What is revisionist history? Why is it a bad thing?

In high school, I was taught that consensus history was problematic, and that revisionist history, as expressed by writers like Howard Zinn, was essentially rewriting the history books in a way free of Euro-centric, colonial bias.

Obviously that's a simplistic view, and very possibly not a correct one, given the way many flair-wearing members of this sub talk about it.

Can you, without bias or judgment, and strictly sticking to the facts and objective differences from mainstream history tell me what revisionist history is, and why it's problematic?

Thanks!

4 Answers 2015-05-26

During the German occupation of France did soldiers pay businesses money for goods and services or was it just expected that they would get them for free?

2 Answers 2015-05-26

How did women get away with dressing up as men and joining the army?

1 Answers 2015-05-26

Good books that explain European Feudal History?

I want to acquire some books that provide interesting and in depth information and analysis of Feudal Europe. Particularly stuff that covers War of the Roses, Norman Invasion, Spanish/Muslim conflicts, and any topics of similar type. Pretty much I want some real-world backstabbing, intrigue, sieges, and power struggles.

1 Answers 2015-05-26

How did the Roman cities that used aqueducts drink so much water contained with lead and not see a significant decrease in population?

Lead is very detrimental to neurological development in children. Are there any records that indicate a significant decrease in population or the effects of lead poisoning?

"Lead poisoning can be a serious public health threat with no unique signs or symptoms. Early symptoms of lead exposure may include:

  • persistent fatigue
  • irritability *loss of appetite
  • stomach discomfort and/or constipation
  • reduced attention spaninsomnia

Failure to treat lead poisoning in the early stages can cause long-term or permanent health damage, but because of the general nature of symptoms at early stages, lead poisoning is often not suspected.

In adults, lead poisoning can cause:

  • poor muscle coordination
  • nerve damage to the sense organs and nerves controlling the body
  • increased blood pressure
  • hearing and vision impairment
  • reproductive problems (e.g., decreased sperm count)retarded fetal development even at relatively low exposure levels

In children, lead poisoning can cause:

  • damage to the brain and nervous system
  • behavioral problems
  • kidney damage
  • hearing loss
  • hyperactivity
  • developmental delays in extreme cases
  • death "

My source

Thanks to everyone who answers!

1 Answers 2015-05-26

What happened between 1450 and 1600CE to cause real wages to fall both in Europe and in China?

This Graph shows the decline.

1 Answers 2015-05-26

Why is the Mona Lisa such a big deal?

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post. So why is it such a big deal? What is it that made it arguably the most famous painting of all time? It doesn't seem to me like it was DaVinci's best paintings, and friends I've discussed it with have admitted to not knowing what she owes her success to. Can any historians help out?

1 Answers 2015-05-26

Why didn't China follow the same path as the USSR in the late 80's?

My understanding is that people like Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang were liberal reformers, who were actually allies with Deng Xiaoping against the Old Guard, Li Peng and those bunch. My question is why didn't China follow the same road countries like Czechoslovakia and Poland, who caved into massive protests and became democracies. Even the USSR installed social and economic reform, and it crashed two years later. Why is the case so different with China?

1 Answers 2015-05-26

Research Material for Roman everyday lifestyle

Hi Ask Historians,

I am writing a short (potentially long) fictional time travel story involving ancient Rome.

I'm looking for any research information to read that could provide me some background of what life was like for the average Roman citizen in Rome during the reign of Constantine (Approx. 300 AD).

I've looked on Goodreads and other forums but can't tell from the overview and reviews if they are what I'm looking for.

I thought I'd pose the question to this subreddit to see if anyone knows of an amazing book that would be what I have in mind.

Thanks for your help and look forward to the discussion!

1 Answers 2015-05-26

Why were guns so useful against someone with a bow and arrow?

The bow is faster up to guns from the late 1800s and seems to be the better option. Especially so when it may be easier to put shots on target with a bow.

2 Answers 2015-05-26

What were the consequences, positive and negative, of NAFTA?

1 Answers 2015-05-26

How related are modern Macedonians to ancient Macedonians?

1 Answers 2015-05-26

Did the Pearl Harbor attack ever go through a "jet fuel can't melt steel beams" phase?

To clarify, I'm wondering if there was ever a time a decade or so after Pearl Harbor that a joke or multiple jokes became common, similar to how, 14 years after 9/11, the "jet fuel can't melt steel beams" line is popular.

2 Answers 2015-05-26

What can I use to argue with a holocaust denier?

I have a friend (more of a person Im with one class period of the day and thus have associated with them), who recently brought up their belief that (at first), only ~500,000 jews were killed in total during the holocaust. Now he has linked me to a video which is about the event happening at all. I doubt he actually watched the whole thing, he likes to give me info from sources he hasnt checked because their name has what he wants, the other day he said I should read Dissecting the Holocaust: The Growing Critique of "Truth" and "Memory", when he had only skimmed pages 1 and 2 (he didnt admit it, but I watched him skim them, and find the book itself in on block).

He also likes to bring up that SS officers at the Nuremberg trials claimed only 500,000 were killed, I've yet to find a source on that one. Also when asked to find me a source on that info, unbiased/factual, he claimed that was impossible, because "there is no such thing as an unbiased source", which is true to an extent, but it is obviously his last line of defense when he had no info.


This is getting long, so Ill end it there/here: what info can I use to prove him wrong? I cannot stand to believe someone could deny the suffering of so many human beings due to nonfactual numbers and no credible sources.

I'm sorry if this is a bad place to ask this, or if my format isnt perfect. I don't frequent this sub, and its the best place I could think to get info with sources.

4 Answers 2015-05-26

What historical examples are there of effective counter-insurgency strategies?

1 Answers 2015-05-26

What are some of the most significant examples of the accepted historical view of something completely changing due to new evidence or insights?

1 Answers 2015-05-26

Did Japanese ground troops really just charge head into battle? Banzai?

1 Answers 2015-05-26

Why did Serbs and Croats hate each other pre WW2?

From what I can get it has something to do with Austro-Hungaria and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, but I cant quite understand it. I don't understand what drove the Croatians to do what they did in WW2.

1 Answers 2015-05-26

What were some English first names that were once popular but has not been popular within the last century or two?

4 Answers 2015-05-26

Why did college football never catch on in the Northeastern United States?

The game was invented there, but there's only 'power program' (Penn State), there's no regional conference (like the Pac-12 or SEC), a lot of the major state schools don't have programs in the FBS (New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine), and this is all while pro football remains popular in the region. So why?

2 Answers 2015-05-26

Did U.S. soldiers ever have orders in WW2 to not take prisoners?

Provided they were no longer a threat?

2 Answers 2015-05-26

Why was chariot racing so popular in the Roman Empire even though they were never utilized in the Roman army?

1 Answers 2015-05-26

Did Medieval armor and weapons have "specs", like we have for cars or computers? Did Knights or other fighters compare specs when choosing what to use, and discuss their "builds" with their Knight friends?

4 Answers 2015-05-26

There are many examples of Germans rescuing Jews during WWII. Are there similar examples of slave owners doing the same during the 18th and 19th centuries? (e.g. buying slaves in order to set them free)

2 Answers 2015-05-26

Tolkien said he wrote the LOTR and the Hobbit because he wanted to instill a national myth in Britain.

1 Answers 2015-05-26

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