Documentaries
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Silver Mining In Ontario - 1919
This documentary provides a detailed look at silver mining in the Cobalt, Ontario area. The work of an underground miner is shown in some detail. The film captures some of the environmental impact that mining had on the area. The inclusion of the value of what is mined reflects the enormous wealt...
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R. Buckminster Fuller: Innovating the Way We Live
A round house made out of airplane parts? The Henry Ford's presenter, Tim Pendell, shares the history of Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion House.
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JFK Assassination and the Apollo Affair
There are few individuals who continue to be as widely discussed as John F. Kennedy. He received both support and criticism during his tenure as president. He was undoubtedly a controversial figure during his era, as he assumed the presidency during one of the most turbulent periods in American h...
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Floating Horses
Movie + 1 extra
American cowboy Casey Tibbs, a nine-time world champion who left home at the age of 13 in 1942 due to his father's disdain of rodeo, had a rags-to-riches life after his groundbreaking spurring lick was developed and he was launched to stardom. Akin to riding a wild bronc in competition, his unpre...
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John H. Willets: He Knew Lincoln and Booth!
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Four Civil War Longarm Types
In this episode, Andrew and Will talk with historian Phil Spaugy about four terms used for long arms during the Civil War. They look at the definition of these terms, the evolution from one to the next, and a bit of the history to tie it all together. Enjoy this program in it's expanded form, giv...
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Abandoned History: Abercrombie Castle
Hidden in the woods of New York, lies the crumbling remains of a forgotten Castle. The abandoned mansion was built by David Abercrombie, co-founder of Abercrombie & Fitch. This documentary explores the mystery behind the mansion’s decay, the legacy of its builder, and what still lingers among the...
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Empuries: The Lost Roman City by the Sea
Empúries was once a thriving port, first built by Greek traders, later taken over by Roman legions. For over 1,000 years, it stood as a beacon of commerce, religion, and culture. Then, it disappeared.
In this video, we explore the layered history of Empúries: from its Greek roots in the 6th centu... -
The American Artist
Movie + 4 extras
A century after his death, George Caleb Bingham’s work was not only rediscovered, it is celebrated as a national treasure. Produced by the Emmy Award-winning documentary team at Wide Awake Films in partnership with the Friends of Arrow Rock (Bingham’s hometown in Missouri), this hour long documen...
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5 Great Viking Deaths
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The Siege of Fort William Henry
Movie
During the French and Indian War, Fort William Henry was under siege. The French assembled 8,000 men, including more than 1,800 Indians from more than 30 nations. The French artillery bombarded the fort, while their Indian allies ambushed men from the surrounding forests.
The siege lasted six lon... -
Roots of a Nation - The Smithfield Story
Movie
Take a journey through the 250-year history of Smithfield Plantation in Blacksburg, Virginia - from the European immigrants who shaped a nation through their relationships with founding fathers to the enslaved Africans who built it through the work of their hands, “Roots of a Nation” is an honest...
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A History of the Greatest Losses of Life
There have been an incredible number of wars, genocides, conquests and natural disasters that have killed a staggering number of people throughout human history. Conquests and genocides can often be accompanied by disease and starvation and number of fatalities can be difficult to ascertain. Ther...
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The Wide Awakes
Watch to learn the history of the Wide Awakes and find out who started them, what was their purpose, who would be a typical member, and why the torches! Thank you to the Waterloo Area Historical Society in Michigan for providing an amazing setting at twilight.
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Making History Documentaries
History is never as simple as the stories we're told. In this video, we talk about the process of researching history — and why finding the truth is often harder than it seems. History is written by the victors, but what happens to the stories from the losing side? Propaganda, simplified narrativ...
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The Monster Gun of the Crimean War
The story of a 'superweapon' designed to break the stalemate of siege warfare in the Crimea using all the industrial might Victorian Britain had to offer. This massive 36in mortar could fire a 2900lb shell nearly two miles - built in 1854 as a Crimean War superweapon by Robert Mallet, an Irish g...
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The Origin of Brainwashing
The concept of brainwashing is often discussed, but rarely understood. Originating from the Chinese term Xinao, which literally means ‘wash brain’, the word first entered circulation in the west in the 1950s. However, to this day, few understand the origins of brainwashing, and to what purpose it...
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The Man Who Saved the World - Vasili Arkhipov
During the Cold War, high tensions between east and west resulted in many close calls. Some of these close calls involved nuclear weapons, and given the tense atmosphere, any mistake would have likely resulted in global war.
Among all of these stories is one which stands out both for its extremel...