What WWII Soldiers Really Faced Far From Home | Boring History For Sleep

1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000
Some nights carry a different 
kind of quiet. 

2
00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,800
The kind where even small 
thoughts, feel a little heavier 

3
00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:06,900
than usual. 
If you've brought any of that 

4
00:00:06,900 --> 00:00:10,100
with you, you can set it down 
here for a while and I'm glad 

5
00:00:10,100 --> 00:00:13,300
you made it in. 
As I will keep saying just toss 

6
00:00:13,300 --> 00:00:15,500
it out there. 
This is a curated sleep 

7
00:00:15,500 --> 00:00:19,000
experience carefully researched 
and gently shaped to be as 

8
00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,900
accurate as possible while still
helping you unwind. 

9
00:00:21,900 --> 00:00:26,200
It always will be now with rain 
moving softly, through the 

10
00:00:26,208 --> 00:00:29,600
background, were easing into the
quiet lives of World War Two 

11
00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,500
Soldiers abroad, and the loved 
ones waiting at home. 

12
00:00:32,500 --> 00:00:36,600
The routines letters, and small 
moments that filled the space 

13
00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:38,300
between distance and 
uncertainty. 

14
00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,500
If this calm slightly boring 
reflection helps you unwind? 

15
00:00:42,500 --> 00:00:46,000
Feel free to follow. 
Drop a like and tell me where 

16
00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,800
you're listening from and what 
time it is for you, I always 

17
00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:51,900
enjoy seeing where everyone is 
drifting off from now, let your 

18
00:00:51,900 --> 00:00:55,100
breathing, slow feel the weight 
of the pillow beneath you and 

19
00:00:55,100 --> 00:00:58,000
turn on a fan for some type of 
help with noise for sleep. 

20
00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:05,000
Between 1939 and 1945. 
Millions of ordinary people 

21
00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,400
found themselves. 
Living extraordinary lives 

22
00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:11,600
shaped by a global conflict. 
This story explores, the quieter

23
00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,900
moments of that era, the daily 
routines and small acts of 

24
00:01:14,908 --> 00:01:17,900
connection that sustained people
through years of separation. 

25
00:01:17,900 --> 00:01:21,500
We draw from letters preserved 
in the Imperial War Museum. 

26
00:01:21,500 --> 00:01:24,500
Archives oral histories 
collected by the Library of 

27
00:01:24,500 --> 00:01:28,100
Congress veterans. 
History project Diaries held at 

28
00:01:28,100 --> 00:01:31,200
the National Archives Memoirs 
published in the decades, 

29
00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,700
following the war and 
photographs preserved by 

30
00:01:33,700 --> 00:01:35,300
families who lived through those
years. 

31
00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:39,100
Tonight, you settle into the 
ordinary moments, that defined 

32
00:01:39,100 --> 00:01:43,900
an extraordinary time. 
The years between 1939 and 1945 

33
00:01:43,900 --> 00:01:47,500
shaped millions of lives, but 
not every moment involved. 

34
00:01:47,500 --> 00:01:49,900
Dramatic action or Battlefield 
Thunder. 

35
00:01:50,900 --> 00:01:54,800
Most hours passed in Waiting in 
routine in the small gestures 

36
00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:57,500
that kept people connected 
across Ocean's and continents. 

37
00:01:57,500 --> 00:02:00,300
You wake Before Dawn in a 
military Barrack somewhere in 

38
00:02:00,300 --> 00:02:03,300
England. 
Yes, Mel's of damp wall and cold

39
00:02:03,300 --> 00:02:07,700
smoke. 50 other men, sleep in 
Narrows arranged in neat rows 

40
00:02:07,700 --> 00:02:11,300
around you someone coughs, 
another man, mutters something 

41
00:02:11,300 --> 00:02:14,000
in his sleep. 
You like still for a moment 

42
00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,300
staring at the ceiling beams. 
Barely visible in the pre-dawn 

43
00:02:17,300 --> 00:02:20,800
Darkness. 
The Wake Up Call comes at 5:30. 

44
00:02:21,900 --> 00:02:24,600
Sergeant walks through the 
barracks not shouting. 

45
00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,600
But speaking in a voice loud 
enough to Rouse everyone from 

46
00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,200
sleep, you swing your legs out 
of bed, your feet touch, cold 

47
00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:35,300
floorboards, The man in the next
cock grown softly but sits up 

48
00:02:35,300 --> 00:02:38,500
anyway, everyone moves in the 
practice choreography of 

49
00:02:38,508 --> 00:02:41,800
military routine. 
You dress quickly, the uniform 

50
00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,900
still feels slightly foreign 
even after months of wearing it 

51
00:02:44,900 --> 00:02:48,800
buttons are fastened in a 
specific order, laces are tied 

52
00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,700
with particular Loops. 
Everything has its place and its

53
00:02:51,700 --> 00:02:55,000
method your fingers work 
automatically now muscle memory 

54
00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,300
taking over while your mind 
wanders to thoughts of home the 

55
00:02:58,300 --> 00:03:02,100
washroom is crowded 40 men try 
to shave and wash at the same 

56
00:03:02,108 --> 00:03:04,600
time. 
Water runs cold from the Taps, 

57
00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,000
he Splash your face and the 
shock of it brings you fully 

58
00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,500
awake. 
Mirror shows a face, you still 

59
00:03:10,500 --> 00:03:13,200
recognize but one that looks 
older than it did a year ago, 

60
00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,700
you lather soap and begin the 
careful work of shaving with a 

61
00:03:16,700 --> 00:03:20,000
straight razor. 
The man next to you hums quietly

62
00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,500
some tuned from a radio show 
back home. 

63
00:03:23,300 --> 00:03:25,400
Breakfast happens in the mess 
hall at 615. 

64
00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,300
You file in with your unit and 
pick up a metal tray. 

65
00:03:28,300 --> 00:03:32,000
The servers Ladle, porridge, 
into your bowl toast appears on 

66
00:03:32,008 --> 00:03:34,900
your plate along with a spoonful
of jam, that tastes vaguely of 

67
00:03:34,900 --> 00:03:36,400
apples, but might be made from 
turnips. 

68
00:03:37,100 --> 00:03:39,500
Coffee, steams and thick, 
ceramic mugs. 

69
00:03:39,500 --> 00:03:41,400
It tastes nothing like the 
coffee. 

70
00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,700
Your mother made, but it is hot.
And contains enough caffeine to 

71
00:03:44,700 --> 00:03:47,700
sharpen your thoughts. 
You eat, sitting at long wooden 

72
00:03:47,700 --> 00:03:50,100
tables with men who have become 
familiar over the months. 

73
00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:52,400
Conversation is minimal in the 
morning. 

74
00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:56,000
Everyone focuses on eating on 
Gathering energy for the day 

75
00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,400
ahead. 
The porridge is neither good nor

76
00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,700
bad. 
It's simply is You scrape, your 

77
00:04:01,700 --> 00:04:04,000
bowl clean. 
Because food is food and waste 

78
00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,100
is unthinkable. 
After breakfast, comes the first

79
00:04:07,100 --> 00:04:10,300
inspection, you stand at 
attention beside your bunk while

80
00:04:10,300 --> 00:04:11,800
an officer walks through the 
barracks. 

81
00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,400
You checks that beds are made 
with hospital corners, that Foot

82
00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,899
Lockers are organized. 
According to regulation that 

83
00:04:17,899 --> 00:04:19,600
boots are polished to a proper 
shine. 

84
00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,600
You pass this inspection 
yesterday and the day before, 

85
00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,100
and the day before that, you 
will pass it again today. 

86
00:04:25,100 --> 00:04:28,500
The morning drill begins at 
7:00, he March, informational 

87
00:04:28,500 --> 00:04:32,000
cross the parade ground left, 
right left right, the Rhythm 

88
00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,800
becomes automatic your boots, 
hit the ground in unison with 40

89
00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,500
other pairs of boots. 
The sound Echoes of nearby 

90
00:04:38,500 --> 00:04:40,500
buildings. 
The offers are calls out 

91
00:04:40,500 --> 00:04:42,600
commands and your body responds 
before your mind. 

92
00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:46,700
Fully processes the words, turn 
left about face forward. 

93
00:04:46,700 --> 00:04:51,100
March Holt, the parade ground is
packed Earth, warned Smooth by 

94
00:04:51,100 --> 00:04:54,400
thousands of marching feet. 
Puddles, from last night's 

95
00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:57,600
Reign, reflect the gray, sky, 
you step over them or through 

96
00:04:57,600 --> 00:04:59,000
them. 
Depending on the formation 

97
00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,500
requirements. 
Your uniform absorbs. 

98
00:05:01,500 --> 00:05:05,200
The dampness from the air by the
end of drill, the wool smells 

99
00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:07,200
even more strongly of lanolin 
and sweat. 

100
00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,400
The Precision of marching 
satisfies something in you, the 

101
00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:15,900
synchronization, the unity of 
movement, 40 men, moving as one 

102
00:05:15,900 --> 00:05:18,800
organism, individual concerns 
fade. 

103
00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,700
When you march, there is only 
the Rhythm and the commands and 

104
00:05:21,700 --> 00:05:24,100
the collective motion. 
For 30 minutes. 

105
00:05:24,100 --> 00:05:26,500
Each morning, you stop being 
yourself and become part of 

106
00:05:26,500 --> 00:05:29,700
something larger after drill 
comes physical training, 

107
00:05:29,700 --> 00:05:34,100
push-ups in the cold morning, 
air sit ups on a dew damp grass 

108
00:05:34,100 --> 00:05:37,300
running laps around the 
perimeter of the camp, your 

109
00:05:37,300 --> 00:05:40,300
breath comes in white Puffs, 
your muscles complain at first 

110
00:05:40,300 --> 00:05:43,600
then settle into the work. 
The man running beside you makes

111
00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:45,800
a joke about how his mother's 
cooking, gave him better 

112
00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:47,800
endurance training than any army
exercise. 

113
00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:51,600
A few others laughing breath 
between words. 

114
00:05:52,500 --> 00:05:54,900
By 9:00 you report to your 
assignment for the day. 

115
00:05:54,900 --> 00:05:58,300
Perhaps you work in Supply, 
checking inventory and loading 

116
00:05:58,300 --> 00:06:00,500
trucks. 
Perhaps you assist in the motor 

117
00:06:00,500 --> 00:06:04,700
pool changing oil, and rotating 
tires at you sought in the 

118
00:06:04,700 --> 00:06:07,100
communications tent. 
To seeing hundreds of letters 

119
00:06:07,100 --> 00:06:09,600
addressed to other men, while 
hoping your own name will appear

120
00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:12,600
on an envelope soon. 
The work is repetitive but it 

121
00:06:12,608 --> 00:06:14,800
keeps you busy busy hands. 
Leave. 

122
00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:19,100
Less room for worried thoughts. 
lunch arrives at noon sandwiches

123
00:06:19,100 --> 00:06:21,500
made with bread that is dense 
and filling if not particularly 

124
00:06:21,500 --> 00:06:25,400
flavorful cheese, that is sharp 
and a bit crumbly and apple, if 

125
00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:28,600
the supply shipment came in 
recently, More coffee or 

126
00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:30,200
sometimes tea. 
That is strong enough to strip 

127
00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:34,100
paint or so the jokes go you eat
quickly lunch break lasts only 

128
00:06:34,100 --> 00:06:36,600
30 minutes. 
The afternoon continues with 

129
00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:38,600
more work time moves 
differently. 

130
00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,500
Here hours can feel like minutes
when you are focused on a task 

131
00:06:42,500 --> 00:06:45,400
minutes can feel like ours. 
When you're waiting for 

132
00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:47,500
something to happen, you have 
learned to exist. 

133
00:06:47,500 --> 00:06:50,300
In this strange temporal state 
where calendars matter more than

134
00:06:50,300 --> 00:06:53,500
clocks where you mark Time by 
mail, deliveries and weekend 

135
00:06:53,500 --> 00:06:55,800
passes rather than by the 
position of the sun. 

136
00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,200
Around 4 in the afternoon, a 
brief rest period, allows you to

137
00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,500
return to the barracks, some 
men, write letters, others play 

138
00:07:03,500 --> 00:07:06,800
cards, a few simply lie on their
bunks and stare at the ceiling. 

139
00:07:07,500 --> 00:07:09,300
You pull out a piece of paper 
and a pencil. 

140
00:07:09,300 --> 00:07:11,600
The paper is thin and slightly 
rough. 

141
00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,900
The pencil needs sharpening. 
You carve a fresh point with 

142
00:07:14,900 --> 00:07:16,800
your pocket knife. 
Then begin to write. 

143
00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:21,300
Dina comes at 6:00 student night
with vegetables that are 

144
00:07:21,308 --> 00:07:24,400
overcooked, but plentiful, 
potatoes, and carrots, and 

145
00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:27,500
something that might be mutton 
bread to soak up the gravy, 

146
00:07:27,500 --> 00:07:30,800
putting for Desert a dense 
steamed cake with a hint of 

147
00:07:30,808 --> 00:07:35,000
sweetness, you eat everything on
your tray, the food fuels you, 

148
00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:39,300
that is its purpose. 
Evening brings a few hours of 

149
00:07:39,300 --> 00:07:41,500
free time. 
Some men Gather in the 

150
00:07:41,508 --> 00:07:43,800
recreation tent where someone 
has set up a phonograph. 

151
00:07:44,500 --> 00:07:48,200
Music plays big band tunes, that
remind everyone of dance halls 

152
00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:51,300
and Saturday nights. 
Other men shoot pool on a table 

153
00:07:51,308 --> 00:07:55,200
with felt one Thin in spots, you
might join a card game or you 

154
00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:58,000
might simply sit and read a book
borrowed from the small Library 

155
00:07:58,000 --> 00:07:59,700
collection maintained by the 
chaplain. 

156
00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,000
The light Fades early and 
winter. 

157
00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,900
By 7:30, the darkness is 
complete. 

158
00:08:04,900 --> 00:08:07,300
The barracks are lit by Bare 
bulbs. 

159
00:08:07,300 --> 00:08:09,400
Hanging from the ceiling. 
You finish your letter. 

160
00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:13,400
The words came slowly at first 
but then poured out in a rush. 

161
00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:17,400
You write about the weather 
about the food about a funny 

162
00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,000
thing that happened during 
morning drill. 

163
00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:22,300
You do not write about the 
things that worry you, or the 

164
00:08:22,300 --> 00:08:25,200
reasons you are here. 
Those topics feel too heavy for 

165
00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:27,400
paper and ink and 9:00 the 
lights. 

166
00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:29,600
Go out. 
You lie in your bunk and listen 

167
00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:31,900
to the sound of 50. 
Men settling in for Sleep, 

168
00:08:31,900 --> 00:08:36,299
someone snores, someone else 
shifts to restlessly the 

169
00:08:36,299 --> 00:08:38,100
building, creeps as it cools in 
the night. 

170
00:08:38,100 --> 00:08:41,100
Are you think about home? 
You think about the letter? 

171
00:08:41,100 --> 00:08:43,400
You all mail tomorrow? 
You think about the letter, you 

172
00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,700
hope to receive soon. 
Sleep comes gradually pulling 

173
00:08:46,700 --> 00:08:49,200
you down into dreams, that makes
memories with wishes. 

174
00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:52,400
You're not the only one whose 
days following military, rhythms

175
00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,800
across England across North 
Africa, across the Pacific 

176
00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:59,400
Islands, millions of others, 
wait and dress, and March, and 

177
00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,700
work, and sleep in patterns 
dictated by War. 

178
00:09:03,700 --> 00:09:06,800
The sun rises over different 
Landscapes, but the routines 

179
00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:10,800
remain remarkably similar. 
Breakfast at dawn, drill and 

180
00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:14,400
work and Duty letters written in
Stolen Moments sleep. 

181
00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,900
When Darkness Falls, your wife 
wakes at 6:30 and a house that 

182
00:09:17,900 --> 00:09:19,400
feels too large without you in 
it. 

183
00:09:19,408 --> 00:09:22,800
She has turned your bedroom into
her room a space. 

184
00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:25,100
She inhabits alone except for 
the photograph of you, on the 

185
00:09:25,100 --> 00:09:28,100
nightstand. 
The photo shows you in uniform 

186
00:09:28,100 --> 00:09:32,400
smiling, slightly looking both 
confident and uncertain at the 

187
00:09:32,408 --> 00:09:35,100
same time. 
She touches the frame sometimes 

188
00:09:35,100 --> 00:09:39,800
when she passes just to brief 
contact fingers on glass a small

189
00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:41,300
ritual that makes her feel 
connected. 

190
00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,700
Her morning, begins with the 
children, your daughter is seven

191
00:09:45,700 --> 00:09:49,300
old enough to dress herself, but
still young enough to need 

192
00:09:49,300 --> 00:09:52,400
reminders. 
Your son is 4 full of energy and

193
00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:54,700
questions. 
She helps them with buttons and 

194
00:09:54,700 --> 00:09:56,900
shoelaces. 
She makes breakfast from the 

195
00:09:56,900 --> 00:10:00,200
Russians of available oatmeal. 
With a little honey toast from 

196
00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,400
bread. 
She baked yesterday milk for the

197
00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:05,200
children coffee for herself 
stretched thin with chicory. 

198
00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:09,400
The kitchen window, looks out on
a street where half the houses 

199
00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:12,900
are missing their men, the 
mailman walks by 815 every 

200
00:10:12,900 --> 00:10:15,000
morning. 
Some days, he stops at your 

201
00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:17,300
house. 
Some days, he does not, your 

202
00:10:17,300 --> 00:10:19,400
wife has learned, not to rush to
the door immediately. 

203
00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:23,300
She lets him finish his route. 
Then checks the mailbox when she

204
00:10:23,300 --> 00:10:25,600
leaves to walk. 
The children to school school 

205
00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:29,000
runs from 9 to 3. 
Your daughter goes to second 

206
00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:32,400
grade in a classroom, where the 
teacher is 60 years old brought 

207
00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:34,800
out of retirement, because the 
younger teachers are all serving

208
00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:38,300
overseas or working in 
factories, your son, attends a 

209
00:10:38,300 --> 00:10:41,200
morning Program for Young 
Children, Learning to share toys

210
00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:44,700
and follow simple instructions. 
Your wife walks them both to the

211
00:10:44,700 --> 00:10:47,400
school building, then returns 
home to face the day ahead. 

212
00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:51,300
She works part-time at the local
hospital not as a nurse. 

213
00:10:51,300 --> 00:10:54,700
But as a volunteer, rolling, 
bandages, and organizing Supply 

214
00:10:54,700 --> 00:10:58,500
closets and delivering meals to 
patients the work, helped it 

215
00:10:58,500 --> 00:11:00,000
gives her purpose Beyond The 
Waiting. 

216
00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:04,200
She sees other women there all, 
volunteers all with husbands or 

217
00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:06,300
brothers or Sons serving 
somewhere far away. 

218
00:11:06,300 --> 00:11:09,800
They talk as they work, they 
share small victories and 

219
00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:12,500
frustrations, they rarely talk 
about their fears. 

220
00:11:12,500 --> 00:11:15,300
Lunch happens at home, after her
Hospital shift. 

221
00:11:15,300 --> 00:11:20,600
She simply sandwich an Apple TV 
that she drinks while reading 

222
00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:24,000
yesterday's newspaper. 
The war news is always present, 

223
00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:27,800
always in the background of 
thought. she reads the articles,

224
00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:32,000
but skips the casualty lists You
cannot bear to see the names to 

225
00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:33,900
imagine other women receiving 
the telegram. 

226
00:11:33,900 --> 00:11:38,000
She dreads afternoons are for 
housework laundry on Monday, 

227
00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:41,300
ironing on Tuesday, grocery 
shopping on Wednesday. 

228
00:11:41,300 --> 00:11:45,700
When new ration stamps arrive, 
mending on Thursday cleaning on 

229
00:11:45,700 --> 00:11:49,600
Friday. she is organized her 
weak around, these tasks 

230
00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:54,200
structure helps routine provides
comfort in a time when so much 

231
00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:58,500
feels uncertain, She picks up 
the children at 3:00, they walk 

232
00:11:58,500 --> 00:12:00,800
home together. 
Your daughter chattering about 

233
00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:04,300
lessons and playground games, 
your son holding her hand and 

234
00:12:04,300 --> 00:12:07,700
skipping occasionally She 
listens to their stories. 

235
00:12:07,700 --> 00:12:11,100
She asks, questions, she tries 
to give them a sense of 

236
00:12:11,100 --> 00:12:13,600
normalcy, even though nothing 
feels particularly normal 

237
00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:15,900
anymore. 
Dinner requires planning and 

238
00:12:15,900 --> 00:12:19,900
creativity meters rationed. 
So she cooks it only twice a 

239
00:12:19,900 --> 00:12:22,200
week. 
Other nights bring casseroles 

240
00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:24,000
made with vegetables from the 
victory garden. 

241
00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:28,000
She planted in the backyard 
noodles with cheese being with 

242
00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,800
ham hock for flavoring fried 
potatoes with onions. 

243
00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:34,700
Cornbread, when she has enough 
cornmeal saved up the children 

244
00:12:34,700 --> 00:12:38,000
eat without complaint, they have
never known abundance so they do

245
00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:41,900
not miss it evening. 
Is when she misses you most This

246
00:12:41,900 --> 00:12:44,400
was your time together. 
After the children went to bed, 

247
00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:46,600
when you would sit and talk 
about your days. 

248
00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:51,200
Now she sits alone with a book 
or a piece of mending, the radio

249
00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,300
plays in the background. 
She listens to news programs, 

250
00:12:54,300 --> 00:12:57,200
and variety shows. 
Sometimes, a comedian says 

251
00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,200
something that makes her laugh 
and for a moment, she forgets to

252
00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:02,700
feel lonely. 
She writes to you twice a week 

253
00:13:02,700 --> 00:13:05,800
on Wednesday and Sunday. 
Evenings the letters are long 

254
00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,600
filled with details about the 
children and the house and the 

255
00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:10,800
neighborhood. 
She writes about the victory 

256
00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:12,500
garden and the hospital 
volunteers. 

257
00:13:12,500 --> 00:13:14,600
And the funny thing your 
daughter said at breakfast. 

258
00:13:15,500 --> 00:13:18,000
She does not write about the 
empty chair at the dinner table 

259
00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:21,200
all the way she reaches for you 
in her sleep and finds only cold

260
00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:23,700
sheets. 
Bedtime comes at 10. 

261
00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:27,500
She checks on the children. 
Tucking blankets and moving 

262
00:13:27,500 --> 00:13:29,300
stuffed animals back into small 
arms. 

263
00:13:29,300 --> 00:13:31,900
She locks the doors and turns 
off the lights. 

264
00:13:32,700 --> 00:13:35,600
She climbs into bed alone and 
reads for a while words, 

265
00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:37,800
blurring slightly as exhaustion 
sets in. 

266
00:13:38,900 --> 00:13:42,100
The book is a mystery novel, 
something to occupy her mind 

267
00:13:42,100 --> 00:13:43,700
with problems that have 
Solutions. 

268
00:13:43,700 --> 00:13:47,400
Real life feels too complicated 
for such neat resolutions. 

269
00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:50,800
She falls asleep thinking about 
your last letter, the one that 

270
00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:53,900
arrived three days ago you wrote
about the weather and the food 

271
00:13:53,900 --> 00:13:57,000
and a card game you won. 
You did not write about danger 

272
00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,300
or fear. 
She understands what you were 

273
00:13:59,300 --> 00:14:02,700
doing your protecting her from 
worry, she wishes, she could 

274
00:14:02,700 --> 00:14:05,600
protect you the same way, 
sending letters that carry 

275
00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:09,600
Comfort instead of longing. 
Letters of the bridges that span

276
00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:13,300
the distance between you. 
They arrive irregularly bunched 

277
00:14:13,300 --> 00:14:15,800
together in handfuls or absent 
for weeks at a time. 

278
00:14:16,700 --> 00:14:19,400
The military postal system, 
works with remarkable efficiency

279
00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,600
given the circumstances, but it 
is still subject to weather 

280
00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,400
delays, routing confusions. 
And the general chaos of moving 

281
00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:29,400
mail, across War zones, you 
receive a stack of letters. 

282
00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:32,900
One Tuesday afternoon, 6 
envelopes, all at once sent over

283
00:14:32,900 --> 00:14:35,900
the span of three weeks. 
You recognize, your wife's 

284
00:14:35,900 --> 00:14:39,100
handwriting immediately, the 
sight of those familiar, loops 

285
00:14:39,100 --> 00:14:43,800
and Slants, make something tight
in your chest, and slightly, You

286
00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:47,200
carry the letter to a quiet 
corner of the barracks, you open

287
00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,000
them in chronological order. 
Based on the dates, you wrote in

288
00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:53,300
the upper right corner. 
Her words, paint pictures of 

289
00:14:53,300 --> 00:14:55,100
home. 
She tells you about your 

290
00:14:55,100 --> 00:14:58,200
daughter, losing her first, 
tooth other little girl, put it 

291
00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,700
under her pillow and was 
thrilled to find a penny there 

292
00:15:00,700 --> 00:15:03,000
in the morning. 
She describes your sons 

293
00:15:03,008 --> 00:15:06,100
obsession with trucks how he 
pushes his toy vehicles around 

294
00:15:06,100 --> 00:15:08,000
the kitchen floor making engine 
noises. 

295
00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,900
She mentions the neighbor's cat 
that has started. 

296
00:15:10,900 --> 00:15:14,600
Visiting your back porch, how 
she feeds it scraps and it purrs

297
00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:16,100
loud enough to wake the whole 
house. 

298
00:15:16,100 --> 00:15:20,000
She writes about practical 
matters too, the roof leaked 

299
00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:22,200
during the last storm and she 
called the handyman who patched 

300
00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:24,300
it. 
Temporarily the victory garden 

301
00:15:24,300 --> 00:15:28,300
is producing tomatoes and beans.
She canned 20 jars of tomatoes 

302
00:15:28,300 --> 00:15:30,700
for winter. 
The car needs new tires, but 

303
00:15:30,700 --> 00:15:32,900
tires are hard to come by. 
So she walks most places. 

304
00:15:32,900 --> 00:15:37,100
Now the children are healthy, 
the bills are paid everything at

305
00:15:37,100 --> 00:15:40,500
home is running, as smoothly as 
can be expected between the 

306
00:15:40,500 --> 00:15:41,700
lines, you read what? 
She does. 

307
00:15:41,700 --> 00:15:44,800
Not say directly, she is 
managing alone, but it is not 

308
00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:46,800
easy, she strong, but she is 
tired. 

309
00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,900
She misses you with an ache. 
That cannot be fully expressed 

310
00:15:49,900 --> 00:15:52,800
in words, suitable for letters. 
That might be read by military 

311
00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,400
sense. 
As you understand, this unspoken

312
00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:57,600
language years of marriage 
taught. 

313
00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:01,100
You to read her moods to hear 
what she means, rather than just

314
00:16:01,100 --> 00:16:03,400
what she says. 
You right back that same 

315
00:16:03,408 --> 00:16:05,200
evening. 
You tell her about the endless 

316
00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:07,700
drills and the food that is 
filling if not delicious. 

317
00:16:07,700 --> 00:16:11,000
You describe the British 
Countryside the hedgerows and 

318
00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,500
stonewalls and sheep, dotting 
Green Hills. 

319
00:16:13,500 --> 00:16:16,600
You mention a pub where some of 
the men went on their last past,

320
00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:19,600
how the locals were friendly and
the beer was warm in a way that 

321
00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:22,500
took some getting used to. 
You write about missing her 

322
00:16:22,500 --> 00:16:25,000
about thinking of her and the 
children every day. 

323
00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:28,000
What you do not write fills more
space than what you do. 

324
00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:31,400
You do not mention the anxiety 
that keeps you awake some 

325
00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:33,400
nights. 
You do not describe the way. 

326
00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:36,800
Fear tastes metallic and sharp 
at the back of your throat. 

