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The History Channel Presents Engineering an Empire

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Hosted by Peter Weller, ENGINEERING AN EMPIRE examines the most magnificent and sophisticated civilizations in history through the lens of their astounding engineering feats. Walk through the narrow streets of ancient Greece and Carthage and follow the massive expansion of the Roman and Chinese Empires. Trace the rise of antiquity’s greatest leaders and discover the architectural marvels and urban planning accomplishments that altered the course of history. Learn about Byzantine architects driven to glory during the Dark Ages and witness the construction of the Tunnel of Samos, St. Peter’s Basilica, and Notre Dame.

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Some of mankind's greatest achievements are explored and celebrated in Engineering an Empire, a sprawling, ambitious series produced by the History Channel and consisting of 12 episodes spread out over four discs. The scope is wide, both geographically (from China to Central America, from the cities of Western Europe to the plains of Siberia) and temporally (from thousands of years ago to the relatively recent past), but the focus is on specific engineering and architectural projects undertaken by the various civilizations under discussion--not just the what and the why, but more importantly, how some of these ingenious endeavors were accomplished.

A number of the structures and monuments examined here will certainly be familiar to viewers. The Great Wall of China, described as "the most ambitious engineering project ever undertaken," was centuries in the making yet only partially successful as a means of defense. Paris' Notre Dame cathedral, that glorious celebration of the Gothic notions of height, light, and space, was made possible only by the innovative system of flying buttresses used to support its walls, while the Eiffel Tower, defying both the conventions of construction and the tastes of most Parisians, was built in less than two years. In Florence, Filippo Brunelleschi overcame many obstacles in order to complete a magnificent brick dome for the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, now better known simply as the Duomo; in Athens, 30,000 tons of marble was hauled for ten miles to make the Parthenon. Yet as fascinating as these tales are, just as absorbing are some of the more mundane and lesser-known feats, like the canals, tunnels, and aqueducts used for delivering water, the techniques created for rooting and stabilizing enormous structures, or the hoists and cranes devised to lift tons of building materials hundreds of feet into the air.

The execution is typical of the History Channel, including interviews with experts, decent reenactment footage, and computer-generated diagrams and drawings. The series strives for a balance of scholarship (actor Peter Weller, the on-screen host, is identified only as a lecturer at Syracuse University--apparently "star of RoboCop" was deemed undignified) and entertainment (the dramatic and portentous voiceover narration overrelies on words like "amazing," "incredible," and "unparalleled"). A good deal of genuinely informative historical context is also provided, recounting the rises and falls of kings and emperors, battle tactics used in various conflicts, and the effect of catastrophes like the Black Plague. A brief behind-the-scenes featurette is the sole bonus item. --Sam Graham

The History Channel Presents Sherman's March

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General William Tecumseh Sherman s scorched-earth strategy against the South helped end the Civil War and in the process changed military strategy forever. In SHERMAN S MARCH, THE HISTORY CHANNEL explores his brutal and effective campaign, which arguably saved the Lincoln presidency, the Union, and thousands of lives on both sides--and made Sherman one of the most hated and misunderstood figures in American history.

In November 1864, Sherman and an army of 60,000 troops began their month-long march from Atlanta to Savannah. Burning crops, destroying bridges and railroads, and laying waste to virtually everything in his path, Sherman moved relentlessly to the sea, crushing the South s will to fight.

Through cutting-edge CGI battle scenes and dramatizations based on contemporary sources, SHERMAN S MARCH mixes the sweep of large-scale military strategy with intimate stories of the women, the slaves, and the soldiers who fought on both sides. Shot in hi-definition, SHERMAN S MARCH is both a lavish documentary and a gripping portrait of the complicated man who coined the phrase War is Hell and came to be called the father of modern, total warfare.

DVD Features: Full-Length Documentary Sherman s Total War Tactics episode of Save Our History ; History in the Making: Sherman s March Behind the Scenes Featurette

The History Channel Presents Modern Marvels - Technology

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Celebrating imagination and invention brought to life on a grand scale, MODERN MARVELS: TECHNOLOGY illuminates the fascinating stories of the doers and dreamers who created everyday items, pioneered technological breakthroughs, and produced the most renowned man-made wonders. MODERN MARVELS goes beyond the nuts and bolts and into the hearts of these innovations and the minds of the geniuses behind them. From the history of the sugar industry to the longest bridge in the world to the world’s first atom bomb, the series elucidates the ingenuity that gave way to the revelatory inventions and engineering feats that are a part of modern-day life.

