3
votes
0answers
50 views
How many firearms were owned by civilian population between 1836 and 1912 in USA?
How many firearms in total were owned by civilian population between 1836 and 1912 in USA (cumulatively, not simultaneously)?
The timeframe is what I would consider "Old West" timeframe, but starting ...
1
vote
0answers
82 views
Percentage breakdown of wars' casus belli [closed]
Is there a percentage breakdown of wars' casus belli? A probability distribution would be preferable.
The optimal answer would be by statement by the warring body (Roman Senatus funding laws, Roman ...
15
votes
0answers
96 views
When did the Romans begin using the sword, as opposed to the axe, for decapitation?
According to this article, the Romans first used the axe for decapitation, and then moved to using the sword later. The article states:
[B]eheading, a mode of executing capital punishment by which ...
3
votes
2answers
63 views
Printing - When did advertisements in colour became commonplace?
I wonder when colourful advertisements became commonplace in print (such as magazines or occasionally newspapers). I can imagine that colourful printing was far more expensive - so at what point did ...
6
votes
1answer
126 views
How was Hitler able to rearm?
It seems that Germany must've been under incredible scrutiny especially by the British.
How was Hitler able to rearm?
Please provide specifics on personnel and weapons classes.
9
votes
0answers
141 views
Has history mistreated Nero?
Nero is (wrongly) "known" as the Emperor who "fiddled while Rome burned." But he did kill a number of prominent people, including his own mother. He is treated by much of history as a psychopath, and ...
2
votes
0answers
49 views
What was the general idea of the 'Theme' system that the Byzantines employed? [closed]
I have heard that the Theme system was effective until some disaster, but what did it actually do? What was it supposed to do?
2
votes
0answers
61 views
Why did the Fourth Crusade sack Constantinople? [closed]
If the Crusade was going to help the Byzantines to drive away their enemies, as well as attack the Holy land, why did it turn on the Byzantine Empire?
2
votes
0answers
95 views
Why did Emperor Nero kill his mother and others?
Why did Nero kill his own mother? Was it true that she was dangerous to the point where it was "her life or his?" Did he have "good" reasons (in the sense of being understandable or acceptable at the ...
1
vote
0answers
52 views
Was Horst Tappert a member of the SS?
According to Spiegel Online sociologist Jörg Becker uncovered a document showing Tappert - 1, 2 - had been a member of the SS, whereas Jan Erik Schulte, an expert on the history of the SS, says ...
1
vote
1answer
99 views
Why does Islam seem so much more like Judaism than it does like Christianity? [closed]
I know that Islam is the most recently developed of the Abrahamic religions. It comes chronologically after Judaism, and then Christianity (and developed from those religions). Since Chrisitianity is ...
-4
votes
0answers
113 views
Is Wikidpedia's article on Odette Hallowes accurate? [closed]
An article in the Telegraph states that Odette Hallowes
was almost deprived of her George Cross because she could not prove she had been tortured by the Nazis or that she had refused to betray ...
6
votes
1answer
105 views
What was involved in “grounding arms?”
This practice appeared NOT to have been common in the twentieth century, with long-ranged, and "repeating" weapons. But prior to the nineteenth century, it was apparently a form of surrender.
What ...
2
votes
1answer
104 views
How independent were the Eastern European countries from the Soviet Union?
How much influence did the Soviet Union have over the other Warsaw Pact countries? Did Moscow directly control them, and direct what they did? Did they often disagree with the USSR over policy? If so, ...
4
votes
0answers
85 views
How sophisticated was Paris in 1500 CE?
I'm helping my HS daughter find sources from which to form an opinion on the following question: "Which city was more sophisticated in 1500: Tenochtitlán or Paris?" for a research paper.
She needs at ...
6
votes
1answer
96 views
Have the Romani people (gypsies) ever fought back violently against prejudice?
I've noted from my researches that the Romani people (gypsies) have always faced prejudice in Europe. Most countries since the 15th century have marginalized this people, and during the Nazi ...
1
vote
0answers
55 views
Did General Morillo unwittingly allude to a cause of Spain's decline in 1816?
