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Did fads and styles (music, art, clothing, expressions, etc) move as quickly hundreds of years ago as they moved in the 20th century?
For instance, could a scholar of 16th century music listen to a piece they haven't heard before and have a good chance of correctly guessing the decade it was written, the way many people can do with 20th century music?
What Park did Alexander Sachs visit between meetings with Roosevelt in October 11-12 1939?
I am from the DC area, and I recently had a chance to visit the Nuclear History museum in Albuquerque. In this museum, I noticed a reference to a figure in the history of the Atom Bomb I had not heard of before.
Alexander Sachs was the one who made an appointment with Roosevelt, and he was the one that convinced him to assign some resources to investigate the issue in 1939, despite the many other pressing issues of that day.
One thing that I found interesting was Sachs' account of how he paced around at night at a park near his hotel.
Sachs, however, was able, as he took his leave, to extort from the President the consolation of an invitation to breakfast the following morning. "That night I didn't sleep a wink," Sachs remembers. "I was staying at the Carlton Hotel [two blocks north of the White House]. I paced restlessly to and fro in my room or tried to sleep sitting in a chair. There was a small park quite close to the hotel. Three or four times, I believe, between eleven in the evening and seven in the morning, I left the hotel, to the porter's amazement, and went across to the park. There I sat on a bench and meditated. What could I say to get the President on our side in this affair, which was already beginning to look practically hopeless? Quite suddenly, like an inspiration, the right idea came to me. I returned to the hotel, took a shower and shortly afterwards called once more at the White House."
Since I am familiar with that area, I could not help but wonder which park he is talking about. It would be a sort of cool to have a chance to connect with the drama of that moment in the space where it occurred, but for that one would need to know which park he is referring to specifically.
When I first heard the story, I thought he was referring to Farragut Square, but the Hotel is actually a little closer to McPherson Square.
Perhaps both of these parks are too large to meet the description, and he was actually referring to a private garden that might have been closer by at the time?
Anyway, this is something that I was sort of curious about, but I don't really know how to proceed and figure this detail out, or if it is even possible to figure out.
Any ideas?
edit: Current map of the area. That hotel is now called the St. Regis:
What are some revolts that were initiated/perpetrated/led by members of the acting government? I'm writing a story where something similar happens and I wanted a frame of reference to see how these things would go.
How were generals selected in classical Greek states – if of course the information exists? I'm aware that Athens elected its strategoi, taxiarchoi, phylarchoi, hipparchoi and military treasurers, but what qualified a non-King to be a general in Sparta, or indeed just about anyone in a less 'extreme' democratic or oligarchic state? How would mercenary commanders like Iphikrates and Xenophon fit into these systems?
I can't find a complete list of all ships that participated in the battle of Midway (WW2 June 1942). Does anyone know of one?
When did non-political prisoner Jews become the largest demographic in Nazi concentration camps? When did they become the majority?
What kind of vehicle was a “stage”? I’m reading something from 1930 that keeps referring to a “stage”, that this stage was parked in a garage, and its engine caught fire. I’ve heard of a stagecoach (which I understand as being horse drawn) but never a stage. Is it a bus, limo, car, trolley...?
Does anyone have any recs for books about the history of racial discrimination in housing in the United States?
I am slowly working my way through one of the books recommended in the booklist in this sub's sidebar, Sugrue's Origins of the Urban Crisis. It is really good, but only parts of it are about housing. I have also read most of Rothstein's The Color of Law, which is all about racial discrimination in housing. I really like it, but but he is not a historian and I don't know how well regarded his work is here.
I would also love any recs for books by historians that might be relevant to housing policy more generally. Like, are there any good histories of public housing in the United States or even a history of a particular housing authority? Thank you!
I’ve read that Roman national identity lasted in some parts of Greece well into the 20th century, how long did it take for such identity to dissipate in places like Milan, Alexandria and Tunisia?
Recently I've been into research on imperial Russia and after looking at this: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Lesser_CoA_of_the_emperor_of_Russia.svg I noticed that there's letters "S.P.A.R" on the sides of CoA and on the bottom with depictions of Jesus. Can someone explain the meaning of those letters?
Any book recommendations on Sherman's march to the sea? Watching a documentary on it on a whim and it's just not very well done,
Why did the creation of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) with support from USA go against the Geneva Accords of 1954?
I plan to post it in the Thursday R&R thread as well, but does anyone have any good recommendations on books about Andrew Carnegie? Especially his early fortune making and later philanthropy.
Does anyone know the history behind the term "destroy" being used to describe putting down a horse at a race?
I've been trying to remember a figure from American history that I learned about in elementary school. I thought his name was something like Berkeley, but I could be wrong about that. I believe it was early american history, and the only thing I remember is that he tore his shirt open during an impassioned speech.
Medieval historians: I have a Q about Joan, Duchess of Brittany, from the Hundred Years' War. She's known as Joan the Lame and often referred to as being crippled, but I can't find anything on what her actual disability was. Do you know?
Here is her wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan,_Duchess_of_Brittany
Can you point to a good book where i could find a polished frame, or good examples of what an historically tenable analogy between century’s may be ?. I am familiar with Spengler’s efforts...thnx
When were leather work gloves invented and when did they become common?
Please provide the list of all battleships and battlecruisers operating during WW2.
How did the american prohibition affect the Catholic Church in the 1920s, in concern to the Eucharist and communion? Did it have any lasting effects?
Does anyone have a good reader/companion for Clausewitz's "On War"? I studied it in college but my GF has not and it's on our reading list. I don't really feel qualified to give good enough background/context. Any help is appreciated!
Did the native Americans build walls around there towns?
How often did ancient armies, specifically Chinese armies, sally forth and attack a besieging army before the siege began?
Is the Manhattan project common knowledge?
Can't find out if this is a myth or not- were birthing rooms really a thing in the colonial era? If not, what were those small rooms used for that aren't near the kitchen (so they aren't a pantry) but are also too small for a full blown bedroom?
When did Massinissa say "Africa for Africans"?
Did Heinlein's 1947 Rocket Ship Galileo originate the "Nazis on the Moon" trope, or is there an earlier work of fiction that did it first?
Does WW1's Russian 2nd Army's Commander Alexander Samsonov have any notable ancestors or descendants, or at least any known existing relatives to this day?
I just read this article (sorry it's in Spanish) that essentially says the amount of African DNA in Southern Spain is minimal, despite the kingdom of Granada being alive up until 1492. It can be inferred from the rest of the article that the same is true about the rest of Spain: barely any African DNA in our current population.
Why? Wouldn't you expect mixing after so many years? I mean, there are plenty of recountings of cultural mixing.
I used to really like this reddit but it seems as of late everything gets deleted and no one really gets an answer to their questions. What is the purpose for such strict rules? Also can the mods be looked at for this subreddit as to fix this problem?