327
00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,500
You do not tell her about the 
man in your unit who got a 

328
00:16:39,500 --> 00:16:43,000
telegram last week, how his face
went pale and empty and stayed 

329
00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:45,800
that way for hours. 
You protect her from these 

330
00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:49,200
truths because that is what you 
can do from this distance, other

331
00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:51,600
men in the barracks right to 
girlfriends to parents to 

332
00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,300
siblings. 
Summarize daily others. 

333
00:16:54,300 --> 00:16:55,800
Compose long letters wants a 
week. 

334
00:16:56,700 --> 00:16:59,000
A few men never receive mail and
never write any. 

335
00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:02,500
They keep to themselves as if 
cutting off connection might 

336
00:17:02,500 --> 00:17:04,200
make the separation easier to 
bear. 

337
00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,099
You wonder if they are right, 
but you cannot bring yourself to

338
00:17:07,099 --> 00:17:10,500
stop writing. 
The man in the bunk next to 

339
00:17:10,500 --> 00:17:12,099
yours receives a letter from his
mother. 

340
00:17:12,099 --> 00:17:16,500
Every single week she writes on 
Blue stationary and elaborate 

341
00:17:16,500 --> 00:17:20,400
cursive The letters are full of 
neighborhood gossip and family 

342
00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:22,700
news. 
His younger sister got engaged. 

343
00:17:22,700 --> 00:17:25,500
His father's hardware store is 
doing good business. 

344
00:17:25,500 --> 00:17:29,100
The church had a bake sale that 
raised money for the war effort,

345
00:17:29,100 --> 00:17:32,400
he reads these letters allowed 
sometimes laughing at his 

346
00:17:32,408 --> 00:17:35,700
mother's descriptions of events 
that seem absurdly normal, given

347
00:17:35,700 --> 00:17:39,100
the circumstances Another 
Soldier writes to his sweet 

348
00:17:39,100 --> 00:17:41,700
heart a girl. 
He met at a dance, three months 

349
00:17:41,700 --> 00:17:44,600
before shipping out. 
Their romance is new and 

350
00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:46,900
uncertain, built on a handful of
dates. 

351
00:17:46,900 --> 00:17:50,300
And now, maintained through 
words on paper, he labors over 

352
00:17:50,300 --> 00:17:53,100
every sentence Crossing out 
phrases and starting. 

353
00:17:53,100 --> 00:17:56,400
Again, you wants to see mature 
and confident, but not too 

354
00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:59,200
distant. 
He wants to wait for him but 

355
00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:00,600
does not want to demand that 
commitment. 

356
00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,900
Love is complicated enough 
without adding thousands of 

357
00:18:03,900 --> 00:18:07,100
miles to the equation. 
Male call happens twice a week 

358
00:18:07,100 --> 00:18:09,100
on Tuesday and Friday 
afternoon's. 

359
00:18:09,900 --> 00:18:12,400
Sergeant distributes letters and
packages in the mess hall. 

360
00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:15,600
He calls out names and Men come 
forward to claim their mail. 

361
00:18:16,500 --> 00:18:18,300
The ritual takes on ceremonial 
weight. 

362
00:18:18,300 --> 00:18:21,400
Getting mail means someone is 
thinking about you. 

363
00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,600
It means you're not forgotten. 
It means life continues. 

364
00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:26,600
Back home. 
That there is a future waiting 

365
00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:30,100
Beyond this present moment. 
Packages arrived less frequently

366
00:18:30,100 --> 00:18:33,500
but create more excitement, your
wife sent one last month. 

367
00:18:33,500 --> 00:18:36,800
A box filled with cookies, she 
baked and wrapped carefully and 

368
00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:39,800
waxed paper. 
Chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal 

369
00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:42,500
raisin cookies. 
Peanut butter cookies, pressed 

370
00:18:42,500 --> 00:18:45,700
flat, with fork tines. 
They arrived slightly crumbled 

371
00:18:45,700 --> 00:18:48,300
but still delicious. 
You shared them with your unit 

372
00:18:48,300 --> 00:18:49,900
passing the package around after
dinner. 

373
00:18:49,900 --> 00:18:53,500
The sweetness tasted like home. 
She also tucked in a small 

374
00:18:53,500 --> 00:18:56,000
photograph. 
Your daughter and son sitting on

375
00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:57,800
the front steps squinting into 
the sun. 

376
00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:01,000
Both grinning widely, the photo 
is black and white. 

377
00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:03,200
But you know your daughter's 
dress was yellow and your son 

378
00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,300
was favorite red shirt. 
You keep this photo in your 

379
00:19:06,300 --> 00:19:09,300
breast pocket, pulling it out. 
Occasionally to remind yourself,

380
00:19:09,300 --> 00:19:12,800
why you are here and what you 
are working to protecting 

381
00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:16,500
letters, requires finding time, 
and space and privacy in a life 

382
00:19:16,500 --> 00:19:19,600
that offers little of any of 
those things you write during 

383
00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:22,600
breaks in the evening. 
Free hours on Sunday 

384
00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,300
afternoon's. 
When duty is a lighter, you 

385
00:19:25,300 --> 00:19:28,000
write on whatever paper is 
available standard military 

386
00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:29,600
issue. 
Stationary when the supply is 

387
00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:34,000
good scraps of brown paper when 
supplies run low, once you wrote

388
00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,200
on the back of a supply 
requisition form because it was 

389
00:19:36,208 --> 00:19:40,800
the only paper you had and you 
needed to get words down The act

390
00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:42,800
of writing creates a strange 
intimacy. 

391
00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:46,200
You sit in a crowded Barracks 
surrounded by noise and activity

392
00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:49,800
but when pen touches paper 
everything else Fades slightly 

393
00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:54,600
you enter a mental space. 
That is quieter more focused the

394
00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:56,700
words flow from mine to hand a 
page. 

395
00:19:56,700 --> 00:20:00,000
Each sentence carries a piece of
your heart across the distance. 

396
00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:03,800
Some men write with perfect, 
penmanship, careful letters that

397
00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:07,200
march across the page. 
In orderly rows, others scroll 

398
00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:11,100
hastily words, barely legible in
their rush to express everything

399
00:20:11,100 --> 00:20:15,600
they feel Your writing for 
somewhere between these extremes

400
00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:20,200
neat enough to be readily rushed
enough to convey urgency and 

401
00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:23,400
emotion the letters, you send 
and the letters you receive 

402
00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:26,400
create a conversation that 
unfolds slowly across time and 

403
00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:29,500
distance. 
She tells you something your 

404
00:20:29,500 --> 00:20:32,500
response, three weeks later, she
answers your response a month 

405
00:20:32,500 --> 00:20:35,400
after that. 
The delays are frustrating but 

406
00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:38,900
also oddly fitting. 
Life itself has slowed down 

407
00:20:38,900 --> 00:20:41,100
everything important takes 
longer. 

408
00:20:41,100 --> 00:20:44,700
Now patients becomes a skill. 
You develop alongside military 

409
00:20:44,700 --> 00:20:48,900
competencies like marching in 
formation and field, stripping a

410
00:20:48,900 --> 00:20:51,300
rifle. 
Some letters, never arrived. 

411
00:20:51,300 --> 00:20:54,400
You mentioned something in one 
letter that she never references

412
00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:56,900
in her replies. 
She asked questions about 

413
00:20:56,900 --> 00:20:59,800
topics, you never raised the 
Lost letters exist. 

414
00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:03,200
In a strange limbo words that 
were written and sent but never 

415
00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:05,400
delivered. 
You imagine them floating in 

416
00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:08,600
military mailbag, somewhere 
waiting in sorting facilities 

417
00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:10,400
sitting in some postal Clerks 
Office. 

418
00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,400
You hope they eventually find 
their destinations. 

419
00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:15,800
Even if the information, they 
contain is outdated. 

420
00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:19,200
By the time they arrived. 
Your wife stays follow, patterns

421
00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:21,800
shaped by rationing and 
volunteering and the constant 

422
00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:23,800
effort to maintain normal life 
for the children. 

423
00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:28,200
The war exists everywhere, but 
not always, in obvious ways, it 

424
00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:31,100
appears in the ration book. 
She carries When shopping in the

425
00:21:31,100 --> 00:21:33,500
victory garden. 
She tends in the scrap metal 

426
00:21:33,500 --> 00:21:37,100
drives and bond rallies and 
blackout curtains, grocery 

427
00:21:37,100 --> 00:21:40,400
shopping, requires strategy, and
patience she arrives at the 

428
00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:42,100
market early on Wednesday 
mornings. 

429
00:21:42,100 --> 00:21:45,600
When fresh shipments, come in 
the shelves, hold less variety, 

430
00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:47,900
than before the war sugar is 
severely. 

431
00:21:47,900 --> 00:21:52,800
Rationed butter is Pressure meat
requires both rational stamps 

432
00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:55,400
and luck. 
She has learned to plan meals 

433
00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,500
around, what is available rather
than, what she craves, the 

434
00:21:58,500 --> 00:22:01,700
market has changed, its 
character during wartime items 

435
00:22:01,700 --> 00:22:03,200
that were once abundant now 
appear. 

436
00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:07,100
Sporadically, she's learned to 
recognize the patterns, canned, 

437
00:22:07,100 --> 00:22:09,800
goods arrive on Mondays. 
Fresh produce comes in 

438
00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:14,100
Wednesdays and Saturdays meters 
unpredictable dependent on local

439
00:22:14,100 --> 00:22:17,100
farms and military supply needs.
She adjusts her shopping 

440
00:22:17,100 --> 00:22:19,600
accordingly. 
Other Shoppers have become 

441
00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,900
familiar faces the same women 
appear on the same days. 

442
00:22:22,900 --> 00:22:26,900
All hunting for the same scarce 
resources, The Exchange 

443
00:22:26,900 --> 00:22:31,000
information, quietly, the dairy 
got butter yesterday, the grocer

444
00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:33,900
expects potatoes, tomorrow, they
help each other navigate 

445
00:22:33,900 --> 00:22:37,100
scarcity, sharing knowledge, 
that makes survival slightly 

446
00:22:37,100 --> 00:22:39,300
easier. 
The butcher knows her by name. 

447
00:22:39,300 --> 00:22:42,700
Now, he saves her a decent cut 
when he can remembering that her

448
00:22:42,700 --> 00:22:45,800
husband is overseas. 
She does not ask for special 

449
00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:49,200
treatment but accept it when 
offered other women in line do 

450
00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:51,800
the same. 
There is an unspoken hierarchy 

451
00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,900
in Wartime shopping women with 
men in service, get subtle 

452
00:22:54,900 --> 00:22:58,700
preference women with stars in 
their Windows indicating Sons or

453
00:22:58,700 --> 00:23:01,500
husbands killed in action. 
Get whatever they want without 

454
00:23:01,500 --> 00:23:04,200
question. 
He shops with other women from 

455
00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:06,600
the neighborhood. 
They pull their rationale stamp 

456
00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:10,300
sometimes, combining resources 
to buy items, none of them could

457
00:23:10,300 --> 00:23:13,600
afford individually. they share 
recipes that stretching 

458
00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:17,400
ingredients, meatless meatloaf 
made with oats and eggs mock 

459
00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:19,500
apple pie made with crackers 
when apples are on of 

460
00:23:19,508 --> 00:23:23,000
unavailable, Butter extenders 
that mixed margarine with milk. 

461
00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:26,100
The recipes are practical and 
sometimes surprisingly good. 

462
00:23:26,100 --> 00:23:29,900
The victory garden takes up most
of the backyard now, she planted

463
00:23:29,900 --> 00:23:34,100
Tomatoes, beans, lettuce, 
carrots, onions, and squash the 

464
00:23:34,100 --> 00:23:36,800
children help with weeding and 
Watering your son. 

465
00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:39,800
Like pulling carrots marveling 
at the orange vegetables that 

466
00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:43,000
emerge from brown dirt. 
Your daughter, prefers picking 

467
00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:46,000
tomatoes, choosing the reddest 
ones with careful consideration.

468
00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,300
The garden connector to 
something ancient and 

469
00:23:49,300 --> 00:23:53,700
fundamental planting seeds. 
Tending growth harvesting food. 

470
00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,200
These acts have sustained 
Humanity for thousands of years.

471
00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:01,300
She finds comfort in this 
continuity was come and go. 

472
00:24:01,300 --> 00:24:03,500
But people still dig in the 
earth and Coke's. 

473
00:24:03,500 --> 00:24:06,600
Life from soil. 
She learns through trial and 

474
00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:09,700
error. 
Some plants, Thrive, others 

475
00:24:09,700 --> 00:24:11,800
struggle. 
But Tomatoes produce abundantly,

476
00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:13,500
the lettuce bolts in hot 
weather. 

477
00:24:13,500 --> 00:24:17,900
The beans climb their poles with
determined vigor, She adapts her

478
00:24:17,900 --> 00:24:21,400
planting strategy each season 
learning which varieties grow 

479
00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:23,100
best in her particular patch of 
ground. 

480
00:24:23,100 --> 00:24:27,400
Weeding becomes meditative she 
kneels in the dirt on Saturday 

481
00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:29,900
mornings. 
Pulling on wanted plants from 

482
00:24:29,900 --> 00:24:32,900
between the vegetables. 
The work occupies her hands 

483
00:24:32,900 --> 00:24:35,700
while her mind wanders, she 
thinks about you. 

484
00:24:35,700 --> 00:24:39,400
She plans that weaker head. 
She remembers Summers Before the

485
00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:40,900
War. 
When the garden was smaller and 

486
00:24:40,900 --> 00:24:42,100
you did most of the heavy 
digging. 

487
00:24:42,900 --> 00:24:45,600
The children treat the garden as
both workplace and playground. 

488
00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:47,900
They water with the hose on hot 
days. 

489
00:24:47,900 --> 00:24:50,700
Sometimes, spraying each other 
and dissolving into Giggles, 

490
00:24:50,700 --> 00:24:54,500
they hunt for right, vegetables?
Like treasure Seekers calling 

491
00:24:54,500 --> 00:24:57,400
out, discoveries with pride. 
The garden gives them 

492
00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:01,500
responsibility and joy in equal 
measure. cans and preserves 

493
00:25:01,500 --> 00:25:04,200
everything, the garden produces 
Tomatoes. 

494
00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:06,400
Go into mason jars. 
Lined up on the basement 

495
00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,000
shelves. 
Beans are blanched and Frozen in

496
00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:11,900
the small ice box space. 
You can spare cucumbers. 

497
00:25:11,900 --> 00:25:14,700
Become pickles in a brine recipe
passed down from her 

498
00:25:14,700 --> 00:25:17,400
grandmother. 
The work is hot and messy but 

499
00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:21,500
satisfying each jar represents 
food for winter security against

500
00:25:21,500 --> 00:25:24,400
uncertainty. 
Volunteer work fills several 

501
00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:27,500
afternoons a week at the 
hospital, she rolls bandages 

502
00:25:27,500 --> 00:25:30,000
with other women in a bright 
room that smells of cotton and 

503
00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,700
antiseptic. 
The work is repetitive and 

504
00:25:32,700 --> 00:25:36,100
meditative hands move in 
automatic motion while Minds 

505
00:25:36,100 --> 00:25:38,000
wander or engaging quiet 
conversation. 

506
00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:41,800
The women talk about their 
children, their jobs their hopes

507
00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:44,200
for after the war. 
They rarely talk about their 

508
00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:48,500
fears She also volunteers at the
Uso canteen on Friday evening's.

509
00:25:48,500 --> 00:25:51,900
She serves coffee and donuts to 
soldiers passing through town on

510
00:25:51,900 --> 00:25:54,900
their way to Ports of 
embarkation, the young man and 

511
00:25:54,900 --> 00:25:57,000
nervous and excited trying to 
appear Brave. 

512
00:25:57,700 --> 00:26:00,600
She treats them all, like the 
sons of friends, she asks, where

513
00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:02,800
they are from, she listens to 
this stories. 

514
00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:06,600
She waves goodbye when they 
board buses, hoping someone will

515
00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:08,500
show the same kindness to you 
wherever you are. 

516
00:26:09,700 --> 00:26:13,400
The neighborhood has changed in 
subtle ways, half the houses a 

517
00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:16,200
missing their men women have 
taken over tasks previously. 

518
00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:19,200
Done by husbands. 
They mow Lawns and paint fences,

519
00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:22,000
and fix leaky forces. 
They help each other with the 

520
00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:25,400
heavy work, forming teams to 
tackle projects to Big for one 

521
00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:28,500
person alone Community has 
deepened through shared 

522
00:26:28,500 --> 00:26:31,300
necessity. 
Some houses have stars in their 

523
00:26:31,300 --> 00:26:36,000
Windows gold stars for men who 
will not come home blue stars 

524
00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:39,200
for men, still serving. 
Your house has a blue star 

525
00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:42,500
carefully, placed in the front 
window, where anyone passing by 

526
00:26:42,500 --> 00:26:44,800
can see it. 
Your daughter asks about the 

527
00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:47,900
star, sometimes you explained 
before you left that it 

528
00:26:47,900 --> 00:26:51,300
represents daddy being away. 
She understands in the way 

529
00:26:51,300 --> 00:26:54,300
children, understand 
complicated, things accepting 

530
00:26:54,300 --> 00:26:57,100
the explanation without fully 
grasping all its implications 

531
00:26:57,100 --> 00:27:01,700
evening air raid drills happen 
monthly the sirens wail and 

532
00:27:01,708 --> 00:27:05,200
everyone must turn off lights 
close blackout curtains and wait

533
00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:07,200
in darkness until the all clear 
sound. 

534
00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:11,300
The drills are precautionary. 
Enemy planes of never appeared 

535
00:27:11,300 --> 00:27:14,200
over your town. 
But the possibility exists in 

536
00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:17,000
theory. 
So everyone practices, your wife

537
00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:19,700
sits in the dark living room, 
with the children telling them 

538
00:27:19,700 --> 00:27:23,200
stories to keep them calm, the 
drills only last 20 minutes but 

539
00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:27,000
they feel longer She attends 
Bond rallies and scrap drives. 

540
00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:30,700
She contributes what she can old
pots and pans for the metal 

541
00:27:30,700 --> 00:27:32,800
Drive. 
Warned tires for the rubber 

542
00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:35,500
collection. 
She buys war bonds with small 

543
00:27:35,500 --> 00:27:37,200
amounts saved from the household
budget. 

544
00:27:38,100 --> 00:27:41,400
Every purchase feels like 
participation, like contributing

545
00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:45,100
to your safety and eventual 
return, the axis small, but they

546
00:27:45,108 --> 00:27:48,200
provide a sense of agency in a 
situation where she has very 

547
00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:51,200
little control. 
The radio becomes Central to 

548
00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:53,700
home life. 
She listens to news programs 

549
00:27:53,700 --> 00:27:56,600
every evening tracking, the 
progress of the war through 

550
00:27:56,600 --> 00:27:59,100
reports that are carefully 
worded to maintain morale. 

551
00:27:59,100 --> 00:28:02,300
While conveying facts, she 
listens to variety shows for 

552
00:28:02,300 --> 00:28:05,900
entertainment comedians, tell 
jokes musicians, perform 

553
00:28:05,900 --> 00:28:09,500
dramatic programs present 
stories with clear heroes and 

554
00:28:09,500 --> 00:28:12,200
villains. 
The radio connector to a larger 

555
00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:14,100
World. 
Beyond her immediate concerns, 

556
00:28:14,100 --> 00:28:17,600
your children adapt to wartime 
childhood your daughter. 

557
00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:20,100
Collects scrap paper at school 
for recycling drives. 

558
00:28:20,100 --> 00:28:23,100
She comes home, proud of filling
an entire box. 

559
00:28:23,100 --> 00:28:26,900
Your son plays war games with 
his toy soldiers, recreating 

560
00:28:26,900 --> 00:28:29,300
battles, he knows nothing about 
acting out. 

561
00:28:29,300 --> 00:28:32,800
Scenarios drawn from overheard 
adult conversations and newsreel

562
00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:35,200
images. 
The game's worry or wife 

563
00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:36,700
slightly but she does not stop 
them. 

564
00:28:36,700 --> 00:28:39,100
This is the world. 
He is growing up in. 

565
00:28:39,100 --> 00:28:41,500
She teaches the children to pray
every night. 

566
00:28:42,300 --> 00:28:44,300
They'll beside their beds and 
fold their hands. 

567
00:28:44,300 --> 00:28:47,800
She guides them through short 
prayers, asking for safety and 

568
00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:50,100
peace. 
It pray for Daddy to come home 

569
00:28:50,100 --> 00:28:52,100
soon. 
They pray for all the soldiers 

570
00:28:52,100 --> 00:28:55,500
fighting far away. 
The prayer is a simple and 

571
00:28:55,500 --> 00:28:57,500
sincere. 
She's not particularly 

572
00:28:57,500 --> 00:29:00,600
religious, but finds comfort in 
the ritual in the act of 

573
00:29:00,608 --> 00:29:03,800
speaking hopes allowed. 
As if speaking might make more 

574
00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:07,800
likely to come true. 
Time moves strangely during war 

575
00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:10,800
days pass slowly, but months 
vanish quickly. 

576
00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:12,500
You have been gone for eight 
months. 

577
00:29:12,500 --> 00:29:15,400
Now though it feels both longer 
and shorter than that span 

578
00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:18,200
suggests. 
Some are turned to fall full 

579
00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:21,400
surrender to Winter the seasons 
change, but your situation 

580
00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:25,200
remains essentially the same 
awaken drill and work and sleep.

581
00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:27,500
You write letters and wait for 
replies. 

582
00:29:27,500 --> 00:29:31,100
You exist in a state of 
suspension life, on hold until 

583
00:29:31,100 --> 00:29:35,300
some undefined future moment. 
Winter in England is damp and 

584
00:29:35,300 --> 00:29:36,900
cold in a way that seeps into 
Bones. 

585
00:29:36,900 --> 00:29:40,800
The barracks are heated, but 
never truly warm, you sleep in 

586
00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:44,000
multiple layers, you wake to 
frost patterns on the Windows 

587
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:46,800
morning. 
Drill happens in darkness, your 

588
00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:50,100
breath visible in the air. 
Your fingers numb inside gloves 

589
00:29:50,100 --> 00:29:53,200
that not quite thick enough. 
You receive a package from home 

590
00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:56,500
in, December Christmas gifts, 
sent early to ensure arrival, 

591
00:29:56,500 --> 00:30:00,000
your wife, packed them 
carefully, a wolf scarf, she 

592
00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:03,200
knitted in your favorite color, 
a tin of homemade fudge. 

593
00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:06,700
A small photo album containing 
pictures of the children from 

594
00:30:06,700 --> 00:30:10,100
the past few months. 
A letter tucked inside, explains

595
00:30:10,100 --> 00:30:13,700
each photo, your daughter's 
school, play, your son's, fourth

596
00:30:13,700 --> 00:30:16,800
birthday party. 
A family picnic at the park 

597
00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:18,500
before, Autumn weather turned 
cold. 

598
00:30:18,500 --> 00:30:20,800
You look at the photos for a 
long time. 

599
00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:24,600
Your daughter looks taller, her 
face losing some of its baby 

600
00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:26,700
roundness. 
Your son's hair has gotten 

601
00:30:26,708 --> 00:30:30,600
lighter, bleached by Summer Sun,
they're growing up with you 

602
00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:32,100
there to witness the daily 
changes. 

603
00:30:32,100 --> 00:30:35,800
You miss them with an intensity,
that is almost physical a Halo 

604
00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:37,900
ache in your chest that never 
quite goes away. 

605
00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:41,800
Christmas in the barracks is 
both festive and Melancholy. 

606
00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:44,700
Someone decorates a small tree 
with paper ornaments, and 

607
00:30:44,700 --> 00:30:48,500
string, the mess hall. 
Serves a special meal turkey 

608
00:30:48,500 --> 00:30:52,300
instead of the usual stew, 
mashed potatoes, with real gravy

609
00:30:52,300 --> 00:30:56,800
pie for dessert, The food is 
better than normal but eating it

610
00:30:56,800 --> 00:31:00,300
makes everyone slightly sad. 
Thinking about Christmases at 

611
00:31:00,300 --> 00:31:02,100
home with family gathered around
tables. 

612
00:31:02,100 --> 00:31:05,100
Some men receive packages. 
Filled with treats from home 

613
00:31:05,100 --> 00:31:08,600
Cookie's and candy and fruit 
cake, dense with nuts and fruit.

614
00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:12,000
Everything gets shared, you can 
contribute your fudge to the 

615
00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:14,700
communal pile, other men at 
their contributions. 

616
00:31:14,700 --> 00:31:18,200
By the end of the day, everyone 
has tasted a variety of homemade

617
00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:20,400
sweets. 
Each flavor carrying memories of

618
00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:22,000
different kitchens in different 
towns. 

619
00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:26,000
Across America evening. 
Brings caroling men Gather in 

620
00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:29,300
the barracks and sing Christmas 
songs, slightly off-key Silent 

621
00:31:29,300 --> 00:31:31,900
Night and Oh, Come All Ye 
Faithful and white Christmas. 

622
00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:36,700
The music is rough but heartfelt
you join in your voice blending 

623
00:31:36,700 --> 00:31:40,000
with dozens of others. 
Singing together creates a sense

624
00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:43,200
of connection, a brief reminder 
that you are not alone, even 

625
00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:46,100
though you are far from home, 
your wife, spends Christmas with

626
00:31:46,100 --> 00:31:49,100
the children, she tries to make 
the day special despite your 

627
00:31:49,100 --> 00:31:52,600
absence, she cooks a modest meal
with a small chicken in a 

628
00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:55,800
turkey, she gives the children 
gifts she made or bought with 

629
00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:58,100
saved money a doll for your 
daughter. 

630
00:31:58,100 --> 00:32:01,900
A toy truck for your son. 
They seem happy with these 

631
00:32:01,900 --> 00:32:04,400
simple offerings. 
Children are adaptable. 

632
00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:07,000
They find joy. 
And what is available rather 

633
00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:08,200
than morning. 
What is missing? 

634
00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:11,700
She hangs stockings on the 
mantle in the morning the 

635
00:32:11,700 --> 00:32:13,500
children find oranges in the 
toes. 

636
00:32:13,500 --> 00:32:17,500
A rare treat giving Citrus 
rationing Small candies filled, 

637
00:32:17,500 --> 00:32:20,200
the rest of each stocking, along
with pencils and hair ribbons, 

638
00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:23,000
and other practical items to 
gifts. 

639
00:32:23,500 --> 00:32:26,100
Your wife watches, the children 
open their stockings and feels 

640
00:32:26,100 --> 00:32:29,700
both grateful and sad grateful 
that they are healthy and safe 

641
00:32:29,700 --> 00:32:32,200
sad that you're not here to see 
their excitement. 

642
00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:36,600
The house smells of cinnamon and
cloves she made spice cookies, 

643
00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:39,900
using hoarding ingredients. 
The scent fills rooms with 

644
00:32:39,900 --> 00:32:42,900
memory and warmth. 
She remembers other Christmases,

645
00:32:42,900 --> 00:32:46,300
the tree you cut together two 
years ago, the year your 

646
00:32:46,300 --> 00:32:50,100
daughter was born and everything
and miraculous time layers upon 

647
00:32:50,100 --> 00:32:52,400
time. 
This Christmas is difficult but 

648
00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:55,500
it is still Christmas. 
She takes a photograph of the 

649
00:32:55,508 --> 00:32:58,600
children beside the tree. 
They pose in their good clothes 

650
00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:01,400
smiling for the camera, she will
send this photo to you. 

651
00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:04,900
You will see how much they have 
grown, you will see the tree 

652
00:33:04,900 --> 00:33:08,000
decorated with paper chains. 
They made, you will see home 

653
00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:09,900
captured in a single Frozen 
moment. 

654
00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:15,000
Evening brings quiet reflection.
After the children sleep. 

655
00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:18,600
She sits in the living room with
a cup of tea, the tree lights 

656
00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:22,300
glow, softly outside snowfalls 
in silent abundance. 

657
00:33:22,300 --> 00:33:24,900
She thinks about you spending 
Christmas in a military 

658
00:33:24,900 --> 00:33:28,200
Barracks, far away, she hopes 
you a warm and safe and thinking

659
00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:31,500
of her, too. 
January arrives, cold and gray 

660
00:33:31,500 --> 00:33:33,900
the new year. 
Brings no immediate changes. 

