During the turbulent era of the French and IndianWar, the Cherokee people struggled to preserve their independence. Follow Cherokee leader Ostenaco andVirginian Henry Timberlake on their 1762 journey from Chota (the capital of the Cherokee nation) toWilliamsburg and London in search of a lasting peace.

Witness the conflict and compromise that accompanied the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Join young eighteenth-century observers, unseen by convention delegates, as they travel from state to state tallying the vote.

Learn about the ratification process and Americans’ growing interest in their fledgling nation’s new government.

Take a look at how history is written and reevaluated as new methods of study are introduced. Using the example of Jamestown in 1607, explore the myths and misconceptions of that era: revisit the documents, artifacts, and other

evidence through archaeology. Learn how every generation sees the evidence in new ways, and how this affects our understanding of the past

Explore the story of the early days of American westward expansion. Daniel Boone recounts the exciting experiences and unexpected consequences associated with moving west. Learn about the risks and grueling personal hardships of creating new settlements.

Beginning with the American Revolution, this program explores the U.S. law of 1807 that abolished the trans-Atlantic slave trade.Meet the people who were involved in or influenced by this pivotal legislation: the slaves, plantation owners, slave-ship captains, common seamen, government officials, Navy officers, and anti-slavery activists.

Imprisonment, whipping, forced transportation, and even death were some of the punishments that courts sentenced children to in the eighteenth century.Witness how justice was administered at a time when criminal laws and sentencing guidelines made few or no exceptions for children.

You have seen their work in every museum, but what do conservators really do? Learn how conservators prevent or slow the damage caused by “agents of destruction.” Explore how and why preserving history is important for future generations.