Advanced search
- TITLES
- NAMES
- COLLABORATIONS
Search filters
Enter full date
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
to
to
Exclude
Only includes titles with the selected topics
to
In minutes
to
1-50 of 89
- In the waning days of the American Civil War, a wounded soldier embarks on a perilous journey back home to Cold Mountain, North Carolina to reunite with his sweetheart.
- This is a 37-minute orientation film, filmed in the spring of 1956, for visitors to historic Colonial Williamsburg, and photographed in the area restored by the Rockefeller Foundation. The plot follows a fictional Virginia planter, John Fry (Jack Lord), who becomes a member of Virginia's House of Burgesses. Through contact with Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and other patriots, he gradually loses his ties with the pro-British faction and casts his lot with the rebels.
- Oney "Ona" Judge was an enslaved servant of George and Martha Washington, and the details of her life and daring escape in 1796 were well-preserved through interviews by abolitionist newspapers later in her life. The Freedom Quest of Oney Judge is a fictionalized account of actual historic events, produced for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Virginia as part of its HERO Live. series. In this three act program, the story begins a decade after Oney's escape, when a smug and supercilious nephew of Martha Washington finds Oney and tries to bully her back to Mount Vernon. The tale proceeds in a series of flashbacks, showing why she decided to attempt escape and how she managed to leave her life of slavery behind. It also chronicles the efforts of President Washington to re-capture Oney years later using maddeningly hush-hush methods in hopes of avoiding public scrutiny and censure. The slave owners are shown as cheerful and insipid, later dismayed that a well-treated slave would repay them with such ingratitude by running away. While she was not physically mistreated, Oney (Mary Carter), like all other slaves, was considered no more than possessions equivalent to, say, livestock or furniture, something Oney feels keenly and resents deeply. But when Oney is sent with the family to Philadelphia, she witnesses a place where Black people live and work as free men and women, a place where there are few slaves and Black children even attend school. A local Black cobbler mentions to Oney that Pennsylvania law says that any slave brought to the state must be freed after six months. Oney, who has been in Pennsylvania for more than two years, realizes the Washingtons have probably been circumventing the law by taking her out of the state every so often, effectively restarting the "six-month clock" each time. Outraged, Oney bides her time until she sees the opportunity to slip away and pursue a new life as a free woman. The quest leads her to freedom, but not to a life of peace, as she must continue to evade her former slave masters and the law, even after she is married and has a child.
- It showed the process it took to write the Constitution of the United States.
- Backdraft is the story about fire in the 18th century, but more that that, it's the story of how Colonial Williamsburg's historians and historic tradespeople worked together to replicate an 18th century fire engine that can still put out a fire. Consider the threat of fire in a world of wooden buildings, where candles provided light, fireplaces furnished heat, and open stoves were used for cooking. Fire was a danger to everyone. Students learn that it was the duty of every citizen to help fight fires. Students will also learn the scientific principles behind the state of the art 18th century fire engine and how Colonial Williamsburg historians and tradespeople recreated the tools and acquired the skills to build a replica.
- Take a look at how history is written and reevaluated as new methods of study are introduced. Using the example of Jamestown in 1607, explore the myths and misconceptions of that era: revisit the documents, artifacts, and other evidence through archeology. Learn how every generation sees the evidence in new ways, and how this affects our understanding of the past.
- Beginning with the American Revolution, this program explores the U.S. law of 1807 that abolished the transatlantic slave trade. Meet the people who were involved in or influenced by this pivotal legislation: the slaves, plantation owners, slave ship captains, common seamen, government officials, Navy officers, and antislavery activists.
- "A Day in the Life" focuses on three children in Colonial Williamsburg: an apprentice boy, a girl from a gentry family, and a slave boy. As the day proceeds the lives of the three young people intersect, allowing students to explore the education, work, and leisure activities of each of these three children. The program gives an overview of daily life in Williamsburg on the eve of the Revolution and helps students understand the political and social themes of 18th century history.
- Bravery. Loyalty. Sacrifice. Women of the Revolution possessed all of these qualities. Explore the excitement, peril, and individual stories of Deborah Sampson, Mary Perth, Martha Washington, and other women, on both sides of the conflict, who proved their mettle in America's war for independence.
- A cat and mouse game ensues when a man faces his greatest enemy: A Cigarette.
- Explore the story of the early days of American westward expansion. Daniel Boone recounts the exciting experiences and unexpected consequences associated with moving west. Learn abut the risks and grueling personal hardships of creating new settlements.
- The Bill of Rights protect individual freedoms, but what if the government had too much power and there was no such thing as the Bill of Rights? Explore an alternate reality in which individual rights are limited and life is very different.
- To avoid interference from the royal governor of the colony and his marines, the Second Virginia Convention met in Richmond, Virginia on March 20, 1775 to discuss recent proceedings at the First Continental Congress. The meeting turned into a debate over whether or not to arm the colony to resist British forces whose numbers were steadily increasing in North America. Many members preferred to adopt conciliatory measures, but Patrick Henry delivered an impassioned speech, arguing Virginia needed a "well-regulated militia." It was imperative, he declared, that the colony be prepared to oppose King George III. He ended his oration with the phrase: "Give me liberty or give me death!" This documentary, filmed at site of the original convention, provides the historical context for the debates and recreates the most important speeches delivered during the meeting, concluding with Henry's famous address.
- "Discovering the Past" teaches students how we know what we know about the past. Students join Colonial Williamsburg archaeologists as they sort though history's remnants in order to tell the story of 18th century America. They may not be "Indiana Jones" but these real life archaeologists play a vital role in discovering and interpreting history. This "behind-the-scenes" field trip lets students visit real historic sites as archaeologists dig for bits of the past. It takes them inside archaeology labs to see how modern technology reveals important clues to our nation's history.
- Follow the lives of several journeymen fresh from their apprenticeships in trades and business as they learn how skill and opportunity will impact their careers. Discover which ones will accomplish their dreams of becoming shop masters.
- A look at the life and art of naturalist Mark Catesby in colonial America.
- "Call to Arms" is the story of how the new American nation faced the daunting task of creating an army to do battle with the world's most feared military of the 18th century. In America before the Revolution each county was expected to train and maintain a militia to be called on in defense of the colony. In Virginia, as more and more colonists declared for independence, the last British governor disbanded the militias. The colonists then formed Independent Companies, which were soon transformed into a more professional army. "Call to Arms" explores the creation of this citizen army through the eyes of a young recruit. Students will share his view of life in a military encampment, experience the basics of 18th century drill, and learn about the weapons he used. The will meet the Ethopian Company, a regiment of black slaves who fought for the British.
- "Enslaved" traces the origins of the institution of slavery. In the earliest days of colonial America there were no slaves, but the need for labor led the colonists to seek workers anywhere they could be found. At first they used European systems of servitude-apprentices and indentured servants- but those contractual arrangements eventually gave way to a legalized system of slavery. "Enslaved" features a segment on indentured servants and a segment of the Punch case of 1640, in which a black indentured servant ran away with two white indentured servants. The white men were whipped for their crime, but the black man was sentenced to servitude for life. This was the first documented instance of lifetime servitude on the American colonies. The program also traced the legal progression of slavery in colonial America.
- Enlist in the 2nd Virginia Regiment with a young recruit Soldier of Liberty explores the everyday life of a soldier on the eve of the American Revolution. March with Nathaniel Hutcheson into battle for his first encounter with the noise, confusion, and horrors of war.
- Travel through Colonial Virgina the way they did in the 18th century. On horseback, in a carriage, and on foot, you'll traverse the lanes of time in this unique transportation experience.