Watch The Great Trials of World History and the Lessons They Teach Us

Name: The Great Trials of World History and the Lessons They Teach Us
Released: 2017-12-08
Cast: Douglas O. Linder

2017
1 Season

The Great Trials of World History and the Lessons They Teach Us is a fascinating and insightful documentary-style show examining some of the most significant trials in history to provide valuable lessons on justice, ethics, and power. The show is part of The Great Courses Signature Collection and stars renowned professor and legal scholar Douglas O. Linder.

In each episode, Professor Linder takes the viewers on a journey through a historical trial, dissecting the proceedings, analyzing the key players involved, and revealing the implications of the decision or outcome. Some of the cases explored in the series include the trial of Socrates, the trial of Joan of Arc, the Nuremberg Trials, and the trial of O.J. Simpson, among many others.

One of the most impressive aspects of the show is how it brings history to life, immersing viewers in the context of the time and place in which each trial took place. This is achieved through a combination of expert analysis, historical re-enactments, and archival footage to create a compelling narrative that engages viewers and leaves them with a deeper understanding of the events that occurred.

However, the show is not just a retelling of past events, but rather a reflection on the lessons that can be learned from them. Each trial is analyzed through the lens of modern-day perspectives, allowing viewers to draw parallels with contemporary issues and debates. This approach provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the legal and ethical challenges that we face today, offering insights into how we can navigate complex legal and moral issues.

Throughout the series, Professor Linder presents a nuanced and balanced view of each trial, recognizing both the strengths and weaknesses of the legal process, the individuals involved, and the interplay between social, political, and legal factors that shaped each case.

The show is catered towards a wide audience, from legal professionals to history buffs, and anyone interested in exploring the complexities and nuances of the justice system. However, while the show is undoubtedly educational, it never feels dry or overly academic. Instead, the series is engaging and thought-provoking, inspiring viewers to think deeply about the challenges of justice and how history can inform the present.

Overall, The Great Trials of World History and the Lessons They Teach Us is a must-watch show for anyone who is interested in history, justice, and ethics. It is a masterclass in legal analysis, storytelling, and critical thinking that provides valuable insights into the past while also offering guidance for navigating present-day challenges. Led by Professor Linder, the show is a testament to the power of great storytelling and expert analysis to inspire and educate audiences.

The Great Trials of World History and the Lessons They Teach Us is a series that is currently running and has 1 seasons (24 episodes). The series first aired on December 8, 2017.

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Seasons

24. The O. J. Simpson Trial

December 8, 2017

How did the trial of O. J. Simpson come to command such media attention? What about the case caused it to be viewed differently by people of different races? How did it change the way celebrity trials are handled? Explore questions about one of the 20th century's last great trials.

23. The McMartin Preschool Abuse Trial

December 8, 2017

Professor Linder takes you inside the longest, most expensive criminal trial in American history (with a taxpayer cost of over $15 million dollars). It was also a trial that produced not a single conviction - but highlighted the dangerous problems that happen when police and prosecutors leap to conclusions.

22. The Trial of the Chicago Eight

December 8, 2017

It's been described as a travesty of justice. A circus. An important battle for the American people. A monumental non-event. Whatever conclusion you come to by the end of this lecture, few events better exemplify the conflict of values in the late 1960s than the trial of these eight radicals.

21. The Mississippi Burning Trial

December 8, 2017

Discover how the Mississippi Burning case took the nation deep into the darkness of the Ku Klux Klan and its hatred. By the end of this lecture, you'll learn how the trial would go on to change the Klan, change Mississippi, and change the course of civil rights in America.

20. The Rivonia (Nelson Mandela) Trial

December 8, 2017

Why is the Rivonia Trial considered "the trial that changed South Africa"? Why did Nelson Mandela and his nine co-defendants seek to wage guerilla war against the South African government? How did the trial shape the future of South Africa, including Mandela's election as the country's first black president?

19. The Alger Hiss Trial

December 8, 2017

Probe the far-reaching political effects of the trial of former State Department official Alger Hiss for perjury. They include: catapulting Richard Nixon to national fame; setting the stage for Joseph McCarthy's Communist-hunting; and marking the start of a conservative political movement that would put Ronald Reagan in the White House.

18. The Nuremberg Trials

December 8, 2017

No trial, according to Professor Linder, provides a better basis for understanding the nature and causes of evil than the war crime trials in Nuremberg from 1945 to 1949. In this lecture, your focus is on the first of 12 trials, regarded by scholars as "The Trial of the Major War Criminals."

17. The Trials of the"Scottsboro Boys"

December 8, 2017

Examine how the legal nightmare of the "Scottsboro Boys" trials extended for decades. It launched and ended careers. It educated the public about the plight of African-Americans. It divided - then united - America's political left. And it illustrates what was wrong with America's justice system in the 1930s.

16. The Scopes Monkey Trial

December 8, 2017

Defense lawyer Clarence Darrow also made history defending high-school teacher John Scopes at 1925's famous "Monkey" Trial. Discover how the case that put the theory of evolution on trial brought to Tennessee a three-time presidential candidate, a flock of international reporters, and the battle for 1920s social mores.