661
00:33:33,900 --> 00:33:37,400
You can continue your routine, 
she continues, hers. 

662
00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:41,300
Let us still take weeks to 
arrive news from the warfront is

663
00:33:41,300 --> 00:33:44,900
cautiously optimistic but offers
no firm time line for when 

664
00:33:44,900 --> 00:33:47,600
anyone might come home. 
You both settle in to 

665
00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:49,300
acceptance. 
This is life. 

666
00:33:49,300 --> 00:33:52,200
Now you exist in it rather than 
fighting against it. 

667
00:33:53,100 --> 00:33:55,700
Your wife takes a part-time job 
at a factory that makes 

668
00:33:55,700 --> 00:33:58,600
parachutes. 
The work is monotonous, but pays

669
00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:02,800
better than volunteering. 
She sows seems on huge expanses 

670
00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:06,000
of fabric, the machine humming 
steadily for eight hours. 

671
00:34:06,900 --> 00:34:10,000
Other women work beside her all 
of them with similar stories. 

672
00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:14,900
Husbands overseas children at 
home, bills to pay lives to 

673
00:34:14,900 --> 00:34:16,500
maintain during years of 
suspension. 

674
00:34:18,100 --> 00:34:19,000
Three. 
Women become her. 

675
00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:22,500
Closest friends, they eat lunch 
together, sharing sandwiches and

676
00:34:22,500 --> 00:34:24,199
complaints and small 
confidences. 

677
00:34:24,199 --> 00:34:27,699
They watch out for each other. 
When one woman gets sick, the 

678
00:34:27,699 --> 00:34:30,800
others cover her quota. 
When another woman receives bad 

679
00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,800
news, they take her home and sit
with her until the worst of the 

680
00:34:33,800 --> 00:34:37,100
shock passes. 
War creates communities Bound by

681
00:34:37,100 --> 00:34:40,100
shared experience. 
She works morning shifts so she 

682
00:34:40,100 --> 00:34:41,800
can still pick up the children 
from school. 

683
00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:45,699
The schedule is exhausting. 
She wakes at 5 to be at the 

684
00:34:45,699 --> 00:34:48,100
factory by six, she works until 
2. 

685
00:34:48,100 --> 00:34:51,699
Then hurries home to meet the 
children at 3:00 evening is a 

686
00:34:51,699 --> 00:34:54,300
field with cooking and cleaning 
and homework, help and bedtime 

687
00:34:54,300 --> 00:34:56,800
routines. 
She falls into bed exhausted, 

688
00:34:56,800 --> 00:35:00,200
every night. 
Sleep comes quickly, so does 

689
00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:02,400
morning. 
The factory work gives her 

690
00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:03,700
satisfaction beyond the 
paycheck. 

691
00:35:03,700 --> 00:35:06,300
She's contributing every 
parachute. 

692
00:35:06,300 --> 00:35:07,800
She helps make might save a 
life. 

693
00:35:07,808 --> 00:35:12,000
Maybe it will save your life. 
The thought is both comforting 

694
00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:15,300
and terrifying, she focuses on 
the rhythmic work of the sewing 

695
00:35:15,300 --> 00:35:17,500
machine and tries not to think 
too much about where the 

696
00:35:17,500 --> 00:35:19,100
parachutes will eventually be 
used. 

697
00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:22,500
Spring arrives, gradually 
daffodils. 

698
00:35:22,500 --> 00:35:26,500
Push up through cold Earth, 
trees begin to Leaf out days, 

699
00:35:26,500 --> 00:35:29,200
grow longer. 
The changes are subtle at first 

700
00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:31,500
then suddenly everything is 
green and growing. 

701
00:35:32,200 --> 00:35:33,900
Your wife plants. 
The victory garden. 

702
00:35:33,900 --> 00:35:36,400
Again. 
This year, she adds more rows. 

703
00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:39,100
She feels confident after last 
year's success. 

704
00:35:39,100 --> 00:35:41,600
The children helped dig holes 
for seedlings. 

705
00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:43,900
They water carefully. 
Taking pride in their 

706
00:35:43,908 --> 00:35:48,100
participation, you've been gone 
for a year now. 12 months of 

707
00:35:48,100 --> 00:35:52,900
Separation 365 days of waking up
somewhere, that is not home. 

708
00:35:54,200 --> 00:35:57,300
The anniversary passes. 
With that particular notice it 

709
00:35:57,300 --> 00:35:59,600
is simply another day of drill 
and Duty and routine. 

710
00:36:00,500 --> 00:36:03,900
But at night lying in your bunk,
you count, the months and feel 

711
00:36:03,900 --> 00:36:08,000
the weight of accumulated time. 
Life continues despite the war 

712
00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:11,600
not in defiance of it. 
But alongside it, people find 

713
00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:15,000
moments of Happiness from wedged
between Warrior and waiting your

714
00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:16,400
wife. 
Laughs at something, your 

715
00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:19,400
daughter says you play cards 
with your unit and win, three 

716
00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:23,000
hands in a row These small Joys 
do not erase the larger 

717
00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:26,300
difficulties, but they make the 
difficulties bearable, your 

718
00:36:26,300 --> 00:36:27,700
daughter learns to ride a 
bicycle. 

719
00:36:27,700 --> 00:36:30,900
The bike is second hand 
purchased from a neighbor whose 

720
00:36:30,900 --> 00:36:33,300
son out grew it. 
Your wife spends an afternoon 

721
00:36:33,300 --> 00:36:36,400
teaching her running beside the 
wobbling bicycle with one hand. 

722
00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:40,000
On the seat, your daughter Falls
Twice, scraping her knee, both 

723
00:36:40,008 --> 00:36:42,000
times but gets back on with 
determination. 

724
00:36:42,700 --> 00:36:45,200
By evening, she can ride the 
length of the driveway without 

725
00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:48,500
help. 
She beams with pride, your wife 

726
00:36:48,500 --> 00:36:50,200
wishes. 
You could see this Triumph. 

727
00:36:50,900 --> 00:36:53,300
She writes you a detailed letter
about the bicycle lesson. 

728
00:36:53,300 --> 00:36:56,700
She describes the scraped knee 
and the stubborn perseverance 

729
00:36:56,700 --> 00:37:00,100
and the final victory, She tells
you how your daughter rode up 

730
00:37:00,108 --> 00:37:03,300
and down the street for an hour 
shouting for everyone to watch. 

731
00:37:03,300 --> 00:37:06,400
She mentions that your son wants
to Bicycle now, too. 

732
00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:09,700
Even though he still too small 
the letter captures, the 

733
00:37:09,700 --> 00:37:12,900
ordinary magic of childhood 
accomplishment, you read this 

734
00:37:12,900 --> 00:37:16,600
letter sitting under a tree on a
sunny afternoon, your unit has a

735
00:37:16,608 --> 00:37:20,400
rare break from duties. 
Some men in the grass, others 

736
00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:21,700
play catch with a Warren 
baseball. 

737
00:37:21,700 --> 00:37:24,600
You read about your daughter's 
bicycle and smile. 

738
00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:27,800
You imagine the scene so clearly
you can almost see it. 

739
00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:31,300
For a moment. 
Distant collapses, you're there 

740
00:37:31,308 --> 00:37:34,900
in spirit, if not, in body, your
son starts kindergarten in 

741
00:37:34,900 --> 00:37:37,100
September. 
He's nervous the first day 

742
00:37:37,100 --> 00:37:39,300
clinging to your wife's hand, as
they walked to school. 

743
00:37:39,300 --> 00:37:42,200
She reassures him. 
She introduces him to the 

744
00:37:42,200 --> 00:37:45,000
teacher. 
She waves goodbye as he sits at 

745
00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:46,500
a small table with other five 
year olds. 

746
00:37:46,500 --> 00:37:48,500
She walks home, trying not to 
cry. 

747
00:37:48,500 --> 00:37:51,900
Her baby is growing up. 
Time moves forward, whether 

748
00:37:51,900 --> 00:37:54,700
anyone is ready or not. 
She writes to you about the 

749
00:37:54,700 --> 00:37:58,100
first day of kindergarten she 
describes your son's nervousness

750
00:37:58,100 --> 00:38:00,900
and the way his face lit up. 
When he saw blocks in the 

751
00:38:00,900 --> 00:38:04,300
classroom, she tells you, he 
came home, excited chattering 

752
00:38:04,300 --> 00:38:07,800
about new friends and a story. 
The teacher read she includes a 

753
00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:09,400
drawing. 
He made stick figures, 

754
00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:12,800
representing the family, you're 
included in the drawing, despite

755
00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:17,300
your absence At all stick figure
labeled daddy stands next to the

756
00:38:17,300 --> 00:38:20,700
shorter figures of Mama, sister 
and brother, you pin the drawing

757
00:38:20,700 --> 00:38:23,500
to the wall beside your bunk 
other men have similar 

758
00:38:23,500 --> 00:38:27,200
decorations, Family Photos, 
children drawings letters from 

759
00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:30,100
sweet hearts, the walls of 
military Barracks. 

760
00:38:30,100 --> 00:38:32,700
Worldwide are covered with these
artifacts of love and 

761
00:38:32,700 --> 00:38:35,600
connection. 
A transformed sterile spaces 

762
00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:37,400
into something slightly more 
personal. 

763
00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:40,600
They reminded everyone why they 
are here and what they have 

764
00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:44,800
protecting Full turns to winter 
again, a second winter of 

765
00:38:44,800 --> 00:38:49,900
Separation, the days shorten 
cold returns you go through the 

766
00:38:49,900 --> 00:38:53,900
same seasonal adjustments as 
before extra blankets on bunks 

767
00:38:53,900 --> 00:38:57,300
hot coffee. 
Clutched in cold hands mourning,

768
00:38:57,300 --> 00:38:59,700
drill in darkness. 
The repetition is both 

769
00:38:59,700 --> 00:39:03,600
monotonous and oddly comforting.
Routine provides structure, when

770
00:39:03,600 --> 00:39:06,500
nothing else is certain. 
Your wife prepares for another 

771
00:39:06,500 --> 00:39:09,300
wartime Christmas? 
She has less anxiety this year. 

772
00:39:09,300 --> 00:39:12,500
She knows what to expect she 
plans, modest celebrations, and 

773
00:39:12,500 --> 00:39:14,300
does not mourn. 
The elaborate Christmases of 

774
00:39:14,308 --> 00:39:17,300
peacetime the children 
understand better this year, 

775
00:39:17,300 --> 00:39:19,300
too. 
They know Daddy will not be home

776
00:39:19,300 --> 00:39:21,800
for Christmas. 
They accept this fact, with the 

777
00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:24,800
resilience of children who have 
adapted to circumstances beyond 

778
00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:27,600
their control, she sends you 
another package in early. 

779
00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:31,600
December more fudge, a new scarf
because the first one wore out 

780
00:39:31,600 --> 00:39:35,800
photographs from the past year. 
A letter filled with love and 

781
00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:37,700
longing and determination to 
keep going. 

782
00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:40,500
Package arrives, two days before
Christmas. 

783
00:39:40,500 --> 00:39:43,200
He open it carefully, save the 
moment. 

784
00:39:43,200 --> 00:39:47,700
The fudge tastes like home. 
The scarf, smells faintly of her

785
00:39:47,700 --> 00:39:50,300
perfume, the photos, show your 
children growing up. 

786
00:39:50,300 --> 00:39:52,900
You are missing their childhood,
but they are thriving. 

787
00:39:52,900 --> 00:39:55,800
Despite your absence, you write 
back immediately. 

788
00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:58,400
You thank her for the package. 
You tell her. 

789
00:39:58,400 --> 00:40:00,400
You love her, you promise you're
being careful. 

790
00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:03,100
You describe the Christmas 
dinner, the mess hall will 

791
00:40:03,100 --> 00:40:05,200
serve. 
You mention the carols singing 

792
00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:08,600
clown for Christmas Eve, you 
fill the letter with details 

793
00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:10,800
meant to reassure her that you 
are safe and managing. 

794
00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:13,900
Well, you fold the letter and 
mail it knowing it will arrive 

795
00:40:13,900 --> 00:40:16,500
in January long after the 
holiday as passed. 

796
00:40:17,100 --> 00:40:20,300
Still you write connection 
matters more than timing. 

797
00:40:20,300 --> 00:40:24,400
The second Christmas passes much
like the first good food. 

798
00:40:24,400 --> 00:40:28,800
Shared treats men thinking about
home, you participate in the 

799
00:40:28,808 --> 00:40:32,100
festivities but feel slightly 
removed as if watching yourself 

800
00:40:32,100 --> 00:40:35,000
from outside your body. 
You wonder if you are becoming 

801
00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:38,000
too accustomed to military life.
If you're losing touch with your

802
00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:40,700
civilian self the thought, 
troubles you. 

803
00:40:40,700 --> 00:40:42,800
But there is nothing to be done 
about it. 

804
00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:46,800
You exist in this life because 
you must January brings the 

805
00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:50,400
coldest weather yet, Snowfalls 
and stays on the ground for 

806
00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:53,500
weeks. 
The camps slows down some 

807
00:40:53,500 --> 00:40:56,300
training exercises are canceled 
because conditions are too 

808
00:40:56,308 --> 00:40:59,400
harsh. 
You spend more time indoors the 

809
00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:02,200
barracks feel crowded with 50 
men can find together. 

810
00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:06,100
Tempers occasionally flare. 
Someone snoring becomes 

811
00:41:06,100 --> 00:41:10,000
unbearable, someone else's 
habits, irritate everyone but 

812
00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:12,000
mostly you all manage to 
co-exist peacefully. 

813
00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:15,100
You have learned patience along 
with all the other military 

814
00:41:15,100 --> 00:41:18,700
skills, your wife managers a 
second winter at home, the house

815
00:41:18,700 --> 00:41:21,100
is harder to heat this year 
because coal is more expensive. 

816
00:41:21,100 --> 00:41:24,300
She keeps the thermostat lower 
and everyone wear sweaters, in 

817
00:41:24,300 --> 00:41:27,400
doors, the children complain 
about the cold, she gives them 

818
00:41:27,400 --> 00:41:29,100
extra blankets, and makes hot 
cocoa. 

819
00:41:29,100 --> 00:41:30,600
As a treat. 
They adapt. 

820
00:41:30,600 --> 00:41:34,400
Everyone adapts that seems to be
the primary skill of Wartime, 

821
00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:37,100
the ability to adjust to 
changing circumstances and keep 

822
00:41:37,100 --> 00:41:40,500
going anyway, She continues 
working at the parachute 

823
00:41:40,500 --> 00:41:42,900
Factory. 
The work is steady e, the 

824
00:41:42,900 --> 00:41:46,000
paycheck helps She has saved 
enough money to repair the roof 

825
00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:49,800
properly to replace the worn, 
tyres on the car to buy shoes 

826
00:41:49,800 --> 00:41:51,500
for the children whose feet keep
growing. 

827
00:41:52,300 --> 00:41:55,800
The savings also provide 
security, a small cushion 

828
00:41:55,800 --> 00:41:58,700
against uncertainty. 
Money cannot solve the problem 

829
00:41:58,700 --> 00:42:00,500
of your absence but it solves 
other problems. 

830
00:42:00,500 --> 00:42:02,900
Making. 
Daily life slightly easier. 

831
00:42:03,700 --> 00:42:07,500
spring returns again another 
year of waiting another planting

832
00:42:07,500 --> 00:42:11,900
season, another round of letters
sent and received Life has found

833
00:42:11,900 --> 00:42:13,600
its rhythm in these years of 
separation. 

834
00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:17,100
The rhythm is not what anyone 
would choose but it is 

835
00:42:17,100 --> 00:42:20,800
sustainable you both continue 
putting one foot in front of the

836
00:42:20,800 --> 00:42:24,000
other day after day because that
is what must be done. 

837
00:42:25,300 --> 00:42:28,400
News from the war front in 
proves gradually military 

838
00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:30,500
operations. 
That seemed stalled begin to 

839
00:42:30,500 --> 00:42:34,100
Advanced territory as gained key
battles or one. 

840
00:42:34,900 --> 00:42:38,500
The progress is slow, but real 
hope begins to feel less like 

841
00:42:38,500 --> 00:42:41,600
wishful thinking and more like 
reasonable expectation, maybe 

842
00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:44,300
the war will end or maybe you 
will come home. 

843
00:42:44,300 --> 00:42:48,500
Maybe someday soon will become 
someday soon your unit receives 

844
00:42:48,500 --> 00:42:52,400
new orders in late spring, you 
will be moving to where and for 

845
00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:57,000
what purpose remains unclear The
announcement creates a buzz of 

846
00:42:57,008 --> 00:43:00,700
speculation men guess at 
destinations and assignments. 

847
00:43:00,700 --> 00:43:04,300
Some hope for combat Duty. 
Eager to finally see action 

848
00:43:04,300 --> 00:43:07,300
after years of training others, 
hope for continued support 

849
00:43:07,300 --> 00:43:09,600
roles, preferring safety to 
Glory. 

850
00:43:10,400 --> 00:43:12,900
You find yourself somewhere in 
the middle, wanting to 

851
00:43:12,900 --> 00:43:14,900
contribute but also wanting to 
survive. 

852
00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:20,000
The move happens in June, you 
pack your limited belongings and

853
00:43:20,008 --> 00:43:24,200
Border transport the journey 
takes days, you travel by Truck 

854
00:43:24,200 --> 00:43:27,500
and Train and shit. 
You see new Landscapes different

855
00:43:27,500 --> 00:43:29,500
cities. 
Other military installations. 

856
00:43:29,500 --> 00:43:33,700
Everything is both fascinating 
and exhausting you sleep. 

857
00:43:33,700 --> 00:43:36,700
When you can sit upright in 
crowded Vehicles, head bouncing 

858
00:43:36,700 --> 00:43:39,500
against Windows. 
As you doze your eye at a new 

859
00:43:39,508 --> 00:43:42,200
base closer to the front lines. 
The atmosphere is different 

860
00:43:42,200 --> 00:43:44,500
here. 
More urgent, less routine. 

861
00:43:44,500 --> 00:43:48,100
The men around you have seen 
combat their eyes, hold a 

862
00:43:48,100 --> 00:43:50,500
warehouse that training cannot 
produce you. 

863
00:43:50,500 --> 00:43:52,700
Listen to their stories. 
You learn from their 

864
00:43:52,700 --> 00:43:55,300
experiences. 
You prepare yourself mentally 

865
00:43:55,300 --> 00:43:59,100
for what might come next. 
But weeks pass and you remain in

866
00:43:59,100 --> 00:44:01,300
support roles. 
You load suppliers and maintain 

867
00:44:01,300 --> 00:44:04,700
equipment and process paperwork.
The work is important, even if 

868
00:44:04,700 --> 00:44:08,200
it lacks drama Wars are won, not
just by soldiers fighting. 

869
00:44:08,200 --> 00:44:10,500
But by Massive logistical 
operations. 

870
00:44:10,500 --> 00:44:13,900
Keeping those soldiers supplied.
You can contribute to victory in

871
00:44:13,900 --> 00:44:15,200
ways that will never make 
headlines. 

872
00:44:15,200 --> 00:44:18,000
That is fine. 
You never wanted headlines. 

873
00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:20,200
You wanted to do your part and 
come home. 

874
00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:23,100
Your wife, receives your 
letters, describing the move, 

875
00:44:23,100 --> 00:44:25,800
she reads about new locations 
and different duties. 

876
00:44:25,800 --> 00:44:29,800
She notices, what you do not say
directly, you are closer to 

877
00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:32,800
Danger now. 
The realization frightens her, 

878
00:44:32,800 --> 00:44:34,800
but she does not let fear 
paralyze her. 

879
00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:38,300
She continues her routines, she 
works at the factory. 

880
00:44:38,300 --> 00:44:41,800
She tends the garden. 
She cares for the children, fear

881
00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:44,400
lives in her chest, but it does 
not dictate her actions. 

882
00:44:44,400 --> 00:44:48,700
Summer passes fall approaches 
news from the Warframe, is 

883
00:44:48,708 --> 00:44:52,000
consistently positive. 
Now, allied forces are advancing

884
00:44:52,000 --> 00:44:55,300
on multiple fronts. 
The end seems possible, even 

885
00:44:55,300 --> 00:44:59,200
probable people begin To 
imagine, peace conversations 

886
00:44:59,200 --> 00:45:01,200
shift from endurance to 
anticipation. 

887
00:45:02,000 --> 00:45:03,600
What will happen when the war 
ends? 

888
00:45:03,600 --> 00:45:05,500
How quickly will soldiers, come 
home? 

889
00:45:05,500 --> 00:45:09,100
What will post-war life look? 
Like your wife allows herself to

890
00:45:09,100 --> 00:45:11,100
hope. 
She makes plans in her mind. 

891
00:45:11,100 --> 00:45:14,400
She thinks about your return. 
She imagines the day, you will 

892
00:45:14,400 --> 00:45:16,900
walk through the front door. 
She pictures the children 

893
00:45:16,900 --> 00:45:19,700
running to hug you. 
She envisions ordinary evening 

894
00:45:19,700 --> 00:45:22,600
spent together no longer 
separated by oceans and 

895
00:45:22,600 --> 00:45:25,300
continents the images. 
Sustain her through the 

896
00:45:25,300 --> 00:45:28,500
remaining months of waiting. 
You allow yourself to hope to 

897
00:45:28,500 --> 00:45:32,600
you think about civilian life, 
you imagine sleeping late on 

898
00:45:32,608 --> 00:45:35,400
Saturday mornings, you picture, 
Sunday, dinners with your 

899
00:45:35,400 --> 00:45:38,900
family, you dream of taking your
children, to the park of 

900
00:45:38,900 --> 00:45:41,500
holding, your wife's hand, while
walking down a street, where no 

901
00:45:41,500 --> 00:45:45,000
one wears uniforms the future 
becomes more Vivid as it draws 

902
00:45:45,000 --> 00:45:49,800
closer winter, arrives, the 
third winter of your separation.

903
00:45:50,700 --> 00:45:54,800
But this winter feels different.
The war is winding down the 

904
00:45:54,800 --> 00:45:58,000
victory. 
Seems the only question is when 

905
00:45:58,000 --> 00:46:02,300
not if you mark timed 
differently now, not in terms of

906
00:46:02,308 --> 00:46:05,400
how long you've been gone but in
terms of how soon you might 

907
00:46:05,400 --> 00:46:10,100
return, Christmas Comes again, 
the third wartime Christmas. 

908
00:46:11,100 --> 00:46:13,600
Your wife decorates modestly, 
but with more cheer than 

909
00:46:13,600 --> 00:46:17,500
previous years, she allows the 
children to feel excited she 

910
00:46:17,500 --> 00:46:18,900
bakes. 
Cookie's, despite sugar 

911
00:46:18,900 --> 00:46:21,400
rationing, she plays Christmas 
music on the radio. 

912
00:46:21,400 --> 00:46:25,100
The holiday is not perfect, but 
it is hopeful next Christmas, 

913
00:46:25,100 --> 00:46:28,200
you will be home. 
She believes this with growing 

914
00:46:28,200 --> 00:46:30,800
conviction. 
You spend Christmas at your new 

915
00:46:30,800 --> 00:46:32,400
base. 
Deal is good. 

916
00:46:32,400 --> 00:46:35,200
The company is familiar. 
You have made friends here, 

917
00:46:35,200 --> 00:46:38,600
bonds forged through shared 
experience but you're all 

918
00:46:38,600 --> 00:46:41,800
thinking about home conversation
keeps returning to plans for 

919
00:46:41,800 --> 00:46:43,600
after the war where will you 
live? 

920
00:46:43,600 --> 00:46:46,500
What jobs will you seek? 
How will you reconnect with 

921
00:46:46,500 --> 00:46:48,300
families? 
You have not seen in years. 

922
00:46:49,400 --> 00:46:53,500
The New Year arrives. 1945. 
This will be the Year. 

923
00:46:53,500 --> 00:46:56,600
Everyone can feel it. 
The momentum has shifted 

924
00:46:56,600 --> 00:47:00,400
decisively Allied victories, 
accumulate, enemy resistance. 

925
00:47:00,400 --> 00:47:04,500
Weakens the end approaches, you 
allow yourself to count weeks, 

926
00:47:04,500 --> 00:47:08,300
and of months, you allow 
yourself to imagine, specific 

927
00:47:08,300 --> 00:47:11,200
scenarios of return. 
You write to your wife about 

928
00:47:11,200 --> 00:47:13,000
hopes and stead of just 
routines. 

929
00:47:13,000 --> 00:47:15,400
She receives your letters and 
reads the Hope in them. 

930
00:47:15,400 --> 00:47:19,000
She responds with her own hopes.
She tells you about Improvement,

931
00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:22,600
she wants to make to the house. 
She mentions job opportunities. 

932
00:47:22,600 --> 00:47:25,300
You might consider she describes
the welcome home. 

933
00:47:25,300 --> 00:47:28,000
Party of the neighbor's are 
already planning. she writes 

934
00:47:28,000 --> 00:47:31,300
about a future that is no longer
distant fantasy, but approaching

935
00:47:31,300 --> 00:47:35,700
reality Spring comes early, the 
weather improves flowers bloom 

936
00:47:35,700 --> 00:47:39,300
birds return from Winter, 
migrations nature carries on 

937
00:47:39,300 --> 00:47:42,700
oblivious to human conflicts. 
You watch crocuses push through 

938
00:47:42,700 --> 00:47:46,600
the last patches of snow and 
feel oddly moved life, persists,

939
00:47:46,600 --> 00:47:50,200
Beauty and jurors soon. 
You will rejoin the world of 

940
00:47:50,200 --> 00:47:53,700
seasons and growth and ordinary 
wonders victory in Europe is 

941
00:47:53,700 --> 00:47:57,700
declared in May. 
The news rapid celebrations, 

942
00:47:57,700 --> 00:48:01,400
erupt men, cheer and embrace and
shed tears of relief. 

943
00:48:01,400 --> 00:48:05,400
The war in Europe is over. 
You have survived, you will go 

944
00:48:05,400 --> 00:48:08,400
home. 
The realization is almost over 

945
00:48:08,400 --> 00:48:11,400
years of tension released all at
once. 

946
00:48:11,400 --> 00:48:14,500
You feel lighter. 
As if a weight you had grown so 

947
00:48:14,500 --> 00:48:17,600
accustomed to carrying that you 
stopped noticing it as suddenly 

948
00:48:17,600 --> 00:48:21,400
been removed. 
But going home is not immediate,

949
00:48:21,400 --> 00:48:24,600
the military does not simply 
open the gates and send everyone

950
00:48:24,600 --> 00:48:27,300
back at once. 
There are processes procedures, 

951
00:48:27,300 --> 00:48:31,200
paperwork soldiers must be 
demobilized in an orderly 

952
00:48:31,200 --> 00:48:33,900
fashion. 
Transportation must be arranged.

953
00:48:33,900 --> 00:48:37,900
Priorities must be established. 
You join thousands of others in 

954
00:48:37,900 --> 00:48:40,800
a massive queue waiting for your
turn to board a ship heading 

955
00:48:40,800 --> 00:48:44,200
west across the Atlantic. 
The waiting is harder now than 

956
00:48:44,200 --> 00:48:47,200
it was during the war. 
The four, you waited with no 

957
00:48:47,200 --> 00:48:51,000
clear end in sight, Now, you 
know the end is coming but you 

958
00:48:51,000 --> 00:48:53,900
cannot quite reach it. 
Days. 

959
00:48:53,900 --> 00:48:57,900
Feel longer when you're this 
close to reunion our stretch you

960
00:48:57,900 --> 00:49:00,300
mark. 
Time obsessively every morning. 

961
00:49:00,300 --> 00:49:03,600
You wake thinking that maybe 
today orders will come every 

962
00:49:03,600 --> 00:49:04,700
evening. 
You fall asleep. 

963
00:49:04,708 --> 00:49:06,600
Disappointed. 
That today was not the day. 

