Browse Television Central. History Channel

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The Underground Railroad, "the first civil rights movement," was no mere act of civil disobedience. The secret network of guides, pilots, and safe-house keepers (the Railroad's "conductors") was built by runaway slaves who, over the decades, communicated their experiences through songs and secret gestures, and were supported by abolitionists (many of them former slaves) who risked their own freedom to help free the enslaved. The "passengers" risked their lives.

A wealth of photos, documents, and commentary by modern historians provides the broad lines of history, but it comes alive in the individual stories of conductors and passengers, among them abolitionist and historian William Still, called the "Father of the Underground Railroad," and Henry "Box" Brown, who mailed himself to freedom in a cargo crate. They (and many others) take their place beside Harriet Tubman ("the Moses of her people") and Frederick Douglass as courageous heroes in America's first integrated social movement.

The DVD also features the Biography episode on Frederick Douglass, the complete text of the Emancipation Proclamation, a biographical essay on Harriet Tubman, and other historical background pieces. --Sean Axmaker

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Empires of Industry - Black Gold: The Story of Oil (History Channel)

Actor: Empires of Industry
ASIN : B000BKVL8E
Sales Rank : 15704
Studio : A&E Home Video
Region Code : 1
Format : Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Binding : DVD
EAN : 9780767085298
ISBN : 0767085299
UPC : 733961731262
Release Date : December 27, 2005
Publisher : A&E Home Video
Manufacturer : A&E Home Video
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : A&E Home Video
Running Time : 50

Description

The most valuable substance on earth has brought wealth to poor nations and nearly bankrupted wealthy ones. It has created cities overnight--sometimes destroying them just as quickly--and has caused rampant international warfare. When a Canadian chemist found a way to turn petroleum into kerosene in the 1850s, the need for oil exploded. "Black gold" burns at the heart of the modern age, making those who control it the wealthiest and most powerful men on earth. Black Gold: The Story of Oil narrates the stories of these men--including John D. Rockefeller and William Mellon--and the empires they built. Learn how oil came to dominate American industry--and about the nation's current dependency--and discover why the resource continues to cause global flare-ups. EMPIRES OF INDUSTRY presents the comprehensive history of "black gold," the resource that continues to govern our world. DVD Features: Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

Empires of Industry

Empires of Industry is a mini-series which explores the cornerstones of America's economic might that established the United States as a world leader. Each of the one hour programs in this remarkable series focuses on an industry which played a unique role in America's rise to world economic dominance. The stories of changing fortunes in the steel, coal, brewing, ship building and textile industries reveal much about our country's past and present. Empires of Industry would be useful for classes on American History, History of Science and Technology, Economics and American Culture. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

Black Gold: The Story of Oil

Modern America depends on a steady source of petroleum and petroleum by-products to satisfy its ever-increasing and voracious appetite for fuel. Oil, the “black gold” of the ground, is one of America’s most precious and abundant commodities, and yet America still need’s the oil exports of Arab nations to fill its need. Black Gold, The Story of Oil chronicles the birth and rise of the oil industry in the United States, from its fledgling beginnings, through the days of John D. Rockefeller and the robber barons, to the Gulf War and the present.

Vocabulary

• antithesis
• apex
• commodity
• cower
• culmination
• deploy
• derivative
• embers
• extract
• extrovert
• illuminant
• introvert
• invincible
• kerosene
• monopoly
• oblivion
• persistence
• resolve
• sovereign
• tailspin

Discussion Questions

1. Oil is sometimes called “black gold.” Why is it called by this name?

2. Prior to the discovery of kerosene, Americans illuminated their homes with candles or whale oil. How did kerosene change the lives of Americans? How did the discovery of kerosene change the process of gathering petroleum?

3. What is persistence? How did Edwin Drake’s persistence finally pay off? What other figures in American history have displayed remarkable persistence?

4. Standard Oil made John D. Rockefeller one of the richest men in American history. How and why did Rockefeller get into the oil business?

5. Discuss the concept of a boom/bust economy and the boom/bust towns that surrounded the oil industry. What industries today still have boom/bust characteristics?

6. How did Standard Oil eliminate most of its competition?

7. Besides being one of the richest men in America, John D. Rockefeller was also one of the most criticized. Why did Rockefeller face so much criticism?

8. Why did Thomas Edison’s light bulb threaten the oil industry?

9. How did the automobile industry save the oil industry?

10. In the early years of the 20th century, Spindle Top in Texas erupted into the largest oil well in America. How did Spindle Top change the oil industry?

11. What is OPEC? Why did it place and embargo on the United States in the 1970s? What were the results?

Extended Activities

1. Create a poster that illustrates the uses for petroleum and petroleum by-products and also suggests some other alternatives for these products.

2. Imagine that you are a newspaper reporter. Write an account of the eruption of Spindle Top that conveys the magnitude of this oil strike to your readers.

