Why aren’t there more blades held parallel to the forearm, like a push/punch dagger? (Okay, fine, like a halo energy sword.)

If you somehow braced it to your forearm, it could produce incredible striking power, both slashing and stabbing. Does it have something to do with the dexterity provided by the hand’s rotating sockets?

1 Answers 2020-10-15

What happens to a country's debt, if its former entity breaks up?

1 Answers 2020-10-15

Why do we translate names?

I read a while ago that Jesus is a Roman transliteration of Yeshua. All of my life I figured Jesus would have been called Jesus by his contemporaries but alas he would not have. This really got me thinking why would we translate a name?

From how I see it, his name wasn’t Jesus. They are totally different sounds. What is a name historically speaking? Does Jesus mean the same thing in Latin that Yeshua means in Hebrew? What would this be in English, and we don’t we translate it further?

2 Answers 2020-10-15

Was the resurrection of Jesus Christ historically accurate?

I am by no means Christian. I heard my 6th grade social studies teacher say this and I wonder about the accuracy about this. I have nothing against her, I just want some confirmation.

1 Answers 2020-10-15

What did Marshall see in Eisenhower?

Thomas Ricks’ book “The Generals” touches on a theme that I’ve long heard, which is that Marshall showed exceptional judgment in plucking Eisenhower from near total obscurity and thrusting him into command in Europe, over far more senior and combat-experienced generals. But, it doesn’t say anything about how Marshall came to hear of him in the first place. What had Eisenhower done that was so exceptional?

1 Answers 2020-10-15

If I'm a common villager in southwestern France, far from the action in Paris and other metropolitan areas, during the Reign of Terror, how do all of the revolutionary goings on affect my day to day life?

With the popular image of the Reign of Terror being guillotines beheading people by the dozens in Paris, I was curious what effect the movement would have on people who are further away from the metro centers of revolutionary France

Would I have to be careful of who I was associating with? Would it be harder for me to get goods? Or is my life relatively unbothered by this, with the dust having settled somewhat after the passage of the new constituion?

1 Answers 2020-10-15

What is this teacher (?) referring to when he says China once ruled Egypt ?

So, I just so this video on Twitter https://twitter.com/ETAwakening/status/1315023011607527424?s=19

And this person, who seems to be a teacher (I unfortunately didn't manage to find another source or context for this video) anecdotally says "At some point we ruled Egypt [...] You can say Egypt is historically a part of China." What is he referring to ? I thought it might be the Mongol Empire, since I read somewhere that since many ethnic mongols have lived in China for centuries, Chinese consider Mongols an ethnic minority of China and consider Genghis Khan and Kubilaï Khan Chinese rather than foreigners who invaded China, but even from this point of view, did the Mongols actually conquer Egypt ? I thought they'd be stopped in Syria by the Mamluks; but did they temporarily conquer Egypt before being repelled, or is the speaker referring to something else ? Like maybe since the Mamluks were originally slaves, many of whom were of Turkik origin, there could've been Uyghurs among them ?

[EDIT : I'm not sure why I have so many upvotes, but since I seem to have an audience, I'd like to clarify and give an update :

  • I've had two answers so far, one of which has been deleted, the second was sent to me by direct message, since it's author knew he wasn't disposed to write a "AskHistorians" level answer.

  • Neither of those who replied seemed to know what this person is referring to, and seemed to think it was simply false. They also agreed that the video was propaganda.

  • A third answer also appeared in my notifications while I was typing this, it seemed to have also been deleted, and before I could read it completely, but from the preview I saw kn the notification, it also considered this video bs.

-This is also my sentiment. But while acknowledging it as propaganda, I thought the speaker could've still used facts as to make his argument seem more credible... So far it seems he didn't.]

1 Answers 2020-10-15

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind was well recieved by the general public but scholars have been very critical of the book. What exactly does the book get wrong about history?

2 Answers 2020-10-15

Was abortion legal in colonial America?

I was reading some of the debate surrounding originalism that's come up for no specific reason, and it was noted by someone on Twitter that when the constitution was ratified, abortion was legal. I was curious if this is correct. I'm relatively familiar with the refocusing of abortion since the 60s and 70s as compared to the early 19th century, but was unsure about the legality going further back.

1 Answers 2020-10-15

Did the holy roman empire and the bizantine empire ever butt heads on which is the legitimant successor of rome?

1 Answers 2020-10-15

What did Scandinavian fortifications look like during the Medieval Age?

All I've been able to find on Norse/Scandinavian fortifications online is about Viking Ring Fortresses. Certainly a cool piece of architecture, but not what I'm looking for. What form did the fortifications during the Medieval Age look like? Did they take after fortifications of their more southern counterparts, or was there qualities about them unique to the area due to environment, technological differences, etc?

