The History Channel

Before Lincoln finally came to rest in a steel-and-concrete-reinforced underground vault in Springfield, the President's body was repeatedly exhumed and moved, his coffin frequently opened. In 1876, eleven years after Abraham Lincoln's assassination, a band of Chicago counterfeiters plotted to steal Lincoln's body and hold it for ransom. Their plan was to demand $200,000 and the release of the gang's master engraver, who was in prison in Illinois. The Secret Service--recently formed to deal with the country's ballooning counterfeiting problem--infiltrated the gang with an informer. It also set in motion a cringe-inducing chain of events in which a group of well-intentioned, self-appointed guardians took it upon themselves to protect Lincoln's remains by any means necessary. This strange story of Lincoln at un-rest reveals how important this man was to so many, and perhaps our reluctance to let such a beloved and visionary leader go.

Meet Dr. Benjamin Franklin--a far more complex figure than the squeaky-clean, larger than life Founding Father whose grandfatherly visage graces the hundred dollar bill. Inventor, politician, writer, businessman, scientist, diplomat--that, of course, is the mythic, legendary Ben Franklin. But it's not the only Ben Franklin. By his own admission, Franklin had more than his share of shortcomings and failures. Photographed largely on location in Philadelphia, and featuring in-depth interviews with biographers and historians, as well as liberal doses of Franklin's own, often humorous observations, the special allows viewers to "walk" in Franklin's footsteps. In this vivid portrait, we meet an earthy, brilliant, and flawed Franklin that one biographer believes would feel right at home in today's world.

What secrets are hiding in our map? What's behind the "blank spots" like Area 51? What possessed the citizens of Key West to throw down their margaritas and secede from Florida? And even in the heartland, there are those living on the edge -- in Kansas, old missile bunkers are now five bedroom dream homes. And what about the county in Georgia that was left off the state's quarter?

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?

How did the most rebellious states took shape? How did they earn their outsized features and outspoken reputations. For instance, why does Montana looks like it took a bite out of Idaho? Why wasn't Texas broken up into five states? And why exactly do we have not one but two Carolinas?

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.

Battles over access to lakefront property have made the Great Lakes region the most contested land on the entire map, and even pushed the states to a border war.

With 85% of Americans affiliated with an organized religion, we're a nation of believers, but have we always practiced what we preached?

During the heyday of piracy, fearsome buccaneers sailed the Caribbean in search of booty. Fortresses are raided, swords are drawn and galleons clash in an incredible story of glittering treasure and swashbuckling adventures. From the icy docks of Bristol to the tropical paradise of the Caribbean, discover the incredible world of the buccaneers. Follow a team of historical detectives who use evidence from recent excavations, scientific studies and historical documents to piece together clues as to what the pirate world looked like.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Tutankhamun died young, forgotten by his people, but gained everlasting glory for the treasures buried with him--and infamy for the deaths of those who uncovered his tomb. Now, 82 years after the opening of his tomb, epidemiologist Mark Nelson examines biological agents left in his tomb and looks at the life, death, and possible murder of the Boy-King. Egyptologist Emily Teeter, police profiler Mike King, and Dr. James Harris, the last man allowed to X-ray Tut's skull, add their deductions.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are arguably the most important manuscript discovery in history. Believers hoped they would provide clues about the origins of Judaism and Christianity and that the name Jesus might appear in documents written during his life. We follow one scholar in search of new caves that might contain scrolls. As the dig team works along a cliff face near Qumran, we trace the history of the Dead Sea Scroll controversy and the evolving interpretation of what was written 2,000 years ago.

Rennes le Ch teau is a small village in the Pyr n es of Southern France. It's a quiet place until tourists arrive hunting its secrets. According to legend, the Knights Templar brought the Holy Grail here for safekeeping. Those who come on pilgrimage think the Grail is very different than history records. Was it proof of marriage between Jesus and Mary Magdalene? Did it verify their bloodline survived? Permission has been granted to dig in Rennes le Ch teau...and history or legend is about to change.

In this two-hour special historian and weapons expert Mike Loades will take us on a high energy, action filled, fact rich rampage through the medieval world. Along the way Mike will separate myth from reality and find out what it was really like to live, work, and fight through this extraordinary time.

If you thought our borders were set in stone, you'd be wrong. Who stole a corner of Washington, DC? Is Ohio actually a state? And why isn't St. Louis our nation's capital? One thing's for sure -- our map could look very different. How did we create order out of so much chaos? With the vote.

How has water has literally shaped the States? There's surprising history hidden in the blue, squiggly lines on the map. Did the founding fathers make a mistake along the Georgia Tennessee border? Can that boundary actually change because of water? Why does Maine have so much water? Why was Nevada was left high and dry? -- All these answers can be found in the unique shapes of these states.