History resources for Teachers

For eighty years, the Second World War has remained the most devastating and defining conflict in human history. "World War II with Tom Hanks" is a landmark documentary event that reexamines the war through the lens of a new century. Told over twenty hours and guided by Tom Hanks, whose lifelong passion for this history has shaped some of the most profound screen portrayals of the era, the series captures the full arc of the war — from the rise of fascism in Europe to the fall of Berlin, from Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima, and the uneasy peace that follows. Each episode uncovers new dimensions of the conflict: the decisions that shaped the battlefield, the unseen networks that sustained the war effort, and the aftershocks that still shape our world today.

Long before the modern era, the ancient world witnessed an epic saga of migration, mercenaries, and absolute slaughter that rivals any mythic tale of perilous voyages. This documentary chronicles the true story of the Varangian Guard, an elite unit of Viking warriors who embarked on a dangerous journey across the rivers of eastern Europe to serve the richest ruler on the planet, Byzantine Emperor Basil II. These were not ordinary raiders; they became the ultimate secret police, personal bodyguards, and battlefield shock troops, executing terrifying punishments from chemical blindings to public mutilation. The narrative shifts to focus on Harald Hardrada, a towering exiled prince with a blood feud who initiated his own legendary expedition south to claim power, wealth, and a path back to his stolen throne. Through unmatched savagery and tactical innovations like the devastating bore snout formation, these Norsemen permanently altered the face of Mediterranean warfare. This episode exposes how an insatiable appetite for wealth and violence turned a desperate migration into the most feared military campaign of late antiquity.

Journey across Britain with leading archaeologists as they unearth ground-breaking discoveries that rewrite human history. In this documentary episode, we travel from Norwich Castle Museum into the heart of the Cambridgeshire Fens to explore Must Farm - Britain’s "Bronze Age Pompeii" - revealing industrial-scale fishing, pristine log boats, and combat-scarred weaponry.

Passports are not the first form of travel documents: in Ancient Egypt, travelers carried “letters of safe conduct” issued by rulers; in Han China and Tudor England, foreigners were issued travel passes. However, for much of human history, borders have been relatively fluid, and travel lacked bureaucratic requirements. So, what changed? Kristin Surak details the history of the passport system.

Dan Snow travels down the Solent to explore some of the last surviving remnants of D-Day in Britain.

This film traces the development of the soldiers' weaponry through the crucible of key technology breakthroughs from the Greeks to modern times. With the expertise of weapons experts from each historical period and a series of innovative and lively experiments, the film examines the critical tactical and technological breakthroughs which have influenced warfare.

The Spanish Civil War began not just with a Nationalist coup, but with an unparalleled eruption of brutality. This documentary recounts the horrific origins of the conflict and the appalling statistic that fully half of the 500,000 dead were killed away from the front lines in massacres, murders, and executions on both sides. We trace the critical influences that led to the outbreak, explaining how the Republican government, caught between the far-right and the violent far-left, was ultimately forced to accept aid from the Soviet Union, allowing Stalin to become an undeniable force in the Spanish tragedy.

Known as "Queen Bess" for performing flying tricks, Bessie Coleman was the first woman of African American and Native American descent to earn her pilot's license in the U.S.

In this episode, find out about one of the most remarkable ancient civilizations: the society known today as the neo-Assyrian Empire. Discover how the Assyrians built their empire out of the ashes of the Bronze Age, and built an empire of iron that lasted for centuries. Explore the extraordinary flourishing of art and technology that they fostered. And finally, discover what happened to cause their final, devastating collapse.

Watch our new documentary on the final days of World War II, as Hitler refused to admit defeat, and his German soldiers suffered the Soviet attack on the Eastern Front.

Told through never-before-seen accounts and rare archive footage, the film reveals how the Nazi regime clung to power, sacrificing countless lives in a futile bid to delay the inevitable collapse.

Medieval historian Dr. Juliette Wood joins WIRED to answer the internet's burning questions about folklore. How did unicorns become a symbol of little girl cuteness? Are mermaids and sirens the same? Has anyone ever actually found a razor blade in their Halloween candy? What are the origins of Slenderman? How did the legend of the Mothman come about? How are Sasquatch, Bigfoot, Yeti and the Abominable Snowman related? Why do so many famous fairytales have bleak endings if they’re meant for children? Answers to these questions and many more await on Folklore Support.

The end of the second world war and the dawn of the nuclear age see its two great victors go from allies to adversaries.

Life in the Medieval period looked like lots of different things to lots of different people. Your place in society could dictate everything. From what food you ate, where you could go, how educated you were and even how long you were likely to live for. Across this series, discover what life was like for those that worked, those that earned, those that learned and those that played in Medieval England. Presented by medieval historian, Dr Eleanor Janega.

Medieval European castles weren’t just for passive defense and withstanding enemy onslaughts; they were symbols of power, private residences, and hubs of governance. Castles regularly served as bases for launching attacks and as a way to control local populations. So, how were these formidable fortresses built? Connor C. Wilson explores how the design of these structures evolved over time.

80 years ago the world was struggling to come to terms with the aftermath of the bloodiest war in history and facing up to some of the most monstrous crimes imaginable.

The question for victorious allies was how to ensure that justice was seen to be done. Decision was made that was unique in history. There would be an international trial convened in the German city of Nuremberg. The senior Nazis men like Hermann Goering, would be placed in the dock. And the trial that followed would change the course of history.

The age of the countdown of rockets galore. This episode explores the spectacular performance of 20th century rockets and highlights the research for both peaceful purposes and defence, that is going on all round the clock.

November 16, 1961. Fourteen college students from Iowa have driven nearly a thousand miles to the White House. They’re fasting, protesting, and calling for an end to nuclear bomb testing. These students, later known as the Grinnell 14, will help ignite the student peace movement of the 1960s.

After the Japanese invaded the Aleutian Islands, Indigenous volunteers helped form the Alaska Territorial Guard. More than 6,300 Alaska Natives from 107 communities volunteered to serve and defend against potential Japanese invasion.

In the aftermath of World War One, the global order is once again in a state of flux.

Young nations like Italy and Japan are searching for prestige through foreign conquests. Germany, which has been hit hardest by the Great Depression and the World War One peace treaty, now looks to Adolf Hitler to rebuild the nation.

World War One’s victors are dealing with their own political and economic crises, and have no appetite for further conflict. But as they fail to stem the tide of nationalism, militarism and foreign aggression across the globe, war is beginning to feel inevitable.