In ordering the execution of a famous scientist, Francisco de Caldas, during the war for South American independence, Spain's General Pablo Morillo was quoted as saying "Spain does not need wise men" ...
6
votes
2answers
98 views
Why was Johannes Blaskowitz indicted at the Nuremberg High Command Trial
Johannes Blaskowitz was a German General during WW2. He committed suicide in 1948 while being tried as a war criminal.
His action during the polish offensive seem rather counter to this, to quote ...
6
votes
0answers
57 views
How successful were Einsatzkommando Tunis and how much was Rommel complicit?
This Einsatzkommando was headed by SS officer Walter Rauff and according to his wikipedia article it had great effect on the local Jewish population. An example is given, a quote from a German TV ...
7
votes
2answers
143 views
What were Rommel's views on the Nazi crimes?
Erwin Rommel is often portrayed as the chivalrous Nazi. I've read on the internet that he once proposed to Hitler that a Jew be appointed a Nazi official, but I'm not able to verify that. What were ...
1
vote
0answers
54 views
How could ancient people determine the winter solstice was occurring?
How could astronomers in the ancient world determine that the winter solstice was occurring? According to whoever edited the Wikipedia article on the winter solstice, it's too hard for modern ...
10
votes
1answer
71 views
Why did Stephen Ambrose believe that the election of Aaron Burr would have led to the end of the USA?
I'm reading Stephen E. Ambrose's "Undaunted Courage", and in pg. 50, he writes:
On December 5, 1800, Lewis was promoted to captain. That month the states selected their delegates to the Electoral ...
-3
votes
0answers
86 views
How did China go from “inventing” to reverse-engineering? [closed]
In the past millenium, China was known for inventions such as paper, block type, gunpowder and others.
Nowadays, we see China is copying everything. Electronic calculators to microprocessors. ...
2
votes
0answers
27 views
Cost of producing posters in world war 1
I know that a lot of posters were printed out during World War 1, but am confused by the cost for the government to produce all these, a google search normally yields some results - but this time it ...
7
votes
1answer
100 views
How were small swords worn in the 18th century?
Quick summary:
How was the small sword (or dress sword) fastened to the body?
What are the different ways of wearing it?
Looking at many drawings from this period, a good bunch of them depicts men ...
7
votes
0answers
64 views
+50
Syphilis affecting e.g. noble courts and wider society in 17th century
I've read that one reason that the nobility attending e.g. the French kings' court in the 17th century had a passion for wigs, powdered faces, and gloves was the then prevalence of syphilis (the ...
3
votes
0answers
44 views
Patriotism and how it contributed to the recruitment process in WW1
I know that a lot of people joined the army (and the navy) in World War 1 due to patriotism – the will to fight for your country. This shows that a lot of people, even those who were unemployed or ...
4
votes
1answer
64 views
Why did the Russians lose to the Turks in 1711 after defeating them in 1700 and the Swedes in 1709?
The Russians captured Azov and Taganrog in a war with Turkey that ended in 1700. Then they decimated the Swedish army at Poltava in 1709, thereby crippling their main enemy, and freeing the bulk of ...
3
votes
0answers
61 views
What was done to prevent electoral fraud in Texas following the controversial 1948 election?
In his second attempt at the Senate in 1948, Lyndon Johnson narrowly defeated Coke Stevenson in the Democratic primary when a box with 202 votes, largely in favour of LBJ, was found late in the ...
7
votes
1answer
104 views
Specialization of labor among the ancient Maya
How specialized were laborers among the ancient Maya? Would the same person dig irrigation ditches and plant corn? Would the same person go into battle and hunt in the forest? Would jade carvers go ...
0
votes
1answer
80 views
What aspects of Soviet life were not controlled by Stalin?
Stalinism controlled social life through propaganda, political life through the use of political crime and the politicization of life and the workers life, with proletarianism dominating all aspects ...
2
votes
1answer
105 views
How did it happen that countries and cities got different names in different languages?
I wonder why a single city's (or country's) name is different in various languages. To me, city and country names are somewhat similar to a person's given name, and it doesn't seem right to call ...
2
votes
0answers
23 views
1972 textbook by Charles University professor on Thirty Years War
Just yesterday I came across a textbook citation on the Thirty Years War.
