HotStream.org

You are browsing ‘History’ tagged videos

Adolf Hitler’s 12 years as ruler of Germany, which led to the deaths of millions in World War II, have made him one of history’s most hated villains. A decorated veteran of World War I, Hitler joined the German Workers’ Party in 1919, later renaming it the National Socialist German Workers Party (which was shortened to the Nazi Party). By 1921 he was the leader of the group, and in 1923 led an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the ruling German Weimar Republic. Hitler was sent to prison, where he wrote his manifesto, Mein Kampf (My Struggle), and he emerged from jail less than a year later as a populist spokesman for poor and nationalistic Germans. Made chancellor in 1933, he suspended the constitution, forcibly suppressed all political opposition and brought the Nazis to power. He enforced his new rules with a brutal secret police (the Gestapo) and formed concentration camps for the organized murder of Jews, Gypsies and political opponents. Hitler’s bullying, aggressive foreign policy led to the start of World War II in 1939. Although Hitler had remarkable early success in the war, by 1942 the tide had turned, and by 1945 Allied troops had crossed into Germany and were headed for Berlin. Hitler committed suicide in his command bunker in Berlin in 1945, ending both Nazi rule and the war.

Read the rest of this entry »

Investigate the fascinating truths behind Dan Brown’s (The Da Vinci Code) first novel. From centuries-old secret societies to real-world cryptography, from the high-stakes intrigue surrounding the installation of a new Pope to the sometimes uneasy relationship between the Vatican and leading scientists, this special…

Read the rest of this entry »

Order from Chaos

Millions of people played important parts in the remarkable history of Rome in the first century AD. Head and shoulders above everyone else stands Augustus.

Born to an unremarkable family, Augustus got a lucky break when his great-uncle, Julius Caesar, adopted him. When Caesar was murdered shortly afterwards, Augustus threw himself into the murderous mix of Roman politics.

Read the rest of this entry »

The plumbing that brought hot water to the communal baths the Romans enjoyed was highly sophisticated. In this section, watch as NOVA builds its own Roman bath, then try your hand at constructing a working aqueduct online. Also, learn about the Romans’ water system from a noted scholar, and get a taste of Roman-era recipes such as scaloppine pine nut sauce.

Read the rest of this entry »

This remote Pacific island’s so-called moai statues are among the world’s most enigmatic sculptures. In this section, explore an interactive map of Easter Island to find out where ancient residents quarried and moved the famous monoliths. Also, follow recent attempts by NOVA and others to transport moai overland.

Read the rest of this entry »

Pharaoh’s Obelisk
The soaring stone monuments known as obelisks were the Egyptian pharaohs’ way of capturing a ray of revered sunlight in stone. In this section, follow NOVA’s ultimately successful attempts to raise an obelisk of its own. Also, learn where ancient Egypt’s obelisks have ended up today.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sixteen hundred years ago, a mysterious left-handed warrior seized control of the Mayan city of Copán, founding a dynasty that would last for 400 years. Eventually the Maya abandoned Copán and all other Mayan cities, which lay undisturbed for over 1,000 years. Then, in the 19th century, explorers John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood stumbled on the vine-strangled remains of huge complexes of temples and monuments covered with strange portraits and hieroglyphs. In this program, NOVA takes viewers deep into the Central American rain forest to the resurrected ruins of Copán, a once majestic jewel of Mayan civilization which was inexplicably abandoned over a thousand years ago.
Read the rest of this entry »