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In one of the most hostile lands on the planet, an ancient people called the Israelites forged an army and carved out an empire. Their ancient military exploits are described in one of history's most famous religious texts--the Old Testament of the Bible. But by reading between the religious lines, military historians unlock the soldiers' secrets of the Bible by examining the weapons, strategies, and the commanders, some of whom are not always thought of as warriors, like Abraham, Moses, and Deborah. In this feature-length special, we explore the biblical world from a military perspective from the time of Abraham until David's ascension to the throne. Blood often flows more freely than holy water in the days of the Old Testament, and the military secrets of the Bible have yet to be revealed...until now!

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Modern Marvels - Baseball Parks (History Channel) (A&E DVD Archives)

Actor: Modern Marvels
ASIN : B0007WFUN8
Sales Rank : 36521
Brand : Team Marketing
Studio : A&E Home Video
Region Code : 1
Format : Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Feature : Officially Licensed; Highest Quality Recording
Binding : DVD
EAN : 9780767080590
ISBN : 0767080599
UPC : 733961719314
Release Date : December 26, 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

Product Description

Step up to the plate and play ball as we take you on a tour of those amazing edifices of the national pastime--baseball stadiums! From the sandlots and wooden ballparks of the 1800 and 1900s to the monolithic multipurpose stadiums of today, baseball parks have grown into technological wonders that pull in and cost millions.

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Go beyond the wartime headlines for a revealing, in -depth exploration of World War II's most notorious first strike as experienced by both the Japanese attackers and U.S. forces on the ground. Witness as never before the prelude, onslaught and aftermath of the assault, from Japanese Zero pilots recalling the textbook-perfect execution of their plans, to American servicemen fighting to survive the nightmarish inferno of the battle. With gripping archival combat footage, deeply moving personal accounts and richly detailed historical analysis, it's an unprecedented journey back in time to relive this history-changing day of infamy.

Also included is an inside look at the man who almost single=handedly rebuilt the devastated American Naval fleet in the wake of Pearl Harbor - Admiral Chester Nimitz. Learn how the "Thunder of the Pacific" took the tattered remnants of the Pacific fleet and re-shaped them into the force that ultimately ruled the seas and won the war.

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This History Channel production provides an in-depth look at the Japanese attack on the American Pacific fleet in Pearl Harbor on the fateful day of December 7, 1941. The documentary begins by providing a background to the eventual conflict in the Pacific, noting how Japan had been waging a war of conquest in China since the early 1930s. As a power struggle with the U.S. loomed on the horizon, the Japanese built a formidable navy marked by an innovative utilization of carrier-based aircraft. Special attention is given to Admiral Yamamoto, who had studied at Harvard and admired America but vigorously planned the assault on America's naval might. The attack on the morning of December 7 is explained tactically, and films shot at Pearl Harbor during the Sunday morning air raid, including shots of the massive explosion triggered by a bomb hit on the battleship USS Arizona, provide dramatic proof of how devastating the attack was. Personal stories of the battle are recalled in interviews with veterans from both sides. Various revisionist theories about how America had warning of the attack and sacrificed Pearl Harbor are quickly dismissed, and a closing segment focuses on Japanese and American veterans who have reconciled at a reunion (and some American vets who would have no part of that). An additional documentary provides a biography of Admiral Chester Nimitz, who rebuilt the U.S. Pacific fleet following Pearl Harbor, and a bonus program features brief biographies of other American commanders in the Pacific. --Robert J. McNamara

The History Channel Presents Voices of Civil Rights

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From the fearless resolve of a single man to the remarkable voices of thousands marching VOICES OF CIVIL RIGHTS provides a stunning overview of one of America s greatest defining moments.VOICES OF CIVIL RIGHTS: This collection of personal narratives was created by a group of journalists photographers and videographers as they embarked on a bus trip around the country to create the largest archive of oral histories of the Civil Rights Movement.MISSISSIPPI STATE SECRETS: Go inside the shadowy operations of the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission whose job was to spy on people connected to the Civil Rights Movement.CROSSING THE BRIDGE: In 1965 a line of civil rights protestors crossed the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma Alabama on a march to the capital in Montgomery. Alabama State Troopers blocked their path and the unprovoked brutality that followed shocked a nation.BIOGRAPHY: MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.: THE MAN AND THE DREAM: This one-of-a-kind profile uses rare footage and photos to show how King s ideas and views adapted to the rapidly changing climate of the Civil Rights Movement.BIOGRAPHY: THURGOOD MARSHALL: JUSTICE FOR ALL: As a civil rights lawyer he turned the floor of the Supreme Court into his personal battleground. As a member of the court he presided over some of the most influential decisions in American history.System Requirements:Running Time: 243 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 733961717167 Manufacturer No: AAE-71716

