Pioneers

Description

This documentary looks at how humans embarked on a new age of exploration and tamed the wilderness during the 18th century. The Salem Witch Trials marked the end of religious superstition. In Siberia and Australia, ancient traditions were swept away in the name of commerce and science. Captain Cook’s voyages mapped uncharted territory around the Pacific and Joseph Banks pioneered botany in his study of species endemic to Australia. Benjamin Franklin’s kite experiment proved that lightning was caused by electricity—not the wrath of God. After being exploited by the British Empire, colonists chose to fight for Enlightenment concepts of rationality, freedom, and self-determination.

Runtime

44 min 12 sec

Series

Subjects

Database

Films on Demand

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