Growing up, the natives have typically been depicted as savages, cannibals, barbaric etc., but I find it difficult to believe that everything they were was wrong. What are some aspects of pre-colonial societies that were better than Europeans?

I hope this is the appropriate sub for this question. I was looking at an old map that predates both pinyin and Wade-Giles and I was curious what romanization system (if any) was used.

Thanks again!

I was studying World War II, and while reading about the Japanese, I didn't get much information on the who was really in charge of it all. I get that Tojo Hideki was the wartime prime minister, but was he really influential before the Sino-Japanese War? If not, than who was?

The focus on the rites in Pure Land Buddhism seem to be focused on being reborn to the Pure Land in the next life. Was it believed to be possible to reach the Pure Land in this life, though, by sail or saddle, if you knew where it was and had enough time and resources to reach it? Or is the Pure Land somehow "west" but also beyond the circles of the world, much like Valinor in Lord of the Rings, with no way of reaching it through mundane means?

Is this book considered relevant by today's historians? or is it bunk?

Isn't this a little awkward. How did the Romans feel about the fact that they killed their savor?

I'm new to the Buffalo but looking around I can really see how a city like this could have had potential. I know the loss of trade from the Erie Canal played a part in the downfall, but it's in such a prime location and so close to Canada and Niagara Falls. I just wonder what reasons could have caused it to flatline as a city for such a long time.

So, Louis XVI is executed, slightly before and after this there're some revolutionary governments, followed by Napoleon. After Napoleon's defeat, the Bourbon Restoration occurs, leading to the kingship of Louis XVIII.

Why isn't there a Louis XVII? I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that French monarchs are not like elevators, they don't miss out unlucky numbers. What's going on?

(Please correct any of the above if I've misunderstood, I'm always happy to learn.)

I've tried the search function but I can't find any information about the rise of Rome from a mere City-State to the entirety of Italy.

Any information is appreciated!

Lee never wrote his memoirs, and as such his motives seem to have been somewhat veiled by second hand accounts, etc. Is there any definitive information on his primary reasoning and end goal(s) for invading?

I was reading a little bit on atomic gardens and it got me wondering. Do we currently use anything created in one?

Thanks!

Am I comparing apples to oranges? Other than the SS sending their prisoners to death camps, are the CIA's practices much different? If not the SS, would there have been (or are currently) anything comparable?

Hey, I've been trying to find information on the economies of the kingdoms of Essex, Kent, and Sussex, but can't seem to find much aside from references to agrarianism and wool production.

Were the economies of these minor states really based entirely on agriculture, or were there other important exports?

I was reading an article, "Napoleon In the Age of Absolutism" by Hans Kohn, and while discussing Napoleon's charge in Egypt and the bringing of scientists and enlightenment ideals, this passage came up:

The French hoped that through modernization Egypt would become the cradle of the regeneration of Islam and that civilization, science, and industry would return to the country that had once been their center.

Why would the French hope for a resurgence of Islam in the nation? I understand at the time they were very anti-Catholic, still in the midst of the Revolution, but I thought those sentiments extended to all religions?

So, can anyone help explain the reasoning Kohn is bringing up here?

Were they just let go one day? Did the army have to force people to give up their slaves? Where did they all go?

I've always been interested in early East-West relations like the Silk Road and Marco Polo's accounts of the East. Studying classical music history there were definitely points in time where Western musicians would be influenced by east (Debussy, Mozart, Rimsky-Korsakov). What did Easterners who had never heard of Western music think? Was it generally aesthetically pleasing to them or did it sound unpleasant?

It seems like an extremely common thing for veterans of the wars in the Middle East. You hear of so many vets coming home and suffering from PTSD and having issues adjusting to life at home as a civilian. Was this a common issue with veterans from the World Wars? I never really hear anything about it.

Are there many things known from the New Testament that would otherwise be lost to us?

Since the Tokugawa period was marked by general policy of isolationism, I am having trouble understanding who would know both English and Japanese and be able to do the translating.