In Search of History
Season 2000
Marching west on the American frontier, pioneers fought death from disease and epidemics, knife and gun wounds. To survive, you had to find a doctor--or someone who called himself one! Meet the last defense against death in the wilderness.
Where to Watch Season 2000
26 Episodes
- Lost City of the Incas
E2Lost City of the IncasThe spectacular Incan city of Machu Picchu, high in the Andes Mountains, was long thought to be legendary. Then in 1911, the intrepid explorer Hiram Bingham stumbled upon its remains. But while the walls and chambers have been extensively studied in the years since, the purpose of this ancient site remains unclear. Go to the top of the world to unravel the mysteries of this enigmatic place. See incredible footage of the earliest expeditions to Machu Picchu, and meet the men and women who have dedicated their lives to unearthing its secrets. Wander through the incredible ruins and feel the eerie presence of the past and the timeless secrets that are locked somewhere within. Was it a pleasure palace, an observatory, a fortress or something else entirely? The answers await just below the clouds in LOST CITY OF THE INCAS. - The Real Dracula
E4The Real DraculaVenture into the life of the historical Dracula, Vlad Tepes, the fifteenth century Wallachian warlord. He ruled from a mountain fortress with an iron fist, and had a penchant for impaling his enemies - and often his own countrymen. A hero to some and a horror to others, discover the link between the man and the immortal vampire created by Bram Stoker. - World Series Fix! The Black Sox ScandalE5
World Series Fix! The Black Sox ScandalThe Black Sox Scandal was a Major League Baseball match fixing incident in which eight members of the Chicago White Sox were accused of intentionally losing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for money from a gambling syndicate led by Arnold Rothstein. - The True Story of Sacco and VanzettiE7
The True Story of Sacco and VanzettiNicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were Italian-born American anarchists who were wrongly convicted of murdering a guard and a paymaster during the April 15, 1920, armed robbery of the Slater and Morrill Shoe Company in Braintree, Massachusetts, United States. Seven years later, they were electrocuted in the electric chair at Charlestown State Prison. - Mr. Ponzi and His Scheme
E8Mr. Ponzi and His SchemeCharles Ponzi became known in the early 1920s as a swindler in North America for his money-making scheme. He promised clients a 50% profit within 45 days, or 100% profit within 90 days, by buying discounted postal reply coupons in other countries and redeeming them at face value in the United States as a form of arbitrage. In reality, Ponzi was paying earlier investors using the investments of later investors. His scheme ran for over a year before it collapsed, costing his "investors" $20 million. While this type of fraudulent investment scheme was not originally invented by Ponzi, it became so identified with him that it now is referred to as a Ponzi scheme. - Hitler and the OccultE9
Hitler and the Occult The Nazi party grew out of several occult groups that sprung up in the late 19th century as a reaction to the advanced materialism and technology of the era. These groups spoke of the coming of a new Messiah that would save Germany. Young Adolf Hitler developed the notion that perhaps he was the chosen one to save the German people. The political parties created in the wake of the country's defeat in World War I combined nationalistic sentiment and occultist practices to forge an image of a superior German people. Hitler's imprisonment after the failed 1923 Munich Beer Hall Putsch would make him a national hero for his defense of a strong German state, convincing him that he was the Messiah who could save Germany. Hitler appropriated Christian religioussymbols such as the Spear of Destiny and the Holy Grail for his own purposes. He adopted the swastika, which contained occult significance from earlier cultures, as the symbol of Nazi Germany. Adolf Hitler's rise was the product of forces and events conne - Library of AlexandriaE10
Library of AlexandriaAlexander the Great’s most highly regarded general, Ptolemy the First, designs the Alexandria Library. For the first time in history, scholars from all fields of study and from every known corner of the world have a place where they can pursue pure knowledge. The Alexandria Library houses the largest collection of books ever assembled in the ancient world. But no trace of it exists today. Who was responsible for the destruction of the Alexandria Library and what secrets about the ancient world were forever lost in the rubble? - The Trojan City
