The History Channel

The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of American Democracy. Could it contain hidden messages from our nation's forefathers intended to be discovered years later? Buddy, Mac and Scott travel across America to try and uncover the mysteries behind our nation's most prized document. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

In 1990, the tomb of the High Priest Caiaphas was unearthed in Jerusalem. Along with inscribed "ossuaries" (bone boxes), two Roman nails were recorded in the official excavation report. However, the nails were not photographed, drawn, measured or widely publicized. Intrigued by the possibility of crucifixion nails in the tomb of the man who sent Jesus to the cross, filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici goes looking for them. He now finds that they have disappeared, and the tomb has literally been covered up. A dramatic investigation ensues. The goal is to find the missing artifacts and re-enter the tomb. Expect shocking revelations along the way. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Geologist Scott Wolter visits a Minnesota farmer who wants to investigate the possible existence of bones from a giant he unearthed in his yard. The bones raise the question of whether Vikings could have traveled all the way to America. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Christianity is thought of as a religion of peace, not war. But in this episode Simcha Jacobovici reveals that the religion of love was spread by the Roman army. The investigation begins with a mysterious symbol found engraved on an ancient skull. The film then discovers the symbol on the walls of Roman army barracks, inscribed on amulets and on pillars of underground churches. From Pompeii to the farthest reaches of the Empire, in England and Syria, this episode reveals how Christianity secretly thrived within the very army that was supposed to suppress it. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Part two of the deadly saga of the Solomons plays out at the Santa Cruz Islands. In one terrible day of vicious combat, Enterprise loses her sister ship USS Hornet and suffers dozens of casualties as bombs nail her flight deck. When the smoke clears, Enterprise is the only American carrier left in the Pacific. For the U.S. Navy at Santa Cruz, survival becomes the ultimate battle. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

He called himself Oliver Protector, while many said he was a cruel traitor, usurper, and hypocrite. Still others found him broad-minded, tolerant, passionately religious, and ferociously moral. Cromwell's influence as a military commander and politician during the English Civil War dramatically altered the British Isles' landscape. His suppression of Royalists in Ireland during 1649 still resonates. The massacre of nearly 3,500 people in Drogheda after its capture--comprising around 2,700 Royalist soldiers and all the men in the town carrying arms, including civilians, prisoners, and Catholic priests--has fuelled Irish-English strife for over three centuries. Cromwell felt justified in ordering the massacre because the city's defenders had continued to fight after the walls had been breached. With cunning precision and military mastery, Cromwell effectively brought Ireland to its knees. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Take a look at the innovations designed to hold off a global warming meltdown. Visit giant solar energy towers in Spain, install a rooftop wind turbine and ride in a car that runs on air. Will a daring attempt to remove carbon dioxide from our atmosphere by dumping iron in the ocean really work? Discover how everyone can go green with the flick of a switch. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Hittites are the forgotten superpower of the Bible. Hattusha, the capital was the heart of their empire. They were a highly advanced military powerhouse who struck fear into the hearts of all their enemies, yet the Hittites disappeared as quickly as they emerged--the greatest vanishing act in history. Follow a team of historical detectives as they use evidence from recent excavations, scientific studies and historical documents to piece together clues to determine what the ancient Hittite empire looked like. Computer graphics allow viewers to fly over, enter the streets, walk through the halls and peer into this lost world. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Geologist Scott Wolter visits a Minnesota farmer who wants to investigate the possible existence of bones from a giant he unearthed in his yard. The bones raise the question of whether Vikings could have traveled all the way to America. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Al Capone's, rise to power coincided with the notorious "Roaring Twenties" period in Chicago. Capone and his fellow mobsters flooded the city with bootleg liquor, while buying off government officials. Follow a team of historical detectives as they travel back to a time of unimaginable wealth, speakeasies, and ruthless mobsters. Using evidence from excavations, scientific studies and historical documents watch as the team piece together clues as to what 1920's Chicago looked like. Computer graphics allow viewers to fly over, enter the streets, and walk through the halls of this era. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

How have massive geological events helped create the American map? Long before the Founding Fathers drew the map, mother nature shaped some states. How did an asteroid create the border for three states and change history? How did glaciers plow the great plains and how did natural disasters continue to alter the map? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Considered one of England's greatest Kings and builders, Henry VIII remains famous for his six wives. Henry ruled by fear, executing his opponents and several of his wives. He ordered the destruction of beautiful buildings, libraries and works of art. However, Henry also built many magnificent palaces like Hampton Court and transformed Westminster Abbey from a modest church into the epicenter of the Protestant religion. Henry VIII remains one of the most important monarchs to have ruled England. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Christianity is thought of as a religion of peace, not war. But in this episode Simcha Jacobovici reveals that the religion of love was spread by the Roman army. The investigation begins with a mysterious symbol found engraved on an ancient skull. The film then discovers the symbol on the walls of Roman army barracks, inscribed on amulets and on pillars of underground churches. From Pompeii to the farthest reaches of the Empire, in England and Syria, this episode reveals how Christianity secretly thrived within the very army that was supposed to suppress it. TVPG VL | CC

