Using superb 3D graphics, this program highlights China's architectural achievements including The Great Wall of China, the terracotta army of the First Chinese Emperor, a Chinese village from seven thousand years ago and Beijing's Forbidden City.

Discussions of philosophers and philosophical themes from ancient Greece and Rome.

Traces the origins of Mexican art, focusing on the jewelry of the Mixtecs, the ritual and sacred objects of the Mayan and Aztec civilizations, and the indigenous art that fluorished during the Spanish conquest and the introduction of Christianity.

Delve into the canons that were decreed at the Fourth Lateran Council. Find out what Church leaders were trying to accomplish, or what crises they were attempting to address. From heresies to marriage to the nature of the priesthood, the Fourth Lateran Council took on issues that affected nearly everyone in Europe.

Begin your survey of this amazing year with some context. Europe in the 13th century was experiencing a period of climate warming, which led to a population boom as well as the expansion of urban centers and the growth of cities. Meanwhile, in Asia, the Mongols were finding their ages-old way of life threatened by these same changes.

Shift your attention from Europe to the Americas, where a number of civilizations were thriving in 1215. Although no single episode could do justice to all of these civilizations, Professor Armstrong spotlights the Pueblo people, the Incas, and the Maya, providing a solid foundation for what was happening on the American continents at the time.

To tackle the subject of what the world was like in general for women in 1215, Professor Armstrong returns to medieval Europe, which was home to many powerful and well-educated women. Explore the lives of three exemplary women of the time: Hildegard of Bingen, Héloïse, and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Much of this series has been about looking back to a watershed year in history. In this final episode, Professor Armstrong looks forward to consider how the events from this series shaped the centuries that followed. With a shifting climate, the decline of population, and the catastrophic Black Death in the 14th century, we can look back and see that the year 1215 is truly an anomalous time.

By the early 13th century, Genghis Khan had defeated all of his immediate rivals and brought a number of regional tribes under his banner, including the Huns, Turks, and Tatars. His crowning achievement was his success at the Battle of Beijing, when he consolidated his control of China. As you'll discover, the battle was decidedly one-sided from the start.