Documentary DVDs

Clandestine land grabs. A maze of hidden tunnels. High-ranking Army and Navy officers. Secret technology known only to a handful of carefully chosen insiders. Cloaked in secrecy for years the project began as one of the world's biggest most ambitious and little-known undertakings. Military research installation? No Walt Disney World. Orlando's Walt Disney World is not only the most visited theme park in the world it's also the most technologically advanced. From a network of underground tunnels connecting the various regions of the park to the space-age propulsion technology called linear synchronous motors Disney has been at the leading edge of theme park technology since it invented the theme park with the opening of Disneyland in 1955. Soaring castles sleek monorails life-like animatronics Modern Marvels: Walt Disney World takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes tour of the ingenious technology and incredible engineering feats that went into building the 27000 acre complex.DVD Features: Interactive Menus; Scene SelectionSystem Requirements:Running Time 100 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 733961745665 Manufacturer No: AAE-74566

From awe-inspiring buildings and life-changing technological innovations to the most terrible engineering disasters of our time, MODERN MARVELS goes behind the scenes of the world s most spectacular creations and its biggest failures. In this 14-disc set, the acclaimed series examines history from every conceivable angle, from the designers behind the world s architectural masterpieces and the biggest engineering failures to greatest inventions and the worst disasters. MODERN MARVELS profiles these amazing historic turning points through interviews with the builders and dreamers who created high-tech devices and man-made wonders and exclusive archive footage to analyze what has gone wrong and what s held up over the ages. This gripping collection takes an incisive look at the catastrophic failures that stunned the world--from the Union Carbide explosion to Hurricane Katrina. These programs also pay homage to the pinnacles of human achievement, from the Chrysler Building to the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge. Celebrating ingenuity on a grand scale and accepting failures as stepping stones to a brighter future, MODERN MARVELS offers an exciting look at invention and imagination brought to life.

Error is inevitable in all human endeavors, but when the undertakings are engineering feats of enormous proportions, the smallest mistakes may have devastating consequences. From the Exxon Valdez disaster to a nuclear meltdown at a secret government facility, to the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, MODERN MARVELS chronicles over 40 of history s most devastating catastrophes and reveals the lessons learned from each one.<br><br>In 18 thrilling episodes, HISTORY CHANNEL dramatizes the world s most notorious engineering failures, using state-of-the-art special effects to investigate not only what went wrong, but what can be learned from these spectacular disasters. The catastrophes recounted led to the creation of Superfund sites for the cleanup of toxic waste; improved safety standards for cars, planes, and ships; and new techniques for building roads, bridges, and buildings that will withstand nature s most destructive forces.

Dark clouds with silver linings, MODERN MARVELS: ENGINEERING DISASTERS presents the tragic, yet invaluable, handmaidens of technological progress.

At 5:30 a.m., July 16, 1945, scientists and dignitaries awaited the detonation of the first atomic bomb in a desolate area of the New Mexico desert aptly known as Jornada del Muerto--Journey of Death. Dubbed the Manhattan Project, the top-secret undertaking was tackled with unprecedented speed and expense--almost $30-billion in today's dollars. Los Alamos scientists and engineers relate their trials, triumphs, and dark doubts about building the ultimate weapon of war in the interest of peace.

The machines at the center of the information age have revolutionized our lives and digitalized our world, making previously unthinkable tasks automatic and linking people from around the planet. MODERN MARVELS® presents a fascinating exploration into the history of the computer. See Charles Babbage's Victorian "counting machine," a mechanical computer that produced perfect results for any mathematical problem of six figures or less, and discover how IBM was launched through a punch-card counting machine built to accelerate the 1890 census. Trace the technological advancements that led to the first modern computers and witness the rapid progress that allowed them to shrink from room-sized monsters to the desktop units that revolutionized life in the '90s. THE CREATION OF THE COMPUTER journeys into the fast-paced world of technology and innovation to expose the phenomenal history of the most influential invention of modern times. DVD Features: Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