You've got a cell phone at one ear, an iPod at the other. You know that Blackberry is now a verb and Spam is not only canned meat. But just how did we get here? Blame William Shatner--yes, that William Shatner--Captain Kirk. We'll boldly go where few have gone before to reveal how scientists, inspired by the series, would revolutionize medicine and are surpassing the far-out vision of the future foreshadowed in Star Trek in the 1960s. From cell phones to computers to even leading-edge medical advancements, this 2-hour special explores how those sci-fi inventions have now permeated everyday life as we know it. Hosted and narrated by Shatner and based on his book, I'm Working on That, we'll meet the brightest minds of Silicon Valley and the Trek-inspired inventions that have help change the world. TVPG VL | CC

Part two of the deadly saga of the Solomons plays out at the Santa Cruz Islands. In one terrible day of vicious combat, Enterprise loses her sister ship USS Hornet and suffers dozens of casualties as bombs nail her flight deck. When the smoke clears, Enterprise is the only American carrier left in the Pacific. For the U.S. Navy at Santa Cruz, survival becomes the ultimate battle. TVPG VL | CC

November 1942. For the crew aboard USS Enterprise, the war has never been more personal. Enterprise is the only battle-ready American carrier left in the Pacific, and she and her crew are all that stand in the way of the Japanese. When the Imperial Navy tries to retake Guadalcanal, it's Enterprise that sends their transports and destroyers to a watery grave in Iron Bottom Sound. TVPG VL | CC

While the allies storm France, American forces hit Saipan in the Marianas Island. The Enterprise supports one of the largest and most deadly battles of the Pacific War. Enterprise and her sister carriers nearly wipe out Japanese Naval Airpower in the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" and devastate enemy surface forces in the Philippine Sea. It is one of the greatest carrier battles of the war. The Aircraft Carrier USS Enterprise became the most decorated ship of World War II. TVPG VL | CC

He called himself Oliver Protector, while many said he was a cruel traitor, usurper, and hypocrite. Still others found him broad-minded, tolerant, passionately religious, and ferociously moral. Cromwell's influence as a military commander and politician during the English Civil War dramatically altered the British Isles' landscape. His suppression of Royalists in Ireland during 1649 still resonates. The massacre of nearly 3,500 people in Drogheda after its capture--comprising around 2,700 Royalist soldiers and all the men in the town carrying arms, including civilians, prisoners, and Catholic priests--has fuelled Irish-English strife for over three centuries. Cromwell felt justified in ordering the massacre because the city's defenders had continued to fight after the walls had been breached. With cunning precision and military mastery, Cromwell effectively brought Ireland to its knees. TVPG VL | CC

Long before the Mafia, Murder Inc., and the African-American gangster,'Paddy was plundering and pilfering the stars and stripes. Once called the'National Scourge ,'The Shame of the Cities , and'The White Man's Burden , the Irish rose from hellish beginnings riddled with disease, vice, and death. The Potato Famine or'Ireland's Genocide had wiped out a third of their population--America offered hope. They arrived in swarms, starving and destitute, with their notorious Celtic stubbornness and toughness. In a land where man had to fight for his piece of the pie and fight harder to keep it,'Paddy was almost unbeatable. From the 19th century gang wars to the 20th century wars with the Italians,'Paddy whacked their way to a mythical status. We trace the legacy of the Irish Mob, deeply rooted in the diabolical power trio of'Gangster, Politician, and Lawman feeding and festering off one another. TVPG VL | CC

The Hittites are the forgotten superpower of the Bible. Hattusha, the capital was the heart of their empire. They were a highly advanced military powerhouse who struck fear into the hearts of all their enemies, yet the Hittites disappeared as quickly as they emerged--the greatest vanishing act in history. Follow a team of historical detectives as they use evidence from recent excavations, scientific studies and historical documents to piece together clues to determine what the ancient Hittite empire looked like. Computer graphics allow viewers to fly over, enter the streets, walk through the halls and peer into this lost world. TVPG VL | CC

Why is corn the largest agricultural crop in the world? Corn has fed the masses from ancient times to this day. Corn is not only a vegetable and a cereal grain; it is a commodity as well. Visit Lakeside Foods in Reedsburg, Wisconsin and see how tons of corn are harvested and canned within hours. Then it's off to VeraSun Energy in Charles City, Iowa, to discover how corn is converted into fuel. Take a look to our past and you will understand that without corn we probably wouldn't be here. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

It is the most widely produced chemical in the world and possibly the most dangerous. Take a look at the many uses of acid. See how the military harnesses acid to make the explosive "Comp B-4." Visit a sulfuric acid plant to see how acid can take the stain out of stainless steel and learn how it can be mixed to dissolve precious metal. At the Heinz vinegar plant discover why acid's sour taste is sweet. Finally, learn how acid loving bacteria in Yellowstone National Park may hold the key to a biological industrial revolution and meet a mad scientist who will demonstrate how acid can hollow out a penny and turn a hot dog to sludge! TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Al Capone's, rise to power coincided with the notorious "Roaring Twenties" period in Chicago. Capone and his fellow mobsters flooded the city with bootleg liquor, while buying off government officials. Follow a team of historical detectives as they travel back to a time of unimaginable wealth, speakeasies, and ruthless mobsters. Using evidence from excavations, scientific studies and historical documents watch as the team piece together clues as to what 1920's Chicago looked like. Computer graphics allow viewers to fly over, enter the streets, and walk through the halls of this era. TVPG VL | CC

