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

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After the death of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria wore only black for the rest of her life and scaled back much of her public and social duties for eleven years; this seems quite extreme. Is such behavior typical for a widow in mid-19th century Britain?

1216 upvotes

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If Hawaii was an independent nation until it was annexed by the United States, why does the Hawaiian flag have a Union Jack on it?

821 upvotes

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When Henry VIII granted a title to Anne Boleyn, why was she styled as "Marquess of Pembroke" instead of "Marchioness of Pembroke"? Have there been any other occasions where a monarch bestowed a typically 'masculine' title to a woman?

56 upvotes

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A recent post on r/starwars contained international movie posters for Star Wars: A New Hope from 1977. Several of these posters were from countries in the Eastern Bloc (Romania, Poland, and Hungary). Were films from the west routinely shown in the Eastern Bloc?

20 upvotes

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How did bicycling become so prevalent in the Netherlands?

17 upvotes

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How/when did the phrase "the birds and the bees" become a euphimism for sexual intercourse?

11 upvotes

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In the most recent season of Downton Abbey, a plot line centers on a group of Russian aristocrats who fled the USSR. They are portrayed as near destitute; relying on charity for basic food and shelter. Is this experience typical of (former) upper class Russians in this time period?

7 upvotes

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How was the March on Washington in 1963 viewed abroad? Did any Foreign Governments or citizens of note issue statements in support or disapproval of the March?

3 upvotes

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
After the death of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria wore only black for the rest of her life and scaled back much of her public and social duties for eleven years; this seems quite extreme. Is such behavior typical for a widow in mid-19th century Britain?	1216
If Hawaii was an independent nation until it was annexed by the United States, why does the Hawaiian flag have a Union Jack on it?	821
When Henry VIII granted a title to Anne Boleyn, why was she styled as "Marquess of Pembroke" instead of "Marchioness of Pembroke"? Have there been any other occasions where a monarch bestowed a typically 'masculine' title to a woman?	56
A recent post on r/starwars contained international movie posters for Star Wars: A New Hope from 1977. Several of these posters were from countries in the Eastern Bloc (Romania, Poland, and Hungary). Were films from the west routinely shown in the Eastern Bloc?	20
How did bicycling become so prevalent in the Netherlands?	17
How/when did the phrase "the birds and the bees" become a euphimism for sexual intercourse?	11
In the most recent season of Downton Abbey, a plot line centers on a group of Russian aristocrats who fled the USSR. They are portrayed as near destitute; relying on charity for basic food and shelter. Is this experience typical of (former) upper class Russians in this time period?	7
How was the March on Washington in 1963 viewed abroad? Did any Foreign Governments or citizens of note issue statements in support or disapproval of the March?	3