For a long time in school, we were taught that we declared independence so that we wouldn't have to live under a king. But now I know that the king didn't have too much power, and it was our lack of representation in parliament that caused problems. So is the king just a scapegoat, or did he have a role in losing the colonies.

I feel as though humans have always looked forward to the future and envisioned fantastic impossible societies, but I've never heard of any culture producing any science fiction which approaches our level of metal men, flying cars, and cities in the clouds.

Mostly, I feel like the stories we still know were about gods and magic, with very little faith in technology. Are there any notable exceptions?

There are thousands of cultures whose historical identity was/is bound up in centuries of spoken stories passed down through generations.

Migrations, war and famine can fracture and scatter those societies. Politics and personal motives can skew the stories to favor those in power. Modern and/or Western translation methods can leave so much lost in translation. And finally, the translator's edits can add another layer of bias and misrepresentation.

How, with all of these factors (and more I've surely missed), can we verify the accuracy and legitimacy of oral histories?

I'm asking for personal and professional reasons. I work at a museum and though I'm only an attendant, my job means I interact with the public a lot. Some visitors can be skeptical of some the more anecdotal information given.

So how are oral histories studied, investigated and then verified as factual? (I know 100% factual is nearly impossible)

Certainly religions gained some followers as the culture gained economic inflence, but did any of those pagan religions ever send out missionaries to spread the word of Zeus or Osiris or Thor or the Incan sun god?

All I could find was that ever since the annexation of Hawaii it worked as a strategic asset for the U.S. and is even today ranked number 1 for per capita defense spending in the US. I also found out that ever since the annexation, Hawaii has been a great way to secure US interests in the pacific.

I don't get it, what is the American interests with the pacific? And is there any historical explanation their high military presence?

thanks in advance

Poynter's famous painting depicts Andromeda as a white woman despite her being explicitly Ethiopian in the myth.

I understand that to the Greeks, Aethiopia didn't refer to the modern day country of Ethiopia but rather some vague ill defined region of Africa.

Was Poynter's painting simply 'whitewashing'? Was Andromeda actually black?

PS. I did do some research for myself into this topic but it seems this question is very controversial and quite politicized so it's difficult to cut through the bias.

It seems that Norman Knights used light cavalry/medium cavalry tactics (thrown spears, skirmishing). Was this always a part of knightly combat or did it change?

Thanks!

Some sources I've read state that knights could be noblemen of varying sources, including serf-knights, gentry, burghers, et cetera, and that their joining included a dowry and often wiped their former social stigmas away upon induction. If this is the case, did these crusaders have to pay for their own arms and armor (which seemed to be provided by the Teutonic Order) and any replacements, or was this included as part of their dowry? Did they receive wages for their service? Did they ever retire, or did they remain for life?

Sorry for so many questions, but if any help can be provided for any of these questions, it would be greatly appreciated!

Like were there dudes in 1590 wearing the style their parents used to wear in 1560?

Variations ranging from the run of the mill sword to a gift fit for a general would be appreciated. Although it says 1650 any period from 1600-1700 is acceptable.

I've currently been reading on the culture of the Apache, Tohono O'odham, and Raramuri, as well as other indigenous cultures in the Sonoran desert region. They would grow corn, beans, and grains, but I'm curious as to how they utilized water conservation to accomplish this.

I guess this question still applies to modern times, but the question is specifically about the cold war.