from?	91
When did banshees/washer women/hags of the mist start appearing in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales? Do these apparitions ever have sinister intentions or are they always indifferently heralding death? Are they descended from older folklore?	87