964
00:49:06,600 --> 00:49:10,500
Your wife experiences, similar 
impatience, she knows the war is

965
00:49:10,508 --> 00:49:14,300
over, she knows you're safe, but
she does not know exactly when 

966
00:49:14,300 --> 00:49:17,000
you will arrive. 
Let us slow down during the 

967
00:49:17,000 --> 00:49:21,200
demobilization chaos. 
Information becomes scarce, she 

968
00:49:21,200 --> 00:49:24,700
waits by the mailbox each day. 
She listens to news reports 

969
00:49:24,700 --> 00:49:28,300
about troops arriving in various
ports. if you try to calculate 

970
00:49:28,300 --> 00:49:31,300
when you might board, a ship and
how long the voyage might take 

971
00:49:32,100 --> 00:49:34,800
Her estimates are hopeful but 
unreliable finally. 

972
00:49:34,800 --> 00:49:36,400
In late June, you receive your 
orders. 

973
00:49:36,400 --> 00:49:38,600
You will board a ship in two 
weeks. 

974
00:49:38,600 --> 00:49:41,700
The transport will take 
approximately 10 days depending 

975
00:49:41,700 --> 00:49:45,400
on whether you will arrive at a 
port in New York from there, you

976
00:49:45,400 --> 00:49:48,400
will be processed through a 
demobilization center and give 

977
00:49:48,400 --> 00:49:52,200
him rail tickets home The entire
Journey from boarding the ship 

978
00:49:52,200 --> 00:49:54,700
to walking through your front. 
Door will take roughly three 

979
00:49:54,700 --> 00:49:56,500
weeks. 
He write to your wife 

980
00:49:56,500 --> 00:49:57,800
immediately with this 
information. 

981
00:49:57,800 --> 00:50:00,200
She receives your letter in 
early July. 

982
00:50:01,100 --> 00:50:05,500
The timeline makes her cry with 
relief, three weeks 21 days. 

983
00:50:05,500 --> 00:50:08,900
She can endure 21, more days 
after enduring, nearly three 

984
00:50:08,900 --> 00:50:11,000
years. 
She begins preparations. 

985
00:50:11,000 --> 00:50:14,700
She cleans the house thoroughly.
She makes plans for your return.

986
00:50:14,700 --> 00:50:17,500
She tells the children that 
daddy's coming home soon. 

987
00:50:17,500 --> 00:50:21,900
They react with excitement 
tinged with uncertainty, your 

988
00:50:21,900 --> 00:50:24,700
son, barely remembers you. 
Your daughter's memories have 

989
00:50:24,700 --> 00:50:28,300
faded and blurred they know you 
from photographs more than from 

990
00:50:28,300 --> 00:50:31,000
lived experience. 
You bought the ship on schedule.

991
00:50:31,000 --> 00:50:33,500
The vessel is crowded with men 
heading home. 

992
00:50:33,500 --> 00:50:37,700
Everyone is in High Spirits, 
despite cramped conditions, you 

993
00:50:37,700 --> 00:50:39,700
sleep in. 
Bunks stacked, three high in 

994
00:50:39,700 --> 00:50:43,200
holds below deck. 
Meals served in shifts because 

995
00:50:43,200 --> 00:50:44,900
the galley cannot accommodate 
everyone. 

996
00:50:44,900 --> 00:50:48,800
At once the food is military 
rations, but no, one complains 

997
00:50:48,800 --> 00:50:51,200
you're going home. 
That is all that matters. 

998
00:50:51,200 --> 00:50:53,400
The ocean Crossing takes nine 
days. 

999
00:50:53,400 --> 00:50:56,600
The weather is Myles. 
The seas are relatively calm. 

1000
00:50:56,600 --> 00:50:59,600
You spend hours on Deck, 
watching the water all passed. 

1001
00:51:00,300 --> 00:51:03,600
Other men play cards or write 
letters or simply Talk voice is 

1002
00:51:03,600 --> 00:51:05,500
overlapping in constant 
conversation. 

1003
00:51:06,200 --> 00:51:08,300
The mood is jubilant but also 
reflective. 

1004
00:51:08,300 --> 00:51:10,500
You have all been changed by 
these years. 

1005
00:51:10,500 --> 00:51:12,600
You're not the same people who 
left home. 

1006
00:51:12,600 --> 00:51:15,800
The question is, whether home 
will recognize the changes or 

1007
00:51:15,800 --> 00:51:18,600
whether you will be expected to 
slip back into old versions of 

1008
00:51:18,600 --> 00:51:22,200
yourselves. 
Land appears on the 9th day, the

1009
00:51:22,200 --> 00:51:25,600
coast of America emerges from 
Morning Mist, men crowd the 

1010
00:51:25,608 --> 00:51:28,000
rails to catch their first 
glimpse of Home soil. 

1011
00:51:28,800 --> 00:51:32,400
Some cheer others stand quietly 
to moved for words. 

1012
00:51:32,400 --> 00:51:35,100
You feel your throat tightened 
with emotion. 

1013
00:51:35,100 --> 00:51:39,700
After years of absence. 
After months of longing, here is

1014
00:51:39,700 --> 00:51:44,000
home, Solid Ground. 
The country you left and fought 

1015
00:51:44,000 --> 00:51:48,000
to protect the place where your 
family Waits the ship, docks in 

1016
00:51:48,008 --> 00:51:50,900
New York Harbor, Processing 
through the demobilization 

1017
00:51:50,900 --> 00:51:55,700
center takes two full days. 
You fill out forms, you receive 

1018
00:51:55,700 --> 00:51:58,700
medical examinations. 
You turn in military equipment, 

1019
00:51:58,700 --> 00:52:02,300
your issued civilian clothes 
dress pants, and shirts that 

1020
00:52:02,300 --> 00:52:04,900
feel strange. 
After years of uniforms you 

1021
00:52:04,900 --> 00:52:08,300
collect back pay and separation 
allowance, you receive honorable

1022
00:52:08,300 --> 00:52:11,800
discharge papers, you become a 
civilian again officially 

1023
00:52:11,800 --> 00:52:15,200
released from military service 
Train ride home takes another 

1024
00:52:15,200 --> 00:52:17,500
full day. 
You travel through, Familia, 

1025
00:52:17,500 --> 00:52:21,700
Landscapes, cities, and towns. 
You recognize feels and forests 

1026
00:52:21,700 --> 00:52:24,400
that look exactly. 
As you remember them, everything

1027
00:52:24,400 --> 00:52:26,900
is the same. 
You are, what has changed. 

1028
00:52:26,900 --> 00:52:30,000
The realization is both 
comforting and unsettling. 

1029
00:52:30,700 --> 00:52:33,300
Home remained home. 
You became someone slightly 

1030
00:52:33,300 --> 00:52:35,300
different. 
The challenge will be 

1031
00:52:35,300 --> 00:52:38,600
reconciling these truths. 
Your wife receives a telegram. 

1032
00:52:38,600 --> 00:52:42,200
Two days, before you arrive. 
It is brief, but sufficient 

1033
00:52:43,100 --> 00:52:46,900
Arriving home July 27th. 
Stop love stop. 

1034
00:52:47,900 --> 00:52:50,900
She reads the telegram three 
times then she calls your 

1035
00:52:50,908 --> 00:52:54,000
mother, she tells the neighbors 
she prepares the house with 

1036
00:52:54,000 --> 00:52:57,300
Renewed Energy, she bakes a 
cake, she plans a special 

1037
00:52:57,308 --> 00:53:00,000
dinner, she helps the children, 
make welcome home, signs with 

1038
00:53:00,008 --> 00:53:02,900
crayons and paper. 
The day of your arrival arrives,

1039
00:53:02,900 --> 00:53:05,100
she wakes early, despite barely 
sleeping. 

1040
00:53:05,100 --> 00:53:08,100
She dresses carefully. 
She wants to look her best for 

1041
00:53:08,100 --> 00:53:09,900
you. 
She helps the children dress in 

1042
00:53:09,900 --> 00:53:12,300
their nicest clothes. 
Eat a quick breakfast. 

1043
00:53:12,300 --> 00:53:15,400
Then they wait. 
You told her, you would arrive 

1044
00:53:15,400 --> 00:53:18,000
on the afternoon train, she 
takes the children to the 

1045
00:53:18,000 --> 00:53:21,300
station and now our early. 
To wait and to Pace at home. 

1046
00:53:22,300 --> 00:53:25,300
The platform fills with other 
families, otherwise and mothers 

1047
00:53:25,300 --> 00:53:27,100
and children waiting for 
returning soldiers. 

1048
00:53:27,100 --> 00:53:31,100
Everyone scans each arriving 
train False alarms, create 

1049
00:53:31,100 --> 00:53:34,800
momentary, excitement, followed 
by renewed, waiting the 

1050
00:53:34,800 --> 00:53:36,900
children. 
Grow Restless, your daughter 

1051
00:53:36,900 --> 00:53:40,300
holds her, welcome home. 
Sign your son clutches a toy 

1052
00:53:40,300 --> 00:53:42,700
airplane. 
He wants to show you your train 

1053
00:53:42,700 --> 00:53:44,200
arrives at 3:20 in the 
afternoon. 

1054
00:53:44,200 --> 00:53:47,500
You step onto the platform 
carrying a single duffle bag. 

1055
00:53:47,500 --> 00:53:51,400
You scan the crowd. 
So many faces so much noise. 

1056
00:53:51,400 --> 00:53:54,900
Then you see them. 
Your wife, your daughter, your 

1057
00:53:54,900 --> 00:53:57,300
son. 
They see you at the same moment,

1058
00:53:57,300 --> 00:54:00,000
your daughter runs towards you. 
Her sign bouncing. 

1059
00:54:00,000 --> 00:54:03,000
Your son follows, not quite 
understanding, but caught up in 

1060
00:54:03,000 --> 00:54:06,100
the excitement. 
Your wife walks, then runs. 

1061
00:54:06,100 --> 00:54:09,400
You drop your bag and catch your
daughter as she launches herself

1062
00:54:09,400 --> 00:54:12,400
at you, you lift her and spin 
her once. 

1063
00:54:12,400 --> 00:54:16,500
She wraps her arms around your 
neck, your son, reaches you and 

1064
00:54:16,500 --> 00:54:18,000
you scoop him up with your other
arm. 

1065
00:54:18,000 --> 00:54:21,800
Two children, one on each side, 
both talking at once. 

1066
00:54:21,800 --> 00:54:26,100
You are crying, ah, you did not 
expect to cry but tears, run 

1067
00:54:26,100 --> 00:54:29,400
down your face, your wife 
reaches you and you set the 

1068
00:54:29,400 --> 00:54:32,400
children down. 
You look at her really look at 

1069
00:54:32,400 --> 00:54:34,600
her. 
She looks older and all so 

1070
00:54:34,600 --> 00:54:37,400
exactly the same three years of 
past. 

1071
00:54:37,400 --> 00:54:41,700
They show in subtle ways around 
her eyes and mouth, but a smile 

1072
00:54:41,700 --> 00:54:44,200
is the smile. 
You remembered her eyes are the 

1073
00:54:44,200 --> 00:54:48,500
eyes you dreamed about you 
embrace The world Narrows to 

1074
00:54:48,500 --> 00:54:52,500
this single point of contact. 
Everything else Fades there is 

1075
00:54:52,500 --> 00:54:56,000
only her warmth her familiar 
scent, the reality of her 

1076
00:54:56,000 --> 00:54:58,700
presence. 
After years of absence you stand

1077
00:54:58,700 --> 00:55:01,200
on the platform holding each 
other while other reunions 

1078
00:55:01,200 --> 00:55:04,200
happen around you. 
Other soldiers, Embrace other 

1079
00:55:04,200 --> 00:55:07,400
families. 
The platform is chaos of joy and

1080
00:55:07,400 --> 00:55:11,100
tears and suitcases, you stay 
still in the center of this 

1081
00:55:11,100 --> 00:55:13,600
chaos. 
Your family surrounds, you your 

1082
00:55:13,600 --> 00:55:17,700
children, press close. 
Your wife does not let go this 

1083
00:55:17,700 --> 00:55:20,800
moment is the one you've been 
waiting for this moment makes 

1084
00:55:20,800 --> 00:55:24,600
everything worthwhile Eventually
you gather yourself, you pick up

1085
00:55:24,600 --> 00:55:28,200
your bag, your wife takes your 
hand, your daughter, holds your 

1086
00:55:28,200 --> 00:55:31,800
other hand, your son bounces 
beside his mother, he walked to 

1087
00:55:31,800 --> 00:55:34,300
the car together, the drive 
home, takes 15 minutes. 

1088
00:55:34,300 --> 00:55:38,000
Everyone talks at once, your 
daughter tells you about school,

1089
00:55:38,000 --> 00:55:40,900
your son shows, you his 
airplane, your wife points out, 

1090
00:55:40,900 --> 00:55:44,100
changes in the neighborhood, you
listen and Nod and let the words

1091
00:55:44,100 --> 00:55:46,400
wash over you being with them is
enough. 

1092
00:55:46,400 --> 00:55:49,700
Everything else is details. 
You arrive home? 

1093
00:55:49,700 --> 00:55:52,400
The house looks exactly as you 
remember, it? 

1094
00:55:52,400 --> 00:55:55,700
And also completely different 
Small changes are everywhere, 

1095
00:55:55,700 --> 00:55:59,300
new curtains in the living room,
different Furniture Arrangement,

1096
00:55:59,300 --> 00:56:02,300
the walls need paint. 
The yard is more overgrown than 

1097
00:56:02,300 --> 00:56:05,300
you remember, but it is home 
your home. 

1098
00:56:05,300 --> 00:56:08,000
You walk through the front door 
and breathe in the smell of your

1099
00:56:08,000 --> 00:56:09,900
house. 
Something is cooking in the 

1100
00:56:09,900 --> 00:56:12,500
kitchen fresh flowers, sit on 
the dining table. 

1101
00:56:12,500 --> 00:56:15,600
Welcome home signs. 
Hang from the walls dinner. 

1102
00:56:15,600 --> 00:56:18,200
That evening is special. 
Your wife made your favorite 

1103
00:56:18,200 --> 00:56:20,100
foods. 
Pot roast with potatoes and 

1104
00:56:20,100 --> 00:56:23,100
carrots, fresh bread. 
Apple pie for dessert. 

1105
00:56:23,100 --> 00:56:27,100
You eat slowly savoring. 
Every bite, the children chapter

1106
00:56:27,100 --> 00:56:29,600
through the meal, your wife 
watches, you with eyes that 

1107
00:56:29,600 --> 00:56:32,700
shine, you catch a hand across 
the table and squeeze. 

1108
00:56:32,700 --> 00:56:36,100
She squeezes back words are 
insufficient for what you both, 

1109
00:56:36,100 --> 00:56:38,600
feel after dinner. 
The children show, you their 

1110
00:56:38,600 --> 00:56:41,400
rooms, your daughter displays 
her collection of books, and 

1111
00:56:41,400 --> 00:56:44,500
Dolls your son demonstrates, how
his toy trucks work. 

1112
00:56:44,500 --> 00:56:47,100
They want your attention after 
years, without it. 

1113
00:56:47,100 --> 00:56:50,700
You give them all your focus, 
you admire everything? 

1114
00:56:50,700 --> 00:56:53,700
They show you, you answer their 
questions, you hug them, 

1115
00:56:53,700 --> 00:56:56,000
repeated. 
Making up for years of missing 

1116
00:56:56,000 --> 00:56:59,000
braces. 
Bed time comes new, help with 

1117
00:56:59,000 --> 00:57:02,900
the routine, you read stories to
both children, your voice sound 

1118
00:57:02,900 --> 00:57:06,100
strange to them at first, but 
they had just quickly, they 

1119
00:57:06,100 --> 00:57:08,800
snuggle close. 
As you read, your daughter falls

1120
00:57:08,800 --> 00:57:11,000
asleep. 
First her head on your shoulder.

1121
00:57:11,800 --> 00:57:15,600
your son fights sleep, but 
eventually surrenders Carry them

1122
00:57:15,608 --> 00:57:18,900
to their beds and tuck them in 
your wife, stands in the doorway

1123
00:57:18,900 --> 00:57:20,700
watching. 
This is what she wanted. 

1124
00:57:20,700 --> 00:57:23,500
This is what kept her going 
later that night. 

1125
00:57:23,500 --> 00:57:26,700
You sit with your wife in the 
living room, the house is quiet.

1126
00:57:26,700 --> 00:57:30,400
The children are asleep. 
You hold hands on the sofa. 

1127
00:57:30,400 --> 00:57:34,400
Neither of you speaks much. 
You do not need to three years 

1128
00:57:34,400 --> 00:57:36,800
of separation have ended. 
You are home. 

1129
00:57:36,800 --> 00:57:40,400
She is beside you. 
The future stretches ahead. 

1130
00:57:40,400 --> 00:57:45,600
Uncertain but shared Whatever 
comes next, you will face it 

1131
00:57:45,608 --> 00:57:48,000
together. 
You sleep in your own bed that 

1132
00:57:48,000 --> 00:57:49,600
night for the first time in 
three years. 

1133
00:57:49,600 --> 00:57:53,400
Your wife lies beside you. 
The room is dark and quiet. 

1134
00:57:53,400 --> 00:57:57,900
You listen to her breathing, you
feel her warmth, you are home. 

1135
00:57:58,700 --> 00:58:02,000
Finally, completely undeniably 
home. 

1136
00:58:02,700 --> 00:58:06,400
Sleep comes easily deep and 
dreamless tomorrow. 

1137
00:58:06,400 --> 00:58:09,600
You will begin rebuilding the 
life you left behind tonight. 

1138
00:58:09,600 --> 00:58:12,100
You simply rest surrounded by 
the people. 

1139
00:58:12,100 --> 00:58:14,200
You love safe in the place you 
belong. 

1140
00:58:15,800 --> 00:58:18,700
The days after your return blend
together in a haze of adjustment

1141
00:58:18,700 --> 00:58:22,000
and rediscovery, you relearn 
your house, your neighborhood, 

1142
00:58:22,000 --> 00:58:24,800
your family, some things are 
easy. 

1143
00:58:25,500 --> 00:58:28,000
Sleeping in your own bed feels 
instantly, right? 

1144
00:58:28,000 --> 00:58:32,000
Eating meals at your own table. 
Is comforting other things are 

1145
00:58:32,000 --> 00:58:33,900
harder. 
Finding your place in household,

1146
00:58:33,900 --> 00:58:37,000
routines takes time. 
Reconnecting with children who 

1147
00:58:37,000 --> 00:58:40,900
have grown and changed requires,
patience your daughter, warms to

1148
00:58:40,900 --> 00:58:43,300
you quickly. 
She remembers you well enough 

1149
00:58:43,300 --> 00:58:45,700
that your presence feels like 
restoration rather than 

1150
00:58:45,700 --> 00:58:48,300
disruption. 
She takes you on tours of the 

1151
00:58:48,300 --> 00:58:51,100
neighborhood, showing you 
changes and introducing you to 

1152
00:58:51,100 --> 00:58:53,200
new friends. 
She wants to include you in 

1153
00:58:53,208 --> 00:58:55,700
everything. 
She saves her best drawing for 

1154
00:58:55,700 --> 00:58:57,200
you. 
She asks, you to read her 

1155
00:58:57,200 --> 00:59:00,300
bedtime stories every night. 
Your son is more cautious. 

1156
00:59:00,300 --> 00:59:05,100
He was too when you left now, he
is five his memories of view of 

1157
00:59:05,100 --> 00:59:08,700
vague Impressions rather than 
clear Recollections he watches. 

1158
00:59:08,700 --> 00:59:12,300
You carefully trying to figure 
out where you fit, you do not 

1159
00:59:12,300 --> 00:59:14,900
push, you let him come to you at
his own pace. 

1160
00:59:15,700 --> 00:59:18,000
Gradually he warms he brings you
his toys. 

1161
00:59:18,000 --> 00:59:21,400
He asks you to play trust. 
Builds through small 

1162
00:59:21,400 --> 00:59:24,800
interactions repeatedly. 
Your wife is patient with your 

1163
00:59:24,800 --> 00:59:27,100
adjustment. 
She understands that you have 

1164
00:59:27,100 --> 00:59:28,900
changed. 
She has changed too. 

1165
00:59:28,900 --> 00:59:32,800
You both need time to learn each
other again conversations. 

1166
00:59:32,800 --> 00:59:36,100
Sometimes, stumble as you search
for common ground but love 

1167
00:59:36,100 --> 00:59:39,900
provides a foundation. 
You want to reconnect That 

1168
00:59:39,900 --> 00:59:42,900
desire drives, the work of 
rebuilding intimacy after years 

1169
00:59:42,900 --> 00:59:46,200
apart. 
You look for work the factory 

1170
00:59:46,200 --> 00:59:48,500
where you worked before. 
The war has reopened, its 

1171
00:59:48,500 --> 00:59:51,200
civilian production lines, they 
are hiring returning. 

1172
00:59:51,200 --> 00:59:54,200
Veterans you apply and are 
accepted quickly. 

1173
00:59:54,200 --> 00:59:57,200
The work is familiar. 
You settle into routines 

1174
00:59:57,200 --> 01:00:00,000
grateful for employment in the 
normalcy. 

1175
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:03,000
It provides, the paycheck allows
your wife to quit. 

1176
01:00:03,000 --> 01:00:06,300
The parachute Factory, she 
transitions back to being home 

1177
01:00:06,300 --> 01:00:09,000
full-time, at least until the 
children are older. 

1178
01:00:09,800 --> 01:00:13,300
Life finds a rhythm, you wake 
beside your wife, you eat 

1179
01:00:13,300 --> 01:00:16,700
breakfast with your family, you 
go to work, you come home to 

1180
01:00:16,700 --> 01:00:19,000
dinner, you help with homework 
and bed, time. 

1181
01:00:19,000 --> 01:00:21,500
The routines are ordinary, but 
extraordinary to you. 

1182
01:00:21,500 --> 01:00:23,900
After years of absence, you 
never take them for granted, 

1183
01:00:23,900 --> 01:00:27,500
every meal together is precious 
every evening with the children 

1184
01:00:27,500 --> 01:00:29,200
is a gift. 
Some nights. 

1185
01:00:29,200 --> 01:00:32,208
You struggle with memories, the 
war left marks that are not 

1186
01:00:32,216 --> 01:00:34,500
visible. 
But a nonetheless, real, you 

1187
01:00:34,500 --> 01:00:37,900
dream sometimes of the men you 
served with of places you would 

1188
01:00:37,900 --> 01:00:41,400
rather forget Your wife wakes, 
you gently when nightmares 

1189
01:00:41,400 --> 01:00:44,400
trouble your sleep. 
She does not ask for details. 

1190
01:00:44,400 --> 01:00:47,700
She simply holds you until the 
dreams fade and you can sleep 

1191
01:00:47,700 --> 01:00:49,800
peacefully. 
Again, you can connect with 

1192
01:00:49,800 --> 01:00:52,600
other veterans. 
The man next door, served in the

1193
01:00:52,608 --> 01:00:55,300
Pacific. 
You talk sometimes sharing 

1194
01:00:55,300 --> 01:00:57,700
experience is that only other 
veterans truly understand. 

1195
01:00:59,000 --> 01:01:02,100
The conversations, help talking 
to someone who has been through 

1196
01:01:02,100 --> 01:01:04,900
similar things eases the 
isolation of memory. 

1197
01:01:05,500 --> 01:01:08,400
You join a veterans 
organization, the meetings, 

1198
01:01:08,400 --> 01:01:11,900
provide community and support 
your wife, joins a group for 

1199
01:01:11,900 --> 01:01:14,900
veterans wives, they meet 
monthly and discuss the 

1200
01:01:14,900 --> 01:01:16,500
challenges of reunion and 
adjustment. 

1201
01:01:16,500 --> 01:01:20,500
She learns that her experiences 
are not unique other women. 

1202
01:01:20,500 --> 01:01:24,300
Struggled with the same issues, 
the solidarity helps, she feels 

1203
01:01:24,300 --> 01:01:27,300
less alone, the women share 
strategies for helping their 

1204
01:01:27,300 --> 01:01:29,700
husbands re-adjust and for 
managing their own emotions 

1205
01:01:29,700 --> 01:01:33,600
during the transition. 
Seasons pass summer, turns to 

1206
01:01:33,600 --> 01:01:37,400
fall, fall, becomes winter, your
first Christmas back, home is 

1207
01:01:37,400 --> 01:01:40,500
everything you imagine. 
During those years overseas, the

1208
01:01:40,500 --> 01:01:44,000
house is decorated, the tree is 
full presence, a wrap and 

1209
01:01:44,000 --> 01:01:46,100
waiting, you cook a large meal 
together. 

1210
01:01:46,100 --> 01:01:50,000
Extended family, joins you the 
house fills with noise and 

1211
01:01:50,000 --> 01:01:51,700
laughter and love. 
You. 

1212
01:01:51,700 --> 01:01:54,100
Watch your children, open gifts 
and feel overwhelming, 

1213
01:01:54,100 --> 01:01:57,100
gratitude, you're here. 
You made it home. 

1214
01:01:57,100 --> 01:02:00,200
Not everyone. 
Did you think about the men who 

1215
01:02:00,200 --> 01:02:02,000
will never sit at their own 
tables again? 

1216
01:02:02,700 --> 01:02:04,700
You remember the gold stars in 
Windows? 

1217
01:02:04,700 --> 01:02:07,800
The families who received 
telegrams instead of returning 

1218
01:02:07,800 --> 01:02:12,700
soldiers, you survived that fact
is both Joy and burden life 

1219
01:02:12,700 --> 01:02:16,400
continues spring arrives, you 
plant a garden with your wife. 

1220
01:02:16,400 --> 01:02:18,400
The children helped dig and 
water. 

1221
01:02:18,400 --> 01:02:21,300
The workers therapeutic. 
Your hands in the soil. 

1222
01:02:21,308 --> 01:02:25,700
Feel grounding growth happens 
slowly but steadily seeds, 

1223
01:02:25,700 --> 01:02:29,400
become seedlings, seedlings, 
become plants, plants produce 

1224
01:02:29,400 --> 01:02:31,700
food. 
The cycle is reliable and 

1225
01:02:31,700 --> 01:02:35,300
comforting years pass the war 
receives into history. 

1226
01:02:35,300 --> 01:02:38,700
Your children grow up, they ask 
you about your service 

1227
01:02:38,700 --> 01:02:41,700
occasionally, you tell them some
things and keep other things 

1228
01:02:41,700 --> 01:02:44,300
private, they do not need to 
know everything. 

1229
01:02:44,300 --> 01:02:47,200
They need to know. 
You are present that you love 

1230
01:02:47,200 --> 01:02:49,200
them. 
That you came home and stayed 

1231
01:02:49,200 --> 01:02:51,500
home you and your wife grow old 
together. 

1232
01:02:51,500 --> 01:02:54,900
The separation remains part of 
your story but it does not 

1233
01:02:54,900 --> 01:02:57,700
define your entire story. 
You build a life. 

1234
01:02:57,700 --> 01:03:02,300
After the war erase children, 
you worked and saved he created.

1235
01:03:02,700 --> 01:03:05,700
Memories to balance the years 
apart, the separation shaped 

1236
01:03:05,700 --> 01:03:08,900
you, but it did not break you. 
Looking back. 

1237
01:03:08,900 --> 01:03:12,600
You remember the waiting, the 
endless days of routine, the 

1238
01:03:12,600 --> 01:03:15,500
letters that sustained 
connection across distance, the 

1239
01:03:15,500 --> 01:03:17,500
fear that lived beneath every 
moment. 

1240
01:03:18,300 --> 01:03:20,000
But you also remember the 
reunion. 

