I noticed that The Netherlands have quite an unusual, literal name in languages spoken by their European counterparts. I am assuming that the name comes from the Dutch heritage of draining water to make habitable land, but could someone offer more information about this?

Sorry for the vagueness of the question. A friend told me that in Ancient Egypt, most people were employed by the state, and were 'paid' in grain. Is this at all true?

Especially US historians! Thanks in advance, guys!

edit: oh, and the native americans too? Thanks again.

What would be a good book to learn more about ancient Japan?

Did these observatories exist before the telescope? How did they operate?

I am wondering where this theme in literature and art for centuries has originated.

I have always tought about it, honest to god I have barely any information on it, but I guess that's why I'm asking. What do the historians think about the subject? Impossible?

I'm currently finish up my final presentation on the German colonies. The only thing I can't find any/very little information about is the situation today in relation to the colonial era. I would very much appreciate any help on this topic due to it effecting my grade, not just my historic education.

Thanks

What has Cuba truly been like over the past 50 years, politically, economically, and socially? I'm asking because the answer to this question has been obfuscated quite a bit over the past 5 decades. Conservatives speak of the utter desolation and totalitarian society that Cubans live in, while many leftists claim that Cuba is a model society (ie. better health care, more equal, more human rights). I know that an easy answer could be "somewhere between the two extremes" but I'm looking for someone who has experience studying Cuba 1959-Present. Maybe someone who has actually been there.

tl;dr Looking for someone to give insight into what life in Cuba was like post-1959.

is there any indication of democratic or almost-democratic systems in civilizations that predate ancient Greece, or that evolved separately from Greek democracy in another country or continent?

I have been looking for any legends or folklore surrounding supernatural beings such as vampires and werewolves. I know all of the Vlad the Impaler and Elizabeth Bàthory stories. I'm looking for stories that aren't well known, but also said to be "true". I'm just looking for where the origins of these creatures came from. Anything you can give me will be helpful. Thank you :)

I am very confused about them, were they an ethnicity like basques or celts, a tribe like the bajuvares, or just a dynasty?

Where did they come from and where did they go?

Why isn't Russia siding with Abraham Lincoln against the Confederacy, which stopped France and England from joining the war with the Confedaracy, taught in US history classes or in books? Or why is a lot of information kept from history books?