/u/no-tea's posts in /r/askhistorians

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Why do American high schools and universities use the nomenclature "freshman, sophomore, junior, senior" instead of, e.g., 1st-year, 2nd-year, etc.? How did that develop?

9758 upvotes

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Why do Chinese spears and swords have tassels on them?

260 upvotes

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Poor aristocratic men marrying rich but untitled women for their dowry is a common theme in fiction. But what about the reverse? Do we have historical examples of impoverished noblewomen marrying rich commoners?

122 upvotes

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What would renaissance and medieval mercenaries do with their money?

105 upvotes

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Why is the design of the Ace of Spades in a deck of cards so fancy compared to the other aces?

86 upvotes

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Korean food is famous for its use of spicy chili peppers. What was Korean cuisine like before chili peppers were imported from the Americas?

73 upvotes

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In Act 1, scene 2 of Macbeth, one of Shakespeare's characters discusses a payment in dollars. What kinds of dollars would these be?

41 upvotes

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How did Braxton Bragg manage to stay in a command position in the Confederacy for so long despite his famous ineffectiveness and difficult personality?

29 upvotes

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Why did inner-city docklands decline in the late-20th century?

23 upvotes

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How seriously were medieval sumptuary laws enforced?

21 upvotes

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
Why do American high schools and universities use the nomenclature "freshman, sophomore, junior, senior" instead of, e.g., 1st-year, 2nd-year, etc.? How did that develop?	9758
Why do Chinese spears and swords have tassels on them?	260
Poor aristocratic men marrying rich but untitled women for their dowry is a common theme in fiction. But what about the reverse? Do we have historical examples of impoverished noblewomen marrying rich commoners?	122
What would renaissance and medieval mercenaries do with their money?	105
Why is the design of the Ace of Spades in a deck of cards so fancy compared to the other aces?	86
Korean food is famous for its use of spicy chili peppers. What was Korean cuisine like before chili peppers were imported from the Americas?	73
In Act 1, scene 2 of Macbeth, one of Shakespeare's characters discusses a payment in dollars. What kinds of dollars would these be?	41
How did Braxton Bragg manage to stay in a command position in the Confederacy for so long despite his famous ineffectiveness and difficult personality?	29
Why did inner-city docklands decline in the late-20th century?	23
How seriously were medieval sumptuary laws enforced?	21