1241
01:03:20,800 --> 01:03:25,800
Embrace the tears coming home, 
those memories are stronger than

1242
01:03:25,800 --> 01:03:28,800
the difficult ones. 
Love endured distance was 

1243
01:03:28,800 --> 01:03:33,300
overcome life continued your 
wife has her own memories years 

1244
01:03:33,300 --> 01:03:36,000
of managing alone. 
Children raised with their 

1245
01:03:36,000 --> 01:03:39,700
father constant worry, the 
effort to maintain hope when 

1246
01:03:39,700 --> 01:03:43,500
hope felt foolish but she also 
remembers your return, the joy 

1247
01:03:43,500 --> 01:03:46,900
of reunion the relief of ending 
the weight, she remembers 

1248
01:03:46,900 --> 01:03:50,300
building life together after the
war creating a future after 

1249
01:03:50,300 --> 01:03:54,100
years of suspended present. 
The war was part of your lives, 

1250
01:03:54,100 --> 01:03:57,900
but not the whole of your lives,
you lived before it, you lived 

1251
01:03:57,900 --> 01:04:00,700
after it. 
The years of separation was 

1252
01:04:00,700 --> 01:04:03,700
significant. 
But finite, What mattered most 

1253
01:04:03,700 --> 01:04:07,700
was what came after the Decades 
of ordinary days, the 

1254
01:04:07,700 --> 01:04:10,900
accumulation of small moments, 
the steady presents of love and 

1255
01:04:10,900 --> 01:04:13,500
family and Home. 
In the end, you both survive, 

1256
01:04:13,500 --> 01:04:16,500
not just the war, but the 
separation, you found each other

1257
01:04:16,500 --> 01:04:19,400
again after years apart you 
rebuilt, what the war 

1258
01:04:19,400 --> 01:04:21,600
interrupted, you created a life 
together. 

1259
01:04:21,600 --> 01:04:23,300
That was rich and full and 
meaningful. 

1260
01:04:23,300 --> 01:04:27,700
The quiet lives of the World War
2 continued into the quiet lives

1261
01:04:27,700 --> 01:04:31,900
of peace and that continuation 
that persistence that 

1262
01:04:31,900 --> 01:04:35,300
determination to keep going, was
its own kind of victory. 

1263
01:04:36,200 --> 01:04:39,000
The story ends here in this 
place of completion. 

1264
01:04:39,000 --> 01:04:43,700
The war is over, the separation 
is over, the waiting is over 

1265
01:04:43,700 --> 01:04:48,200
life, goes on the sun rises and 
sets seasons. 

1266
01:04:48,200 --> 01:04:53,900
Change children, grow years 
past, love endures, home 

1267
01:04:53,900 --> 01:04:56,600
remains. 
And that in the end is What 

1268
01:04:56,600 --> 01:05:02,900
mattered most Now, if you will, 
please settle into night as we 

1269
01:05:02,900 --> 01:05:06,300
journey back to a time when the 
world existed without Melody 

1270
01:05:06,300 --> 01:05:09,900
without Rhythm. 
And without any sound shaped by 

1271
01:05:09,900 --> 01:05:14,000
human intention, the traveling 
to an Era roughly 40,000 years 

1272
01:05:14,000 --> 01:05:16,400
ago. 
When our ancestors moved through

1273
01:05:16,400 --> 01:05:21,700
landscape of Silence broken, 
only by wind water and the calls

1274
01:05:21,700 --> 01:05:24,700
of creatures. 
A world where music hadn't yet 

1275
01:05:24,700 --> 01:05:28,200
awakened, in the human mind 
tonight, you'll discover how 

1276
01:05:28,200 --> 01:05:30,900
close we came to never creating 
music at all. 

1277
01:05:30,900 --> 01:05:34,200
Your standing on a hillside in 
what will someday be called, 

1278
01:05:34,200 --> 01:05:37,600
southern France. 
But right now, it has no name. 

1279
01:05:37,600 --> 01:05:41,700
The year is approximately 
38,000, BC, e and you've just 

1280
01:05:41,700 --> 01:05:46,300
realized something peculiar 
You've never heard a song, this 

1281
01:05:46,300 --> 01:05:48,300
isn't because you're deaf or 
isolated. 

1282
01:05:48,300 --> 01:05:51,200
You're a healthy member of a 
small band of humans. 

1283
01:05:51,200 --> 01:05:54,600
Perhaps, 30 individuals who 
travel together through river, 

1284
01:05:54,600 --> 01:05:58,900
valleys and Cross Plains. 
You communicate with words quite

1285
01:05:58,900 --> 01:06:02,000
sophisticated ones. 
Actually, you can describe the 

1286
01:06:02,000 --> 01:06:05,000
movement of prey animals. 
Warn about dangerous weather. 

1287
01:06:05,000 --> 01:06:09,600
Tell stories about ancestors and
even crack jokes that make your 

1288
01:06:09,600 --> 01:06:13,500
companions laugh. 
But the laugh itself is just an 

1289
01:06:13,500 --> 01:06:17,100
expression of emotion. it 
doesn't have a Melody, nothing 

1290
01:06:17,100 --> 01:06:20,600
does The wind moves through the 
long grasses around you, 

1291
01:06:20,600 --> 01:06:25,200
creating a rushing sound, that 
rises and Falls, Water tumbles 

1292
01:06:25,200 --> 01:06:28,900
over rocks in the Stream below. 
Generating, a constant murmur 

1293
01:06:28,900 --> 01:06:32,600
punctuated by irregular 
splashes, a hawk circles 

1294
01:06:32,600 --> 01:06:35,400
overhead occasionally releasing 
a sharp cry. 

1295
01:06:36,200 --> 01:06:39,900
These sounds exist certainly but
they exist the way colors exist 

1296
01:06:39,900 --> 01:06:42,900
as environmental facts. 
Not as anything. 

1297
01:06:42,900 --> 01:06:46,300
You might intentionally create 
or replicate your people make 

1298
01:06:46,300 --> 01:06:50,000
plenty of noise during the day. 
There's the rhythmic scraping 

1299
01:06:50,000 --> 01:06:53,600
sound as someone Works, a hide 
with a stone tool, the crack of 

1300
01:06:53,600 --> 01:06:57,200
wood being broken for a fire and
the shuffle of feet through Dry 

1301
01:06:57,200 --> 01:06:59,600
leaves. 
When the group moves together as

1302
01:06:59,600 --> 01:07:03,200
a complex layering of footfalls 
breathing and the rustle of 

1303
01:07:03,200 --> 01:07:06,100
carried materials but none of 
these is organized. 

1304
01:07:06,100 --> 01:07:09,600
No one synchronizes their 
footsteps matches their 

1305
01:07:09,600 --> 01:07:13,900
breathing or times their work 
sounds to create patterns the 

1306
01:07:13,900 --> 01:07:18,600
idea simply doesn't exist. 
At night lying on your bed of 

1307
01:07:18,600 --> 01:07:22,200
gathered, grasses and Furs, you 
listen to, the sounds of sleep. 

1308
01:07:22,200 --> 01:07:25,100
Someone snores in an irregular 
pattern. 

1309
01:07:26,000 --> 01:07:29,300
Another person shifts position 
creating brief, scratching 

1310
01:07:29,300 --> 01:07:34,100
sounds against the ground, a 
baby, not yours but one you help

1311
01:07:34,100 --> 01:07:38,100
care for occasionally whimpers 
or make small sleeping sounds. 

1312
01:07:38,100 --> 01:07:41,100
These noises happen, but they 
don't form anything. 

1313
01:07:41,100 --> 01:07:44,300
You'd call Rhythm or Melody. 
What's fascinating? 

1314
01:07:44,300 --> 01:07:47,400
Is that you have every physical 
capability for making music. 

1315
01:07:47,400 --> 01:07:51,700
Your vocal chords can produce an
astonishing range of sounds. 

1316
01:07:51,700 --> 01:07:55,400
Your ears can distinguish. 
Manute variations in pitch and 

1317
01:07:55,400 --> 01:07:59,800
timing your brain can recognize 
patterns and predict sequence is

1318
01:07:59,800 --> 01:08:04,100
your basically a sophisticated 
music making machine, except 

1319
01:08:04,100 --> 01:08:07,300
nobody has thought to use any of
these abilities for anything 

1320
01:08:07,300 --> 01:08:11,500
beyond communication and 
environmental awareness. when 

1321
01:08:11,500 --> 01:08:14,200
you need to call a distance to 
someone in your group, you 

1322
01:08:14,200 --> 01:08:18,000
shout, the shout serves a 
purpose, it carries information,

1323
01:08:19,000 --> 01:08:21,700
You might stretch out of vowel 
sound to make it travel farther,

1324
01:08:21,700 --> 01:08:26,000
but this is pure functionality. 
You're not exploring the 

1325
01:08:26,000 --> 01:08:29,700
aesthetic qualities of sustained
tones, you're just trying to be 

1326
01:08:29,700 --> 01:08:32,700
heard over the wind. 
There are moments when your 

1327
01:08:32,700 --> 01:08:35,399
voice naturally Rises and falls 
in pictures, you speak. 

1328
01:08:36,200 --> 01:08:38,800
Following the emotional content 
of what you're saying, 

1329
01:08:38,800 --> 01:08:41,399
excitement raises your pitch 
slightly. 

1330
01:08:42,399 --> 01:08:45,700
Sadness might lower it, but 
these variations happen 

1331
01:08:45,700 --> 01:08:50,100
automatically driven by feeling 
rather than intention, you're 

1332
01:08:50,100 --> 01:08:52,899
not consciously choosing, to 
create pleasing sound patterns, 

1333
01:08:52,899 --> 01:08:57,100
the very concept of pleasing 
sound patterns exists, nowhere 

1334
01:08:57,100 --> 01:08:59,700
in your mind, your people clap 
their hands. 

1335
01:08:59,700 --> 01:09:02,200
Sometimes. 
Usually as part of emphasis 

1336
01:09:02,200 --> 01:09:06,100
during communication or to brush
off dirt and moisture, the 

1337
01:09:06,100 --> 01:09:09,100
Clapping makes a sharp 
percussive sound but it doesn't 

1338
01:09:09,100 --> 01:09:12,000
occur to anyone to clap in 
Rhythm or to clap together and 

1339
01:09:12,000 --> 01:09:15,399
synchronize patterns. 
Each clap is an independent 

1340
01:09:15,399 --> 01:09:19,500
action related to an immediate 
physical need or communicative 

1341
01:09:19,500 --> 01:09:23,200
purpose children in your group 
play extent of their players 

1342
01:09:23,200 --> 01:09:26,100
noisy. 
They chase each other shrieking 

1343
01:09:26,100 --> 01:09:30,600
with excitement, they Splash in 
water, creating wild irregular 

1344
01:09:30,600 --> 01:09:33,899
sounds, they bang Stones 
together while mimicking, the 

1345
01:09:33,899 --> 01:09:35,899
tool-making, they've watched 
adults perform. 

1346
01:09:36,899 --> 01:09:39,300
All of this generates sound but 
none of it. 

1347
01:09:39,300 --> 01:09:42,800
Generates music, the children 
don't invent clapping games or 

1348
01:09:42,800 --> 01:09:45,600
chanting songs because these 
ideas belong to a future that 

1349
01:09:45,600 --> 01:09:48,600
hasn't arrived yet. 
Sometimes your group works 

1350
01:09:48,600 --> 01:09:52,300
together on large tasks dragging
a Fallen Tree moving. 

1351
01:09:52,300 --> 01:09:54,900
Heavy Stones processing a large 
animal. 

1352
01:09:54,900 --> 01:09:58,200
After a successful hunt these 
collaborative efforts involve 

1353
01:09:58,200 --> 01:10:02,400
considerable noise, grunting 
breathing hard and the sounds of

1354
01:10:02,408 --> 01:10:05,600
strain and effort. 
But everyone works at their own 

1355
01:10:05,600 --> 01:10:08,900
pace breathing and grunting 
according to their individual 

1356
01:10:08,900 --> 01:10:11,200
Rhythm. 
There's no heave hoe 

1357
01:10:11,200 --> 01:10:14,000
coordination. 
No work songs to synchronize 

1358
01:10:14,000 --> 01:10:16,300
effort. 
It simply doesn't occur to 

1359
01:10:16,300 --> 01:10:18,900
anyone that matching rhythms 
might make the work easier. 

1360
01:10:19,700 --> 01:10:21,900
The world. 
You inhabit is extraordinarily 

1361
01:10:21,900 --> 01:10:23,500
quiet. 
Compared to the Future. 

1362
01:10:23,500 --> 01:10:27,200
There are no Motors. 
No engines and no electrical 

1363
01:10:27,200 --> 01:10:30,000
harms. 
Human settlements are tiny and 

1364
01:10:30,000 --> 01:10:33,200
Whiteley scattered. 
On many days, the only sounds 

1365
01:10:33,200 --> 01:10:37,700
you hear are natural ones. 
Whether water animals, and the 

1366
01:10:37,700 --> 01:10:41,000
immediate noises of your small 
group in the landscape of 

1367
01:10:41,008 --> 01:10:44,700
Ambient sound, the silence of 
intentional music is so complete

1368
01:10:44,700 --> 01:10:47,100
that you don't notice it 
asylums. 

1369
01:10:47,900 --> 01:10:51,500
It's just the normal state of 
existence, your standing near 

1370
01:10:51,500 --> 01:10:55,500
that same stream, several years 
later and something has changed 

1371
01:10:55,500 --> 01:10:59,700
not in the landscape, the water 
still runs over the same rocks 

1372
01:10:59,700 --> 01:11:02,100
and the grass is still rustle in
the Wind. 

1373
01:11:03,000 --> 01:11:06,600
What's changed is that you've 
begun to notice sound as a tool.

1374
01:11:07,300 --> 01:11:11,000
It started with something 
embarrassingly simple, scaring 

1375
01:11:11,000 --> 01:11:14,600
animals your group discovered 
that certain sounds make certain

1376
01:11:14,600 --> 01:11:18,400
creatures run away. 
Shouting works well, but some 

1377
01:11:18,400 --> 01:11:20,800
animals are becoming accustomed 
to human voices. 

1378
01:11:20,800 --> 01:11:24,500
They've learned that voice is 
don't always mean danger, but 

1379
01:11:24,500 --> 01:11:27,500
unfamiliar sounds sharp cracks 
loud, crashes. 

1380
01:11:27,500 --> 01:11:30,200
Strange. 
Rhythmic noise is still provoke.

1381
01:11:30,200 --> 01:11:33,900
Reliable fear responses. 
So now when your group wants to 

1382
01:11:33,900 --> 01:11:37,500
drive game animals toward a 
particular location, someone 

1383
01:11:37,500 --> 01:11:40,900
stays behind making noise. 
Not just any noise though 

1384
01:11:40,900 --> 01:11:44,200
through trial and error, you've 
learned that sustained repeated 

1385
01:11:44,200 --> 01:11:48,800
sounds work better than random 
once a person with striking a 

1386
01:11:48,800 --> 01:11:51,600
stick against a hollow log 
creates a sound that travels far

1387
01:11:51,600 --> 01:11:54,200
and keeps animals moving in the 
desired Direction. 

1388
01:11:54,200 --> 01:11:56,200
It's the beginning of 
intentional. 

1389
01:11:56,200 --> 01:11:59,400
Rhythm though, you're using it. 
The way you might use a sharp 

1390
01:11:59,400 --> 01:12:04,300
stick as a tool, not as art. 
The hollow log makes a 

1391
01:12:04,300 --> 01:12:08,100
particularly resonant sound. 
You've noticed strike it at one 

1392
01:12:08,100 --> 01:12:11,800
end and the sound is deep and 
carrying strike it near the 

1393
01:12:11,800 --> 01:12:13,400
middle and the pitch Rises 
slightly. 

1394
01:12:14,200 --> 01:12:17,500
None of this seems particularly 
significant yet, you're not 

1395
01:12:17,508 --> 01:12:20,900
exploring these variations for 
their own sake, you're just 

1396
01:12:20,908 --> 01:12:23,500
noting them the way you note 
that certain stones are better 

1397
01:12:23,500 --> 01:12:26,600
for cutting than others. 
Your people have also discovered

1398
01:12:26,600 --> 01:12:29,900
that sound can be used for 
warning when someone spots 

1399
01:12:29,900 --> 01:12:34,200
potential danger, a large 
Predator, an approaching storm 

1400
01:12:34,200 --> 01:12:35,800
or members of an unfamiliar 
group. 

1401
01:12:36,600 --> 01:12:38,900
They need to alert others 
quickly without shouting 

1402
01:12:38,900 --> 01:12:40,800
specific words that might not 
carry. 

1403
01:12:40,800 --> 01:12:45,500
So a system as emerged certain 
sounds mean, certain things a 

1404
01:12:45,500 --> 01:12:47,800
sharp whistle repeated three 
times means Danger. 

1405
01:12:48,800 --> 01:12:52,700
Too low calls, mean gather here.
None of this is taught formally 

1406
01:12:52,700 --> 01:12:56,000
it spreads through imitation and
proves useful. 

1407
01:12:56,000 --> 01:12:59,600
So it persists, there's a woman 
in your group who has an 

1408
01:12:59,600 --> 01:13:02,800
unusually carrying voice. 
When she calls out the sound 

1409
01:13:02,800 --> 01:13:06,100
travels, much farther than 
anyone else's calls, she's 

1410
01:13:06,100 --> 01:13:08,600
become the de facto 
long-distance communicator. 

1411
01:13:08,600 --> 01:13:12,100
And she started experimenting 
with different sounds to see 

1412
01:13:12,100 --> 01:13:15,900
which ones travel best. 
Long sustained tones, work 

1413
01:13:15,900 --> 01:13:19,600
better than short ones, lower 
pitches, cut through wind more 

1414
01:13:19,600 --> 01:13:23,000
effectively than high ones. 
She's not thinking about music, 

1415
01:13:23,000 --> 01:13:26,000
she's solving communication 
problems but she's doing 

1416
01:13:26,000 --> 01:13:28,200
acoustic. 
Experimentation on the less 

1417
01:13:28,200 --> 01:13:31,500
children of picked up on some of
this and turned it into a game. 

1418
01:13:31,500 --> 01:13:34,800
They hide from each other in the
brush and use different calls to

1419
01:13:34,800 --> 01:13:38,300
Signal their locations. 
It's not exactly music, but it's

1420
01:13:38,300 --> 01:13:40,900
playing with sound patterns and 
occasionally. 

1421
01:13:40,900 --> 01:13:43,600
The calls overlap in ways that 
creates something almost like 

1422
01:13:43,600 --> 01:13:47,100
Harmony when two children, call 
simultaneously from different 

1423
01:13:47,100 --> 01:13:51,100
locations their voices, blend 
into a new sound that's richer 

1424
01:13:51,100 --> 01:13:55,200
than either voice alone. 
Nobody remarks on this, it's 

1425
01:13:55,200 --> 01:13:56,900
just something that happens 
during play. 

1426
01:13:56,900 --> 01:14:00,800
Your people have always used 
vocal sounds to comfort babies 

1427
01:14:00,800 --> 01:14:04,300
and small children. 
A crying infant will sometimes 

1428
01:14:04,300 --> 01:14:07,800
calm when an adult makes gentle.
Sustained sounds near them. 

1429
01:14:07,800 --> 01:14:11,400
These sounds don't have words. 
They're just soft of 

1430
01:14:11,400 --> 01:14:14,800
vocalizations often with a 
rising and falling pitch. 

1431
01:14:14,800 --> 01:14:18,500
That seems to soothe you might 
call it Proto singing except 

1432
01:14:18,500 --> 01:14:21,900
nobody thinks of it that way. 
It's just a technique that works

1433
01:14:21,900 --> 01:14:24,200
like rocking a baby or patting 
their back. 

1434
01:14:25,000 --> 01:14:27,900
Work has become slightly more 
coordinated though, not 

1435
01:14:27,900 --> 01:14:31,000
intentionally when several 
people are scraping hides 

1436
01:14:31,000 --> 01:14:32,800
together. 
Sitting in a group, they're 

1437
01:14:32,800 --> 01:14:36,600
scraping sounds start to align, 
not perfectly and not through 

1438
01:14:36,600 --> 01:14:39,200
conscious effort. 
It just happens that when you 

1439
01:14:39,200 --> 01:14:42,300
hear someone else's Rhythm your 
own movements tend to adjust 

1440
01:14:42,300 --> 01:14:45,500
slightly to match. 
It's a quirk of human neurology,

1441
01:14:45,500 --> 01:14:48,400
that won't be understood for 
thousands of years, but it's 

1442
01:14:48,400 --> 01:14:51,700
there, quietly, operating making
people who work together 

1443
01:14:51,700 --> 01:14:55,100
gradually, synchronize their 
movements, the resonant Hollow 

1444
01:14:55,100 --> 01:14:57,800
log has become a semi-permanent 
fixture near your groups, 

1445
01:14:57,800 --> 01:15:01,000
favored camping area. 
Originally used for driving 

1446
01:15:01,000 --> 01:15:03,000
games. 
People now strike it 

1447
01:15:03,000 --> 01:15:06,200
occasionally for other reasons. 
Someone walking past might hit 

1448
01:15:06,200 --> 01:15:10,000
it once or twice just to hear 
the sound children bang on it. 

1449
01:15:10,000 --> 01:15:13,200
Frequently during play an 
argument between two adults 

1450
01:15:13,200 --> 01:15:15,100
ends. 
When one of them walks over and 

1451
01:15:15,100 --> 01:15:17,700
Strikes. 
The logs several times using the

1452
01:15:17,700 --> 01:15:21,700
action and sound as a way to end
the discussion emphatically, the

1453
01:15:21,700 --> 01:15:24,700
log is becoming something more 
than a hunting tool, though. 

1454
01:15:24,700 --> 01:15:26,900
Nobody has words yet, for what? 
That something is. 

1455
01:15:28,200 --> 01:15:31,200
You've noticed that certain 
activities naturally, generate 

1456
01:15:31,200 --> 01:15:35,400
rhythmic sound grinding grain 
between Stones creates a steady 

1457
01:15:35,400 --> 01:15:39,100
back and forth. 
Rhythm Walking on a path, one 

1458
01:15:39,100 --> 01:15:41,500
smooth, produces a regular 
pattern of footfalls. 

1459
01:15:42,300 --> 01:15:44,500
Repeated striking during Stone 
tool. 

1460
01:15:44,500 --> 01:15:46,700
Manufacturer creates a rhythm of
impacts. 

1461
01:15:46,700 --> 01:15:49,700
These rhythms are byproducts 
side effects of practical 

1462
01:15:49,700 --> 01:15:53,400
actions, but they're everywhere.
Your daily life is filled with 

1463
01:15:53,400 --> 01:15:57,600
accidental percussion at night, 
lying awake while others sleep. 

1464
01:15:57,600 --> 01:16:00,100
You sometimes, find yourself 
listening to the breathing of 

1465
01:16:00,100 --> 01:16:03,300
your companions in sleep, 
breathing follows, regular 

1466
01:16:03,300 --> 01:16:06,800
patterns and with many people 
sleeping near each other their 

1467
01:16:06,800 --> 01:16:10,200
breath rhythms create 
overlapping Cycles sometimes by 

1468
01:16:10,200 --> 01:16:12,200
pure chance. 
Several people, exhale 

1469
01:16:12,200 --> 01:16:15,400
simultaneously, creating 
combined sound that's different 

1470
01:16:15,400 --> 01:16:19,300
from any individual breath. 
Then the patterns shift and the 

1471
01:16:19,300 --> 01:16:22,800
alignment disappears. 
Sound is becoming something you 

1472
01:16:22,800 --> 01:16:25,400
notice more deliberately, you 
still don't think of it as 

1473
01:16:25,408 --> 01:16:28,400
something you might create for 
its own sake, but you're aware 

1474
01:16:28,400 --> 01:16:32,900
of it as a tool, a signal, a 
byproduct of life that sometimes

1475
01:16:32,900 --> 01:16:37,200
holds interest you're not yet 
making music, but your standing 

1476
01:16:37,200 --> 01:16:39,200
much closer to it than you were 
a few years ago. 

1477
01:16:39,200 --> 01:16:43,700
The City by yourself in late 
afternoon, light waiting for the

1478
01:16:43,700 --> 01:16:46,400
Hunting Party to return and your
board. 

1479
01:16:46,400 --> 01:16:49,800
Your hands need something to do.
So you pick up a stick and start

1480
01:16:49,800 --> 01:16:53,600
tapping it against the stone, 
your City on tap tap. 

1481
01:16:53,600 --> 01:16:57,700
Tap tap. 
The regular rhythm is Mindless 

1482
01:16:57,700 --> 01:17:01,600
automatic something to occupy 
your hands while your mind 

1483
01:17:01,600 --> 01:17:05,800
wanders, then you miss the stick
glances off the edge of the 

1484
01:17:05,800 --> 01:17:08,200
stone and hits a different Stone
line beside it. 

1485
01:17:08,900 --> 01:17:12,300
The sound is different. 
Sharper higher. 

1486
01:17:13,200 --> 01:17:17,200
Without thinking you repeat the 
pattern two Taps on the large 

1487
01:17:17,200 --> 01:17:20,000
Stone. 
One tap on the smaller one large

1488
01:17:20,000 --> 01:17:25,800
large small large, large small, 
the pattern pleases you in a 

1489
01:17:25,808 --> 01:17:26,900
way. 
You can't quite articulate. 

1490
01:17:26,900 --> 01:17:30,100
It's not useful. 
It doesn't communicate 

1491
01:17:30,100 --> 01:17:32,200
information, it just feels 
right. 

1492
01:17:32,200 --> 01:17:37,000
So you keep doing it. 
Child approaches curious about 

1493
01:17:37,000 --> 01:17:39,500
what you're doing. 
She picks up another stick and 

1494
01:17:39,500 --> 01:17:43,800
starts hitting Stones randomly. 
The sounds are chaotic clashing 

1495
01:17:43,800 --> 01:17:46,400
with your pattern. 
You're about to tell her to stop

1496
01:17:46,400 --> 01:17:49,700
when she accidentally falls into
rhythm with you for a few 

1497
01:17:49,708 --> 01:17:52,300
moments, her random strikes 
happen to align with your 

1498
01:17:52,300 --> 01:17:56,300
pattern and the combined sound 
is unexpectedly satisfied. 

1499
01:17:57,300 --> 01:17:59,100
She gets distracted and wanders 
off. 

1500
01:18:00,000 --> 01:18:01,400
Something has lodged in your 
mind. 

1501
01:18:01,400 --> 01:18:05,000
The memory of two sound patterns
fitting together. 

1502
01:18:06,200 --> 01:18:09,100
Over the following days, you 
find yourself returning, to this

1503
01:18:09,100 --> 01:18:12,100
pointless activity, sitting by 
the fire at night. 

1504
01:18:12,100 --> 01:18:16,100
You tap out patterns on 
whatever's nearby, logs Stones, 

1505
01:18:16,100 --> 01:18:19,100
your own knee. 
Other people notice, but don't 

1506
01:18:19,100 --> 01:18:22,700
comment much. 
It's odd behavior but harmless. 

1507
01:18:23,500 --> 01:18:25,000
You're known for various 
peculiarities. 

1508
01:18:25,000 --> 01:18:28,200
Anyway, this is just another 
one. 

1509
01:18:28,200 --> 01:18:30,900
The patterns you make are 
becoming more complex. 

1510
01:18:30,900 --> 01:18:34,600
You discover that silence 
matters as much as sound. 

1511
01:18:35,200 --> 01:18:37,500
A gap between strikes creates 
anticipation. 

1512
01:18:37,500 --> 01:18:41,700
A long pattern of repeated 
sounds becomes boring but 

1513
01:18:41,700 --> 01:18:44,700
breaking the repetition with a 
different sound or a pause 

1514
01:18:44,700 --> 01:18:48,200
brings it back to life. your 
learning the grammar of Rhythm 

1515
01:18:48,200 --> 01:18:52,400
through pure experimentation, 
with no teacher and no tradition

1516
01:18:52,400 --> 01:18:56,100
to guide you and another person 
in your group a man who crafts 

1517
01:18:56,100 --> 01:18:59,700
stone tools with unusual 
precision, Becomes interested in

1518
01:18:59,700 --> 01:19:03,600
what you're doing, he doesn't 
join you but he watches one 

1519
01:19:03,600 --> 01:19:06,400
evening while you're tapping 
your patterns, he starts 

1520
01:19:06,400 --> 01:19:08,900
scraping a bone with a stone 
blade in rhythm with your 

1521
01:19:08,908 --> 01:19:11,400
tapping. 
He's not trying to make music. 