E11The Trojan CityIn the more than 3,000 years since Troy's fabled fall, its mysteries have yet to be unraveled. The legends of the Trojan Horse, Helen of Troy and Achilles have fueled some of archaeology's most celebrated expeditions, yet continue to baffle scholars and ignite controversy. THE TROJAN CITY is an exhaustive exploration of the legendary city. Travel to the site of Troy in modern-day Turkey and visit with the scientists and archaeologists who are probing its secrets. Search for answers to the central questions of this eternal mystery: Did the Trojan War really occur? Was the abduction of Helen its cause? And what do we know of Homer, the poet whose Iliad immortalized Troy's contentious history? The astonishing findings add a new and intriguing chapter to this legendary story! - A Deadly DeceptionE21
A Deadly DeceptionIt's a spin volume mysteriously titled the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, and it is arguably one of the most influential works of the 20th Century. Henry Ford believed it was a wakeup call for America. Winston Churchill was once convinced it was true. And the Nazi's used it as a warrant for geocide. This is a story of the hoax that will not die. It has fooled millions of people all over the world for more than a century, and continues to be a powerful force of evil and hate. Part of a marathon of new episodes on Feb8, 2000. - Beyond The Grave: The AfterlifeE22
Beyond The Grave: The AfterlifeIs there life beyond the grave? I fthe soul exists, does it survive the body? For thousands of years, the question has haunted the human imagination. Is death the end, or do we live again? Part of a marathon of new episodes on Feb8, 2000. - Joan of Arc: Soul on FireE23
Joan of Arc: Soul on FireJoan of Arc: a teenager girl so dangerous, she had to be burned at the stake. Why did her executioners believe she was a witch; in league with the devil? How had an illiterate peasant girl taken command of an army, and placed a King on the throne of France? Part of a marathon of new episodes on Feb8, 2000. - Meriwether Lewis: Suicide or Murder?E24
Meriwether Lewis: Suicide or Murder?Just 3 years after his triumphant return from the Lewis & Clark Expedition, Meriwether Lewis is dead. The body of the renowned explorer and Governor of the Louisiana Territory is found in the wilderness. What happened to this protégé of Thomas Jefferson? The sparks of controversy still flies today. Part of a marathon of new episodes on Feb8, 2000. - Dr. Livingstone, I Presume?E25
Dr. Livingstone, I Presume?David Livingstone had already journeyed across Africa when he set out for another expedition to the continent in 1858. Things quickly went wrong, and when news of the failures got back to England, Livingstone was discredited and largely forgotten. Five years later, James Gordon Bennett, Jr., editor of the New York Herald Tribune, came up with a scoop that would captivate the world ""Find Livingstone, alive or dead."" To accomplish the mission, Bennett hired an English-born reporter who had made his reputation covering the Indian Wars. Henry Stanley proved to be up to the task, persevering despite bouts with disease, hard travel through uncharted Africa and the deaths of several in his party. DR. LIVINGSTONE, I PRESUME is a thrilling look at Stanley's journey into Africa and the legacy of both explorers, whose names would be forever linked. From their historic encounter in the village of Ujiji to the clouded legacy of colonialism in Africa and Stanley and Livingstone's role, this is a r - Project Underworld: Military & MafiaE26
Project Underworld: Military & Mafia" In the mid-1930s, Thomas Dewey burst onto the national scene as the prosecutor who put ""Lucky"" Luciano behind bars. A decade later, then Governor Dewey of New York commuted Luciano's sentence because of his contributions to the American effort in World War II! PROJECT UNDERWORLD is a riveting look at the unholy wartime alliance between U.S. intelligence agencies and organized crime. Discover how a fear of pro-fascist elements among recent Italian immigrants led the Office of Naval Intelligence to recruit underworld figures to root out security leaks along New York City's vital waterfront. The ""ferret squad,"" as it was known, was led by Lieutenant Commander Charles Haffenden. By 1942, his contacts included Bugsy Siegel, Mike Lascari and Frank Costello. And none of this could have happened without Luciano's jailhouse blessing, arranged by go-between Meyer Lansky.