History Reclaimed

Century after century, China’s regal emperors mobilized immense peasant armies to accomplish engineering feats unparalleled in human history. (44 min)

National Geographic explores the building techniques at Machu Picchu. Temples, altars and residences of this steep mountain city have resisted torrential rains, landslides and earth tremors since being abandoned by the Incas. (46 min)

This excellent BBC documentary, presented by the lucid Professor Armand Leroi, tells the story of the theory of evolution since Darwin postulated it in 1859 in ‘On the Origin of Species’. (88 min)

From haphazard science experiments in the 1830s to fully fledged works of art, photography came a long way during the 19th century. (3:42 min)

Long shrouded in secrecy, the life of Nikola Tesla is illuminated in this film. His achievements are so profound that he was seen as a threat to the world’s economy and many of his inventions are still classified by the U.S. (45 min in 5 segments)

This episode explores the writings of Seneca, tutor and later advisor to Roman emperor Nero, especially his philosophy to overcome anger. (23 min)

The grandson of Ieyasu, Tokugawa Iemitsu, tightens control over Japan’s warlords and expels all foreigners. (55 min)

Segment 1: The science behind Haiti’s earthquake and Segment 2: Haiti’s history of hardship. (5 min, 2 segments)