1522
01:19:11,400 --> 01:19:14,900
He's just working and his work 
happens to align with your 

1523
01:19:14,900 --> 01:19:18,200
Rhythm, but the combination of 
taping and scraping creates 

1524
01:19:18,200 --> 01:19:22,200
something, neither sound alone 
could create texture, layering 

1525
01:19:22,200 --> 01:19:26,700
and depth, You try something new
varying, the force of your 

1526
01:19:26,700 --> 01:19:30,400
strikes. 
Hit hard, hit soft, hit medium. 

1527
01:19:30,400 --> 01:19:33,800
The same rhythm with different 
Dynamics, creates different 

1528
01:19:33,800 --> 01:19:39,300
feelings, a soft slow, Rhythm 
feels calming, allowed fast, 

1529
01:19:39,300 --> 01:19:42,600
Rhythm generates energy and 
excitement, you're not thinking 

1530
01:19:42,600 --> 01:19:45,200
about these effects 
analytically, you're just 

1531
01:19:45,208 --> 01:19:47,200
noticing them. 
The way you might notice, that 

1532
01:19:47,200 --> 01:19:49,200
some foods taste better than 
others. 

1533
01:19:50,000 --> 01:19:52,000
Children. 
All these quick to imitate new 

1534
01:19:52,000 --> 01:19:56,300
behaviors start making rhythmic 
sounds more frequently during 

1535
01:19:56,300 --> 01:19:58,300
play. 
They clap in patterns stamp, 

1536
01:19:58,300 --> 01:20:00,900
their feet and repeated 
sequences and Banks sticks 

1537
01:20:00,900 --> 01:20:04,200
against trees. 
It's still play not performance,

1538
01:20:04,200 --> 01:20:08,000
but the player starting to have 
structure and adult tells two 

1539
01:20:08,000 --> 01:20:10,700
boys to stop making so much 
noise and they comply. 

1540
01:20:10,700 --> 01:20:13,600
But they return to their 
rhythmic games the next day. 

1541
01:20:14,600 --> 01:20:18,200
The impulse once awakened 
doesn't easily go back to sleep.

1542
01:20:18,200 --> 01:20:21,100
There's an old woman in your 
group who can no longer walk 

1543
01:20:21,100 --> 01:20:23,500
easily but still contribute in 
various ways. 

1544
01:20:24,600 --> 01:20:27,400
She's taken to sit near the 
fire, and creating rhythmic 

1545
01:20:27,400 --> 01:20:31,500
sounds using whatever's at hand,
sticks, stones or bone 

1546
01:20:31,500 --> 01:20:35,900
fragments, when she does this 
babies and small children, often

1547
01:20:35,900 --> 01:20:39,400
become calm distracted from 
their crying or fussing by the 

1548
01:20:39,400 --> 01:20:41,900
sound. 
She makes The adults have 

1549
01:20:41,900 --> 01:20:44,800
noticed this effect and now 
sometimes bring up set children 

1550
01:20:44,800 --> 01:20:46,800
to sit near her while, she makes
her patterns. 

1551
01:20:46,800 --> 01:20:51,100
She's become an accidental music
therapist, though that term 

1552
01:20:51,100 --> 01:20:53,500
won't exist for roughly 40,000 
years. 

1553
01:20:54,400 --> 01:20:57,400
You've discovered that certain 
objects make better sounds than 

1554
01:20:57,400 --> 01:21:00,700
others. 
Halo things produced deeper more

1555
01:21:00,700 --> 01:21:03,700
resonant. 
Tones dense, hard materials, 

1556
01:21:03,700 --> 01:21:08,900
create sharper, clearer sounds. 
Some items ring when struck the 

1557
01:21:08,900 --> 01:21:12,100
sound sustained and gradually 
fading While others produce 

1558
01:21:12,100 --> 01:21:15,500
brief dead thuds. 
You'll not collecting these 

1559
01:21:15,500 --> 01:21:19,200
objects methodically but you're 
starting to prefer certain ones 

1560
01:21:19,200 --> 01:21:21,900
keeping them nearby because they
produce sounds. 

1561
01:21:21,900 --> 01:21:25,300
You enjoy one evening during an 
informal gathering around. 

1562
01:21:25,300 --> 01:21:28,500
The fire, several people happen 
to be making rhythmic sounds 

1563
01:21:28,500 --> 01:21:31,000
simultaneously, you're tapping 
your pattern. 

1564
01:21:31,000 --> 01:21:33,500
The old woman is creating a 
steady beat. 

1565
01:21:33,500 --> 01:21:37,300
Someone is cracking nuts with 
stones and Rhythm and a few 

1566
01:21:37,308 --> 01:21:40,500
children are clapping, nobody 
planned this coordination. 

1567
01:21:40,500 --> 01:21:44,900
But for perhaps 30 seconds, all 
these separate rhythms aligned 

1568
01:21:44,900 --> 01:21:47,900
into a complex, layered sound, 
that makes everyone stopped and 

1569
01:21:47,900 --> 01:21:51,400
listened then someone's Rhythm 
speeds up, the alignment falls 

1570
01:21:51,400 --> 01:21:55,100
apart and normal chaos returns. 
But you remember that moment? 

1571
01:21:55,900 --> 01:22:00,900
That brief accidental Harmony. 
Feeling of separate sounds 

1572
01:22:00,900 --> 01:22:04,300
fitting together into something 
larger than any single sound. 

1573
01:22:04,300 --> 01:22:06,900
Could be. 
You're holding a Halo, bird-bone

1574
01:22:06,900 --> 01:22:10,700
examining it for practical uses.
Its light and strong. 

1575
01:22:10,700 --> 01:22:13,600
It might work as a needle or a 
small tool handle. 

1576
01:22:14,400 --> 01:22:17,000
But there's a crack running 
along one side, making it 

1577
01:22:17,000 --> 01:22:20,700
unsuitable for those purposes. 
You're about to toss it aside, 

1578
01:22:20,700 --> 01:22:24,300
when you notice the crack 
creates a hole, On a whim, you 

1579
01:22:24,300 --> 01:22:27,800
blow across the opening. 
The sound that emerges freezes 

1580
01:22:27,800 --> 01:22:29,900
you in place. 
It's a tone. 

1581
01:22:29,900 --> 01:22:32,800
Unlike anything you've heard 
from a human mouth Pure 

1582
01:22:32,800 --> 01:22:38,500
sustained unwavering not a 
voice, but not exactly not a 

1583
01:22:38,500 --> 01:22:41,700
voice either. 
You blow again, adjusting the 

1584
01:22:41,700 --> 01:22:45,400
angle and force of your breath 
and the sound changes pitch. 

1585
01:22:46,400 --> 01:22:48,600
Soft. 
Softer blowing produces a lower 

1586
01:22:48,600 --> 01:22:51,600
tone harder blowing jumps to a 
higher one. 

1587
01:22:51,600 --> 01:22:55,700
You sit down ignoring everything
else and spend the rest of the 

1588
01:22:55,700 --> 01:22:57,500
afternoon, exploring the strange
object. 

1589
01:22:58,700 --> 01:23:01,700
By evening, you've learned to 
produce several different tones 

1590
01:23:01,700 --> 01:23:05,500
by partially covering the crack 
with your finger and varying 

1591
01:23:05,500 --> 01:23:08,000
your breath. 
The Sounds carry remarkably. 

1592
01:23:08,000 --> 01:23:11,600
Well, when you blow the bone 
while standing on a slight rise 

1593
01:23:11,600 --> 01:23:15,400
people at a considerable 
distance turn to look, Startled 

1594
01:23:15,400 --> 01:23:18,900
by the unusual sound. 
You've created the first win 

1595
01:23:18,900 --> 01:23:20,900
instrument, though you don't 
have a name for what it is. 

1596
01:23:20,900 --> 01:23:25,000
The bone flute, though, you 
don't call it, that becomes an 

1597
01:23:25,000 --> 01:23:26,700
object of Fascination for your 
group. 

1598
01:23:26,700 --> 01:23:30,400
Everyone wants to try it. 
Most people can produce some 

1599
01:23:30,400 --> 01:23:33,600
kind of sound from it though, if
you can control it as well as 

1600
01:23:33,600 --> 01:23:37,400
you do, The children, 
predictably blow into it with 

1601
01:23:37,400 --> 01:23:42,600
maximum Force producing shrill, 
almost painful, sounds that make

1602
01:23:42,600 --> 01:23:44,200
adults, cover their ears and 
laugh. 

1603
01:23:44,200 --> 01:23:46,400
The toolmaker examined. 
It carefully. 

1604
01:23:46,400 --> 01:23:50,300
Studying the crack and the way 
air moves through it, He asked 

1605
01:23:50,300 --> 01:23:53,300
to borrow it overnight when he 
returns it, the next morning, 

1606
01:23:53,300 --> 01:23:56,200
he's made changes. 
He's carefully wide, and the 

1607
01:23:56,200 --> 01:23:59,800
crack into a deliberate opening 
and added two more small holes, 

1608
01:23:59,800 --> 01:24:03,800
along the bones length, Now by 
covering different combinations 

1609
01:24:03,800 --> 01:24:07,900
of holes, you can produce many 
more tones, some aloe and 

1610
01:24:07,900 --> 01:24:11,800
haunted, others are bright and 
sharp, you spend the entire day 

1611
01:24:11,800 --> 01:24:14,400
exploring, these new 
possibilities, barely stopping 

1612
01:24:14,400 --> 01:24:17,000
to eat. 
The tones, you can produce have 

1613
01:24:17,000 --> 01:24:21,100
an interesting effect on people.
When you blow long low notes, 

1614
01:24:21,100 --> 01:24:24,300
those nearby seem to become 
quieter and more contemplative. 

1615
01:24:25,100 --> 01:24:28,600
When you play rapid sequences of
high notes, people become more 

1616
01:24:28,600 --> 01:24:32,000
alert and energized. 
This is if the sounds affect 

1617
01:24:32,000 --> 01:24:36,200
mood directly bypassing 
language, and meaning to act on 

1618
01:24:36,200 --> 01:24:39,400
some deeper level of 
consciousness, another member of

1619
01:24:39,408 --> 01:24:43,000
your group makes a discovery 
with a different material animal

1620
01:24:43,000 --> 01:24:47,500
gut stretched and dried gut 
becomes string useful for 

1621
01:24:47,500 --> 01:24:50,500
binding things together. 
But when you attach a dried 

1622
01:24:50,500 --> 01:24:53,800
piece of gut between two points 
with tension, and then pluck it,

1623
01:24:53,800 --> 01:24:56,100
the string vibrates and 
produces. 

1624
01:24:56,100 --> 01:25:00,300
A surprisingly resonant tone. 
The pitch depends on how tightly

1625
01:25:00,300 --> 01:25:04,600
the string is stretched. 
Tight string, high pitch loose 

1626
01:25:04,600 --> 01:25:09,300
string Lopez, this is harder to 
control than the bone flute but 

1627
01:25:09,300 --> 01:25:12,200
it produces a different quality 
of sound, something between 

1628
01:25:12,200 --> 01:25:15,300
plucking and humming with a 
richness that seems to fill 

1629
01:25:15,300 --> 01:25:18,400
space you experiment with 
stringing gut across. 

1630
01:25:18,400 --> 01:25:22,200
A curved piece of wood creating 
tension by bending the wood. 

1631
01:25:22,900 --> 01:25:26,200
Now, you have something like a 
primitive hunting bow except 

1632
01:25:26,200 --> 01:25:29,300
instead of shooting arrows. 
You pluck the string to make 

1633
01:25:29,300 --> 01:25:33,200
sounds your inventing, the 
musical bow though the true 

1634
01:25:33,200 --> 01:25:36,000
hunting bow already exists. 
Nobody thinks of this version as

1635
01:25:36,000 --> 01:25:38,500
particularly Innovative a child 
watching. 

1636
01:25:38,500 --> 01:25:41,900
You play the string sound maker.
You really need better names for

1637
01:25:41,900 --> 01:25:44,500
these things. 
Asks, if you can make the sounds

1638
01:25:44,500 --> 01:25:47,600
go up and down, like, when 
people talk, you try it 

1639
01:25:47,600 --> 01:25:50,600
plucking, the string, while 
pressing it against the wood at 

1640
01:25:50,600 --> 01:25:51,900
different points, change the 
pitch. 

1641
01:25:51,900 --> 01:25:56,000
Yes, you can. 
The sounds do seem to rise and 

1642
01:25:56,000 --> 01:25:59,000
fall in patterns, that vaguely 
resembles, Beach, Melody. 

1643
01:25:59,700 --> 01:26:02,100
Though they're clearer and more 
controlled than any voice. 

1644
01:26:02,800 --> 01:26:05,500
The hollow log your people have 
been using for years get to 

1645
01:26:05,500 --> 01:26:09,000
significant upgrade. 
Someone notices, that hit it in 

1646
01:26:09,000 --> 01:26:11,200
different places produces 
different pitches. 

1647
01:26:11,200 --> 01:26:14,800
So they start carving, it 
deliberately making some areas 

1648
01:26:14,800 --> 01:26:18,000
thinner to produce higher tones 
and leaving other areas. 

1649
01:26:18,000 --> 01:26:21,000
Thick for deeper sounds. 
What was a simple noise? 

1650
01:26:21,000 --> 01:26:24,300
Making a tuned percussion 
instrument though, it takes 

1651
01:26:24,300 --> 01:26:27,100
weeks of patient, carving and 
testing to get the tones to 

1652
01:26:27,100 --> 01:26:27,700
work. 
Well together. 

1653
01:26:27,700 --> 01:26:31,700
You now have three distinct ways
of making deliberate controlled 

1654
01:26:31,700 --> 01:26:35,900
sails, blowing through bones, 
plucking gut string and striking

1655
01:26:35,900 --> 01:26:39,100
carved wood. 
None of these sounds exactly 

1656
01:26:39,100 --> 01:26:42,600
like a human voice, which makes 
them both strange and 

1657
01:26:42,600 --> 01:26:46,500
compelling, their sounds from 
the human world but not quite 

1658
01:26:46,500 --> 01:26:50,300
human sounds. 
On an evening when the weather 

1659
01:26:50,300 --> 01:26:53,600
is mild and the work is done. 
Several people, bring out these 

1660
01:26:53,600 --> 01:26:57,600
new sound makers simultaneously.
Someone plays the bone flute 

1661
01:26:57,600 --> 01:27:01,100
with its multiple tone, holes, 
and other person, plucks the gut

1662
01:27:01,100 --> 01:27:05,200
string, you strike the carved 
log in varying rhythms, The 

1663
01:27:05,200 --> 01:27:08,900
Sounds weave together in ways. 
None of you planned creating 

1664
01:27:08,900 --> 01:27:13,300
moments of surprising, Harmony 
and moments of jarring, Discord.

1665
01:27:13,300 --> 01:27:16,400
You're not quite making music, 
yet, you're still just making 

1666
01:27:16,400 --> 01:27:19,500
interesting sounds. 
But the distance between what 

1667
01:27:19,500 --> 01:27:21,800
you're doing and what will 
someday be called, music is 

1668
01:27:21,800 --> 01:27:23,900
growing. 
Smaller your sitting with a 

1669
01:27:23,900 --> 01:27:26,600
group of children and young 
adults, teaching them the name 

1670
01:27:26,600 --> 01:27:29,200
of plants. 
When someone asks you to tell 

1671
01:27:29,200 --> 01:27:32,000
the story of the winter six 
years ago when the river froze 

1672
01:27:32,000 --> 01:27:35,100
solid, you've told the story 
before but tonight you try 

1673
01:27:35,100 --> 01:27:38,000
something different. 
As you speak, you pick up the 

1674
01:27:38,000 --> 01:27:40,900
bone flute and play a low 
sustained tone, during the 

1675
01:27:40,900 --> 01:27:43,900
description of the cold. 
The Sounds seems to make the 

1676
01:27:43,900 --> 01:27:48,300
cold more present more real, the
listeners lean in more focused 

1677
01:27:48,300 --> 01:27:50,900
than usual. 
When you reach the part where 

1678
01:27:50,900 --> 01:27:53,300
people discovered the ice was 
thick enough to walk on. 

1679
01:27:53,300 --> 01:27:57,000
You play a series of quick light
notes, that somehow sound like 

1680
01:27:57,000 --> 01:27:59,400
footsteps. 
Like careful testing. 

1681
01:27:59,400 --> 01:28:02,200
Nobody has told you. 
That sounds can represent 

1682
01:28:02,200 --> 01:28:05,300
actions this way your 
discovering it, as you do it. 

1683
01:28:06,100 --> 01:28:09,700
The young people are utterly 
silent absorbed in the story in 

1684
01:28:09,700 --> 01:28:11,400
a way. 
They usually aren't at the 

1685
01:28:11,400 --> 01:28:15,100
climax when someone fell through
thinner ice but was rescued, you

1686
01:28:15,100 --> 01:28:18,400
drop the flute and strike the 
carved log three times sharp and

1687
01:28:18,400 --> 01:28:20,500
Loud. 
The sudden percussion makes 

1688
01:28:20,500 --> 01:28:23,400
everyone jump slightly. 
Their bodies responding to the 

1689
01:28:23,400 --> 01:28:25,800
sound before their minds fully 
process. 

1690
01:28:25,800 --> 01:28:30,000
It Then you return to the flute,
for the resolution playing soft 

1691
01:28:30,000 --> 01:28:33,200
softer, slow and notes as the 
injured personal recovers, when 

1692
01:28:33,200 --> 01:28:35,100
the story ends, there's a long 
silence. 

1693
01:28:35,100 --> 01:28:39,100
Finally, one of the older 
children says tell another one 

1694
01:28:39,100 --> 01:28:42,900
with the sound. 
You've stumbled onto something 

1695
01:28:42,900 --> 01:28:46,200
important. 
Sound makes memory more Vivid 

1696
01:28:46,200 --> 01:28:48,600
and more. 
Lasting stories told with a 

1697
01:28:48,600 --> 01:28:50,900
company in sounds Lodge deeper 
in the mine. 

1698
01:28:51,700 --> 01:28:54,600
Over the following weeks, you 
start adding sounds to all the 

1699
01:28:54,600 --> 01:28:59,100
traditional stories, Tales of 
ancestors, accounts of important

1700
01:28:59,100 --> 01:29:01,800
events, and lessons about the 
natural world. 

1701
01:29:01,800 --> 01:29:05,800
Each story develops, its own 
sound patterns, and soon, people

1702
01:29:05,800 --> 01:29:08,900
begin to associate, certain 
musical phrases with certain 

1703
01:29:08,900 --> 01:29:11,800
narratives. 
The bone flutes, lowest tone 

1704
01:29:11,800 --> 01:29:15,800
becomes the sound for danger and
winter, its highest brightest. 

1705
01:29:15,800 --> 01:29:19,900
Tone means safety and summer. 
The carved logs deepest note 

1706
01:29:19,900 --> 01:29:22,600
marks the beginning and ending 
of important stories. 

1707
01:29:23,400 --> 01:29:26,700
The gut strings, vibrating tone 
accompanist descriptions of the 

1708
01:29:26,700 --> 01:29:30,600
spirit world, the realm of 
dreams and visions that exists 

1709
01:29:30,600 --> 01:29:33,700
alongside the everyday World 
other storytellers in your 

1710
01:29:33,708 --> 01:29:36,200
group, adopt these techniques. 
Soon. 

1711
01:29:36,200 --> 01:29:38,600
Almost. 
No one tells important stories 

1712
01:29:38,600 --> 01:29:42,000
without sound accompaniment. 
The sounds aren't decoration. 

1713
01:29:42,000 --> 01:29:45,900
They're becoming part of how 
memory Works children who hear 

1714
01:29:45,900 --> 01:29:49,100
stories with sounds can record 
details more accurately than 

1715
01:29:49,100 --> 01:29:52,800
children who hear words alone? 
The groups Collective memory is 

1716
01:29:52,800 --> 01:29:56,600
being encoded, not just in 
language, but in sound patterns,

1717
01:29:56,600 --> 01:30:00,800
you discover that certain sound 
sequences naturally fall into 

1718
01:30:00,800 --> 01:30:03,600
repeating patterns that make 
them easier to remember. 

1719
01:30:05,300 --> 01:30:09,000
Phrase of four beats followed by
another phrase of four beats 

1720
01:30:09,000 --> 01:30:12,200
creates a structure that the 
Mind grass sees. 

1721
01:30:12,200 --> 01:30:15,500
Lee irregular patterns are 
harder to remember and harder to

1722
01:30:15,500 --> 01:30:18,900
teach. 
Through trial and error, you're 

1723
01:30:18,900 --> 01:30:21,800
discovering the cognitive 
psychology of Music Learning 

1724
01:30:21,800 --> 01:30:25,400
that human brains prefer certain
structural patterns over others.

1725
01:30:25,400 --> 01:30:28,800
The old woman who makes rhythmic
sounds as become a keeper of 

1726
01:30:28,808 --> 01:30:31,500
knowledge. 
She maintains a consistent beat 

1727
01:30:31,500 --> 01:30:34,500
while stories are told her 
Rhythm acting as a kind of 

1728
01:30:34,500 --> 01:30:37,200
temporal framework that holds 
the narrative together. 

1729
01:30:37,200 --> 01:30:41,400
Young people learning, important
information, sit beside her the 

1730
01:30:41,400 --> 01:30:43,700
Rhythm helping to structure 
their memory of what they're 

1731
01:30:43,700 --> 01:30:46,100
learning. 
Someone makes a crucial 

1732
01:30:46,100 --> 01:30:49,300
Innovation. 
Using sound patterns to Mark 

1733
01:30:49,300 --> 01:30:51,800
time. 
A certain sequence of notes 

1734
01:30:51,800 --> 01:30:54,800
means mourning a different 
sequence means evening. 

1735
01:30:55,800 --> 01:30:59,800
Specific rhythms Mark, seasonal 
changes the group is creating a 

1736
01:30:59,800 --> 01:31:03,300
Sonic calendar, a way of 
organizing time through 

1737
01:31:03,300 --> 01:31:06,900
repeating musical phrases when 
you hear the spring Melody, you 

1738
01:31:06,900 --> 01:31:09,100
know, certain plants will soon 
be ready to harvest. 

1739
01:31:10,100 --> 01:31:13,600
The Autumn Rhythm signals time 
to prepare for winter, the 

1740
01:31:13,600 --> 01:31:16,600
boundary between story and sound
between speaking and making 

1741
01:31:16,600 --> 01:31:21,000
music is becoming increasingly 
blurred stories are delivered in

1742
01:31:21,000 --> 01:31:23,800
a kind of heightened Beach that 
has regular rhythm and Pitch 

1743
01:31:23,800 --> 01:31:26,100
patterns. 
It's not quite singing. 

1744
01:31:26,100 --> 01:31:30,000
You're Still primarily conveying
information through words, but 

1745
01:31:30,000 --> 01:31:33,300
it's not ordinary speech. 
Either your chanting, though? 

1746
01:31:33,300 --> 01:31:36,600
You don't have that word yet. 
Memory becomes a kind of 

1747
01:31:36,600 --> 01:31:39,500
performance, the best 
storytellers are those who can 

1748
01:31:39,500 --> 01:31:41,800
most. 
Effectively blend words sounds 

1749
01:31:41,800 --> 01:31:44,100
and rhythms. 
They're not just recounting 

1750
01:31:44,100 --> 01:31:46,900
events, they're recreating them 
through a combination of 

1751
01:31:46,908 --> 01:31:51,600
language and organized sound. 
the communities history, its 

1752
01:31:51,600 --> 01:31:55,000
knowledge base and its cultural 
identity are all being encoded 

1753
01:31:55,000 --> 01:31:58,600
in these memory performances, 
you realize one night, listening

1754
01:31:58,600 --> 01:32:01,300
to a skilled Storyteller 
accompanied by the bone flute 

1755
01:32:01,300 --> 01:32:03,700
and carved log that you're 
experiencing something, 

1756
01:32:03,700 --> 01:32:07,500
fundamentally new This isn't 
just communication or 

1757
01:32:07,500 --> 01:32:10,100
entertainment. 
It's the creation of shared 

1758
01:32:10,100 --> 01:32:13,200
meaning through structured 
sound, it's the beginning of 

1759
01:32:13,200 --> 01:32:16,600
what will Sunday be called Art? 
The right now, it's simply the 

1760
01:32:16,600 --> 01:32:19,900
best way your people have found 
to remember what matters The 

1761
01:32:19,900 --> 01:32:23,000
Hunting Party returns in the 
late afternoon, with news of a 

1762
01:32:23,000 --> 01:32:26,600
remarkably successful hunt. 
Tonight, there will be abundant 

1763
01:32:26,600 --> 01:32:29,500
food. 
A reason for celebration, as 

1764
01:32:29,500 --> 01:32:31,400
people Gather in the light 
begins to fade. 

1765
01:32:31,400 --> 01:32:34,800
Someone starts tapping a rhythm 
on the carved log, then someone 

1766
01:32:34,800 --> 01:32:38,600
else joins in clapping in time, 
within moments, dozens of people

1767
01:32:38,600 --> 01:32:40,200
are making rhythmic sounds 
together. 

1768
01:32:40,200 --> 01:32:44,200
Clapping stomping striking 
objects and clicking tongues. 

1769
01:32:44,200 --> 01:32:47,700
This has happened before but 
tonight something different 

1770
01:32:47,700 --> 01:32:50,700
occurs. 
Someone begins making sustained,

1771
01:32:50,700 --> 01:32:54,600
vocal sounds not words but pure 
tones, that ride above the 

1772
01:32:54,600 --> 01:32:59,000
Rhythm. another voice joins 
matching the tone and suddenly 

1773
01:32:59,000 --> 01:33:02,700
there are two people making the 
same sound simultaneously, the 

1774
01:33:02,700 --> 01:33:05,800
combined voices allowed other 
than either alone, but there's 

1775
01:33:05,800 --> 01:33:09,500
something else to a richness, a 
depth that a single voice 

1776
01:33:09,500 --> 01:33:13,200
doesn't have You're not one of 
the initial singers but the 

1777
01:33:13,200 --> 01:33:16,500
sound pulls something from you, 
you add your voice to theirs 

1778
01:33:16,500 --> 01:33:18,400
matching their tone as closely 
as you can. 

1779
01:33:19,700 --> 01:33:21,700
The three voice sound is even 
richer. 

1780
01:33:22,700 --> 01:33:24,700
A fourth person joins then a 
5th. 

1781
01:33:25,400 --> 01:33:29,100
Now, there's a massive sound of 
vocal texture that seems to 

1782
01:33:29,100 --> 01:33:33,200
vibrate in your chest, in your 
bones, if it feels less like 

1783
01:33:33,200 --> 01:33:35,600
making a sound and more like 
being inside one. 

1784
01:33:36,400 --> 01:33:39,000
The tone shifts. 
Someone has changed pitch 

1785
01:33:39,000 --> 01:33:41,900
sliding to a higher note and the
group follows. 

1786
01:33:41,900 --> 01:33:44,600
Not everyone reaches the new 
pitch at the same moment 

1787
01:33:44,600 --> 01:33:48,500
creating a brief swirl of tones 
before everyone locks in again. 

1788
01:33:49,400 --> 01:33:53,000
Effect is thrilling almost 
dizzying your discovering 

1789
01:33:53,000 --> 01:33:56,400
harmonie accidentally through 
the simple Act of many voices, 

1790
01:33:56,400 --> 01:33:59,600
seeking the same pitch. 
Someone breaks away from the 

1791
01:33:59,600 --> 01:34:01,600
main tone finding a pitch. 
That's different. 

1792
01:34:01,600 --> 01:34:05,400
But somehow compatible. 
It's not the same note but it 

1793
01:34:05,400 --> 01:34:07,900
fits with it. 
Creating a relationship between 

1794
01:34:07,900 --> 01:34:11,800
the two tones that feel stable 
and resolved others experiment 

1795
01:34:11,800 --> 01:34:15,200
with this and soon there are 
multiple tones sounding 

1796
01:34:15,200 --> 01:34:19,000
simultaneously all related to 
each other in ways nobody fully 

1797
01:34:19,000 --> 01:34:23,200
understands but everyone can 
feel The Rhythm continues. 