15. The Leopold and Loeb Trial

December 8, 2017

In the first of two lectures involving the nation's most famous defense lawyer, Clarence Darrow, focus on a trial involving a "thrill killing" by two rich and intelligent teenagers. Central to this lecture are Darrow's impassioned efforts to save the confessed murderers from the gallows by challenging the morality of capital punishment.

14. The Trial of Sheriff Joseph Shipp

December 8, 2017

Go back to March 1909, when the Supreme Court assembled to do something it had never done before and would never do again: listen to closing arguments in a criminal case. Learn how Sheriff Joseph Shipp's trial impacted the act of lynching and its relationship to the rule of law.

13. The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde

December 8, 2017

Old Bailey, the main courthouse in London, was the scene for a set of trials that captivated England and the literary world. Celebrity, sex, wit, political intrigue, important issues of art and morality and sexuality - learn about the role they all played in the charges against Oscar Wilde for "gross indecency."

12. The Trial of Louis Riel

December 8, 2017

Few of us know about the 1885 trial of Canada's Louis Riel. Yet it's important for what it reveals about tensions in Canada that exist to this day: between native and non-native, French-speaking and English-speaking peoples. It's a trial, as you'll learn, that became a turning point in Canadian politics.

11. The Lincoln Assassination Conspiracy Trial

December 8, 2017

The assassination of Abraham Lincoln was only part of a larger conspiracy involving many men and women - eight of whom would be tried for conspiracy to murder the president and other officials. Join Professor Linder for a look at the verdicts, sentences, and procedures of the 1865 Military Commission.

10. The Dakota Conflict Trials

December 8, 2017

The 392 Dakota Conflict trials led to the largest mass execution in U.S. history. It also marked the end of a legal process unlike any used before or since in the nation. Consider whether or not these cases were an appropriate end to the conflict between settlers and Native Americans.

9. The Amistad Trials

December 8, 2017

Learn about the legal importance of the Amistad trials by exploring three questions they presented. First: Are the African mutineers criminals? Second: Are they property? Third: If neither, what should happen to them? The ensuing controversy, you'll learn, helped build momentum for turning public opinion in the North against slavery.

8. The Aaron Burr Conspiracy Trial

December 8, 2017

In great trials, can politics and justice ever be kept entirely separate? Explore this question by considering the conspiracy trial of Aaron Burr. This case, presided over by Chief Justice John Marshall, set the precedent that no one in the United States - even the president - is above the law.

7. The Boston Massacre Trials

December 8, 2017

A harbinger of the American Revolution, the Boston Massacre trials (and the reaction to the verdict) reflected the heated partisanship of the times. Central to this story is the young attorney John Adams, who paid a price for his decision to represent the accused British soldiers and their captain.

6. The Salem Witchcraft Trials

December 8, 2017

According to Professor Linder, the Salem witchcraft trials illustrate the danger of drawing conclusions ahead of evidence - and of dispensing with procedural rules that can save us from rushing to judgment. Gain a greater understanding of the legal basis for a travesty that accused hundreds of people of practicing witchcraft.

5. The Trial of Giordano Bruno

December 8, 2017

What made Giordano Bruno's ideas on natural philosophy so dangerous to 16th-century thought? Why does his execution represent a failure of the Roman Inquisition to perform its mission to admonish, not punish? What impact did this trial have on another heresy case fifteen years later: that of Galileo?

4. The Trial of Sir Thomas More

December 8, 2017

Travel back to Westminster Hall on July 1, 1535, when Sir Thomas Moore stood on trial for his refusal to acknowledge King Henry VIII as head of the Church of England. Discover the story of how one of England's most revered men ended up on the chopping block and why it is both important and instructive.

3. Three Medieval Trials

December 8, 2017

Explore medieval beliefs about justice through the lens of three strange trials from the Middle Ages. The first involves a dead pope put on trial. The second involves an accused adulterer's walk over red-hot ploughshares. The third involves a jousting battle whose victor will be vindicated as a matter of law.

2. The Trial of Gaius Verres

December 8, 2017

Cicero's greatest desire was to save the Roman Republic. For this reason, he charged Gaius Verres, a provincial governor, with crimes against the people. Central to this insightful lecture are Cicero's five orations, the Actio Secunda, which aimed to educate the Roman public about the corruption and rot in its political system.

1. The Trial of Socrates

December 8, 2017

After learning what makes a trial historically important, begin your survey of some of history's greatest trials with a visit to ancient Athens. It's here, in 399 B.C., that Socrates undergoes his trial for corrupting Athenians and disrespecting their gods. In the process, he lectures his jurors on the duty of seeking the truth. #History

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Where to Watch The Great Trials of World History and the Lessons They Teach Us

The Great Trials of World History and the Lessons They Teach Us is available for streaming on the The Great Courses Signature Collection website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch The Great Trials of World History and the Lessons They Teach Us on demand at Apple TV Channels and Amazon Prime and Amazon.