1 Answers 2020-10-15

Why is it that the Italian mafia has thrived in Montreal (maintaining thousands of made members and conducting dozens of high profile hits in the 2010's) while New York City's Five Families have weakened drastically in the last few decades?

1 Answers 2020-10-15

Why did the Khmer Rouge order the evacuation of Phnom Penh in 1975

Was it because they resented city life or was it for another reason?

1 Answers 2020-10-15

The Counter Armada/English Armada Was Organized as a Joint Stock Company - Was This Common? Other Examples?

I read on this wikipedia page that the Counter Armada was organized as a joint stock company/public private partnership which is a fascinating historical tidbit:

The expedition was floated as a joint stock company, with capital of about £80,000 — one quarter to come from the Queen, and one eighth from the Dutch, the balance to be made up by various noblemen, merchants and guilds.

Are there other examples of similar military ventures organized as joint stock companies? Were any of them actually successful?

I understand that colonial expeditions were often organized in a similar way (East India Company, VOC, etc.) but an explicitly military expedition within Europe seems a little different.

Really, any additional information, books, or sources would be much appreciated.

1 Answers 2020-10-15

It’s 1750-1850 in North America or Western Europe and I’m challenged to a duel. Can I choose slappers only?

That is, did anyone ever forgo swords and pistols and propose a fist fight? Would that be uncivilized or unfair?

I’ve heard about Lincoln choosing the swords because his reach advantage, but if I was going against a great marksman/swordsman it would make sense to want a stand up fist fight to minimize risk.

1 Answers 2020-10-15

How much did the average neolithic person wander around, considering that we were across the whole globe by 10,000 BC

1 Answers 2020-10-15

Thursday Reading & Recommendations | October 15, 2020

Previous weeks!

Thursday Reading and Recommendations is intended as bookish free-for-all, for the discussion and recommendation of all books historical, or tangentially so. Suggested topics include, but are by no means limited to:

  • Asking for book recommendations on specific topics or periods of history

  • Newly published books and articles you're dying to read

  • Recent book releases, old book reviews, reading recommendations, or just talking about what you're reading now

  • Historiographical discussions, debates, and disputes

  • ...And so on!

Regular participants in the Thursday threads should just keep doing what they've been doing; newcomers should take notice that this thread is meant for open discussion of history and books, not just anything you like -- we'll have a thread on Friday for that, as usual.

10 Answers 2020-10-15

What was the mindset of Loyalists in the American Revolution?

In school, I was only taught why the Patriots decided to split away from the British Empire. However, I was never told why the Loyalists decided to stay. What benefits were Loyalists seeing with staying with the crown? How did they view events like the Boston Tea Party and the Stamp Act? and how did they view Patriots?

1 Answers 2020-10-15

Why is the typewriter font the way it is? Who designed it and why were there not more options widely available?

1 Answers 2020-10-15

Who were the big names in Arab Alchemy?

Hi Historians!

People often discuss Alchemy in Europe but I'm much more interested in the Alchemy of the Middle East. Who were the biggest names? What are the most important manuscripts? Are there any high quality (academic quality) books on the subject?

Thank you!

1 Answers 2020-10-15

Was there a sizable community of Zoroastrianists in the Roman Empire? If so, how did roman polytheists receive them?

1 Answers 2020-10-15

Before fusion was understood, how did people think the sun worked, or what it was?

After the telescope was invented, I assume people understood that other planets were solid like balls similar to earth, but what did they make of the sun?

1 Answers 2020-10-15

Did Karl Marx and Victor Hugo ever wrote to each other or about each other?

I'm currently reading a chapter about Belgian migration in the 19th century and it was noted that both of them stayed in Belgium. I know that Marx wrote to Abraham Lincoln and that Hugo praised John Brown after his execution.

Both Marx and Hugo were massive intellectual figures and lived in the same time period but did they ever voiced their opinion about the other or did they even wrote letters between them?

1 Answers 2020-10-15

Why didn’t France predict the German invasion of the Ardennes?

1 Answers 2020-10-15

Cleopatra Race Controversy

Recently, with Gal Gadot being chosen to be Cleopatra in a new movie, the controversy about her race has been unearthed. Cleopatra has a proved Macedonian Greek heritage by her father's side, and it seems to be that the great mistery about it is the origin of her mother.

I wouldn't mind the actress chosen to be white, black or of multiracial roots , as fiction has its poetic licenses, neither do I think that black and white are valid labels for the Ancient World.

But I can't stand for falsification of history, and would like to know your opinion as historians and history enthusiasts: what would be Cleopatra's racial background today? And does it matter?

3 Answers 2020-10-15

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