Secondary History

The Battle of Hastings | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

Simon Schama discusses the 1066 Battle of Hastings.

The Domesday Book | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

Simon Schama discusses the Domesday Book, a survey of England that William the Conqueror ordered.

Design of the Book | Domesday

Dr Stephen Baxter explores the layout and design of the Doomsday Book.

The Reality of the First Crusade | The Crusades

Thomas Asbridge investigates the experiences of the crusaders and visits Constantinople.

The absent reign of Richard the Lionheart | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

Simon Schama investigates the reign and death of Richard the Lionheart.

Robert the Bruce becomes King at Scone | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

Simon Schama discusses Robert the Bruce and how he became King at Scone.

William Wallace at Stirling and Falkirk | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

Simon Schama investigates the battles of Stirling and Falkirk and William Wallace's subsequent...

The Battle of Bannockburn | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

Simon Schama investigates the The Battle of Bannockburn.

Chivalry | Chivalry and Betrayal: The Hundred Years War

Dr Janina Ramirez examines 600-year-old manuscripts that set out the chivalric code for knights.

Harald Hardrada and the Battle of Stamford Bridge | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

Simon Schama investigates the character of Harald Hardrada and the circumstances of ...

Dissolution of the monasteries | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

Simon Schama discusses Cromwell's dissolution of the monasteries.

The Destruction of the Monasteries | Henry VIII: Patron or Plunderer

Jonathan Foyle investigates Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries.

Religious reform under Edward VI | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

Simon Schama discusses the religious reform under Edward VI.

Religious reform under Mary I | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

Simon Schama discusses the religious reform under Queen Mary I.

Early relationship of Mary and Elizabeth | Bloody Queens: Elizabeth and Mary

An exploration of Mary and Elizabeth's early relationship.

The Character of the Two Queens | Bloody Queens: Elizabeth and Mary

An introduction to the contrasting characters of Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots.

Religion under Elizabeth I | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

Simon Schama explains how Elizabeth developed a Protestant Englishness during her reign.

What Caused the Spanish Armada? | Armada: 12 Days to Save England

Dan Snow discusses the foundations of what caused the Spanish Armada.

The Stuarts and Parliament | The Stuarts

Parliament agreed to make William King, but tried to limit his power with the Declaration of Rights.

The End of the Stuarts | The Stuarts

Clare Jackson discusses the negotiations for the 1707 Act of Union, that united Scotland and England.

The Two Party System | Fit to Rule: How Royal Illness Changed History

Lucy Worsley investigates the beginnings of the two party system.

The Seven Years War begins | A History of Scotland

Neil Oliver explains the causes of the Seven Years War and the impact that it would have on British (especially Scottish) ...

The Irish Potato Famine | Europe: A Natural History

The Spanish Armada introduced Ireland to potatoes, but later a fungus from America began the potato disease that caused t...

First English traders in West Africa | Black and British: A Forgotten History

David Olusoga investigates the first English traders in West Africa.

Where did the slavery compensation money end up? | Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners

David Olusoga explains how the profits of slavery shaped the world we know today.

West India Docks and the sugar economy | Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners

David Olusoga visits the West India Docks in London and discusses the impact of slavery on the Brit...

The Boston Tea Party | Victoria Wood's Nice Cup of Tea

Victoria Wood tells the story of the Boston Tea Party.

Georgian Architecture | The First Georgians: The German Kings Who Made Britain

Lucy Worsley investigates Georgian neo-Palladian architecture.

Controversial argument for the benefits of the British Empire | A Timewatch Guide

David Olusoga discusses controversial argument in favour of British colonial rule in India...

Bill Richmond | Black and British: A Forgotten History

Davis Olusoga investigates the Bill Richmond black boxer who took Georgian Britain by storm.

The Day of the Wall Street Crash | 1929: The Great Crash

The beginning of the Wall Street Crash on the 24th October 1929.

The impact of the crash | 1929: The Great Crash

The immediate impact of the Wall Street Crash.

The Archduke is assassinated | Days That Shook the World

Gavrilo Princip assassinates the Archduke and triggers the First World War.

The SA and the appeal of the Nazis | Rise of the Nazis

Von Schleicher persuades Hindenburg to bring forward elections in order to harness the power of the SA, but underestim...

Adolf Hitler's rise to power | Andrew Marr's History of the World

Andrew Marr discusses Hitler's rise to power from the end of the first world war.

Typical accommodation for an immigrant black family in 1940s Britain | Back in Time for Brixton

The Irwins experience what accommodation was like for immigrant black familie...

A History of Scotland

At the dawn of the first millennia, there was no Scotland or England. Neil Oliver reveals how the Gaelic Scottish Kingdom - Alba - was born.

In Search of Scotland

Exploring Scotland's dramatic history, Dr Fiona Watson begins with our mysterious Neolithic ancestors.

A Scottish Soldier: A Lost Diary of WWI

Poet Jackie Kay tells the story of Arthur Roberts - one of thousands of black soldiers who fought in WWI. His diary provides a unique...

The Women Who Changed Modern Scotland

Kirsty Wark reveals how pioneering women of the 1960s and 70s seized the baton from previous generations and surged forward to disrupt ...

Local Heroes

Bicycling scientist Adam Hart-Davis looks at pioneers of science and invention. Includes the pocket calculator, kaleidoscopes, weighing the earth and melting ice.

Queens That Changed the World

Queen Anne took the throne in 1702. As the last Stuart monarch and the first queen of Great Britain, she united Scotland and England.