Produced with the cooperation of leading Civil War historian Winston Groom, author of Forrest Gump, this 2-hour special is a personal look at two iconic leaders of the Civil War. Surprising details reveal the bold choices and almost godlike power Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee summoned on decisive battlefields like Vicksburg and Gettysburg that, within days of each other, turned the tide of the war. This special features a unique perspective, exploring how these men changed the course of American history. TVPG VL | CC

Considered one of England's greatest Kings and builders, Henry VIII remains famous for his six wives. Henry ruled by fear, executing his opponents and several of his wives. He ordered the destruction of beautiful buildings, libraries and works of art. However, Henry also built many magnificent palaces like Hampton Court and transformed Westminster Abbey from a modest church into the epicenter of the Protestant religion. Henry VIII remains one of the most important monarchs to have ruled England. TVPG VL | CC

Take a history lesson filled with surprising facts, figures and stories from five American states. In California, see how the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill, in 1848 started the largest migration in US history, and then learn how scientists are currently trying to predict the next big earthquake. Next it's off to North Carolina's tobacco fields and the mystery of Roanoke--the lost colony. Wichita, Kansas is the "Aviation Capital of America" and Wyatt Earp put Dodge City on the map. New Hampshire is the state where the first act of open rebellion in America's Revolutionary War took place and the first presidential primary each election season is held. Finally, learn about The Battle of Blair Mountain, West Virginia, where in 1921, over 10,000 unionizing coal miners faced off with state and federal troops in what was one of the largest armed uprisings in America since the Civil War. TVPG VL | CC

Another history lesson filled with surprising facts, figures and stories from five American states. Texas hit the jackpot in 1901 with the discovery of oil at Spindletop Well in Beaumont. Puritans came to Massachusetts to escape religious persecution, but their own zeal to convert Native Americans led to one of the bloodiest wars in US history. Arkansas, 1957--nine African American high school students attempted to enroll at Little Rock's Central High School and made Civil Rights history. During the Iowa Caucuses farmers rub elbows with would-be presidents. Finally, Delaware patriot Caesar Rodney rode into history in 1776 when he raced 80 miles on horseback to break the deadlocked vote for American independence. TVPG VL | CC

Herod, king of Judea, was famous for creating a series of great buildings, and laying the foundations for Jerusalem. Watch as Herod's impressive projects are charted, including his masterpiece, Herod's Temple. Follow a team of historical detectives who use evidence from recent excavations, scientific studies and historical documents to piece together clues to what ancient locations looked like. They are brought to life by computer graphics which allow viewers to fly over, enter the streets, walk through the halls and peer into these vanished worlds. TVPG VL | CC

At the end of the 13th century, Scotland was a country under attack. Defeat seemed inevitable. But from nowhere emerged a man who became Scotland's greatest hero--William Wallace, commonly known as Braveheart. Rising from obscurity in a violent age, he became an inspirational leader and national symbol of patriotism and survival. Now, new research allows us to journey back to his world. Traveling down secret pathways that still lie beneath Scotland, we rediscover a surprisingly sophisticated culture that hasn't been seen for 700 years--a world Braveheart died to protect. Uncovering the mysteries beneath Eldersie, we reveal the town that gave rise to the Guardian of Scotland. Restoring the Castle of Lanark to its former glory, we visit the place where he sought revenge for the murder of his wife. And rebuilding Stirling Bridge, we relive Wallace's famous battle against the English army--a turning point in the history of Scotland and the life of its champion. TVPG VL | CC

The construction of the "unsinkable" Titanic needed an army of workers and the resources of a purpose-built town complete with an array of specially built docks and facilities to construct it. This is the forgotten story of Belfast's "Titanic Town." TVPG VL | CC

Head deep into the Venezuela wilderness where there have been sightings of huge man-eating snakes--anaconda. For the first time ever an industrial acoustic sonar camera will be used to search for these monsters. The investigation will also search the Everglades of Florida where pet pythons have escaped and are multiplying and growing to huge sizes, preying on all kinds of animals, even swallowing a full grown alligator in one case. Could a human become their next victim? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Biblical texts and ancient lore frequently describe winged creatures carrying messages from the heavens. But are angels merely the product of mankind's imagination--or do they really exist? If so, where do they come from? Ancient astronaut theorists suggest that the Bible's Old Testament reads like a handbook on extraterrestrial visitations. Accounts of angels can also be found in Islamic and Indian texts. Infinite stories around the globe describe unearthly guardians, entrusted to both observe and protect as well as tales of powerful warriors bringing about everything from plague to peace. Are angels really supernatural beings from heaven, or something more? If so, might angels really be travelers--visiting Earth from distant planets? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Could gold be the ultimate link between humans and aliens? A church in southern France is said to hold the key to alchemy--and a gateway to another part of the universe. Locals in Cusco, Peru believe UFO sightings are connected to lost gold at the bottom of Lake Puray. And some believe underneath the Great Sphinx of Giza lies an entire library left behind by extraterrestrials--a library stored on gold. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

