By Shiloh Fish

When the Moors Ruled in Europe

This documentary describes the impact and legacy of the Moors, who ruled in Spain and Portugal

for nearly 700 years.

Themes discussed in the documentary include:

• Their rule in Europe • The Moor’s contribution to society• The relationship and coexistence between religions of the time• Developments in science and medicine• Moor architecture

Cracking the Maya Code

This PBS documentary tells the story of

the Mayan hieroglyphs and scholars’ attempts at

translating them.

Themes discussed in this documentary include:

• The discovery of the hieroglyphics • The contributing scholars• and possible interpretations and theories about the Mayan people based on the hieroglyphics

Guns, Germs, and Steel

Based off of the 1997 novel by Jared Diamond, the

documentary tackles the question of why we have inequality.

Diamond argues that inequality is not due to intelligence factors as some may suspect, but

in fact:

• opportunity and necessity• a nation’s natural resources • the domestication of plants and animals. • These factors in turn led to specialization of labor, population growth, and the qualities that can make a nation superior to another.

Little Ice Age

This video described a period in history, that while not quite a real ice age, was a colder period from

the 16th-19th centuries.

Little Ice Age topics included:

• Proposed causes of the cold temperature intervals

•E.g. increased Volcanic activity•The effects of this cold period on civilizations

• eg. The wipeout of the Vikings in Greenland

• The effects on crops and animals• wiping them out as well

• The effects on the environment• e.g. very cold and wet springs and summers

The Story of God

This documentary features Professor and Physician Lord Robert Winston as he explores the origins

of religion.

Themes in the video series included:

• discussion of science vs religion• belief in God• the exploration of the three Abrahamic faiths

o ie. Judhaism, Christianity, and Islam

• monotheism and organized religion• Discoveries• Modern theories

Journey of Man

This documentary is based on the book by

geneticist and anthropologist

Spencer Wells. It follows Wells as he attempts to trace human origins and

migration patterns in Africa.

Topics discussed in the video included:

• the importance of blood and the information it can offer• genetics, genetic markers, and tracing ancestry• human race origins began in Africa• The migration of the human race from Africa• The Human’s race ability and methods for adapting to new environments