Revolution Around the World

In 1810, after centuries of Spanish rule, a priest named Miguel Hidalgo began the Mexican independence movement. From then on, the dream of Mexican independence could not be denied.

Part 1 of a documentary series presenting the flesh-and-blood men behind early American legends examines the political agitation of the early 1770s and a group of loyal British citizens driven to commit treason.

Part 2 sees pockets of discontent grow as patriots argue among themselves at meetings of the First and Second Continental Congress.

Part 3 looks at the toll on the patriots as undeclared war simmers for a year, peace talks fail, and the Declaration of Independence is debated, written, and issued.

In Part 4, the Founding Fathers face the momentous and monumental task of framing a federal constitution for the 13 states.

Called treacherous, deluded, out-of-touch, insane, Lenin might have been a minor historical footnote but for the Russian Revolution, which catapulted him into the headlines of the 20th century.

Discover the life of the South African leader who spearheaded the fight against apartheid, from his African royal lineage to his underground battle against the white supremacist regime and 27 years in jail.

The colonies declare independence, taking on the might of the British Empire. As Washington's army nears defeat, new weapons and battle tactics turn the tide, forging a new nation through revolution.

Explore the controversial life of the Argentinean revolutionary, who was a medical doctor, an aide to Fidel Castro in the Cuban Revolution, and active in leftist guerrilla movements in the Congo and Latin America.

Learn how King Mithridates used a substance called "burning mud" against Rome and investigate how the ancient revolutionary Spartacus kick-started his own great revolt.

A key moment in the Revolutionary War, the Battle of Monmouth took place in rural New Jersey. The British assumed that the American Army was weak and ill-disciplined, but at Monmouth, things turned out differently.

This profile of the Cuban dictator follows his life from his rebel days in the mountains to his decades-long confrontation with the United States.

Scientists and historians explore the little-known story of American-Indian involvement in the Revolutionary War, and discover what made the battle at Oriskany so bloody - and why so many militiamen had to die.

The first great revolution of the 20th century began as a revolt against a dictator and ended in civil war, consuming hundreds of thousands of lives as Mexico struggled to live up to its ideals of land and liberty.

We all know how the American Revolution began, but this bloody conflict brims with incredible tales of overlooked heroes, astonishing innovations, and heartbreaking tragedy.

Discover the complexities of the remarkable woman who has gone down in history as a frivolous, callous queen who epitomized the decadence of the French monarchy.

Marcus Aurelius inherits the empire at its peak. The imperial boundaries stretch from the Irish Sea to the sands of Syria. But the greater Rome grows, the bigger a target it becomes.

Since first received as a gift from the people of France, Lady Liberty has held the beacon of hope for America's immigrant culture. But the story of her construction is as contentious as the New World she heralds.

Every December people of the Jewish faith gather to celebrate the joyous holiday of Chanukah, but few realize that the foundations of this celebration are rooted in bloody violence.