Breaking an Elephant's Spirit

Al Capone wasn't just one of the biggest distributers of bootleg alcohol during Prohibition, he also embraced his notoriety in some flamboyant ways.

Why Al Capone Wasn't Your Typical Discreet Gangster (3:11)

The economic and infrastructure rebuilding of postwar Tokyo was nothing short of a miracle. It culminated with being selected to host the 1964 Olympic Games becoming the first Asian country to win the rights to the prestigious sporting event.

The 1964 Olympics Was Pivotal to Postwar Tokyo (2:55)

In 1932, nine days after his inauguration, President Roosevelt signed an order authorizing the sale of beer. It would soon be followed by the 21st amendment: the full repeal of Prohibition.

How FDR Took the First Steps Towards Ending Prohibition (2:32)

In 230 BC, the armies of the powerful Qin Shi Huang looked set to conquer all before them. But one neighboring kingdom, Yan, had other ideas and hatched a devious plan to assassinate him.

The Deadly Attempt to Assassinate Qin Shi Huang (3:05)

China's young emperor, Qin Shi Huang, faced a serious threat to his reign in 238 BC. At the heart of it was his mother, Queen Zhao, and her ambitious lover, Lao Ai.

This Chinese Emperor Was Betrayed by His Mother's Lover (3:35)

Alcatraz has gone from a 'place of evil spirits' in native American lore, to a military prison, to a federal lockup. Today, it's a tourist attraction that draws in people from across the globe.

How Alcatraz Has Changed Throughout History (1:45)

In the 1880s, Frances Ellen Work, a free-spirited American heiress married James Roche, an Irish baron - a template that looks to be repeated with the engagement of Meghan Markle to Britain's Prince Harry.

What Meghan Markle and Frances Work Have in Common (2:47)

From getting sucked into a fighter jet engine to a misjudged landing by an approaching jet fighter, an active flight deck is a minefield of danger and accidents waiting to happen.

This Sailor Got Sucked Inside a Fighter Jet Engine (1:54)

With heavy fog and windy conditions, sailing into San Francisco Bay has long been a hazardous affair. Then, in 1870, things got a lot safer with the construction of the Point Reyes Lighthouse.

This Lighthouse Made Sailing Into San Francisco Bay Safer (1:34)