1798
01:34:23,200 --> 01:34:27,700
Underneath all of this. 
Steady and insistent your body 

1799
01:34:27,700 --> 01:34:32,500
moves with it automatically. 
Swaying shifting, weight. 

1800
01:34:32,500 --> 01:34:36,800
Tapping one foot. 
Everyone around, you is moving 

1801
01:34:36,800 --> 01:34:40,200
to dozens of bodies responding 
to the same pulse. 

1802
01:34:40,200 --> 01:34:42,700
You're not dancing. 
Not exactly. 

1803
01:34:42,700 --> 01:34:46,200
But you're not still either. 
The sound is making. 

1804
01:34:46,200 --> 01:34:49,700
You move this continues for a 
remarkably long time. 

1805
01:34:49,700 --> 01:34:52,000
Maybe a full hour though, you 
have? 

1806
01:34:52,000 --> 01:34:53,500
No way to measure it. 
Precisely. 

1807
01:34:54,500 --> 01:34:59,200
The sound of wolves constantly, 
sometimes it grows quieter more 

1808
01:34:59,200 --> 01:35:03,700
subdued, then someone increases 
volume and everyone follows the 

1809
01:35:03,700 --> 01:35:06,600
sound swelling to something 
almost overwhelming. 

1810
01:35:07,400 --> 01:35:11,000
Pictures shift, gradually upward
creating Rising tension. 

1811
01:35:11,000 --> 01:35:16,100
Then drops suddenly releasing it
when it finally ends and it's 

1812
01:35:16,108 --> 01:35:18,800
not clear who decides this. 
It just seems to happen 

1813
01:35:18,800 --> 01:35:21,800
collectively, there's a profound
silence. 

1814
01:35:22,700 --> 01:35:25,000
People look at each other with 
Expressions that mixing 

1815
01:35:25,000 --> 01:35:29,400
exhaustion and exhilaration 
something significant as 

1816
01:35:29,400 --> 01:35:31,700
occurred though. 
Nobody has words for exactly 

1817
01:35:31,700 --> 01:35:34,400
what. 
Over the following days, people 

1818
01:35:34,400 --> 01:35:37,100
talk about that evening. 
There's a sense that the group 

1819
01:35:37,100 --> 01:35:40,100
experienced something together 
that boundaries between 

1820
01:35:40,100 --> 01:35:44,800
individuals, temporarily 
dissolved into shared sound. the

1821
01:35:44,800 --> 01:35:48,500
event wasn't useful in any 
practical sense, it didn't help 

1822
01:35:48,500 --> 01:35:51,800
anyone survive or solve any 
problems, but it mattered 

1823
01:35:51,800 --> 01:35:55,400
nonetheless, in a way that 
matters Beyond utility Your 

1824
01:35:55,400 --> 01:35:57,600
people begin to create 
opportunities for this kind of 

1825
01:35:57,600 --> 01:36:00,100
shared music making not 
constantly. 

1826
01:36:00,100 --> 01:36:03,200
It takes considerable energy and
seems to require certain 

1827
01:36:03,200 --> 01:36:07,700
circumstances and certain moods.
but regularly that once every 

1828
01:36:07,700 --> 01:36:10,900
few weeks the group gathers and 
creates these episodes of 

1829
01:36:10,900 --> 01:36:14,700
collective sounds, Each one is 
different developing, its own 

1830
01:36:14,700 --> 01:36:18,600
character and its own Ark of 
tension and release the bone 

1831
01:36:18,600 --> 01:36:19,900
flute. 
And other instruments are 

1832
01:36:19,900 --> 01:36:21,900
incorporated into these groups 
sessions. 

1833
01:36:22,800 --> 01:36:25,200
Flute ads. 
High clear lines about the mass 

1834
01:36:25,200 --> 01:36:28,500
of voices the gut strings, 
provide a different texture. 

1835
01:36:28,500 --> 01:36:31,800
Something between singing and 
Rhythm the percussion 

1836
01:36:31,800 --> 01:36:34,300
instruments, anchor everything 
with steady pulses. 

1837
01:36:35,100 --> 01:36:37,700
Your discovering something 
profound about human nature. 

1838
01:36:37,700 --> 01:36:40,700
People want to make sound 
together. 

1839
01:36:40,700 --> 01:36:44,200
Not just communicate not just 
coordinate, but blend their 

1840
01:36:44,200 --> 01:36:47,400
voices into something larger 
than any individual could create

1841
01:36:47,400 --> 01:36:50,100
a loan. 
This impulse seems to be as 

1842
01:36:50,100 --> 01:36:54,700
fundamental as the desire for 
food shelter, or companionship. 

1843
01:36:54,700 --> 01:36:56,700
It's been waiting in human 
nature. 

1844
01:36:56,700 --> 01:37:00,600
All along needing only the right
circumstances to emerge. 

1845
01:37:02,100 --> 01:37:04,500
Children, who grow up 
participating in these group 

1846
01:37:04,500 --> 01:37:07,600
music-making sessions, develop? 
A different relationship to 

1847
01:37:07,600 --> 01:37:10,100
sound than their parents had for
them. 

1848
01:37:10,100 --> 01:37:14,100
Organized sound isn't a strange 
new Behavior, it's normal 

1849
01:37:14,100 --> 01:37:16,900
expected, and a regular part of 
life. 

1850
01:37:17,800 --> 01:37:21,000
They invent new ways of singing 
together, new patterns and 

1851
01:37:21,000 --> 01:37:23,700
structures. 
They're growing up musical in a 

1852
01:37:23,708 --> 01:37:27,000
way that previous generations. 
Weren't the group singing 

1853
01:37:27,000 --> 01:37:29,800
creates social bonds that 
language alone doesn't quite 

1854
01:37:29,800 --> 01:37:34,000
achieve when you've stood in a 
circle of people all making the 

1855
01:37:34,000 --> 01:37:36,900
same sounds together. 
Those people feel closer 

1856
01:37:36,900 --> 01:37:40,000
afterwards arguments, that 
seemed important before a music 

1857
01:37:40,000 --> 01:37:43,600
session often seem less 
significant after The shared 

1858
01:37:43,600 --> 01:37:47,600
sound creates a kind of unity. 
That reduces conflict, your 

1859
01:37:47,600 --> 01:37:50,100
witnessing, the birth of Music 
social function. 

1860
01:37:51,300 --> 01:37:54,000
Discovering that it's not just 
about making interesting sounds 

1861
01:37:54,000 --> 01:37:56,600
or preserving memory. 
It's all about creating 

1862
01:37:56,600 --> 01:37:59,500
connection building community 
and giving a group of 

1863
01:37:59,500 --> 01:38:02,800
individuals away to temporarily 
become a single organism with 

1864
01:38:02,800 --> 01:38:07,100
many voices, Your older now with
gray in your hair and 

1865
01:38:07,100 --> 01:38:10,700
grandchildren, he helped care 
for music that word doesn't 

1866
01:38:10,700 --> 01:38:13,500
exist yet. 
But the thing itself does has 

1867
01:38:13,500 --> 01:38:15,900
become an established part of 
life for your people. 

1868
01:38:15,900 --> 01:38:19,700
Children, grow up, learning 
songs, stories are preserved in 

1869
01:38:19,700 --> 01:38:22,500
chance and group. 
Gatherings include Collective, 

1870
01:38:22,500 --> 01:38:25,400
singing. 
It seems permanent inevitable, 

1871
01:38:25,400 --> 01:38:28,300
but you're about to learn how 
fragile it all is. 

1872
01:38:29,800 --> 01:38:33,700
The trouble starts with weather.
Three consecutive years, bring 

1873
01:38:33,700 --> 01:38:37,500
insufficient rain, the plants 
your people depend on produce 

1874
01:38:37,500 --> 01:38:41,200
less food, animals become 
scarce, moving to areas with 

1875
01:38:41,200 --> 01:38:44,900
better resources. 
Your group which has remained in

1876
01:38:44,900 --> 01:38:47,700
this General region for 
Generations faces a decision 

1877
01:38:47,700 --> 01:38:52,600
moved to New Territory or endure
serious hardship, they decide to

1878
01:38:52,608 --> 01:38:56,100
move breaking into smaller bands
that might survive more easily. 

1879
01:38:57,000 --> 01:39:01,000
Your group of 30 becomes three, 
groups of 10, the bone flutes, 

1880
01:39:01,000 --> 01:39:04,700
the carved drums, the gut 
strings, these things are 

1881
01:39:04,700 --> 01:39:08,000
useful, that they're not 
essential, when people must 

1882
01:39:08,000 --> 01:39:11,900
carry only, what they absolutely
need musical instruments. 

1883
01:39:11,900 --> 01:39:16,500
Don't make the cut, Most are 
left behind in your smaller 

1884
01:39:16,500 --> 01:39:19,000
group. 
Struggling to find adequate food

1885
01:39:19,000 --> 01:39:22,700
in unfamiliar territory, music, 
making becomes rare. 

1886
01:39:22,700 --> 01:39:26,900
There's no energy for group 
singing stories are told quickly

1887
01:39:26,900 --> 01:39:30,400
without elaboration or musical 
accompaniment because everyone 

1888
01:39:30,400 --> 01:39:33,700
is exhausted. 
The complex charms that preserve

1889
01:39:33,700 --> 01:39:36,900
important knowledge. 
Begin to simplify losing their 

1890
01:39:36,900 --> 01:39:39,900
melodic elements, reverting to 
plain speech. 

1891
01:39:40,600 --> 01:39:43,200
Children in these hardship 
years, don't learn the songs, 

1892
01:39:43,200 --> 01:39:46,700
you learned they know the 
stories, but only a spoken words

1893
01:39:46,700 --> 01:39:50,400
not as musical narratives. 
They can make rhythmic sounds 

1894
01:39:50,400 --> 01:39:53,600
when needed, but the elaborate 
patterns developed over years of

1895
01:39:53,600 --> 01:39:57,600
Forgotten within a single 
generation, much of what your 

1896
01:39:57,600 --> 01:40:01,700
people created musically, simply
vanishes your group reconnects 

1897
01:40:01,700 --> 01:40:04,800
with one of the other bands 
after two years they've been 

1898
01:40:04,800 --> 01:40:07,100
through similar hardships and 
similar losses. 

1899
01:40:07,100 --> 01:40:10,400
When someone suggests making 
music together, as you want, did

1900
01:40:10,400 --> 01:40:13,700
the attempt is awkward. 
People have forgotten how 

1901
01:40:13,700 --> 01:40:17,900
certain songs go Nobody can 
quite recreate the harmonies 

1902
01:40:17,900 --> 01:40:21,400
that once seemed so natural. 
The carved log one group 

1903
01:40:21,400 --> 01:40:25,000
maintained produces sounds, but 
nobody remembers how to play it 

1904
01:40:25,000 --> 01:40:27,600
skillfully. 
It's heartbreaking in a way. 

1905
01:40:28,300 --> 01:40:31,000
You remember the feeling of 
standing in a circle of voices 

1906
01:40:31,000 --> 01:40:35,100
creating sound together, your 
grandchildren will never have 

1907
01:40:35,100 --> 01:40:38,500
that experience and it's not 
because of Any catastrophe or 

1908
01:40:38,500 --> 01:40:42,200
enemy it simply because music it
turns out requires not just 

1909
01:40:42,200 --> 01:40:45,900
invention but transmission not 
just creation, but preservation 

1910
01:40:45,900 --> 01:40:50,300
and neither of those things is 
guaranteed other aspect of your 

1911
01:40:50,300 --> 01:40:54,200
culture, prove more durable, 
Stone tool technology persist 

1912
01:40:54,200 --> 01:40:56,900
because it's essential and 
because the tools themselves 

1913
01:40:56,900 --> 01:41:01,400
serve as teaching models Hunting
techniques survive because their

1914
01:41:01,400 --> 01:41:04,500
matters of life and death. 
Language continues because 

1915
01:41:04,500 --> 01:41:10,100
humans can't not speak but music
music is different it's valuable

1916
01:41:10,100 --> 01:41:13,700
but not vital meaningful but not
mandatory. 

1917
01:41:14,500 --> 01:41:18,400
And so, it nearly dies. 
You try to teach the old songs 

1918
01:41:18,400 --> 01:41:22,200
to children, but without group 
reinforcement without regular 

1919
01:41:22,200 --> 01:41:24,100
practice, the teaching doesn't 
stick. 

1920
01:41:24,800 --> 01:41:28,500
The children learn fragments 
corrupted versions and 

1921
01:41:28,500 --> 01:41:31,400
simplified tunes that bear 
little resemblance to The 

1922
01:41:31,400 --> 01:41:33,800
Originals. 
It's like watching something 

1923
01:41:33,800 --> 01:41:38,900
dissolve watching complexity 
reduced to Simplicity watching 

1924
01:41:38,900 --> 01:41:42,800
art of neglect, then something 
unexpected happens. 

1925
01:41:42,800 --> 01:41:47,800
A period of a bundts returns 
Reigns come reliably food, 

1926
01:41:47,800 --> 01:41:50,600
becomes plentiful. 
Your people stopped moving 

1927
01:41:50,600 --> 01:41:53,900
constantly establishing a more 
permanent settlement. 

1928
01:41:53,900 --> 01:41:57,800
And in the breathing room, this 
creates music begins to return. 

1929
01:41:57,800 --> 01:42:01,400
It doesn't return all at once or
in its original form. 

1930
01:42:02,100 --> 01:42:04,800
A young woman who vaguely 
remembers hearing groups singing

1931
01:42:04,800 --> 01:42:08,400
as a small child tries to 
recreate it with a friend's. 

1932
01:42:08,400 --> 01:42:11,000
What they produce is simpler 
than what was lost. 

1933
01:42:11,000 --> 01:42:14,400
But it's something. 
A man finds a hollow bone and 

1934
01:42:14,400 --> 01:42:16,300
half. 
Remembering blows across it to 

1935
01:42:16,300 --> 01:42:19,200
make tones. 
The sounds aren't as refined as 

1936
01:42:19,200 --> 01:42:21,900
your old bone flute produced but
they're deliberate intentional 

1937
01:42:21,900 --> 01:42:24,500
and musical. 
You realize watching this 

1938
01:42:24,500 --> 01:42:29,200
resurrection that music wants to
exist, given any opportunity any

1939
01:42:29,200 --> 01:42:32,100
stability, any moment when 
survival isn't consuming all 

1940
01:42:32,100 --> 01:42:37,400
attention, humans will make 
music The urges too strong, too 

1941
01:42:37,400 --> 01:42:40,200
deeply embedded in human nature,
to be permanently suppressed. 

1942
01:42:40,200 --> 01:42:43,700
But you also understand now, how
easily it can be interrupted, 

1943
01:42:43,700 --> 01:42:46,500
how close it came to never 
taking hold at all. 

1944
01:42:46,508 --> 01:42:50,300
If the hardship had lasted 
longer, if your people had 

1945
01:42:50,300 --> 01:42:53,500
remain scattered and struggling 
for another generation music, 

1946
01:42:53,500 --> 01:42:56,300
might have disappeared entirely 
from this population. 

1947
01:42:56,300 --> 01:43:00,100
And since it wasn't inevitable, 
since it emerged from particular

1948
01:43:00,100 --> 01:43:03,700
circumstances and particular 
Innovations, its disappearance 

1949
01:43:03,700 --> 01:43:05,500
wouldn't guarantee its 
reinvention. 

1950
01:43:05,500 --> 01:43:08,800
You came terrifyingly, close to 
losing it forever. 

1951
01:43:08,800 --> 01:43:13,200
The music that re-emerges isn't 
the same as what was lost, its 

1952
01:43:13,200 --> 01:43:17,400
simpler in some ways but it's 
also changed incorporating, new 

1953
01:43:17,400 --> 01:43:21,000
ideas and patterns. 
Music doesn't just Preserve. 

1954
01:43:21,700 --> 01:43:26,700
It evolves each generation adds 
or removes elements what, your 

1955
01:43:26,700 --> 01:43:29,300
witnessing is, not just the 
fragility of tradition but also 

1956
01:43:29,300 --> 01:43:34,200
its flexibility its capacity for
transformation in your final 

1957
01:43:34,200 --> 01:43:37,400
years sitting by the fire and 
watching young people make music

1958
01:43:37,400 --> 01:43:39,700
that sounds both familiar and 
strange to your ears. 

1959
01:43:39,700 --> 01:43:43,500
You understand what you've been 
part of, you've witnessed the 

1960
01:43:43,500 --> 01:43:46,300
birth of something 
extraordinary, seen it nearly 

1961
01:43:46,308 --> 01:43:49,400
die and watched it. 
Resurrect in Altered form. 

1962
01:43:49,400 --> 01:43:52,900
You've learned that music is 
both inevitable and improbable 

1963
01:43:52,900 --> 01:43:57,000
both fundamental to human nature
and dependent on circumstance. 

1964
01:43:57,000 --> 01:44:00,300
Is that easily might not have 
occurred your very old. 

1965
01:44:00,300 --> 01:44:04,500
Now, wrap in Furs against the 
cold watching, your great 

1966
01:44:04,500 --> 01:44:07,200
grandchildren play. 
They're making music. 

1967
01:44:07,200 --> 01:44:09,400
There's no other word for any 
more. 

1968
01:44:09,400 --> 01:44:13,100
Even though your language still 
doesn't have that word, they're 

1969
01:44:13,100 --> 01:44:16,700
singing a song that incorporates
words, sustained tones Rhythm 

1970
01:44:16,700 --> 01:44:20,100
and even movement. 
It's a game about hunting but 

1971
01:44:20,100 --> 01:44:24,200
it's also unmistakably art. 
Transformations from those first

1972
01:44:24,200 --> 01:44:27,300
accidental rhythms to, this 
deliberate structured musical 

1973
01:44:27,300 --> 01:44:30,000
play has taken most of your life
time. 

1974
01:44:30,000 --> 01:44:33,600
You've seen music developed from
random sound making to 

1975
01:44:33,600 --> 01:44:37,000
purposeful creation from 
Individual, exploration to 

1976
01:44:37,000 --> 01:44:40,500
Community Practice and from 
simple patterns to complex 

1977
01:44:40,500 --> 01:44:44,600
compositions The music, these 
children make is different from 

1978
01:44:44,600 --> 01:44:47,600
what you want new, they've 
developed harmonies, you never 

1979
01:44:47,608 --> 01:44:50,600
imagined and Rhythm patterns, 
more intricate than anything 

1980
01:44:50,600 --> 01:44:53,200
from your youth. 
They've invented new 

1981
01:44:53,200 --> 01:44:56,200
instruments, including a 
remarkable object made by 

1982
01:44:56,200 --> 01:44:58,600
stretching animal hide over a 
hollow log. 

1983
01:44:59,400 --> 01:45:02,400
When you strike the hide, it 
produces a deep resonant. 

1984
01:45:02,400 --> 01:45:04,800
Boom, that carries for 
astonishing. 

1985
01:45:04,800 --> 01:45:08,300
Distances music has become 
specialized in ways you didn't 

1986
01:45:08,300 --> 01:45:11,500
anticipate. 
Certain people have emerged as 

1987
01:45:11,500 --> 01:45:15,400
particularly skilled musicians 
and they spend considerable 

1988
01:45:15,400 --> 01:45:17,600
time. 
Practicing developing abilities 

1989
01:45:17,600 --> 01:45:21,200
beyond what most people achieve.
There's a young man who can make

1990
01:45:21,200 --> 01:45:23,300
the bone flute, produce 
sequences of notes. 

1991
01:45:23,300 --> 01:45:26,800
So rapid they seem to blur 
together creating Melodies, that

1992
01:45:26,800 --> 01:45:31,500
Cascade like water over rocks. 
Stories, your people tell are 

1993
01:45:31,500 --> 01:45:35,200
now Inseparable from music. 
Nobody would consider telling an

1994
01:45:35,200 --> 01:45:37,100
important story without musical 
accompaniment. 

1995
01:45:38,100 --> 01:45:40,200
The music doesn't just enhance 
the story. 

1996
01:45:40,200 --> 01:45:43,100
It is part of the story 
carrying. 

1997
01:45:43,100 --> 01:45:47,000
Meaning that words alone, can't 
convey the melody associated 

1998
01:45:47,000 --> 01:45:50,200
with the winter survival story. 
You want hold contains the cold,

1999
01:45:50,200 --> 01:45:53,500
the danger and the relief within
its Tone's. 

2000
01:45:54,200 --> 01:45:56,700
Music has developed functions. 
You never imagined. 

2001
01:45:56,700 --> 01:45:59,900
There are now songs for almost 
every activity. 

2002
01:46:00,800 --> 01:46:03,900
Songs for grinding grain that 
seemed to make the tedious work,

2003
01:46:03,900 --> 01:46:06,900
pass more quickly. 
Songs for walking long 

2004
01:46:06,900 --> 01:46:10,200
distances, that helped 
coordinate, the group's pace and

2005
01:46:10,200 --> 01:46:14,100
songs for soothing babies. 
That work far better than any 

2006
01:46:14,100 --> 01:46:17,500
non-musical approach. 
There are even songs people sing

2007
01:46:17,500 --> 01:46:21,300
alone to themselves for reasons 
that seem to be purely about the

2008
01:46:21,300 --> 01:46:25,500
experience of making sounds. 
The most profound development is

2009
01:46:25,500 --> 01:46:29,600
hardest to describe music has 
become a way of thinking, not 

2010
01:46:29,600 --> 01:46:33,100
just a way of making sound 
people whom when they're working

2011
01:46:33,100 --> 01:46:35,200
alone, not to accomplish 
anything. 

2012
01:46:35,200 --> 01:46:39,000
But just because humming while 
thinking seems natural now, The 

2013
01:46:39,000 --> 01:46:41,700
rhythms of Music have 
infiltrated speech patterns 

2014
01:46:41,700 --> 01:46:44,300
making languages itself more 
musical. 

2015
01:46:44,300 --> 01:46:46,900
The way people move has changed 
too. 

2016
01:46:46,900 --> 01:46:50,300
There's more rhythm in gesture 
and more consciousness of timing

2017
01:46:50,300 --> 01:46:53,800
and pattern in physical action. 
You've noticed that people who 

2018
01:46:53,800 --> 01:46:56,200
grow up with music think 
differently about time and 

2019
01:46:56,208 --> 01:47:00,100
memory their better at 
remembering sequences more aware

2020
01:47:00,100 --> 01:47:02,600
of patterns and more comfortable
with the abstraction. 

2021
01:47:03,700 --> 01:47:06,700
Music has changed human 
cognition in subtle, but 

2022
01:47:06,700 --> 01:47:10,100
significant ways. 
The group's cultural identity 

2023
01:47:10,100 --> 01:47:13,900
has become partly musical. 
The songs unique to your people,

2024
01:47:13,900 --> 01:47:17,700
The Melodies rhythms and 
harmonies developed over years. 

2025
01:47:18,500 --> 01:47:21,300
Or something that defines the 
group as much as language or 

2026
01:47:21,300 --> 01:47:24,300
appearance or territory. 
When you encounter people from 

2027
01:47:24,300 --> 01:47:27,200
another group, you can tell 
immediately that their music is 

2028
01:47:27,200 --> 01:47:30,500
different that they have their 
own musical Traditions that mark

2029
01:47:30,500 --> 01:47:33,300
them as distinct. 
What strikes you most in these 

2030
01:47:33,300 --> 01:47:36,500
final years is how close all of 
this came to never happening. 

2031
01:47:37,200 --> 01:47:41,000
Music wasn't waiting in the 
future inevitable and determined

2032
01:47:41,000 --> 01:47:45,100
it emerged from a series of Acts
Innovations and decisions that 

2033
01:47:45,100 --> 01:47:46,400
easily might have gone 
differently. 

2034
01:47:47,500 --> 01:47:50,200
The hollow bone with a crack. 
Might never have been blown 

2035
01:47:50,200 --> 01:47:52,800
across the gut. 
String might never have been 

2036
01:47:52,808 --> 01:47:55,900
plucked experimentally. 
The hardship years might have 

2037
01:47:55,900 --> 01:47:59,300
lasted longer racing everything 
before it could take root. 

2038
01:48:00,100 --> 01:48:05,800
And yet, here it is music art 
the creation of beauty through 

2039
01:48:05,800 --> 01:48:10,600
organized sounds. 
It exists now woven into human 

2040
01:48:10,600 --> 01:48:12,400
life. 
So thoroughly that future 

2041
01:48:12,400 --> 01:48:14,300
Generations will assume it was 
always there. 

2042
01:48:15,200 --> 01:48:17,200
That it's an inherent part of 
Being Human. 

2043
01:48:18,100 --> 01:48:21,600
But you know, better. 
You remember the silence on 

2044
01:48:21,600 --> 01:48:25,000
quiet evenings listening to the 
complex songs being performed by

2045
01:48:25,000 --> 01:48:27,700
the fire? 
You sometimes think about all 

2046
01:48:27,700 --> 01:48:30,500
the potential music that never 
got made because it was too 

2047
01:48:30,500 --> 01:48:34,800
fragile, too dependent on 
circumstances or too easily 

2048
01:48:34,800 --> 01:48:37,100
lost. 
You think about the alternate 

2049
01:48:37,100 --> 01:48:39,100
version of History? 
Where humans never quite 

2050
01:48:39,100 --> 01:48:42,400
stumbled onto music where life 
remained functional, but 

2051
01:48:42,400 --> 01:48:45,500
aesthetically Barren. 
But that's not the history that 

2052
01:48:45,500 --> 01:48:48,200
happened. 
This is a history of how humans 

2053
01:48:48,200 --> 01:48:51,800
discovered that sound could be 
shaped that voices, could blend 

2054
01:48:51,800 --> 01:48:56,000
that Rhythm could organize time.
And that, Melody could carry, 

2055
01:48:56,000 --> 01:48:59,800
meaning beyond words, a history,
where music, against all the 

2056
01:48:59,800 --> 01:49:02,800
odds, and fragilities took hold 
in human consciousness and 

2057
01:49:02,800 --> 01:49:05,900
wouldn't let go your great 
grandchildren are singing. 

2058
01:49:05,900 --> 01:49:09,900
Now their voices, Rising into 
the darkening, Sky, the song 

2059
01:49:09,900 --> 01:49:13,100
There creating will last, maybe 
five minutes, and then it will 

2060
01:49:13,100 --> 01:49:15,800
be gone. 
Surviving only in memory until 

2061
01:49:15,800 --> 01:49:20,500
someone performed it again. but 
even in its impermanence, even 

2062
01:49:20,500 --> 01:49:24,800
in its fragility, it exists 
Music exists. 

2063
01:49:25,400 --> 01:49:28,200
That you think as you listen, is
the miracle. 

2064
01:49:28,900 --> 01:49:32,900
Not that music is eternal or 
perfect or protected but simply 

2065
01:49:32,900 --> 01:49:36,900
that it exists at all that it 
emerged from silence and 

2066
01:49:36,900 --> 01:49:39,300
survived long enough to become 
part of what it means to be 

2067
01:49:39,300 --> 01:49:43,500
human. 
The song continues, the fire 

2068
01:49:43,500 --> 01:49:47,500
burns, the night deepens around 
you, and the sounds. 

2069
01:49:47,500 --> 01:49:50,300
Those carefully organized 
intentionally created 

2070
01:49:50,300 --> 01:49:53,200
thoroughly. 
Human sounds carry on into the 

2071
01:49:53,200 --> 01:49:55,600
darkness already becoming 
memory. 

2072
01:49:55,600 --> 01:50:05,500
Already preparing to be reborn 
into tomorrow's voices. 20,000 

2073
01:50:05,500 --> 01:50:07,600
years ago, during the height of 
the last ice age. 

