Seasons & Episodes
Archaeology: Unearthing Our Past
Man's history on Earth dates back at least tens of thousands of years, yet written records stretch back to only a fracti
Howard Carter and the Tomb of Tutankhamun
Howard Carter's unflagging persistence and stubbornness led to one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20t
Colonel Lawrence's War - T.E. Lawrence and Arabia
He was an action hero as well as an intellectual hero. T.E. Lawrence escaped a safe office job during World War I to bec
From Slavery to Freedom
Humanity has lived in, with and on the profits of slavery for most of its history. Many of its greatest achievements and
Theodore Roosevelt and The American Century
Known during his time as "the American Lion," Theodore Roosevelt led the U.S. into the 20th Century. He was the first pr
Ecology - Pulse of the Planet
As far as we know, planet Earth stands alone as a cradle of life in the universe. Ecological efforts strive to protect t
American Dreams - Norman Rockwell & The Saturday Evening Post
Perhaps no artist came to capture the optimistic spirit of America in the first half of the 20th Century better than Nor
Art Rebellion - The Making of the Modern
Paris in the last half of the 19th Century was a city on the move. It was a modern metropolis expanding into the future,
Edgar Degas - Reluctant Rebel
Among the ranks of fed-up young artists reshaping the world of modern art was Edgar Degas. At the heart of the movement,
Braque & Picasso - A Collaboration Cubed
Enthusiasts of maverick artist Pablo Picasso will readily credit him and him alone for envisioning the bold new form of
Giacomo Puccini - Music of the Heart
To this day, an opera by Giacomo Puccini will play to a packed house. Puccini's works -- including La Bohème -- are eng
It's Opera!
Most everyone can recognize the sound of opera when they hear it, but few of us know what opera really is. What is the s
The Archduke's Last Journey - End of an Era
In June 1914, a special train carried Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, to Sarajevo. Terrorists wou
Powder Keg - Europe 1900 to 1914
Between August 1914 and November 1918, 27 countries would declare war. Over 60 million men from around the world would f
Sigmund Freud - Exploring the Unconscious
There was a time where doctor-patient relationships were strictly authoritarian -- doctors did not listen, but rather pr
Carl Jung and the Journey to Self Discovery
A protégé of Freud, Carl Gustav Jung felt that his mentor's ideas were too limiting, and he sought other sources of in
Psychology - Charting the Human Mind
The analysis of the mind and the exploration of human motives and behavior are some of the breakthrough areas of study i
Seeking Truth - The Life of Leo Tolstoy
Born into the highest circles of Russian society, Leo Tolstoy wrestled with himself for the excesses of his aristocratic
Unquiet Voices - Russian Writers and the State
Beginning in the 19th century, Russian writers created a national literature unparalleled in its moral and philosophical
Aristotle - Creating Foundations
No other philosopher has ranged so broadly over so many topics, nor made so many discoveries than Aristotle. In ancient
Ancient Questions - Philosophy and Our Search for Meaning
Since the dawn of time, human beings have looked at the world around them and each other and have asked questions about
Jiddu Krishnamurti - The Reluctant Messiah
He was plucked from poverty and illness in India and was declared to be the new messiah, groomed to bring salvation to t
Annie Besant - An Unlikely Rebel
Annie Besant was strong-willed woman in an authoritarian era. Journeying from vicar's wife to spiritual leader, Besant l
Medicine in the Middle Kingdom
One of the world's oldest civilizations, China created a complex and sophisticated culture emphasizing on order and harm
Eastern Spirituality - The Road to Enlightenment
The world's religious beliefs as determined by compass points group the major faiths into Western spirituality (Christia
Thomas Edison - Lighting Up the World
The country was already singing Thomas Edison's praises for his astonishing invention of the phonograph, but that was ju
Invention and Innovation - What's Behind a Good Idea?