It is one of the most covert military bases on American soil, protecting the nation's most confidential research and development. For decades, the highest levels of government had denied its existence. But behind the barbed wire fences and surveillance cameras are secrets...Go inside the most famous secret military base on Earth to expose the high-tech security, undercover operations, and most outrageous claims surrounding the 575 square miles of "restricted" space. What actually goes on at Area 51? Is there a connection between Area 51 and the Roswell event of 1947? Could there be a secret subterranean city underneath the barren desert? Have the conspiracy theories surrounding Area 51 been a smokescreen for controversial military projects? While the government may never reveal what it's really hiding at Area 51, many believe it is a place where truth is stranger than fiction. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

They are top-secret missions manned by specially trained intelligence and military elite. Covert operations using unconventional tactics outside the standard protocol. This episode uncovers the clandestine activities and state-of-the-art training of the U.S. Special Forces that undertake the most dangerous surveillance, reconnaissance, and intelligence collecting missions on Earth. What makes a mission a Black Operation or Black Op? Who approves a mission--and how much does the President know? What secret training prepares a soldier for these life and death assignments? How is the CIA involved in Black Ops? From cloak and dagger spy games to hand-to-hand combat, Black Ops are shrouded in secrecy...until now. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

During America's Age of Reconstruction, from Andrew Johnson (Lincoln's vice president) to Chester A. Arthur, the ruptured nation faced the difficult task of rebuilding a union after four years of civil war and a presidential assassination. This period was also known as the era of "The Ohio Generals"--three of the five presidents featured in this hour were generals in the Civil War, all from the state of Ohio. Defining moments include the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson (by a margin of one, the Senate voted not to convict him), the triumphant ascendancy of Ulysses S. Grant, the back-room politics of Rutherford B. Hayes, the unrequited aspirations of James Garfield, and the civil service reforms of Chester A. Arthur. TVPG VL | CC

Marked by polar opposites, this hour scrutinizes a fractious era of the presidency--from Taylor to Lincoln--one of the most turbulent in US history, when the volatile issues of states' rights and slavery erupted in civil war. We highlight the rough-hewn style of Zachary Taylor, the second president to die in office, through the compromising weaknesses of Millard Fillmore and Franklin Pierce (Barbara Pierce Bush's fourth cousin four times removed), the near-treasonous James Buchanan administration, to Abraham Lincoln, savior of the republic to some, destroyer of the nation to others. The episode ends with the first presidential assassination on Good Friday, April 14, 1865, when Southern sympathizer and actor John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln in the head at Ford's Theater in Washington during a performance of Our American Cousin. TVPG VL | CC

Every 15 minutes, Americans insert over 3.5 million coins into vending machines. We'll visit a sprawling factory that mass produces the latest in high-tech vending machines, and a small company that makes a giant gumball machine that holds 40,000 gumballs. Then, there's the dreaded parking meter, including new ones that can take credit cards and text message for help when they are being robbed or vandalized. We'll visit America's last pinball factory, and see what strange coin operated fare kept people amused 100 years ago. Is coin counting Coinstar the ultimate coin operated machine? We'll follow their coins all the way to a Brinks warehouse. Our last stop is Marvin's Marvelous Mechanized Museum, housing some of the weirdest coin-op machines ever invented. If seeing a life-sized, robotic old man vomit is your idea of entertainment, drop a couple of quarters into "Dr. Ralph Bingenpurge". Now, that's money well spent. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Tom Brokaw brings to life the epic story of one of the most important figures in history. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr., relive his remarkable journey for civil rights starting from the moment he reluctantly joined the bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama. See his rise as a world figure, to his tragic death in Memphis at age 39. Interviews with Andrew Young, Harry Belafonte and Martin Luther King lll will be included. Celebrity activists such as Bono, Be Be Winans and Forest Whitaker will appear in a montage of music and historical speeches that add a contemporary flair to this historical program. TVPG VL | CC

Throughout history there have been legendary artifacts that have captured the imagination of adventurers everywhere. While belief in their existence seems to fly in the face of reason and science, there have been those who have devoted their lives to their discovery. One man has looked for some of these remarkable treasures. He is Indiana Jones--professor of archeology and an adventurer who has uncovered some of the world's greatest mysteries. But Dr. Jones is just a fictitious character and it's widely assumed that the artifacts he searched for were also figments of a writer's imagination. But were they? TVPG VL | CC

Crossing the icy Delaware River on Christmas night, 1776, allowed George Washington to surprise the British at Trenton, a critical American victory in the Revolutionary War. One of the world's most recognizable natural landmarks, the Grand Canyon, defies the imaginations of the five million people who visit there annually. Pioneer Daniel Boone blazed the Wilderness Trail through Kentucky in 1775 and tamed the wild frontier. The opening of "The Unassigned Lands" in Oklahoma resulted in 50,000 settlers racing across the prairie to grab a stake and claim ownership of a homestead. The discovery of oil in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in 1975 called for an ingenious feat of engineering to transport fuel across 800 miles of icy wilderness. TVPG VL | CC