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The civil rights movement in the 1950s and '60s--a tumultuous time marked by frequent tragedy and occasional triumph--is examined in this provocative two-disc, four-hour set containing five programs produced for the History Channel. The first of these, "Voices of Civil Rights," eschews the standard documentary format of narration, interviews, photos, etc. in favor of personal, firsthand reminiscences by people, black and white alike, who lived through the turbulent years when there were two very separate Americas, especially in the South. For "Negroes," there was the world in which they were reared, loved and cherished; then there was "the real world," where they were hated by whites and discrimination was a bitter fact of daily life. Major events and issues like the struggles for school integration and voter registration, the killing of Medgar Evers, and the Ku Klux Klan's reign of terror are covered, but it's the anecdotal accounts of these exceptionally well-spoken people that really drive them home. The extraordinary tale of the KKK's atrocities against the family of Vernon Dahmer, for instance, is told not only by the victims but by one of the Klansmen who participated. Repentant and deeply ashamed to this day, the latter ultimately testified in court against his "brethren"; later, while serving his own sentence, he was visited in prison and forgiven by the very people whose lives he had shattered.

The remaining documentaries on the first disc detail the villainous tactics of the "Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission" (a government-appointed agency whose mission was to use whatever was needed--propaganda, threats, actual violence--to suppress the civil rights movement in that state), and the events surrounding March 7, 1965, the "bloody Sunday" when marchers in Selma, Alabama were viciously attacked by the local police. These are stories that evoke grim memories of folks like Sheriffs Jim Clark and Bull Connor, and racist governors Ross Barnett (Mississippi) and George Wallace (Alabama), all of them driven by a flammable combination of ignorance, hubris, and the fear of losing a preeminence they'd done nothing to earn. But it was a time that also witnessed the emergence of Martin Luther King, Jr. and a call to action by President Lyndon Johnson, who knew there was something very wrong about a country where young black people could fight in Vietnam but were denied the right to vote at home. Disc Two includes a biography of King, depicting a "reluctant hero... who raged beneath the weight of his burden," a leader who did not seek his position but was chosen for it. A second bio details the life and work of Thurgood Marshall, the first African American justice to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. Neither disc contains any bonus features. --Sam Graham

List Price: $24.95
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Modern Marvels - The Creation of the Computer (History Channel)

Actor: Modern Marvels
ASIN : B000BF0CMK
Sales Rank : 24818
Studio : A&E Home Video
Region Code : 1
Format : Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Binding : DVD
EAN : 9780767084932
ISBN : 0767084934
UPC : 733961730906
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 machines at the center of the information age have revolutionized our lives and digitalized our world, making previously unthinkable tasks automatic and linking people from around the planet. MODERN MARVELS® presents a fascinating exploration into the history of the computer. See Charles Babbage's Victorian "counting machine," a mechanical computer that produced perfect results for any mathematical problem of six figures or less, and discover how IBM was launched through a punch-card counting machine built to accelerate the 1890 census. Trace the technological advancements that led to the first modern computers and witness the rapid progress that allowed them to shrink from room-sized monsters to the desktop units that revolutionized life in the '90s. THE CREATION OF THE COMPUTER journeys into the fast-paced world of technology and innovation to expose the phenomenal history of the most influential invention of modern times. DVD Features: Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

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Apocalypse - The Puzzle of Revelation (History Channel) (A&E DVD Archives)

The History Channel Presents Engineering an Empire

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The History Channel Presents Sherman's March

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The History Channel Presents Modern Marvels - Technology

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The History Channel Presents Egypt - Engineering an Empire

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Bible Battles (History Channel)

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Modern Marvels - Baseball Parks (History Channel) (A&E DVD Archives)

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The History Channel's Pearl Harbor

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The History Channel Presents Voices of Civil Rights

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Modern Marvels - The Creation of the Computer (History Channel)

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