From a layman's non-knowledgeable perspective it looks like the entire front was just one big giant battle stretching all the way to the sea. How did they define a battle (two enemy armies fighting each other) if there was almost constant conflict at every single point on the front?

And what were the methods used to determine population estimates of the ancient world?

Say, to what extent would a Roman soldier have a sense of being "Roman", or a French farmer in the 11th century have of being "French"? I read that they didn't really have on, but I always found this difficult to wrap my head around.

She isn't trying to get rich or anything. I am sure that there are plenty copies out there.

They have been stored in a cool dark place all these years. Because of that, they are really well preserved. She asked me what she should do with them, but I really didn't know. Framing the front page of a few would be cool, but I assume the light would ruin them over time. Are there any museums or historical societies looking for these? If that were the case she would probably be up for donating some.

If any of you have ideas, let me know. I am happy to pass them along.

I was hanging up the washing yesterday, and it got me thinking, how did people manage to get their laundry dry in say Northern Scandinavia, prior to dryers being invented?

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I'm Bob, an average Englishman living in semirural England in the 14th century and I'm getting married. What do I have to do to get ready for the ceremony? What arrangements do I need to make? I.e., Catering? Venues? Marital contracts? Officiants? Garments? Rings? The DJ? (har har)

Cheers

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I've been watching Peaky Blinders recently and there are a few references to several of the characters being "tunnelers" during WW1. What exactly did this job entail apart from digging tunnels? There are also several references to this job being particularly awful, why is this? Obviously any combat role in WW1 (or any other war for that matter) would be pretty hideous, but what made tunneling notably worse?

Also I'm looking for some good accounts of WW1 from the soldiers who fought in it - any recommendations? For future reference, what's the best way of finding the best books to read on a historical topic? I don't really have anyone I can ask who's studied history at all.

Thanks for any responses.

My grandfather served on the HMS Wolfe in Ceylon during the last couple of years of WW2. He used to tell us amazing stories of the high-jinx they got up to on ship and stories of boxing matches on deck. Anyway, he spoke very highly of both the NCO's and CO's aboard ship and I really wanted to learn more about the men he worked for.

My question is, are there records of a ships compliment from WW2 that are available to the public? I can recall some names and some ranks but can't recall which names went with which ranks. Of course I have never seen the spelling of these men's name either.

I had a discussion with someone on a different sub and I was curious about this question. I was having a hard time finding data. Many of the websites claiming it is not were pretty biased and didn't have much data one way or the other. What does the data say? How has immigration shaped America?

I have been reading Colin Woodard's American Nations and came across a couple of passages that took me by surprise. I had heard of state-enforced atheism with certain Communist regimes, but I had never heard it in connection with the French Revolution. I admit that this is very likely a product of my ignorance.

The passages in question are from page 163 and page 165 of the paperback edition in Chapter 14 "First Secessionists". The first passage reads:

"In 1789 the people of France had risen up in revolution, captured and beheaded their king, and declared themselves a republic. But their revolution had descended into chaos and terror, with state-enforced atheism, arbitrary arrests and executions, and, finally, a military coup by Napoleon Bonaparte."

The second passage on page 165 reads:

"Under President Jefferson the federation embraced France, turned its back on Britain, and expanded westward, all of which contributed to alienating Yankeedom. Allying with Bonaparte's atheistic, imperialistic regime was amoral, Yankees argued."

Is Woodard saying that the revolutionaries/Bonaparte forced people to give up all religious beliefs? Or does he mean that the Yankees thought this was the case? Or was Bonaparte's regime anti-Catholic or anti-clerical, repudiating the divine right of kings? Or was it an enforced secularization, keeping religion and government separate?

Thanks!

EDIT: typos

Other than the fact that voting was extremely limited (white males if I remember correctly). I remember reading that the senate used to be chosen by the state governments and that the system was so corrupt that it was basically an old boys club on who got the position next. Was this the case?

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Would it have been more or less likely for an officer to be taken as a POW? Which countries were more or less likely to take POWs?

Hi! I am trying to learn all of US History from beginning to end. I know I can't learn every small detail but I want to learn everything I can. Can you give me a list of books that will cover this need. I know I might sound naive but please do your best to help. Thanks!

As a european, the US. political system.fascinates me. I think the US. Constitution is one of the greatest human achievements.

I have just read the main constitution and the Bill of Rights, but I couldn't find guns having to do anything with tyranny.

I searched more and found the decisions of the SCOTUS, which support the "against tyrannycal government" theory.

Are there any commentaries or quotes from the Founders or anything in the constitution that supports the theory or is it just speculation?