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My grandfather was an artist in San Francisco in the later years of WW2 and occasionally talked about the secret design studio he worked at that was in the basement of a Chinese laundry. He talked about two projects that he built scale models for while there, one being a new destroyer design and the other was the Spruce Goose. That leads me to believe that he was employed or subcontracted by Kaiser, but he never said specifically. I've never been able to find any information about the studio he worked in and I'm hoping that maybe someone here can point me in the right direction.
Does anyone have book recommendations for the Three Kingdoms period in China for someone who doesn't have a strong background in Chinese history? I know that "Records of the Three Kingdoms" is the main source, but I feel like I might not understand all of the context if I read that and I wonder if it'd be too dry.
Is there someplace I can read about significant inventions/technology/discoveries sorted by what century they’re from?
Is there an objective definition of "revisionist" history or is it basically shorthand for "revisions [the speaker] doesn't like"? Because it seems to me basically any historical research of consequence would be "revisionist" to some extent (would change our understanding of a particular historical figure/event/topic).
Which colony organized the Continental Congress in 1774? I know the colonies had committees of correspondence, but which one reached out and said let's meet in September? Was it Massachusetts that took the lead?
Is the great man theory completely disregarded by historians today or has it simply been watered down in a sense.
Also is the discreditation of the great man theory a symptom of modern attitudes towards the role that individuals play on society?
What are these curious head coverings Italian peasant women wear in 19th century paintings? They do not seem very convenient.
Example 1: Carl Bloch
Example 2: Theodore Gericault
What was the technology or deciding factor that put an end to open water piracy?
What sort of career was 'journalist' in late Victorian/Edwardian period, was it comparable to the 'skilled laborer' of the lower class or 'clerks etc' of the middle class? For fiction writers it seems to vary wildly (ie: Income or hobby. Success vs flop. Etc) but I can't seem to find info on steady writing for newspapers.
I'm afraid this is not the proper thread for my question but here goes. How do you folks manage to keep track of AskHistorians threads that are not answered yet but might be in the future?
Did Jan Hus ever get the opportunity to retract his heretical beliefs and live rather than burn at the stake? If I remember correctly he was asked and urged to do so multiple times and many people wanted him to live. But I can't remember the details.
What is the right form of address for a modern-day Knight of Malta? Like what should you call one while speaking to one?
How did cogs and other ships sail up river? Did they rely on wind or did the crew man ores and paddle up river?
Would you recommend people not major in History? I'm thinking about double majoring with History as one of them and my 2nd one would be something a little more career-focused for me.
How thick should the shaft of 16-19 foot long pike preferably be if the spearhead weighs about 0.3 kg?
What is the etymology/word history of the word "history"?
I'm writing a small paper on the position of Jerusalem in (early) Islam. I'm looking for a decent English translation of the Qu'ran but notice that I find it hard to decide which one to use. Any tips?
Was historian Sima Qian related to the later Sima of the Jin dynasty? If so, how?
Is it true that toxic fumes were produced on 17th century ships by the reaction of seawater with the tar-treated ropes? A history enthusiast mentioned this to me once as an aside, but I haven't seen or heard anything remotely similar before or since. (I was trying to find out more about the symptoms that would be caused, and couldn't find any mention of such a phenomenon at all!)
If I were a Ancient Greek or Roman author, what would I be physically drafting my books on? Writing lots of drafts on parchment or papyrus seems like it might be expensive, and ostraca and tablets don't look like they hold much. Maybe I would have done a lot of the 'writing' vocally to save paper?
Hi! I would like to read a book in English or Spanish about the history of the Phoenicians. The more complete the better, and of course the better quality the more I will enjoy it. So, Phoenician fans, what do you recommend?
What books would you recommend on The American Civil War for a beginner looking to go in-depth into the weapons, tactics, and technology developed?
In WWII, were German G43 rifles issued to groups/squads at a time, or were they only issued to a few men per squad?
Hey all. I'm looking for book recommendations about the Federalist Papers, notably their conception, use and importance in the founding of the country. Does anyone have recommendations?
It will be a gift for a history buff but not an academic.
Thanks
Word War 2: The internet has a lot of information on the UK’s 3rd Regiment...however, it lacks at a certain point. I am having trouble figuring out where Commander Major General Tom Rennie trained his troops for D-Day. I know the training began in December of 1943, but now I just need a “where.” Any information would be greatly appreciated, thank you!