We are so familiar with the map of United States, but do we know why our states look the way they do? Every shape on the map tells a great story about our past. Why is California bent? To cling on to gold. Why does Oklahoma have a panhandle? Because of shifting borders for slavery. Why does Missouri have a boot? Because of a massive earthquake. This special examines how every state is a puzzle piece ultimately revealing the unique geography, political and social history of America. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Faces...and facts...fleshed out from the grave. Unprecedented technology brings to life extraordinary mirror images and powerful last impressions of history's most powerful men. Every line, every wrinkle, every expression tells a story. Forensic-science and anthropology experts have identified that history's most relevant figures left behind highly-detailed casts of their faces, created at their moment of death, to preserve their souls and physical memory for eternity. Using advanced facial-reconstruction techniques and 3-D imprint detailing, these death masks render an exact replica of every feature, and an intimate look at how their characteristics affected their lives. Includes startling new insights into the persistent mysteries surrounding these historic icons like Julius Caesar, Abraham Lincoln, Napoleon and George Washington, and just may reveal some secrets these men preferred to conceal. TVPG VL | CC

What if one of the most famous and terrifying urban legends was not a legend but a frightening fact? History tells us that Alligators lurking around in the sewers of New York City is based in truth. In the mid 1930s three teenagers pulled an eight-foot alligator from a storm drain. Reports persisted until a skeptical Superintendant of Sewers, Teddy May, was forced to investigate for himself. What May found shocked even him--swarms of alligators alive beneath the busy main street of America's biggest city. Crews were sent in to kill the deadly reptiles, but the stories of the gators in the sewers lived on. Experts, however, are divided over whether it is scientifically possible for alligators to continue to exist in the sewers, so a MonsterQuest team sets out to search for modern evidence of these monsters and prove that they could not only survive but also thrive. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Head deep into the Venezuela wilderness where there have been sightings of huge man-eating snakes--anaconda. For the first time ever an industrial acoustic sonar camera will be used to search for these monsters. The investigation will also search the Everglades of Florida where pet pythons have escaped and are multiplying and growing to huge sizes, preying on all kinds of animals, even swallowing a full grown alligator in one case. Could a human become their next victim? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Across borders, cultures and time, food is one thing that all people share. And from the time of the caveman to today's spaceman we like our food to go. While the burger and fries reign supreme in the world of fast food, grub on the go has taken us way past the drive-thru. Quick eats like beef jerky have allowed us to explore new frontiers and pocket-sized portables like protein bars enable us to push our bodies to the limit, no matter the conditions. Fueled by pizza, we have burned the midnight oil, and from the battleground (MREs) to the final frontier (space food,) food is always along for the ride. This is the countdown of fast foods that takes us back, propels us forward, and sometimes even gazes into the future (the fortune cookie.) TVPG VL | CC

Based on the book To the Best of My Ability, this 8-part series provides an insightful look at the exclusive group of men from all walks of life and parts of the country who have led America from the Oval Office. Part 1 probes the Constitutional Era, when the fledgling nation's revolutionary Founding Fathers became its first administrators. From George Washington, who defined the presidency, to James Monroe, the last of the Revolutionary War heroes, the office of president evolves and is tested as the United States undergoes growing pains. Defining moments include Washington's Whisky Rebellion, John Adams' XYZ Affair, Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase, James Madison's War of 1812, and the Monroe Doctrine. We also examine the human side of the Presidents, offering a look at their strengths and weaknesses, their families, and accomplishments. TVPG VL | CC

Embrace and celebrate Thomas Jefferson's complicated life and legacy. Thomas Jefferson is the most researched, most written about, most referenced, and most quoted of our Founding Fathers. And yet, somehow, he remains the most stubbornly inscrutable. His life is a seemingly impenetrable thicket of contradictions: he enshrined the words "All Men are Created Equal," and yet was a lifelong slave-owner; he was simultaneously a "man of the people," and the personification of the Virginia aristocrat; he was a die-hard American revolutionary who was also a dedicated lover of European culture and art; he advocated ruthless fiscal responsibility as President, yet his own finances were mired in debt. This documentary embraces and celebrates Thomas Jefferson's complicated life and legacy. It is the story of an American icon who remains, in historian Joseph Ellis' memorable phrase, "a great American Sphinx." TVPG VL | CC