Gold. Silver. Land. Opportunity. But first, you had to get there! In 1869, one of the greatest building achievements in history the Transcontinental Railroad was completed. But for the stalwart settlers willing to risk it all, the American West was far from conquered. Travel on the thin steel ribbon of the railroad was a dangerous, even deadly, affair. Bandits, renegades and hostile tribes threatened every trip. Millions of acres of territory were virtually unreachable. To exploit these new lands, thousands of miles of new rails would be laid in the late 1800's, opening the west to settlement, commerce, and civilization. Explore the complete story of the Western railroads through rare photographs, spectacular re-creations and expert interviews. From the early gun battles and political fights to the engineering triumphs that finally mastered a hostile terrain, take an astonishing adventure fueled by ambition and daring! <span class="h1">

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This episode of Modern Marvels presents the story of the transcontinental railroads. Completed in 1869, the Central and Union Pacific transcontinental railroad united the continent and ushered in an era of unparalleled growth and development. The Railroads That Tamed the West chronicles the development of the transcontinental railroads and the evolution of railroad technology that made railroad travel inexpensive, safe and fast, resulting in an explosion of transcontinental travel and freight shipping. This program would be useful for classes on American history, Science and Technology, Social and Cultural History, Economics and Civics. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.
<br />Vocabulary

• aspiring <br />• atrocious <br />• enticed
• epitomized <br />• expeditions
• exploit <br />• extricated
• grandeur
• incensed
• ironic
• nitroglycerin <br />• pristine <br />• replicate
• simultaneously
• terrain <br />• tribulations <br />• watershed <br />
<em>Discussion Questions

1. Railroad travel today is relatively safe and efficient, but it was not always this way. In the early days of railroad travel, conditions, were at best, inconvenient, at worst, they could be deadly. What were some of the problems and hazards of early railroad travel? How were these problems eventually solved?

2. Even though the dangers of railroad travel were numerous and severe, people still rode and worked on the railroads. Why would people choose to travel or work in such dangerous conditions? <br />
3. The name Westinghouse is associated in American business with electrical appliances, but the founder of the company, George Westinghouse, claimed his fortune with an invention he sold to the railroads. What was Westinghouse's invention, and how did it revolutionize the railroad industry?

4. George Pullman made his fortune creating luxurious railroad cars that catered to the comforts of the wealthy. How do Pullman's cars reflect the era of industrialization in America? <br />
5. What role did the railroads play in the drama of immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries? <br /><br />6. How did the railroads contribute to the explosion in western settlement in the 19th century? How did the U.S. government aid the railroads' contributions?
<br />7. The continental United States is divided into four standard time zones. How did the advent of the continental railroads necessitate this system of standard time? <br />
<em>Extended Activities

1. Imagine that you a passenger on one of the first runs on the Central and Union Pacific transcontinental railroad. Write a diary or journal that chronicles your trip and all the new and wondrous sights and experiences. <br /><br />2. Create a trip itinerary for a cross country vacation before the development of the transcontinental railroad. What modes of transportation would you use? How long would it take? <br /><br />3. Design your own luxury Pullman car.

Towering over the Black Hills of South Dakota, Mount Rushmore was the vision of Gutzon Borglum, a combative and fiercely talented young sculptor. To elicit public support for his dream, Borglum whipped American patriotism into a frenzy, finally securing the financing he needed to embark on the creation of his awe-inspiring monument. Over the course of 15 years, 350 men poured their sweat into Borglum's vision, using drills and explosives to chisel Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt into the massive granite cliff. Here is the controversial history of this unorthodox masterpiece, including the remarkable design specifications, the tragedies and setbacks that marred its construction, and the awe it inspires to this day.

An incredible tale of drama, history and action. See engineers tackle the most daunting project ever attempted.<p><i>This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.

t pulls, stretches, bubbles, hardens, crunches, and melts! We eat about 7-billion tons of it yearly. We're talking about Candy--loved by kids and savored by adults. Candy-making evolved from a handmade operation to high-tech mass production. Nowhere is that more apparent than at Hershey's. On a tour of their newest production facility, we learn how they process the cocoa bean. At See's Candy, we see how they make their famous boxed chocolates--on a slightly smaller scale than Hershey's. We get a sweet history lesson at Schimpff's Confectionery, where they still use small kettles, natural flavors, and hand-operated equipment. Then, we visit Jelly Belly, purveyors of the original gourmet jellybean. Saltwater-taffy pullers hypnotize us on our sweet-tooth tour; we gaze at extruders making miles of licorice rope; and watch as nostalgia candy bars Abba-Zaba and Big Hunk get packaged. And in this sugary hour, we digest the latest sensations--gourmet chocolates and scorpion on a stick!