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Religion in late imperial China, 1644-1911

This online resource offers a comprehensive overview of the many forms of religion in late imperial China. It includes a detailed overview of religion under the following four headings: Religion in China: an overview; Popular religion and beliefs; Institutional religion: the three teachings; and Religion, the state and ...

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Nexus: Eora: mapping Aboriginal Sydney, 1770-1850

Why are artworks viewed as important sources of historical information? In this clip, you will see a range of artworks created about and by the Eora people, the original inhabitants of Port Jackson (site of today's Sydney Harbour). These artworks were part of a State Library of NSW exhibition in 2006, which was designed ...

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Foreign Correspondent: Dirty tricks in 1066

How was William of Normandy able to defeat the Saxon army of Harold Godwinson in 1066 and become the king of England? The Norman's victory at Hastings marked the beginning of their complete conquest of England over the following few years. Discover the tactics of both sides in the Battle of Hastings. This clip is the second ...

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Journey into Japan: Tokugawa shogunate is overthrown

How did Japan's Tokugawa shogunate come to an end? The entry of the US fleet into Tokyo Bay in 1853 and the events that followed exposed the shogunate's policy of isolation as a potential threat to the country. Western influence, and Japan's response to it, would have an enormous impact on the country's future. This clip ...

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What is Magna Carta?

Have you heard of Magna Carta? This document from the 13th century has been hugely influential for many modern democracies. Watch this clip to find out how it came about and why it is still so important today.

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Zhou Daguan's account of Medieval Angkor

The city of Angkor was the centre of the mighty Khmer Empire for five hundred years, beginning around 900 CE. It was not only one of the most populous cities in the world, it featured some of the most sophisticated architecture and infrastructure, particularly in regards to water distribution. In this beautiful animation, ...

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Life in Medieval Europe: Rough justice

How do we determine whether someone is innocent or guilty of a crime? Our legal system is quite different to the one that was practised in Medieval Europe, where trials by combat or ordeal were not uncommon. In this clip, consider the merits of the medieval legal system. This clip is one in a series of five.

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Life in Medieval Europe: Trading for food

What are the essential things you need to survive? Food, water, medicine, shelter, sanitation ... anything else? How do you obtain these basic requirements? How might people living in Medieval Europe have survived if they had no money or land? In this clip, discover a useful practice that helped peasants negotiate a living. ...

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Why Australia wanted a White Australia policy

The Immigration Restriction Act of 1901 was designed to limit non-British immigration to Australia. It came to be known as the White Australia policy. In some quarters, people of non-British (and especially non-European) heritage were regarded as being inferior, greedy or unable to fit in with dominant Australian society. ...

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Journey into Japan: Modernising Japan in the Meiji era

The restoration of Emperor Meiji in 1868 ushered in a period of rapid change in Japan. The country not only borrowed practices and technologies from Western countries, in less than forty years it too had become an imperialist power. This clip is fifth in a series of six.

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Life in Medieval Europe: Working for a living in Medieval England

Imagine being transported to England in the middle of the 13th century. What was life like for common people? Who had the power to control the lives of others? In this clip, learn about the feudal system, which was widespread in Medieval Europe. This clip is first in a series of five.

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Foreign Correspondent: The Battle of Hastings, again!

How was England changed forever by one battle in 1066? In that year, a Norman army led by Duke William of Normandy sailed to England and defeated the Saxon army of Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings. Visit the site of the battle during a re-enactment by medieval history buffs. This is the first of two clips.

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Fair and reliable reporting on Medieval Angkor

What are the dangers of relying on one historical source for an understanding of an ancient society? How important is it for historians to verify information? In this animation of one of history's most significant documents, Zhou Dugaun's 'A Record of Cambodia: the land and its People', consider the reliability of Zhou's ...

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Journey into Japan: Japan's shoguns keep everyone in their places

What was the status of each social class in shogunate Japan? During the period from around 1600 to 1868, Japan was a feudal society. As in medieval Europe, each group had its place in a strict social order. Watch this clip to discover the roles of each group during the age when the Tokugawa shoguns ruled the country. This ...

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Why did civilisations expand?

This short video offers an overview of why civilisations expanded, by looking at the past for commonalities and patterns. The need to expand is one such pattern with massive empires growing then collapsing. Expansion was necessary to pay for increasing infrastructure, government and the military, and internal resources ...

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Life in Medieval Europe: A woman's life

What was life like for women in Medieval Europe? Did they enjoy the same rights and opportunities as men? In this clip, learn about the roles of peasant women and the lives they could expect to lead. This clip is one in a series of five.

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Life in Medieval Europe: Good and bad medicine

How sophisticated was medical practice in Medieval Europe? In this clip, learn about common forms of diagnosis and cures for ailments in the 14th century. And brace yourself for a medieval-style amputation; it's not pretty. This clip is one in a series of five.

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Journey into Japan: Shoguns rule Japan with iron fists

Who were the shoguns and how did they rule Japan? In Japanese history, the time from about 1600 to 1868 is called the Edo period. In 1600, after centuries of wars, Japan came under the control of shoguns from the Tokugawa clan. They continued to rule until 1868, when they were overthrown. View this clip to discover how ...

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Journey into Japan: The end of Japan's isolation

Under the shoguns, Japan was deliberately isolated from the outside world from around 1600 CE. However, by the mid-19th century, Western imperialism was entering a new phase of expansion that no Asian state was able to resist. Discover what happened when the West came beating on the doors of a closed society. This clip ...

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How did change accelerate?

This 12 minute video is divided into two parts and presents an overview of the rapid development of the modern world. Part 1 presents reasons for the exponential growth in the world's population over the last 500 years including the development of global networks and commerce and the discovery of fossil fuel energy, which ...