It is the most widely produced chemical in the world and possibly the most dangerous. Take a look at the many uses of acid. See how the military harnesses acid to make the explosive "Comp B-4." Visit a sulfuric acid plant to see how acid can take the stain out of stainless steel and learn how it can be mixed to dissolve precious metal. At the Heinz vinegar plant discover why acid's sour taste is sweet. Finally, learn how acid loving bacteria in Yellowstone National Park may hold the key to a biological industrial revolution and meet a mad scientist who will demonstrate how acid can hollow out a penny and turn a hot dog to sludge! TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Either someone has something to protect, or it's dangerous in there. Challenge the world's best safecracker to defeat a bank vault, and see the methods a bank uses to protect its money and tellers. Travel to New Mexico to find out how the government plans to keep people away from a nuclear waste site for the next 10,000 years. Tour Master Lock to see how padlocks and combination locks are made, as well as how facial recognition, irises, and even vein structure can "unlock" biometric locks. With Customs and Border Protection, watch how officers stop illegals and contraband from entering the U.S. Tour a company that specializes in making products like steel nets to keep out people and vehicles. Visit a command center that monitors all airspace in and around the U.S. Finally, see how cages and other deterrents tell sharks to KEEP OUT! TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Every 15 minutes, Americans insert over 3.5 million coins into vending machines. We'll visit a sprawling factory that mass produces the latest in high-tech vending machines, and a small company that makes a giant gumball machine that holds 40,000 gumballs. Then, there's the dreaded parking meter, including new ones that can take credit cards and text message for help when they are being robbed or vandalized. We'll visit America's last pinball factory, and see what strange coin operated fare kept people amused 100 years ago. Is coin counting Coinstar the ultimate coin operated machine? We'll follow their coins all the way to a Brinks warehouse. Our last stop is Marvin's Marvelous Mechanized Museum, housing some of the weirdest coin-op machines ever invented. If seeing a life-sized, robotic old man vomit is your idea of entertainment, drop a couple of quarters into "Dr. Ralph Bingenpurge". Now, that's money well spent. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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 2-hour 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! TVPG VL | CC

Another history lesson filled with surprising facts, figures and stories from five American states. Texas hit the jackpot in 1901 with the discovery of oil at Spindletop Well in Beaumont. Puritans came to Massachusetts to escape religious persecution, but their own zeal to convert Native Americans led to one of the bloodiest wars in US history. Arkansas, 1957--nine African American high school students attempted to enroll at Little Rock's Central High School and made Civil Rights history. During the Iowa Caucuses farmers rub elbows with would-be presidents. Finally, Delaware patriot Caesar Rodney rode into history in 1776 when he raced 80 miles on horseback to break the deadlocked vote for American independence. TVPG VL | CC

Travel back to the origins of New York City at New Amsterdam, the 16th century Dutch merchant colony. Discover how French Acadians fled Canada in 1873 to settle in Louisiana, developing the "Cajun" subculture. The Oregon Trail opened in 1843, bringing half a million settlers to the west. Visit Los Alamos Laboratories in New Mexico's remote high desert, the birthplace of the atomic bomb, and where today research continues to advance science. Finally, learn how two friends from Vermont opened an ice cream shop in 1977 and would go on to become America's most famous entrepreneurs. TVPG VL | CC

Crossing the icy Delaware River on Christmas night, 1776, allowed George Washington to surprise the British at Trenton, a critical American victory in the Revolutionary War. One of the world's most recognizable natural landmarks, the Grand Canyon, defies the imaginations of the five million people who visit there annually. Pioneer Daniel Boone blazed the Wilderness Trail through Kentucky in 1775 and tamed the wild frontier. The opening of "The Unassigned Lands" in Oklahoma resulted in 50,000 settlers racing across the prairie to grab a stake and claim ownership of a homestead. The discovery of oil in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in 1975 called for an ingenious feat of engineering to transport fuel across 800 miles of icy wilderness. TVPG VL | CC

The construction of the "unsinkable" Titanic needed an army of workers and the resources of a purpose-built town complete with an array of specially built docks and facilities to construct it. This is the forgotten story of Belfast's "Titanic Town." TVPG VL | CC

99% of all animal and sea creatures who ever lived have become extinct. Watch as some of the most bizarre and strangest creatures are brought back to life. Meet the nothronychus (a strange amalgam of bird and sloth), the anomalocarus (a 7-foot shrimp), as well as saber-toothed cats, mastodons and wooly rhinoceros. Advanced computer graphics, location shooting and expert interviews, will reveal detailed illustrations of what these ancient monsters looked like, where and how they lived, and how they died. TVPG VL | CC

Could gold be the ultimate link between humans and aliens? A church in southern France is said to hold the key to alchemy--and a gateway to another part of the universe. Locals in Cusco, Peru believe UFO sightings are connected to lost gold at the bottom of Lake Puray. And some believe underneath the Great Sphinx of Giza lies an entire library left behind by extraterrestrials--a library stored on gold. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Ancient Astronaut theorists believe aliens have been visiting earth for thousands of years. If so, might we find evidence of this even in the stories of America's Old West? In Aurora, Texas, the local cemetery claims to hold the body of an alien whose ship crashed there in 1897. In Utah, petroglyphs depict strange beings wearing what look like space suits. In southern California, 19th century ranchers reported seeing an otherworldly creature emerge from Elizabeth Lake. And even in Tombstone, Arizona, the home of Wyatt Earp and the site of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, cowboys claimed to have shot at a giant, metallic bird Are these simply campfire tales, or did the cowboys and native people of America's Wild West actually come in contact with alien beings from another--much more distant--frontier? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Was Albert Einstein a genius? Or was he superhuman? Was his genius "of this world," or was it "otherworldly?" Is it possible, as Ancient Astronaut theorists believe, of an extraterrestrial connection to the scientific genius of famous historical figures such as Albert Einstein, Galileo, Archimedes, and Aristotle? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