The US patent office is filled with a seemingly endless array of well-intentioned but ultimately ridiculous ideas for de
The Mystery of Edward Stratemeyer
The characters that Edward Stratemeyer created are some of the most endearing and enduring fictional heroes ever, and ye
Wanted: Dead or Alive - Pancho Villa and the American Invasion of Mexico
At least 100 ballads sing his name and his praises, telling tale of a mythical figure: outlaw, bandit, lover, a modern R
General John J. Pershing and His American Army
When the Great War erupted in 1914, the US remained on their side of the ocean, deeming it to be a solely European confl
George S. Patton - American Achilles
He longed for combat, saying that he was destined for war. Serving on the punitive hunt for Pancho Villa, Patton enjoyed
Easter Rising - The Poets' Rebellion
Easter, 1916: At noon, Dublin explodes in gunfire as a motley band of Irish rebels takes on the world's most powerful em
The Passions of William Butler Yeats
Up until the early 20th century, contemporary Irish literature barely existed in the world's imagination. Everyone looke
Sean O'Casey vs. Ireland
As Ireland struggled for Independence, writer Sean O'Casey watched the needs of the poor become increasingly overlooked
Ireland - The Power of the Poets
Poetry is powerful in Ireland. This harsh land, besieged by violence, poverty and strife has produced some of the world'
Winston Churchill - The Lion's Roar
Brilliant, arrogant and energetic, Winston Churchill led the nation he loved throughout World War II when Britain's very
Demanding the Vote - The Pankhursts and British Suffrage
In 1913, the British government was under assault by its own people who were torching buildings, shattering office windo
Fighting for the Vote - Women's Suffrage in America
At the birth of the United States, the Declaration of Independence affirmed the principles and intentions of the country
Historical Lecture: The Promise of Progress
Join H.W. Brands, professor of history at the University of Texas Austin, on the changes that occurred in the late-19th
The Somme - A Storm of Steel
Begun in July of 1916, the devastating Battle of the Somme was a turning point in warfare, demarking the modern combat a
Siegfried Sassoon - A War Poet's Journey
He was a soldier's soldier, decorated for bravery by the British government and respected by the men in his battalion. B
Robert Graves and the White Goddess
Writer Robert Graves took many unpredictable turns on his fascinating journey through life. Though Graves would describe
I Am France - The Myth of Charles de Gaulle
In France's darkest hours of World War II, a lone French voice emanated from BBC radio in an attempt to rally free Frenc
Into the Furnace - The Battle of Verdun
They called Verdun the Meat Grinder. The Furnace. Hell. When the fighting died down, almost a year after it began, Frenc
Marshal Pétain's Fall from Grace
In 1916, 60-year old General Henri Philippe Pétain, who'd been passed by for promotion most of his life, took charge of
Flirting with Danger - The Fantasy of Mata Hari
A palpable tension held its grip on Paris in 1917. It was the third disastrous year of World War I. France was losing ba
Reading the Enemy's Mind - Espionage in World War I
Over the course of the 20th century, the secretive government agencies and the spies who ran them would complete the tra
Chasing the Phantom - Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck
The war in East Africa was far different from the hell of the Western Front. The stories that emerged there had a human
Dreaming of Africa - The Life of Frederick Selous
Frederick Selous was a hunter, explorer, and celebrated author. Most of all, he was the envy of thrill-seekers everywher
At Home and Abroad - The Two Faces of Jan Smuts
As the only man to sign both the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War I and the Paris Peace Treaty that brought
Albert Schweitzer - Reverence for Life
In 1953, Albert Schweitzer won the Nobel Prize for peace, and magazines and newspaper articles were calling him "the gre
Congo - A Curse of Riches
The Congo encompasses a million square miles of the richest land in Africa. Yet despite that wealth -- or perhaps becaus
Waging Peace - The Rise of Pacifism
As the 20th century approached, governments all over Europe were doing their best to win the deadly game of the arms rac
War in the Third Dimension - Aerial Warfare in World War I
When World War I began, the rival armies charged into battle with frightening new weapons that seemed ready to change th
Blood Red - The Life and Death of Manfred von Richthofen
Today, historians and aviation buffs still celebrate the Red Baron as the ideal fighter pilot. A daring knight of the sk
Flying High for France - The Lafayette Escadrille
In a war that claimed millions of lives, most who served in the military fought because they had no choice. But the high
Anthony Fokker - The Flying Dutchman
On November 11, 1918, the Germans laid down their arms, finally ending World War I. In the surrender agreement, the Alli
Karl - The Last Habsburg Emperor
Karl, the last Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, was labeled a traitor and failure during his lifetime. His own pe
The Russian Revolution - All Power to the Soviets!