Here is what I (think I can) remember about the book in question: the author was professor at Charles University in Prague, ...
2
votes
1answer
18 views
When was the Western Facade on the Sant Andrea Basilica by Alberti constructed?
I've found conflicting answers on other website and was wondering if anyone knows.
3
votes
1answer
42 views
Who was the noble present at the Tennis Court Oath?
I remember learning that a member of the 2nd Estate was notably present at the Tennis Court Oath (though I realize there might have been more than one).
Does anyone know who that might have been?
...
8
votes
1answer
62 views
Why were balls used on the Medici coat of arms?
I've heard they represent the weighted balls used to measure goods, alluding to Florence's history as a commercial city and the Medici family's history as merchants and bankers. I've also heard that ...
2
votes
3answers
68 views
Were cavalry used in first World War?
Due to the nature of trench warfare, a cavalry or a horse-back squad would’ve been rather useless in the war. But, I also know that countries had not anticipated trench warfare – they didn’t know that ...
3
votes
2answers
95 views
Diminishing powers of the Roman Catholic church in international matters
Before Enlightenment and Renaissance, Church or Pope had some powers which were almost same as what international organization may have.
for example:
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, ...
5
votes
1answer
48 views
Have any of the Presidents of France taken advantage of its co-princeship of Andorra in a significant way?
The Principality of Andorra is quite interesting, because it is a monarchy headed by two persons, including the President of France (who is basically elected at will of foreigners).
My question is, ...
4
votes
2answers
74 views
Did the break up of AT & T in 1984 lead to technological innovation?
Are there examples of technologies developed since 1984 that would not have been likely to be developed had the Bell system stayed intact rather than being broken up by the US government?
UPDT: To ...
3
votes
1answer
66 views
Did the Germans lose the U-Boat war in World war II because of a shortage of quality, rather than quantity?
In the "Battle of the Atlantic," the Germans lost almost 800 of their 1200 submarines (nearly two-thirds) sinking 3,500 Allied merchant ships and 175 warships. ...
6
votes
4answers
197 views
Why were people from the Asian Steppes able to militarily dominate Europeans on a repeated basis?
From the Huns through the Mongolians, why were nomadic people from the east able to create such havoc in Europe? Was it an endless 'first mover' advantage with horse domestication? Was it a higher ...
1
vote
2answers
63 views
What types of Poison gasses were used in World War 1? [closed]
Due to the nature of trench warfare, some form of poison gasses would have been really useful in the trenches. In the trenches the gasses really would’ve been really useful with the limited mobility ...
5
votes
1answer
68 views
What were acceptance criteria/process to the Vienna Fine Arts Academy in 1906-7?
One famous applicant rejected by the Vienna Fine Arts Academy was of course, Hitler. I got to thinking: so who was accepted instead?
To make sense of this we would need to know how was the admission ...
2
votes
2answers
92 views
Subjects of sermons in the Middle Ages
Were they more often devoted to New Testament subjects or to Old Testament subjects?
2
votes
2answers
69 views
How did the triple entente manage such a large breakthrough in WW1?
In WW1, there have been many attempts at breakthroughs in order to evade the trench system. The battle of Somme was one of the less successful attempts at a German breakthrough. Yet, before USA ...
2
votes
1answer
79 views
Les Misérables historical setting
What is the period in French history portrayed in Les Misérables in the early 18oos? I thought the French Revolution was in the late 1700s. Also, who was the French King at that time (the restored ...
4
votes
1answer
108 views
Machine gun specs in WW1
I know that machine guns were a vital part of world war 1. I know that they were mainly used in the trenches as fixed position weapons. However, I would like some specifications about the machine gun ...
-4
votes
0answers
34 views
Holistic representation of historical events [closed]
Normally, history books assume that there is one correct interpretation of a particular historical event.
But usually, this is not the case. Consider, for example, the question "Who contributed most ...
3
votes
1answer
67 views
Did New Imperialism differ in nature from earlier Imperialism?
In Wikipedia, there is an article about New Imperialism, which refers to the territorial or colonial expansion during 19th-20th century. The article also says that the qualifier "New" is to contrast ...