It starts with a spark, but some ideas catch fire and in the process change the world. Necessity is the mother of invention--from darkness, man found light (the candle) and from even the farthest distances we can still find each other (the telephone). But some inventions have transformed our lives far beyond our homes (the steam engine), our planet (the telescope), and our wildest dreams (the Internet). This countdown highlights how human ingenuity comes in all shapes and sizes. Some were born from the humblest means (the hammer) while others push the limits of what was ever believed possible (the airplane). But regardless of the ratio of inspiration to perspiration, each invention to make the cut was destined to change our lives forever. TVPG VL | CC

You may think you know the president, but do you know what it's like to be the President? From the mundane tasks to the madness we'll reveal the perks and perils of being the most powerful man in the world. We reveal secret details of the President's every day life inside the White House. Featuring interviews with past presidents, rarely seen recordings, and home movies, this two-hour special explores and exposes the day-to-day lives of our Commanders in Chief. Get a fresh perspective on the men you thought you knew. A look that trades everyday politics for their everyman side. TVPG VL | CC

We live in a highly mechanized world in which billions of products are made by machines--but there are some things that can be built only by using an even more sophisticated tool--the human hand. In New Mexico, a pilot who builds his own jet-powered glider takes to the skies--his very life depending on his handiwork. Canoe makers in Montana, and a knife maker in Washington, handcraft items so unique that customers are willing to pay significantly higher prices than if they were machine made. In the farmlands of Central California, craftsmen keep alive the ancient art of weapon making--see their gleaming suits of armor in action, as weekend warriors do battle. Ever wonder how those impressive animal skeletons in museums are constructed? The artists of Skulls International in Oklahoma City share their secrets. And in Hollywood, the Chiodo brothers reveal how handmade special effects have a charm and character that today's computer animators can't duplicate. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

From the spear, axe, and sword to today's high tech arsenal, iron weapons have revolutionized warfare. Visit the mines of Minnesota and discover how iron ore is extracted and made into steel. Learn how military-metallurgists create the latest weapons and demonstrate their firepower. Discover iron super magnets, and study the biggest iron magnet of all--the earth! See how iron oxide plays a significant role in creating paints for cars and houses and ink for tattoos and the dollar bill. Finally, it's off to the Moon and Mars to mine iron in space. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Our modern day landscapes are littered with the remains of ancient superstructures. Now, cutting edge archaeology is beginning to reveal that this century's most exciting discoveries actually lie at the bottom of the ocean. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

From conquering the depths of the oceans to defending the freedoms of the seas--ancient man pushed the technological boundaries to the limits in the mega battle for the oceans. New discoveries will reveal how an ancient destroyer rammed its way to victory in one of the most significant battles in human history. In Denmark, a team of divers build and test the world's first ever deep sea diving suit that was designed 350 years before the history books tell us it was possible to walk along the seabed. Can CSI science unravel the mystery of a time traveling ghost ship? And in a groundbreaking sea cannon experiment, naval experts will discover how a 16th century war fleet blasted their way to victory against an enemy armada seven miles wide, without the loss of a single ship. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Two underdogs of American culture go head to head to prove how hillbillies and rednecks have shaped our states. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Everything is bigger in Texas. It's the only state that acts like a country, but has it grown too big for its britches? We'll mess with Texas to settle this ten-gallon rivalry. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

We may be a law-abiding nation but we also admire the outlaw, and the clash between rebels and the rules has shaped our states. Which states like to make their own rules, and which do the heat have on lockdown? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

After three years on the road, host Brian Unger is taking a different look at just how our states got their shapes. We'll hear about the unique American values that have made this country what it is today, and travel from coast to coast and everywhere in between. Along the way, Brian reveals that just as we shaped the map, it has shaped us. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Might the tools and technology of ancient builders have come from distant galaxies? Evidence suggests that an ancient mountaintop fortress in Peru was constructed with laser-like tools... temples at Vijayanagara India were built to harness cosmic energy... and an acoustic chamber in Malta enabled interplanetary communication. If the ancient builders did use advanced technology, could it prove that aliens visited Earth thousands of years ago? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Iron swords forged in blazing hot fires... Gunpowder with the power to tear apart human flesh... And rockets capable of destroying entire cities... Throughout history, advances in technology have lead to the development of powerful weapons--each more deadly than the last. But were these lethal weapons the product of human innovation--or were they created with help from another, otherworldly source? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Geologist Scott Wolter visits a Minnesota farmer who wants to investigate the possible existence of bones from a giant he unearthed in his yard. The bones raise the question of whether Vikings could have traveled all the way to America. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Ancient Astronaut theorists believe aliens have been visiting earth for thousands of years. If so, might we find evidence of this even in the stories of America's Old West? In Aurora, Texas, the local cemetery claims to hold the body of an alien whose ship crashed there in 1897. In Utah, petroglyphs depict strange beings wearing what look like space suits. In southern California, 19th century ranchers reported seeing an otherworldly creature emerge from Elizabeth Lake. And even in Tombstone, Arizona, the home of Wyatt Earp and the site of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, cowboys claimed to have shot at a giant, metallic bird Are these simply campfire tales, or did the cowboys and native people of America's Wild West actually come in contact with alien beings from another--much more distant--frontier? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Was Albert Einstein a genius? Or was he superhuman? Was his genius "of this world," or was it "otherworldly?" Is it possible, as Ancient Astronaut theorists believe, of an extraterrestrial connection to the scientific genius of famous historical figures such as Albert Einstein, Galileo, Archimedes, and Aristotle? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