In 1991, the Soviet Union, one of the most powerful nations on Earth, collapsed. Born in socialist revolution almost thr
V. I. Lenin - History Will Not Forgive Us
To create the utopian world he envisioned, Lenin did what he thought he had to. His violent seizure of power -- and the
Impresario - Sergei Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes
Fearless, strong-willed and always a champion of the modern, Sergei Diaghilev discovered a talented group of artists and
Ballet - The Art of Dance
Beautiful and effortless, ballet is one of the world's most elegant art forms -- the human body as poetry in motion. Ach
Franz Kafka's Dark Truth
Franz Kafka had made his living as an attorney in an insurance company, where he'd eked out an obscure and unexceptional
Lines in the Sand - The Middle East and the Great War
The Ottoman Empire once spanned three continents, stretching from Budapest to Basra to Algiers. Founded around 1300, it
Colonel Lawrence's War - T.E. Lawrence and Arabia
He was an action hero as well as an intellectual hero. T.E. Lawrence escaped a safe office job during World War I to bec
Historical Lecture: War and Revolution
Join H.W. Brands, professor of history at the University of Texas Austin, on an hour-long lecture on the wars and revolu
Unhealed Wounds - The Life of Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway was the best-selling, most celebrated author of his time. He wove war, love, pain and death into unforg
The French Foreign Legion - The World's Most Legendary Fighting Force
For almost two hundred years one group of fighting men has held an unrivaled grip on the world's imagination. Shadowy pa
The Secret Life of Edith Wharton
In 1905, all of New York was riveted by the story of Lily Bart, a stunning young woman hoping to claim her place in soci
Lowell Thomas - American Storyteller
Over the course of his illustrious career, Lowell Thomas was an adventurer, a showman, the most familiar voice in radio,
For the People, Despite the People - The Atatürk Revolution
At the end of World War I, the Ottoman Empire paid the ultimate price for choosing the wrong side. The winners, Britain
The Greedy Heart of Halide Edib
In novels, memoirs, and essays, the Turkish writer Halide Edib chronicled the most cataclysmic change in the history of
The Ottoman Empire - A World of Difference
The Ottoman Empire lasted some 600 years, and spanned three continents. It was not only their military campaigns that ma
Dracula - Fact and Fiction
Few figures are so well known and strike as much terror as that of the vampire known as "Dracula." This creature -- not
Bronislaw Malinowski - God Professor
In 1915, a Polish scholar named Bronislaw Malinowski landed on a tiny island off the coast of New Guinea. He had come as
Anthropology - Looking at the Human Condition
For over 100 years anthropologists have been learning from people in every corner of our world, and using the data they
New Guinea - Paradise in Peril
A land of mystery and danger, it's been said that New Guinea contains more strange and new and beautiful things than any
The Best Intentions - The Paris Peace Conference and the Treaty of Versailles
In May 1919, six months after the end of the Great War in Europe, a French train departed from Berlin, carrying the Germ
Woodrow Wilson - American Idealist
In 1913, 56 year old Woodrow Wilson was inaugurated President of the United States. He came to the job with little pract
Gertrude Bell - Iraq's Uncrowned Queen
On March 20, 2003, the United States invaded Iraq. Saddam Hussein, the dictator who'd controlled this nation for nearly
Ho Chi Minh - The Price of Freedom
In the summer of 1966, the United States found itself in a war it couldn't win, against an enemy it didn't understand. F
Paul Robeson - Scandalize My Name
Paul Robeson was great at everything he did. And he did a lot: an acclaimed singer, actor, all-American football player,
Robert Goddard - Mr. Rocket Science
Since our ancestors first stood on two legs, we've looked up at the universe with wonder. And we've been lighting up the
Jazz - Rhythms of Freedom
Jazz was born in America, in cotton fields and cities... in brothels and churches. In the opera house, and the night clu
Al "Scarface" Capone - The Original Gangster
In the 1920s the sprawling, brawling, skyscraper-studded city of Chicago ruled the American heartland. And one man seeme
Prohibition - America on the Rocks
On October 10th, 1919, for the first time in American history, lawmakers voted to change the Constitution and strip away
On the Trail of Eliot Ness
In the late '20s, gangland killings were tearing Chicago apart, as mob leader Al Capone battled to be top dog. Valentine
Louis Armstrong - Ambassador of Jazz
At the height of his career, Louis Armstrong and his band toured Europe. The sextet had come to perform America's greate
Ben Hecht - Shakespeare of Hollywood
Chicago in the roaring twenties was a hotbed of activity -- mostly criminal. Mobsters controlled gambling and the flow o
Hellfighters - Harlem's Heroes of World War I
On July 14, 1919, French, British and American troops paraded down the Champs-Élysées in Paris, celebrating their triu
Tin Pan Alley - Soundtrack of America
Perhaps no artistic medium has acted as a more accurate cultural barometer than the popular song -- charting the nation'
Wonderful Nonsense - The Algonquin Round Table
"All the things I really like to do are either immoral, illegal or fattening." / "That woman speaks 18 languages and can
Broadway - America Center Stage
The year was 1927, and the New York theater district called 'Broadway' was entering what would be its greatest season in
Erich von Stroheim - The Profligate Genius
He was unmistakable. With his suave demeanor, impeccable wardrobe and bullet head, on screen Erich von Stroheim played s
The Rise of the Moguls - The Men Who Built Hollywood
To the outside world Hollywood seemed like a magic place. Here, the sun was always shining, everyone had a swimming pool
Irving Thalberg - Hollywood's Boy Wonder
Named for one of Hollywood's most legendary filmmakers, the Thalberg Award is given to "creative producers personally re
The World of John Ford
People called it the Dust Bowl, an environmental disaster that struck the Great Plains in the late 1930s, when the count
Historical Lecture: New Gods for Old
Join H.W. Brands, professor of history at the University of Texas Austin, on the societal movements and massive cultural
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