Listening to all the coverage of the Arab Spring, the Egyptian revolution and counterrovolution has made me curious. Did it get covered in countries that weren't Britain or British colonies? Or France?

What was the opinion? Did any unexpected countries have vested interests?

I've heard speculations as well as strongly expressed opinions that dropping Little Man on Hiroshima was sufficient to bring an end to the war. How true is this? How did dropping Fat Man on Nagasaki change the course of events? What are possible other motivations? How instrumental were the dropping of either bombs? Sources appreciated

For those who don't know, the film "Downfall" (or "Der Untergang" in German) depicts the final days of Hitler's life as the Battle of Berlin raged around his bunker. It's an excellent film, but I'm wondering how accurate it is.

How was the western society (U.S. and Europe) effect the Caribbean Islands?

I feel like since Constantinople was the capitol of the Byzantine Empire, they would have felt more inclined to raise a force to break the siege or reinforce the garrison. Would any of the European powers have felt inclined to send aid? I know Genoa and Venice had a small number of troops stationed in the city, but it hardly seems like much.

While I'm a guy, it seems like they are fairly common, especially as a result of sexual intercourse. Since it seems like sanitation also would have been worse than it is now, and sex was still happening, and antibiotics weren't around, what would women do? UTIs don't seem to be something that go away on their own, so did it just always progress to bladder infections?

Sorry for the gross question, but I've just wanted to know about this forever.

In Roman, Greek, Seleucid, Persian etc battlefields, was it pretty much a death sentence to be a soldier on the front line of a phalanx or a Roman formation? How would someone be convinced to be a front line soldier if the odds were so stacked against them? Thanks!

The Mayans developed incredible pyramids, a complex language, understood zero and had a deep understanding of the cosmos.

The Aztecs had some of the most advanced waterworks technology in the world with and the ability to develop a high population (although barely towards then end).

The Incas had the largest empire of the bunch with an extremely sophisticated roadway.

All the North American tribes had Pre-Columbus were Chaco Canyon and Cahokia which are pretty pitiful in comparison.

Pre-Columbian Era specifically please.

I'd love to read more about this but the Book List only has books about the Southwestern region of North America.

I know he directly gave many orders to kill, but did he murder anyone with his own hands?

For example, Hawaii was annexed but not Cuba. What made Hawaii so much more desireable than Cuba?

These are just examples, there are many more.

I keep happening upon little bits of information presenting Gandhi as an evil genocidaire, and while there seems to be some evidence to this at first, the sources of these sentiments are never very credible. On top of that, none of the summaries I've found of Gandhi's life and teachings make any mention of any bigotry or vitriol on his part. I was wondering if anyone here could direct me towards information to give me a more wholesome understanding of these issues. Thanks!

It's well known that the Roman Empire made use of slavery, but how widespread was the use of such an institution after Roma's collapse? I assume the economic shift must have been large while varied, and the trade spurred by events such as the wars, but it's difficult to think the practice didn't evolve throughout or after the dark ages. Moreover, was it ever racial, and how long did the practice take to wane in popularity?

TLDR: Southern European slavery in Medieval times, what was it like?

(Sorry for the loaded question. Comments are much appreciated!)

For a history project, we had to create a question having to do with communication between Europeans. Africans, and the Americas, and my question was about Native Americans (Can't actually say my question because they are later being checked of plagiarism. I need sources that show how Native Americans thought of Africans and Europeans. The source can be a table, a primary document, and painting, etc. If this is not the correct subreddit, please just comment which one I can ask this question to. Thank you.

P.S I am not just asking this out of laziness, I have been searching all around the web and so far could only find two decent sources. Thanks.

476

The USA didn't win any major battles other than the battle of new orleans and baltimore. Others than these the war was a disater for the USA, and even the capital was lost to the British.

I had a high school history teacher that would every so often tell people what their history theses should focus on if we were to ever major in history at a university. I was wondering what topics history majors have chosen and completed for their study in either undergrad or graduate school.

I'm not sure if this question is proper but this subreddit is for historians so it seemed to fit. I'm sorry if it's not the correct place to post this question in which case I'll delete it.

EDIT: Also, what led you to your choice?

For those who aren't aware, Downton Abbey is a TV show set in a British manor house, set between 1912 and around 1920.

One character named Thomas is a footman, and later underbutler, in that house. He is gay, a status that is clearly explicated onscreen. What's more, that status is pretty clearly known by most, if not all, of the other characters onscreen. Mrs. Patmore, the cook, tells an infatuated scullery maid, "He's not a ladies' man! Thomas... is a troubled soul." Bates, Lord Grantham's valet, remarks to him about a visiting gentleman to whom Thomas has been begrudgingly assigned, "Well, you know Thomas. He has to have a grumble, but I gather he cheered up when he saw the gentleman."

Despite all this, the Downton staff and residents in general seem perfectly content to let sleeping dogs lie. No one brings the subject up, and even when the police come for Thomas after he solicits a fellow footman, Lord Grantham rises to his defense and keeps him from being taken away.

My question is, how prevalent was an attitude like this towards homosexuality during that period and in that region? It honestly seems to me to be more accepting than the attitudes of many modern Americans, so I'm curious whether the show is taking liberties.

Thanks ahead of time for your answers!