It starts with a spark, but some ideas catch fire and in the process change the world. Necessity is the mother of invention--from darkness, man found light (the candle) and from even the farthest distances we can still find each other (the telephone). But some inventions have transformed our lives far beyond our homes (the steam engine), our planet (the telescope), and our wildest dreams (the Internet). This countdown highlights how human ingenuity comes in all shapes and sizes. Some were born from the humblest means (the hammer) while others push the limits of what was ever believed possible (the airplane). But regardless of the ratio of inspiration to perspiration, each invention to make the cut was destined to change our lives forever. TVPG VL | CC

From breakthrough technologies to never before seen weapons and defense systems, Secret Access: Superpower is an all-access pass to America's military might, featuring the most modern weapons taking on the age old challenges of terrorism, war, bomb threats, close combat, the deepest missions of sea and death-defying airborne fights. Hosted by actor/director and military enthusiast, Peter Berg, along with Peter Singer, the noted defense expert and NY Times best-selling author, this two-hour special leads viewers down the war path of America's most remarkable munitions of past and present in an exciting and surprise-filled journey behind the scenes of the world's last remaining superpower. TVPG VL | CC

Moments after the President of the United States is sworn into office he gains access to "The Nuclear Football," a briefcase that contains the most volatile top-secret information in the world--America's nuclear launch codes. The Football is a high profile national secret, but it's only one of many pieces in the classified arsenal at the President's disposal once he assumes the role of Commander in Chief. Journey inside White House history to unveil staggering information about secrets known only to the President, from top-secret intelligence and classified events to covert codes and future technologies. Features exclusive interviews with Washington insiders, including former CIA Director Michael Hayden, former Director of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, former Vice President Dan Quayle, former White House Press Secretary Dana Perino and Presidential daughter Susan Ford who reveal what it is like to live and work in the White House. TVPG VL | CC

Geologist Scott Wolter visits a Minnesota farmer who wants to investigate the possible existence of bones from a giant he unearthed in his yard. The bones raise the question of whether Vikings could have traveled all the way to America. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Our modern day landscapes are littered with the remains of ancient superstructures. Now, cutting edge archaeology is beginning to reveal that this century's most exciting discoveries actually lie at the bottom of the ocean. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

From conquering the depths of the oceans to defending the freedoms of the seas--ancient man pushed the technological boundaries to the limits in the mega battle for the oceans. New discoveries will reveal how an ancient destroyer rammed its way to victory in one of the most significant battles in human history. In Denmark, a team of divers build and test the world's first ever deep sea diving suit that was designed 350 years before the history books tell us it was possible to walk along the seabed. Can CSI science unravel the mystery of a time traveling ghost ship? And in a groundbreaking sea cannon experiment, naval experts will discover how a 16th century war fleet blasted their way to victory against an enemy armada seven miles wide, without the loss of a single ship. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

How have massive geological events helped create the American map? Long before the Founding Fathers drew the map, mother nature shaped some states. How did an asteroid create the border for three states and change history? How did glaciers plow the great plains and how did natural disasters continue to alter the map? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Two underdogs of American culture go head to head to prove how hillbillies and rednecks have shaped our states. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Everything is bigger in Texas. It's the only state that acts like a country, but has it grown too big for its britches? We'll mess with Texas to settle this ten-gallon rivalry. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

We may be a law-abiding nation but we also admire the outlaw, and the clash between rebels and the rules has shaped our states. Which states like to make their own rules, and which do the heat have on lockdown? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

After three years on the road, host Brian Unger is taking a different look at just how our states got their shapes. We'll hear about the unique American values that have made this country what it is today, and travel from coast to coast and everywhere in between. Along the way, Brian reveals that just as we shaped the map, it has shaped us. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

At nearly 14,000 years old, the ruins of Puma Punku are the oldest and most baffling on the face of the Earth. No one knows who designed and built this complex of sophisticated inter-locking blocks, and then vanished. Researchers investigate the ruins on-location in Peru and present new computer analyses. Forensic evidence on the ground, together with local myths and legends, suggest this site may have been designed and even once inhabited by a species of extraterrestrials. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Might the tools and technology of ancient builders have come from distant galaxies? Evidence suggests that an ancient mountaintop fortress in Peru was constructed with laser-like tools... temples at Vijayanagara India were built to harness cosmic energy... and an acoustic chamber in Malta enabled interplanetary communication. If the ancient builders did use advanced technology, could it prove that aliens visited Earth thousands of years ago? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Iron swords forged in blazing hot fires... Gunpowder with the power to tear apart human flesh... And rockets capable of destroying entire cities... Throughout history, advances in technology have lead to the development of powerful weapons--each more deadly than the last. But were these lethal weapons the product of human innovation--or were they created with help from another, otherworldly source? TVPG VL | CC Show Site