Leif Eriksson vs. Christopher Columbus (2:18)
Did a Viking explorer travel from Greenland to modern day Canada in the 11th century, beating Christopher Columbus by nearly 400 years?
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Videos (20)
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Leif Eriksson vs. Christopher Columbus
Leif Eriksson vs. Christopher ColumbusVideo Clip (2:18)
Video Clip (2:18)
Did a Viking explorer travel from Greenland to modern day Canada in the 11th century, beating Christopher Columbus by nearly 400 years?
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Bone Voyage
Bone VoyageVideo Clip (2:44)
Video Clip (2:44)
Columbus' body has been moved so many times, historians are not sure where he is truly buried.
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Life in Jamestown
Life in JamestownVideo Clip (2:45)
Video Clip (2:45)
Find out what it took to be a settler in the early-American colony of Jamestown.
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Deconstructing History: Mayflower
Deconstructing History: MayflowerVideo Clip (2:35)
Video Clip (2:35)
How many people were on the Mayflower? And how long did it take for them to get to Plymouth? Get the facts.
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The Value of Tobacco
The Value of TobaccoVideo Clip (2:33)
Video Clip (2:33)
Tobacco was the lifeblood of the early Southern colonies, and its profits led directly to the rapid growth of slavery in the new nation.
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Mystery at Roanoke
Mystery at RoanokeVideo Clip (1:56)
Video Clip (1:56)
Before Jamestown and Plymouth, the English attempted to forge a colony at Roanoke. Within three years, it had disappeared, leaving a mysterious clue behind. What really happened to the Roanoke settlers?
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The Mayflower
The MayflowerVideo Clip (2:18)
Video Clip (2:18)
From the Pilgrims' reasons for leaving Europe to the treacherous journey across the Atlantic, musician and artist Jeffrey Lewis puts to song the story of the Mayflower.
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Who Were the Vikings?
Who Were the Vikings?Video Clip (2:35)
Video Clip (2:35)
1200 years ago the Vikings exploded out of the cold North Sea like beasts unleashed upon an unsuspecting world, but who were they really?
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Search for the Northwest Passage
Search for the Northwest PassageVideo Clip (1:56)
Video Clip (1:56)
Countless explorers spend centuries looking in vain for a western route to the Orient and the lucrative Spice Trade.
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Death at Jamestown
Death at JamestownVideo Clip (1:07)
Video Clip (1:07)
English settlers arrived at Jamestown expecting riches to fall into their hands, but were soon faced with a much harsher reality.
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The Real Story of Columbus
The Real Story of ColumbusVideo Clip (3:34)
Video Clip (3:34)
When Columbus made landfall in the Caribbean, he believed it to be Asia--his intended destination.
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Columbus' Book of Privileges
Columbus' Book of PrivilegesVideo Clip (2:13)
Video Clip (2:13)
Columbus compiled documents that were proof of assets bestowed upon him by the monarchs of Spain.
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Christopher Columbus Sets Sail
Christopher Columbus Sets SailVideo Clip (2:00)
Video Clip (2:00)
Though he didn't produce much profit for the monarchs of Spain, Columbus opened a path to the new world for all of Europe.
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Columbus' UFO Sightings
Columbus' UFO SightingsVideo Clip (2:42)
Video Clip (2:42)
Do recently revealed journals help prove that Columbus and his ships were repeatedly visited by aliens as they made their way across the Atlantic in 1492?
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Columbus the Businessman
Columbus the BusinessmanVideo Clip (3:30)
Video Clip (3:30)
Columbus relied on the same tools of planning and persuasion that modern businessmen use today.
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Columbus Uses the Skies to Survive
Columbus Uses the Skies to SurviveVideo Clip (3:25)
Video Clip (3:25)
Columbus used his celestial knowledge to scare native people into thinking a lunar eclipse was a sign of his angry god.
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Columbus' Mutinous Crew
Columbus' Mutinous CrewVideo Clip (2:12)
Video Clip (2:12)
After 60 days and no sign of land, Columbus' doubtful crew wanted to turn back.
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Columbus' Modern Ships
Columbus' Modern ShipsVideo Clip (1:25)
Video Clip (1:25)
Columbus' modern ships were fast and strong enough for the rough Atlantic seas.
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Columbus' Quest for Gold
Columbus' Quest for GoldVideo Clip (2:38)
Video Clip (2:38)
In the new world, Columbus enslaved the native people and forced them to mine for gold.
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Christopher Columbus' Last Voyage
Christopher Columbus' Last VoyageVideo Clip (3:20)
Video Clip (3:20)
During his fourth voyage Columbus was forced to take refuge in a cove off the shores of Hispaniola.
Photo Galleries (4)
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Viking Vessels and Artifacts
Viking Vessels and Artifacts(9 Photos)
9 Photos
View images of Viking longboats and artifacts, from the Oseberg ship in Norway to 11th century rune stones in Sweden.
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Viking Heroes and Homes
Viking Heroes and Homes(10 Photos)
10 Photos
Explore images of viking heroes and the settlements they founded, from Leif Eriksson in Greenland to Ingolfur Arnarson in Iceland.
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Mesoamerican Pyramids
Mesoamerican Pyramids(14 Photos)
14 Photos
Explore images of Mesoamerican pyramids from Teotihuacan, Chichen Itza, Tikal, Palenque and Uxmal. Learn about an ancient calendar as well.
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Native American Tribes and Cultures
Native American Tribes and Cultures(13 Photos)
13 Photos
Native American cultures in the United States include socially and geographically diverse groups.
Interactives (1)
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Place the State
Place the StateInteractive
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