5: Tower Houses in Scotland | Castle

Marc Morris charts the 300-year development of the Tower House, from the fortress island community of Thrive Castle in Dumfriesshire to ...

In Sight of Home: The Iolaire

Documentary providing a moving account of the HMY Iolaire, which tragically sank on New Year's Day 1919 and is arguably the greatest tragedy to...

War at Sea: Scotland's Story

First of a two-part documentary in which David Hayman uncovers the story of the battle for control of the North Sea during the First World War.

The Singer Story: Made in Clydebank

Charting how the Singer sewing machine helped establish the town of Clydebank by employing tens of thousands of people before its demise ...

From Scotland with Love

Exploring Scotland's past using only Scottish film archive. Images of ordinary people from the past are edited together and soundtracked by the music...

Lincoln's racial views | American History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley

Lucy finds out about Frederick Douglass, an emancipated former slave-turned politician who spoke ...

Speeches - Martin Luther King's ''I have a dream'' speech | Speeches that Shook the World

Simon Armitage dissects what makes a perfect speech by examining famous speeches th...

Mississippi cotton | Black and British: A Forgotten History

David Olusoga discusses the cotton industry in Mississippi and how it fuelled Britain's industrial revolution.

Revolution of African-American slaves | Black and British: A Forgotten History

David Olusoga investigates American Independence and the revolution of the African slaves.

The Boston Tea Party | Victoria Wood's Nice Cup of Tea

Victoria Wood tells the story of the Boston Tea Party.

Martin Luther King and Malcolm X | Arena

A conversation between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, exposing their different approaches to Civil Rights.

Stories of immigration to America | American Voices: A History of America 1917-1941

The experiences of people who immigrated to America in the early 20th century.

The Day of the Wall Street Crash | 1929: The Great Crash

The beginning of the Wall Street Crash on the 24th October 1929.

Concord and the 2nd Amendment | American History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley

Lucy examines the facts behind the mythologised tale of the Patriot militia who defeated th...

Truman and Hiroshima | American History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley

Lucy tells the story of a unextraordinary President who made one of the most historic decisions in t...

The American Dream | American History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley

Lucy highlights the problems with post-war suburbs like Levittown which pedalled the American Dream bu...

McCarthyism | American History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley

Lucy details the affect of McCarthyism, where liberal-leaning people were singled out and tried as ''communis...

The Cuban Missile Crisis | American History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley

Lucy unpicks Kennedy's lauded efforts in the Cuban Missile Crisis and considers whether his brav...

Share-cropping | American History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley

Upon the abolition of slavery, races were largely segregated. Former slaves had no money to buy land, so w...

Removal of the Cherokee | How the Wild West Was Won with Ray Mears

Ray explains about how the government rounded up and rid the Appalachian mountains of the Cherokee.

Pioneer routes | How the Wild West Was Won with Ray Mears

Ray maps out the common routes of the Pioneers as they met and left the Rocky Mountains.

The Gold Rush | How the Wild West Was Won with Ray Mears

Ray details the discovery of gold and why its influence drew so many West across America.

The Navajo | How the Wild West Was Won with Ray Mears

Ray meets some descendants of the Navajo who existed on the sparse and cruel terrain of Monument Valley and finds out w...

The Apache | How the Wild West Was Won with Ray Mears

Ray details the innovations of the Apache, including moccasins for footwear and use of the agave plant.

Segregation and violence | Face to Face

Martin Luther King speaks of his experiences of segregation and violence as a child.

Rosa Parks | Face to Face

Martin Luther King tells the story of Rosa Parks, the ''Bus Boycott'' and how this lead to his rise a civil rights leader.

Living in the USA | Face to Face

Martin Luther King explains why he doesn't move to a less discriminatory country and why it is important that he fights for equality in the US.

Spread Of The Communist Ideology | Genius of the Modern World

The Bolshevik Revolution kickstarted the shift towards communism, but Russia didn't have the predicted variable...

Animal Farm' and the Russian Revolution | English File

An exploration of the historical context of the Russian Revolution and how it influenced George Orwell's 'Animal Farm'.

April Crisis | Russia 1917: Countdown to Revolution

An investigation of the April Crisis and Lenin's speech in Petrograd.

July Days | Russia 1917: Countdown to Revolution

An investigation of the July Days and Lenin in Razliv.

Lenin's letters | Russia 1917: Countdown to Revolution

Lenin's letters from hiding in Finland.

Lenin calls for insurrection | Russia 1917: Countdown to Revolution

Lenin persuades the central committee of the Bolshevik Party to vote in favour of violent insurrection.

The Winter Palace | Russia 1917: Countdown to Revolution

The assault on the Winter Palace.

After the revolution | Russia 1917: Countdown to Revolution

The impact of the October Revolution on Russia to the present.

Stalin's 5 year plan | English File

An explanation of Stalin's 5 year plan, as context to the plot of George Orwell's 'Animal Farm'.

Soviet purges | English File

An exploration of Soviet terror and the purges that also appear in George Orwell's 'Animal Farm'.

Soviet Russia | World's Busiest Cities

The social and political history of Moscow.

Invading the Soviet Union | The Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler

In June 1941 Germany launched it's largest invasion into the Soviet Union.

Lenin and Tsar Nicholas | Empire of the Tsars: Romanov Russia with Lucy Worsley

Lenin was the antidote to the Romanov rule and in 1917, his Bolsheviks stormed the Winter Pal...

Bloody Sunday | Empire of the Tsars: Romanov Russia with Lucy Worsley

In 1905, 150,000 workers protested at the winter palace and after a year of revolution, Nicholas II ins...