More than a century ago, two men controlled nearly all of U.S. copper production, transforming Butte, Montana, from a washed-up gold-mining camp into a global powerhouse. William Clark, a ruthless banker known for preying on the misfortune of miners, and Marcus Daly, a self-made man with a knack for knowing where to dig, created huge empires and lived like kings, while fighting a ferocious, personal, battle that lasted nearly 25 years. We follow the rivalry between these giants of American industry.

Air travel has all but obliterated time and distance. Journeys once measured in weeks now take hours. It's an amazing accomplishment: a multi-billion dollar industry that changed the world within the span of a lifetime--or actually two. Follow the lives of two men who dominated the rise of international air travel: Juan Trippe, whose Pan American Airways practically created the industry, and eccentric tycoon Howard Hughes, who built TWA.

DuPonts have influenced affairs of state since the Presidency of Thomas Jefferson. Theirs is a dynasty of wealth and power dating back to the French aristocracy of King Louis XVI--a dynasty born of explosive black powder. This deadly powder enabled the family to amass one of the greatest fortunes in U.S. history, but at what cost was it earned? We follow the family's rise to power--from building a gunpowder empire to dominating today's chemical industry.

The 20th century was powered by oil--a fact made possible by a discovery early in the century at a lonely spot called Spindletop in Texas. A gusher of oil was unleashed that rocketed 100 feet skyward for nine straight days. Suddenly, the Lone Star state was flush with a new breed of men--the wildcatters. Part gambler, part geologist, a wildcatter risked everything he had to drill a hole in the ground, and made it possible for a horse and buggy nation to become a world of automobiles and airplanes.

A look at the magnificent homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, best of friends who became next-door neighbors.

In the not too distant past, travel was a lifestyle enjoyed almost exclusively by the very rich. They followed the social calendar and the seasons, often spending months at one posh place or another. We'll look at New York's famed Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

Florida's sands and tropical breezes have lured travelers for over 100 years.

This episode looks at eight of America's richest people, from John Jacob Astor to John Paul Getty to Warren Buffet. What drives some people to amass great fortunes and how do they do it? Is it a lust for money or is it the thrill of the game that gets them out of bed each morning? And once they've achieved their wealth, how do they live? Eight objects reveal the secret lives of America's billionaires.

More than a century ago, two men controlled nearly all of U.S. copper production, transforming Butte, Montana, from a washed-up gold-mining camp into a global powerhouse. William Clark, a ruthless banker known for preying on the misfortune of miners, and Marcus Daly, a self-made man with a knack for knowing where to dig, created huge empires and lived like kings, while fighting a ferocious, personal, battle that lasted nearly 25 years. We follow the rivalry between these giants of American industry.

Air travel has all but obliterated time and distance. Journeys once measured in weeks now take hours. It's an amazing accomplishment: a multi-billion dollar industry that changed the world within the span of a lifetime--or actually two. Follow the lives of two men who dominated the rise of international air travel: Juan Trippe, whose Pan American Airways practically created the industry, and eccentric tycoon Howard Hughes, who built TWA.

DuPonts have influenced affairs of state since the Presidency of Thomas Jefferson. Theirs is a dynasty of wealth and power dating back to the French aristocracy of King Louis XVI--a dynasty born of explosive black powder. This deadly powder enabled the family to amass one of the greatest fortunes in U.S. history, but at what cost was it earned? We follow the family's rise to power--from building a gunpowder empire to dominating today's chemical industry.

The 20th century was powered by oil--a fact made possible by a discovery early in the century at a lonely spot called Spindletop in Texas. A gusher of oil was unleashed that rocketed 100 feet skyward for nine straight days. Suddenly, the Lone Star state was flush with a new breed of men--the wildcatters. Part gambler, part geologist, a wildcatter risked everything he had to drill a hole in the ground, and made it possible for a horse and buggy nation to become a world of automobiles and airplanes.

A look at the magnificent homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, best of friends who became next-door neighbors.

In the not too distant past, travel was a lifestyle enjoyed almost exclusively by the very rich. They followed the social calendar and the seasons, often spending months at one posh place or another. We'll look at New York's famed Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

Florida's sands and tropical breezes have lured travelers for over 100 years.

This episode looks at eight of America's richest people, from John Jacob Astor to John Paul Getty to Warren Buffet. What drives some people to amass great fortunes and how do they do it? Is it a lust for money or is it the thrill of the game that gets them out of bed each morning? And once they've achieved their wealth, how do they live? Eight objects reveal the secret lives of America's billionaires.

More than a century ago, two men controlled nearly all of U.S. copper production, transforming Butte, Montana, from a washed-up gold-mining camp into a global powerhouse. William Clark, a ruthless banker known for preying on the misfortune of miners, and Marcus Daly, a self-made man with a knack for knowing where to dig, created huge empires and lived like kings, while fighting a ferocious, personal, battle that lasted nearly 25 years. We follow the rivalry between these giants of American industry.

Air travel has all but obliterated time and distance. Journeys once measured in weeks now take hours. It's an amazing accomplishment: a multi-billion dollar industry that changed the world within the span of a lifetime--or actually two. Follow the lives of two men who dominated the rise of international air travel: Juan Trippe, whose Pan American Airways practically created the industry, and eccentric tycoon Howard Hughes, who built TWA.

DuPonts have influenced affairs of state since the Presidency of Thomas Jefferson. Theirs is a dynasty of wealth and power dating back to the French aristocracy of King Louis XVI--a dynasty born of explosive black powder. This deadly powder enabled the family to amass one of the greatest fortunes in U.S. history, but at what cost was it earned? We follow the family's rise to power--from building a gunpowder empire to dominating today's chemical industry.

The 20th century was powered by oil--a fact made possible by a discovery early in the century at a lonely spot called Spindletop in Texas. A gusher of oil was unleashed that rocketed 100 feet skyward for nine straight days. Suddenly, the Lone Star state was flush with a new breed of men--the wildcatters. Part gambler, part geologist, a wildcatter risked everything he had to drill a hole in the ground, and made it possible for a horse and buggy nation to become a world of automobiles and airplanes.

A look at the magnificent homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, best of friends who became next-door neighbors.

In the not too distant past, travel was a lifestyle enjoyed almost exclusively by the very rich. They followed the social calendar and the seasons, often spending months at one posh place or another. We'll look at New York's famed Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

Florida's sands and tropical breezes have lured travelers for over 100 years.

This episode looks at eight of America's richest people, from John Jacob Astor to John Paul Getty to Warren Buffet. What drives some people to amass great fortunes and how do they do it? Is it a lust for money or is it the thrill of the game that gets them out of bed each morning? And once they've achieved their wealth, how do they live? Eight objects reveal the secret lives of America's billionaires.