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In Search of History - The Knights Templar (History Channel)

Actor: In Search of History
ASIN : B000BF0CNE
Sales Rank : 19571
Studio : A&E Home Video
Region Code : 1
Format : Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Binding : DVD
EAN : 9780767084970
ISBN : 0767084977
UPC : 733961730944
Release Date : December 27, 2005
Publisher : A&E Home Video
Manufacturer : A&E Home Video
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : A&E Home Video
Running Time : 50

Description

Their fanatical courage struck terror in their enemies. Their fabulous wealth made them the most powerful men in Europe. Their secret rites inspired rumors of heresy. In the Crusades, these ferocious sword-wielding monks were charged with protecting the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In defeat, they were burned at the stake. Journey from Middle Ages Jerusalem to modern day Europe to unravel the extraordinary story of the legendary Knights who some say survived their supposed execution at the end of the Crusades and have preserved their order to this day. Leading historians reveal their fantastic origins, and period accounts bring their legendary battles to life. Ancient documents and artifacts hint at the mysteries that surround them. Did they discover ancient secrets buried beneath Solomon's temple, and conspire to seize part of Europe for themselves? Explore the incredible history of the Crusade's mightiest and most puzzling warriors.

The History Channel's Great Blunders of WW II

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Great Blunders of WWII presents exactly that, the great errors of judgement that both the Allied and Axis forces made during the course of World War II. Broken down into 25-minute segments, this work covers some of the pivotal moments of the war, such as the Battle of Midway, Stalingrad, and the Battle of the Bulge, and how they contributed to the ultimate defeat of the Axis powers. History enthusiasts will already be familiar with the topics covered here, and the length of each segment hinders any in-depth exploration of the subjects, but the archival footage, some of it in color, is staggering. The DVD edition features four bonus segments. --Kristian St. Clair

Decoding the Past - Secrets of the Koran (History Channel)

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The Koran is one of the most important works ever written. For almost one billion people worldwide, it is the Holy Scripture, the word of God and his prophet. For others, it is a historical artifact that has left an indelible imprint on the world. DECODING THE PAST: SECRETS OF THE KORAN probes the heart of the work that many outside Islam find mysterious. This feature-length program examines the history of the verses and their implications for modern times, as wel as the striking similarities and differences between the Koran and the Bible. Trace the influence of the Koran from the Golden Age of Islam to the modern rise of jihadism, and hear from top Islamic scholars and holy men as they share their insights into the work that lies at the foundation of one of the world’s great religions. THE HISTORY CHANNEL provides the perfect guide to understanding the fundamental work that has shaped the Muslim faith for over 1,400 years, and will long continue to influence modern history. DVD Features: "Muhammad" Episode of the Award-Winning A&E Series BIOGRAPHY; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

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Learn of the drastic steps taken to stop its spread.Re-enactments bring the fear and desperation of the era to life.See haunting reminders of the scourge that devastated Europe. It began like the common cold. Then came fever baseball-sized black swellings on the neck and coughing up blood. Few infected lived more than two days. In the three years since it first struck in 1437 almost half of Europe's population died within three years.THE PLAGUE visits the rat-infested holds of the ships that brought death and disease witness the terror that swept through towns and walks with religious flagellants. Follow a princess as she travels into the center of the plague a doctor who struggles to understand what is happening and a Jewish merchant caught up in violent attacks. Hear the actual words of the victims taken from diaries and journals. From the Pope's palace to the humble huts of medieval peasants watch as people live and die in the unforgiving grip of fear and death and wonder how we would act if such a terrible event happened today.System Requirements:Running Time 50 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 733961745672 Manufacturer No: AAE-74567

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The First Days of Christianity (History Channel Ultimate Collections)

Actor: History Channel
ASIN : B000WOSB0A
Sales Rank : 15669
Brand : A&E
Studio : A&E HOME VIDEO
Region Code : 1
Format : Box set, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Binding : DVD
EAN : 0733961101607
UPC : 733961101607
Release Date : December 15, 2008
Publisher : A&E HOME VIDEO
Manufacturer : A&E HOME VIDEO
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : A&E HOME VIDEO
Running Time : 320

Product Description

The events of Jesus life and the lives of his Apostles occurred over a few short decades, yet, like stones splashing into still waters, they generated ripples that have driven the course of history for two thousand years. The First Days of Christianity brings two top-selling programs from THE HISTORY CHANNEL and A&E together on DVD for the first time, creating an enthralling five and a half hour exploration of this crucial turning point in Western culture.

Join host Roger Moore for a journey In the Footsteps of the Holy Family. This compelling mixture of science, history, faith and scholarship examines the perplexing Biblical mysteries, ancient texts and sacred places touched by the Holy Family. And from conversions to missions to martyrdoms, The Apostles introduces the viewers to the twelve believers who began the epic mission of spreading the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Host Martin Sheen narrates untold tales of the devoted followers whose dedication ensured the survival of the early Church.

THE HISTORY CHANNEL and A&E present three of the most sough-after films in their Christianity treasury, together for the first time in one DVD collection:
DISC 1: In the Footsteps of the Holy Family, Part 1
DISC 2: In the Footsteps of the Holy Family, Part 2
DISC 3: The Apostles Collection, Part 1
DISC 4: The Apostles Collection, Part 2

Browse History Channel Online

In Search of History - Hell's Angels (History Channel)

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Underground Railroad (History Channel)

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Empires of Industry - Black Gold: The Story of Oil (History Channel)

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In Search of History - The Knights Templar (History Channel)

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The First Days of Christianity (History Channel Ultimate Collections)

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