Hello everyone!

I was asked to conduct an AMA on the subject of Deaf History. I'm the only flaired user in /r/AskHistorians for Deaf History, so this is a great opportunity to ask anything you'd like to know!

My particular expertise is in U.S. Deaf history, but I am also familiar with European Deaf history and more around the world. I am a full-time public historian and museum professional. I have a BA in Deaf Studies with a minor in History, and I'm currently earning my MA in Applied History.

Please note that although I am Deaf myself, I am not speaking for the Deaf community here. If you have questions about culture - cochlear implants, sign language vs speech, etc - they might be better suited to /r/deaf. This is /r/AskHistorians so let's try to keep the questions history-focused. If it's a mix of both, I'll do my best to answer.

If you want to know about 19th century methods parents used to attempt to restore hearing, or how Gallaudet University came to have its first deaf president, or anything else - ask away!

Edit, 12am Eastern - I'm signing off for the night, but feel free to continue asking questions. I'll answer tomorrow!

When and why did medieval armies stop using the roman infantry tactics? Im talking about the testudo formation and others like them. A solid line of fighters with tower shields.

In all movies and other historical representations of medieval fighting i never see them fighting in such an organized matter.

it feels like this tactic is way superior than any "charge" attack a la Braveheart that we often see in movies.

Is this wrong? Did some other technology or tactic render this way of fighting obsolete?

I know that I read somewhere that the Roman capital was not Rome in the late empire prior to 476. I was wondering if people could suggest to me any articles or primary sources that talk about this.

Thanks!

I would say creating better weapons with bronze led to an inevitable race to improve metal weapons, but there was also a very big gap between that and the industrial revoluion.

Thoughts?

When did drinking coffee became popular in the Middle East? Europe? Was coffee known before for other attributes (medicine, ritual, etc..) before it was a popular drink? At what point did coffee spread as a popular drink and what are the factors that helped it become widespread?

References to primary sources is greatly appreciated, thank you in advance!

I recall being told once that it is very common to see Vietnamese with baguettes as (the person said) that the French did leave an imprint on them). I know that colonies often adopted aspects of their colonial powers but how did French culture impact on Vietnam? Is there a noticeable impact or did they reject it?

I recently went to Portsmouth and had the pleasure of a guided tour on board HMS victory. The guide explained how the sailors on average drank 53 pints of beer a week. I only just realised thats 42,400 pints a week collectively. How on earth could they store that much beer on board!?

Also has any consensus emerged about the causes of decline in cities and their reemergence in a new form? Thank you.

Just watching Peaky Blinders and got curious

I read somewhere in the early 1990s that Truman had ordered the use of atomic bombs on Japan as they became available, but was surprised when the Nagasaki bomb was dropped because he hadn't realized that a third device would be ready so soon after Little Boy. Supposedly, he then revoked the authority to drop the bombs, conserving them for later operations. How much of this is true?

I've never been able to find out why they did this and where this practice started. Where they just horny for someone other than their wife? And was there ever a time where a wife became jealous of the fact her husband had taken on a concubine?

Lately I've been really into History's tv show "Vikings." It takes place from about 8th to 10th centuries in Scandinavia (Norway, Denmark, Sweden) and England.

The big deal for the Vikings it seems is sailing west to England in search of riches. I was wondering what about Finland? What was happening there during the height of the Viking expeditions? It's just next door to Sweden...Surely they had a similar civilization to the scandanavian people?