

Gold Rush: The Discovery of America
Overview
The discovery of gold nuggets in the Sacramento Valley in early 1848 sparked the Gold Rush, arguably one of the most significant events to shape American history during the first half of the 19th century. As news spread of the discovery, thousands of prospective gold miners traveled by sea or over land to San Francisco and the surrounding area; by the end of 1849, the non-native population of the California territory was some 100,000 (compared with the pre-1848 figure of less than 1,000). A total of $2 billion worth of precious metal was extracted from the area during the Gold Rush, which peaked in 1852. This captivating, new documentary series explores the stories of struggle and triumph of the thousands who risked everything for the pursuit of wealth and the illusive American Dream.
Seasons (1)
Season 1
5 Episodes
2016
Series Cast
Similar Series

In beautifully crafted episodes, presenter Ben Fogle embarks on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to understand China - to see its most staggering sights, go beyond the stereotypes and discover its true identity. Ben delves into an epic 3000-year tale of how China has got to where it is today - how centuries of Imperial rule gave way to Communist revolution under Chairman Mao and the breakneck economic transformation as the state capitalist China of recent years has emerged. Mixing both the experiences from the people themselves, and a tour of this magnificent region Ben takes the temperature of a country now at the very centre of humanity in the 21st century. So why and how has contemporary China become so important to all our lives?
China with Ben Fogle

Paul’s fascination with trains stems from his childhood. His father was a driver on the London Underground and when, as a young boy, Paul witnessed his dad driving a train across Putney Bridge, it sparked a lifelong fascination of railways. Now, he is following in his father’s footsteps by joining the drivers upfront and in control of some of the world’s most amazing trains and experiencing the best views as he travels through breathtaking landscapes in the UK and Europe. From steep gradients and tight curves to pinpoint platform stops, Paul will learn what it takes to keep these mighty machines on track. Visiting Germany, France, Switzerland, Wales, Northern England and Isle of Wight, he’ll meet the people who keep the railways running - from engineers and conductors to passengers with fascinating stories of their own.
Paul Merton: Driving Amazing Trains

To help celebrate ITV's 60th anniversary Britain: Six decades of British life are recalled through archive footage, telling the story of the nation in a mosaic of clips from news programmes and documentaries. As Seen on ITV tells the story of our changing nation through extraordinary real-life footage seen on our screens over the last 60 years.
Britain as Seen on ITV

Engineering an Empire is a program on The History Channel that explores the engineering and/or architectural feats that were characteristic of some of the greatest societies on this planet. It is hosted by Peter Weller, famous for his acting role as RoboCop but also a lecturer at Syracuse University, where he completed his Master's in Roman and Renaissance Art. The executive producer is Delores Gavin. The show started as a documentary about the engineering feats of Ancient Rome and later evolved into a series. It originally ran for one full season of weekly episodes.
Engineering an Empire

Mark Gatiss examines the history of the horror film, from classic Hollywood monsters to Hammer's glory days and beyond.
A History of Horror

Anthropologist and author Richard Rudgley sets off on an epic journey back in time and around the world to discover the real roots of civilization.
Secrets of the Stone Age

Swaraj is a docu-drama series that celebrates 75 years of Indian independence. It features the lives and sacrifices of lesser-known heroes of the freedom struggle. The show bring to life the stories of unsung heroes who sacrificed and fought for India over 450 years of freedom struggle but remain unheard and unknown to this day despite their untold sacrifices.
Swaraj - Bharat ke Swatantrata Sangram Ki Samagra Gatha

An exploration of the history of bohemians - weird and wonderful artists and writers who have chosen to defy convention, from radical romantics to sandal-wearing vegetarians and sexual-experimenters.
How to Be Bohemian with Victoria Coren Mitchell

Documentary series which uses film and eyewitness accounts from both sides of the conflict that divided Spain in the years leading up to World War Two, also placing it in its international context.
The Spanish Civil War
Recommended Series

Infographics and archival footage deliver bite-size history lessons on scientific breakthroughs, social movements and world-changing discoveries.
History 101

Don Wildman unearths relics from the world's greatest institutions to reveal secrets from the past. He examines each artifact to illuminate history's most incredible triumphs, sensational crimes and bizarre encounters.
Mysteries at the Museum

TV's most-watched history series brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.
American Experience

American Masters is a PBS television series which produces biographies on enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists, filmmakers, and others who have left an indelible impression on the cultural landscape of the United States.
American Masters

Explores WWII from Germany's invasion of Poland through the atomic age, examining pivotal battles, wartime leaders like Churchill and Roosevelt, and the human cost of total war.
World War II with Tom Hanks

Biography is a documentary television series. It was originally a half-hour filmed series produced for CBS by David Wolper from 1961 to 1964 and hosted by Mike Wallace. The A&E Network later re-ran it and has produced new episodes since 1987. The older version featured historical figures such as Helen Keller and Mark Twain, or long-dead entertainment figures such as Will Rogers or John Barrymore. The A&E series has placed the emphasis on such people as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Plácido Domingo, Freddie Mercury, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Eric Clapton, Pope John Paul II, Gene Tierney, Selena, Diego Rivera, Mao Zedong and Queen Elizabeth II, and fictional characters like The Phantom, Superman, Hamlet, Betty Boop, and Santa Claus. The program ended up profiling enough figures that in 1999, A&E spun it off into an entire network, The Biography Channel.
Biography

Doctor Who Confidential is a documentary to complement the revival of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Each episode was broadcast on BBC Three on Saturdays, immediately after the broadcast of the weekly television episode on BBC One. The running time of the first two series was 30 minutes, being extended to 45 minutes in the third. BBC Three also broadcast a cut-down edition of the programme, lasting 15 minutes, shown after the repeats on Sundays and Fridays and after the weekday evening repeats of earlier seasons.
Doctor Who Confidential

A worldwide guided tour of the greatest movies ever made and the story of international cinema through the history of cinematic innovation.
The Story of Film: An Odyssey

Sir Kenneth Clark guides us through the ages exploring the glorious rise of civilisation in western man. Beginning with the bleakness of the dark ages to the present day, we consider civilisation's articulations and expressions in some of man's finest works of art.
Civilisation

In a docuseries set at one of NCAA football's most fertile recruiting grounds, guys with red flags seek to prove their worth on the field and in class.