2074
01:50:07,600 --> 01:50:11,000
Vast grassland stretched across 
continents, where forests and 

2075
01:50:11,000 --> 01:50:14,300
cities would later rise. 
These were the mammoths steps 

2076
01:50:14,300 --> 01:50:17,300
cold and Windswept. 
Planes were survival, meant 

2077
01:50:17,300 --> 01:50:21,000
understanding every plant, every
stone, and every shift in the 

2078
01:50:21,000 --> 01:50:23,900
weather. 
Today, you will spend one full 

2079
01:50:23,900 --> 01:50:27,300
day living as your ancestors, 
did moving through the rhythms 

2080
01:50:27,300 --> 01:50:29,800
of Ice Age. 
Life from dawn until the stars 

2081
01:50:29,800 --> 01:50:33,600
appear, Awake before sunrise in 
a world wrapped in blue 

2082
01:50:33,600 --> 01:50:36,000
Twilight. 
The air inside the shelter taste

2083
01:50:36,000 --> 01:50:39,700
sharp and clean carrying the 
faint of smoke from last night's

2084
01:50:39,700 --> 01:50:42,600
fire. 
Your breath forms small clouds 

2085
01:50:42,600 --> 01:50:44,300
that drift upward toward the 
curved. 

2086
01:50:44,300 --> 01:50:47,000
Sealing of Mammoth hide 
stretched over a framework of 

2087
01:50:47,000 --> 01:50:50,100
Bones and branches. 
The ground beneath you feels 

2088
01:50:50,100 --> 01:50:53,200
firm layered with dried grasses 
and the soft. 

2089
01:50:53,208 --> 01:50:55,500
Pelts, you've carefully arranged
for warmth. 

2090
01:50:56,200 --> 01:50:59,100
Outside the wind moves across 
the steppe with a sound like 

2091
01:50:59,100 --> 01:51:01,100
distant conversation. 
You lie. 

2092
01:51:01,100 --> 01:51:04,000
Still for a moment listening to 
the particular quality of that 

2093
01:51:04,000 --> 01:51:06,500
wind. 
It comes from the north today 

2094
01:51:06,500 --> 01:51:10,800
steady rather than gusting which
means the weather will hold this

2095
01:51:10,800 --> 01:51:13,200
matters more than almost 
anything else in your world. 

2096
01:51:14,200 --> 01:51:15,800
The high door covering the 
entrance. 

2097
01:51:15,800 --> 01:51:19,000
Glows faintly, as Dawn 
approaches, you can see the dark

2098
01:51:19,000 --> 01:51:22,700
shapes of other shelters nearby 
round structures that look like 

2099
01:51:22,700 --> 01:51:24,800
small hills against the pale 
grass. 

2100
01:51:25,900 --> 01:51:29,900
Smoke rises from one of them. 
Thin Gray Line that tells you 

2101
01:51:29,900 --> 01:51:31,700
someone else has already revived
their fire. 

2102
01:51:31,700 --> 01:51:34,500
The site brings a small measure 
of comfort. 

2103
01:51:35,300 --> 01:51:38,400
You are not alone on this vast. 
Plain you push aside your 

2104
01:51:38,400 --> 01:51:42,500
sleeping Furs and sit up slowly.
Your body knows the cold 

2105
01:51:42,500 --> 01:51:46,400
expected and has learned to move
in ways that preserve warmth. 

2106
01:51:47,200 --> 01:51:48,500
The deerskin tunic. 
You water. 

2107
01:51:48,500 --> 01:51:51,200
Sleep is already layered over 
your Caribou hide leggings, 

2108
01:51:51,200 --> 01:51:53,500
everything. 
You own serves multiple 

2109
01:51:53,500 --> 01:51:56,200
purposes. 
Nothing is wasted in this place.

2110
01:51:56,200 --> 01:51:58,400
The fire pit at the center of 
the shelter. 

2111
01:51:58,400 --> 01:52:02,000
Holds only gray Ash and a few 
dark fragments of charred wood. 

2112
01:52:02,000 --> 01:52:04,900
You spent the last of 
yesterday's fuel keeping warm 

2113
01:52:04,900 --> 01:52:07,600
through the night. 
This means your first task is 

2114
01:52:07,600 --> 01:52:11,200
already decided for you. 
The day begins with fire as most

2115
01:52:11,200 --> 01:52:13,600
days. 
Do you gather a small bundle of 

2116
01:52:13,600 --> 01:52:16,100
dried grass from the supply? 
You keep near the entrance? 

2117
01:52:16,800 --> 01:52:20,300
The grass crackles softly in 
your hands, releasing a Dusty 

2118
01:52:20,300 --> 01:52:22,100
smell. 
That reminds you of late summer,

2119
01:52:22,100 --> 01:52:25,600
you arrange it carefully. 
In the fire pit, building a 

2120
01:52:25,600 --> 01:52:28,300
small nest with a hollow center 
the side. 

2121
01:52:28,300 --> 01:52:31,500
This you place thin Twix of 
Willow each, no thicker than a 

2122
01:52:31,508 --> 01:52:34,800
finger crossed a dangles that 
allow air to flow beneath them. 

2123
01:52:34,800 --> 01:52:37,100
From a Leather Pouch, hanging on
the wall. 

2124
01:52:37,100 --> 01:52:40,600
You take two stones. 
One is a piece of flint grey and

2125
01:52:40,600 --> 01:52:42,400
glassy with edges. 
You've shaped yourself. 

2126
01:52:42,400 --> 01:52:46,100
The other is, a chunk of iron, 
pyrite heavy and golden brown, 

2127
01:52:46,100 --> 01:52:50,100
the stones of creative fire for 
you, hundreds of times, you 

2128
01:52:50,100 --> 01:52:53,700
know, exactly how to hold them, 
where to strike and what angle 

2129
01:52:53,700 --> 01:52:57,000
produces the best spark. 
You position the Flint of the 

2130
01:52:57,000 --> 01:53:00,400
grass, nest and strike, it 
sharply with the pyrite, the 

2131
01:53:00,400 --> 01:53:04,300
first strike produces nothing, 
the second sends a small orange 

2132
01:53:04,300 --> 01:53:07,400
spark into the are bright, but 
two, briefed to catch. 

2133
01:53:08,300 --> 01:53:12,000
The third strike is different. 
Spark lands directly in the 

2134
01:53:12,008 --> 01:53:14,400
center of the grass nest and 
begins to Glow. 

2135
01:53:14,400 --> 01:53:18,000
You lean close. 
So close your face, feels the 

2136
01:53:18,000 --> 01:53:20,600
tiny warmth and breathe gently 
onto the Ember. 

2137
01:53:21,300 --> 01:53:23,400
The grass catches with a whisper
of flame. 

2138
01:53:23,400 --> 01:53:27,300
Yellow light fills the shelter 
dancing across the curved walls.

2139
01:53:27,300 --> 01:53:31,100
You feed the infant fire with 
more grass then add the thin 

2140
01:53:31,100 --> 01:53:35,000
Willow Twigs one at a time. 
The Flames grow taller stronger 

2141
01:53:35,000 --> 01:53:37,100
beginning to crackle with real 
Authority. 

2142
01:53:37,100 --> 01:53:39,700
You feel your shoulders? 
Relax slightly. 

2143
01:53:40,600 --> 01:53:44,400
Fire means warmth safety. 
The ability to cook food and 

2144
01:53:44,400 --> 01:53:47,600
keep Predators at a distance. 
Fire is the difference between 

2145
01:53:47,600 --> 01:53:51,300
surviving and merely enduring 
has the fire establishes itself.

2146
01:53:51,300 --> 01:53:54,700
You add thicker branches pieces 
of dry Pine and Birch. 

2147
01:53:54,700 --> 01:53:57,000
You gather days ago and stored 
in a pile near the wall. 

2148
01:53:58,000 --> 01:54:01,000
The pine releases a sweet 
resonance smell as it burns. 

2149
01:54:01,000 --> 01:54:05,400
The Birchbox catchers quickly, 
curling and blackening adding 

2150
01:54:05,400 --> 01:54:08,200
its own sharp. 
Sent to the warming are the 

2151
01:54:08,200 --> 01:54:09,500
range. 
The larger piece is carefully. 

2152
01:54:09,500 --> 01:54:13,600
Creating spaces for air to flow 
ensuring the fire will burn 

2153
01:54:13,600 --> 01:54:16,000
steadily while you prepare for 
the day ahead. 

2154
01:54:17,000 --> 01:54:20,300
Like now, fills the shelter 
completely, you can see every 

2155
01:54:20,300 --> 01:54:23,500
detail of your small home. 
The walls are made from Mammoth 

2156
01:54:23,500 --> 01:54:26,500
Hyde thick and waterproof. 
Sewn together with new thread. 

2157
01:54:26,500 --> 01:54:30,300
The framework beneath consists 
of Mammoth rims and leg bones 

2158
01:54:30,300 --> 01:54:34,500
collected from carcasses found 
on the step a range to create a 

2159
01:54:34,500 --> 01:54:36,400
dome shape that sheds Wind and 
Rain. 

2160
01:54:37,200 --> 01:54:40,300
At the highest point a small 
opening allows smoke to escape. 

2161
01:54:40,300 --> 01:54:44,200
The floor is packed Earth 
covered with the layers of dried

2162
01:54:44,200 --> 01:54:47,500
grass and animal hides, that 
provide insulation from the 

2163
01:54:47,500 --> 01:54:49,800
frozen ground below along the 
walls. 

2164
01:54:49,800 --> 01:54:53,200
You've arranged your possessions
with care, baskets, woven from 

2165
01:54:53,200 --> 01:54:56,800
willow bark called dried 
barriers roots and strips of 

2166
01:54:56,800 --> 01:55:00,200
preserved meat. 
Stone tools hang from bone pegs.

2167
01:55:00,200 --> 01:55:04,100
Each one shape for specific 
tasks, leather bags contain 

2168
01:55:04,100 --> 01:55:06,200
materials for making thread 
sewing. 

2169
01:55:06,200 --> 01:55:09,300
Needles carved from bone and 
scraps of hide waiting to be 

2170
01:55:09,300 --> 01:55:11,600
worked. 
A row of clay pots. 

2171
01:55:11,600 --> 01:55:15,600
Each form by hand and fired in 
Colace holds water fat and 

2172
01:55:15,600 --> 01:55:18,500
pressure occur pigment. 
Everything has its place 

2173
01:55:18,500 --> 01:55:21,100
organization is another form of 
survival. 

2174
01:55:21,100 --> 01:55:24,100
You stand and moved to the 
entrance, pushing aside, their 

2175
01:55:24,100 --> 01:55:28,000
heavy High door, cold air rushes
in fresh and bracing carrying 

2176
01:55:28,000 --> 01:55:29,700
the smells of grass and 
distance. 

2177
01:55:30,600 --> 01:55:34,100
The sun is rising now turning 
the Eastern sky from Gray to 

2178
01:55:34,100 --> 01:55:36,800
pale gold. 
The steps stretches away in 

2179
01:55:36,800 --> 01:55:39,600
every direction rolling. 
Grassland, that seems to have no

2180
01:55:39,600 --> 01:55:42,600
end. 
In the distance, you can see a 

2181
01:55:42,600 --> 01:55:46,000
small herd of horses moving 
slowly across the plain dark 

2182
01:55:46,000 --> 01:55:50,500
shapes against the dawnlight. 
Father still barely visible, a 

2183
01:55:50,500 --> 01:55:52,600
group of mammoths feeds on the 
tough grass. 

2184
01:55:52,600 --> 01:55:57,200
Their curved tusks catching the 
early Sun, This is your world 

2185
01:55:57,200 --> 01:56:01,400
vast cold, beautiful, in its own
harsh way. 

2186
01:56:02,300 --> 01:56:04,400
The Ice Age. 
Step provides everything you 

2187
01:56:04,400 --> 01:56:08,000
need to live, but it requires 
constant attention, constant, 

2188
01:56:08,000 --> 01:56:11,000
work, and respect for the power 
of nature in its most raw form. 

2189
01:56:11,000 --> 01:56:13,700
Today. 
Like every day, you will gather 

2190
01:56:13,700 --> 01:56:16,900
what the land offers craft, what
you need and maintain the 

2191
01:56:16,908 --> 01:56:22,100
knowledge that keeps you alive. 
The wind touches your face cold,

2192
01:56:22,100 --> 01:56:25,500
but not bitter. 
The sky holds no threat of 

2193
01:56:25,508 --> 01:56:28,800
storms. 
It is a good day to work to move

2194
01:56:28,800 --> 01:56:32,000
across the land to collect the 
materials that make survival 

2195
01:56:32,000 --> 01:56:34,400
possible. 
You turn back to the shelter, 

2196
01:56:34,400 --> 01:56:37,600
had two more branches to the 
fire and prepare yourself for 

2197
01:56:37,600 --> 01:56:40,900
the tasks ahead. 
The sun climbs higher as you set

2198
01:56:40,900 --> 01:56:43,800
out from the shelter walking 
Easter cross the step with a 

2199
01:56:43,800 --> 01:56:46,300
large basket, woven from grass, 
and willow bark. 

2200
01:56:46,300 --> 01:56:49,300
The basket hangs from a leather 
strap across your shoulder 

2201
01:56:49,300 --> 01:56:51,900
bumping, gently against your hip
with each step. 

2202
01:56:52,700 --> 01:56:56,000
In your other hand, you carry a 
digging stick a sturdy length of

2203
01:56:56,000 --> 01:56:58,900
hardwood sharpen to a point and 
fire hardened at the tip. 

2204
01:56:59,700 --> 01:57:02,400
This simple tool will help you 
on Earth, roots and price stones

2205
01:57:02,400 --> 01:57:05,600
from the soil. 
The grass underfoot is coarse 

2206
01:57:05,600 --> 01:57:08,000
and silvery adapted to cold and 
drought. 

2207
01:57:08,000 --> 01:57:11,800
It grows in dense, tough 
separated by patches of Bearer. 

2208
01:57:12,600 --> 01:57:16,200
As you walk small birds rise 
from the grass ahead of you tiny

2209
01:57:16,200 --> 01:57:19,100
brown shapes that Dart away with
sharp chirping calls. 

2210
01:57:19,100 --> 01:57:22,400
The sound is cheerful. 
A reminder that life thrives 

2211
01:57:22,400 --> 01:57:25,400
here. 
Despite the cold Your first goal

2212
01:57:25,400 --> 01:57:28,300
is a Grove of willow trees that 
grows along a small stream about

2213
01:57:28,300 --> 01:57:32,000
2000 Paces from your shelter. 
The Willows are precious 

2214
01:57:32,000 --> 01:57:35,900
providing flexible branches for 
weaving in a bark for cordage 

2215
01:57:35,900 --> 01:57:38,000
and twigs that burn hot and 
clean. 

2216
01:57:38,000 --> 01:57:42,000
You visited this Grove, many 
times, always taking only what 

2217
01:57:42,000 --> 01:57:45,000
you need, never stripping a 
single tree completely The 

2218
01:57:45,000 --> 01:57:48,100
Willows grow back quickly. 
If treated with respect as you 

2219
01:57:48,108 --> 01:57:50,400
walk, you scan the ground for 
useful Stones. 

2220
01:57:50,400 --> 01:57:54,200
The step is littered with rocks 
of all sizes, carried here by 

2221
01:57:54,200 --> 01:57:58,300
ancient glaciers and deposited 
across the grassland Most are 

2222
01:57:58,300 --> 01:58:01,800
ordinary granite or Basalt but 
occasionally you find flint 

2223
01:58:01,800 --> 01:58:04,600
Church. 
All the golden brown pyrite that

2224
01:58:04,600 --> 01:58:07,700
makes fire. 
Every stone has potential uses, 

2225
01:58:07,700 --> 01:58:11,700
some can be shaped into cutting 
tools, others work, well as 

2226
01:58:11,700 --> 01:58:15,000
hammered stones or grinding 
surfaces, the largest can be 

2227
01:58:15,008 --> 01:58:17,100
arranged to create halves or 
support structures. 

2228
01:58:17,100 --> 01:58:20,100
You spot a piece of flint half 
buried in the soil. 

2229
01:58:20,100 --> 01:58:24,500
It's roughly the size of your 
palm gray, with bands of light 

2230
01:58:24,500 --> 01:58:27,600
to color running through it. 
You need and work it free with 

2231
01:58:27,600 --> 01:58:30,000
your digging stick brushing 
away, the dirt to examine it 

2232
01:58:30,008 --> 01:58:32,700
more closely. 
The Flint has good texture, 

2233
01:58:32,700 --> 01:58:35,900
fine, grained and glassy, it 
will flake cleanly. 

2234
01:58:35,900 --> 01:58:39,900
When struck you place it 
carefully in your basket. 100 

2235
01:58:39,900 --> 01:58:42,000
Paces. 
Farther, you find a fist-sized 

2236
01:58:42,000 --> 01:58:44,400
chunk of quartzite hard and pink
tinted. 

2237
01:58:44,400 --> 01:58:47,800
This stone is too tough to shape
into cutting tools, but it makes

2238
01:58:47,808 --> 01:58:49,800
an excellent Hammerstone for 
knapping Flint. 

2239
01:58:50,400 --> 01:58:53,300
You add it to your collection. 
The stream appears ahead. 

2240
01:58:53,300 --> 01:58:55,800
A bright line of water, cutting 
through the grass. 

2241
01:58:56,500 --> 01:58:59,700
Willows grow along both Banks. 
They're narrow leaves rustling 

2242
01:58:59,700 --> 01:59:02,600
in the breeze. 
The trees are still small none 

2243
01:59:02,600 --> 01:59:05,600
taller than twice your height, 
but their branches are numerous 

2244
01:59:05,600 --> 01:59:08,500
and flexible. 
You approach the nearest tree 

2245
01:59:08,500 --> 01:59:10,900
and select several young shoots 
growing from the base. 

2246
01:59:10,900 --> 01:59:14,100
These shoots are about as thick 
as your thumb and perfectly 

2247
01:59:14,100 --> 01:59:16,400
straight. 
You take out a flint blade and 

2248
01:59:16,400 --> 01:59:19,500
cut them close to the ground, 
making clean cuts that won't 

2249
01:59:19,500 --> 01:59:22,200
damage the tree. 
The willow branches smelled. 

2250
01:59:22,200 --> 01:59:25,500
Green and Alive. 
Even in this cold climate, you 

2251
01:59:25,500 --> 01:59:28,300
trim away the small side twigs 
and add the cleaned branches to 

2252
01:59:28,300 --> 01:59:31,000
your basket. 
These will be soaked in water to

2253
01:59:31,000 --> 01:59:34,200
make them even more of pliable, 
then woven into new, baskets 

2254
01:59:34,200 --> 01:59:37,700
will use to repair the framework
of your shelter near the water's

2255
01:59:37,700 --> 01:59:40,100
edge. 
You notice a stand of cattails 

2256
01:59:40,100 --> 01:59:41,800
growing in the shallow margin of
the Stream. 

2257
01:59:42,800 --> 01:59:46,600
The Cattails are in seed now, 
they're brown cylindrical heads.

2258
01:59:46,600 --> 01:59:50,300
Full of fluffy material that can
be used for Tinder stuffed into 

2259
01:59:50,308 --> 01:59:53,000
clothing for insulation or woven
into mats. 

2260
01:59:53,700 --> 01:59:56,200
You weighed into the cold water,
feeling it seep through your 

2261
01:59:56,200 --> 01:59:58,800
hide boots and gather several 
Cattail heads. 

2262
01:59:59,700 --> 02:00:02,400
Fluff inside is dried despite 
the plants wet location. 

2263
02:00:03,200 --> 02:00:05,600
You wrap the heads in a piece of
leather to keep them safe. 

2264
02:00:06,200 --> 02:00:09,100
The stream itself provides 
another resource along. 

2265
02:00:09,100 --> 02:00:12,200
Its banks you find smooth Stones
worn around by water. 

2266
02:00:12,200 --> 02:00:15,400
These water polished rocks are 
useful for grinding pigments, 

2267
02:00:15,400 --> 02:00:18,500
processing, hides, and smoothing
wooden tool handles. 

2268
02:00:18,500 --> 02:00:21,300
You select three stones of 
different sizes. 

2269
02:00:21,300 --> 02:00:24,500
Each fitting comfortably in your
hand and add them to your 

2270
02:00:24,500 --> 02:00:28,400
growing collection. 
As you work a family of ground, 

2271
02:00:28,400 --> 02:00:31,900
squirrels watches from the far 
bank, they sit upright on their 

2272
02:00:31,900 --> 02:00:34,400
haunches whiskers. 
Twitching clearly, curious about

2273
02:00:34,400 --> 02:00:36,800
your activities. 
One of them makes a high-pitched

2274
02:00:36,800 --> 02:00:39,200
chirping sound, possibly a 
warning to the others. 

2275
02:00:39,200 --> 02:00:42,700
You smile at their caution. 
These small creatures are all. 

2276
02:00:42,700 --> 02:00:46,600
So Gathering food, storing seeds
and roots in underground burrows

2277
02:00:46,600 --> 02:00:49,900
to survive. 
The winter ahead in a way you're

2278
02:00:49,900 --> 02:00:52,600
doing the same thing though, 
your methods are more complex. 

2279
02:00:53,500 --> 02:00:56,600
You follow the stream northward 
looking for a specific plant, 

2280
02:00:56,600 --> 02:01:00,700
you know, grows in this area. 
After searching for perhaps 500 

2281
02:01:00,700 --> 02:01:02,800
Paces you find what you're 
seeking. 

2282
02:01:03,700 --> 02:01:06,100
Such a wild onions, grows near a
bend in the water. 

2283
02:01:06,100 --> 02:01:08,600
Their tubular leaves rising from
the soil. 

2284
02:01:09,300 --> 02:01:11,900
You need and use your digging 
stick to carefully extract. 

2285
02:01:11,900 --> 02:01:14,800
Several bulbs, the onions are 
small each. 

2286
02:01:14,800 --> 02:01:17,300
No larger than a walnut. 
But they are pungent and 

2287
02:01:17,300 --> 02:01:19,800
flavorful. 
They will add taste to tonight's

2288
02:01:19,800 --> 02:01:22,000
meal and provide nutrients, your
body needs. 

2289
02:01:23,200 --> 02:01:26,200
The soil here is darker and 
richer than the dry ground of 

2290
02:01:26,200 --> 02:01:29,500
the open steppe you dig deeper. 
So searching for other edible 

2291
02:01:29,500 --> 02:01:33,300
roots, your stick strike 
something, firm, you work 

2292
02:01:33,300 --> 02:01:36,100
carefully around it and unearth 
a bird route long and pale 

2293
02:01:36,100 --> 02:01:38,100
Brown. 
The root is the length of your 

2294
02:01:38,100 --> 02:01:39,900
forearm. 
And as thick as two fingers 

2295
02:01:39,900 --> 02:01:43,100
Burdock can be roasted in Colace
or boiled in water. 

2296
02:01:43,100 --> 02:01:46,100
It has a slightly sweet taste 
and fills the belly. 

2297
02:01:46,100 --> 02:01:49,100
You brush the soil from the root
and added to your basket. 

2298
02:01:49,100 --> 02:01:52,800
The sun is higher now, Walmart 
on your face, despite the cool, 

2299
02:01:52,800 --> 02:01:56,400
air your estimate the morning as
half over your basket is 

2300
02:01:56,400 --> 02:01:58,800
beginning to feel heavy which 
means you've gathered. 

2301
02:01:58,800 --> 02:02:02,200
Well, But there is one more 
thing you want to find before. 

2302
02:02:02,200 --> 02:02:05,300
Returning to the shelter, you 
leave the stream and walk toward

2303
02:02:05,300 --> 02:02:08,400
a rocky outcrop visible. 
In the distance this outcrop 

2304
02:02:08,400 --> 02:02:10,900
rises from the step, like a 
small island of stone. 

2305
02:02:10,900 --> 02:02:14,600
It's weathered surface covered 
with Leica and You know, from 

2306
02:02:14,608 --> 02:02:17,500
experience that certain kinds of
Flint can be found near such 

2307
02:02:17,500 --> 02:02:21,600
rock formations exposed by 
erosion and easy to spot against

2308
02:02:21,600 --> 02:02:24,200
the pale lichen. 
The walk takes longer than 

2309
02:02:24,200 --> 02:02:26,800
expected. 
The outcrop is farther than it 

2310
02:02:26,800 --> 02:02:28,800
appeared. 
This is the way of the step 

2311
02:02:28,800 --> 02:02:31,100
where distances are hard to 
judge on the flat land. 

2312
02:02:31,800 --> 02:02:34,600
But the walking is pleasant and 
you enjoy the rhythm of your 

2313
02:02:34,600 --> 02:02:39,200
footsteps, The Whisper of grass,
the vast openness of the sky 

2314
02:02:39,200 --> 02:02:42,800
overhead, when you finally reach
the outcrop, you begin searching

2315
02:02:42,800 --> 02:02:45,800
the base of the Rocks lichen, 
crunches under your feet, 

2316
02:02:45,800 --> 02:02:50,600
releasing a dry powdery smell. 
You move slowly examining every 

2317
02:02:50,600 --> 02:02:54,200
shadow every crevice. 
Then you see it a nodule of 

2318
02:02:54,208 --> 02:02:57,600
black, Flint, roughly the size 
of a goose egg laying against 

2319
02:02:57,600 --> 02:03:01,300
the base of a large Boulder. 
The Flint is nearly perfect with

2320
02:03:01,300 --> 02:03:05,000
no visible cracks or floors. 
This is a prize worth carrying 

2321
02:03:05,000 --> 02:03:08,200
you pick up the nodule 
carefully, feeling its weight 

2322
02:03:08,200 --> 02:03:12,200
admiring its smooth surface. 
This piece of stone represents 

2323
02:03:12,200 --> 02:03:15,400
Future tools in your hands with 
patience and skill. 

2324
02:03:15,400 --> 02:03:19,900
It will become scrapers blades 
points for Spears the 

2325
02:03:19,900 --> 02:03:21,900
transformation from Raw Stone to
functional. 

2326
02:03:21,900 --> 02:03:24,900
Tool, is a kind of magic, you 
understand deeply, with this 

2327
02:03:24,900 --> 02:03:28,500
final find your basket is full. 
The weight pulls pleasantly on 

2328
02:03:28,500 --> 02:03:30,400
your shoulder as you turn back 
toward home. 

2329
02:03:30,400 --> 02:03:34,200
The return Journey feels shorter
perhaps because you walk with 

2330
02:03:34,200 --> 02:03:38,600
purpose, carrying the fruits of 
your morning's work, as you near

2331
02:03:38,600 --> 02:03:42,700
your shelter, you see smoke 
rising from several fires other.

2332
02:03:42,700 --> 02:03:45,100
People are awake and active. 
Now beginning their own daily 

2333
02:03:45,100 --> 02:03:49,400
tasks, Child runs between the 
shelter's laughing at some 

2334
02:03:49,400 --> 02:03:52,700
private game. 
The sound is Brighton unexpected

2335
02:03:52,700 --> 02:03:56,100
in this austere landscape. 
It reminds you that humans bring

2336
02:03:56,100 --> 02:03:58,000
more than just survival to this 
place. 

2337
02:03:58,000 --> 02:04:03,000
They bring joy creativity and 
the determination to thrive even

2338
02:04:03,000 --> 02:04:06,000
in difficult conditions. 
He duct through the entrance of 

2339
02:04:06,008 --> 02:04:08,600
your shelter, glad for the 
Warped insight. 

2340
02:04:09,300 --> 02:04:13,500
The fire has burned down to 
glowing coals you add fresh wood

2341
02:04:13,500 --> 02:04:17,600
and the Flames Rise Again 
welcoming and familiar you 

2342
02:04:17,600 --> 02:04:19,700
empty. 
Your basket carefully arranged 

2343
02:04:19,700 --> 02:04:24,700
each item in its proper place. 
The stones go in one corner, the

2344
02:04:24,700 --> 02:04:27,700
willow branches, lean against 
the wall, the Cattail heads, 

2345
02:04:27,700 --> 02:04:31,000
rest in a dry basket, the roots 
and onions are placed near the 

2346
02:04:31,008 --> 02:04:34,300
food storage area, you stand 
back and Survey your morning's 

2347
02:04:34,300 --> 02:04:36,600
work. 
These materials represent more 

2348
02:04:36,600 --> 02:04:40,300
than objects, they represent 
possibility, preparation and the

2349
02:04:40,308 --> 02:04:44,800
continuation of life on the step
tomorrow or the next day, you 

2350
02:04:44,800 --> 02:04:47,200
will transform these raw 
materials into things you need. 

2351
02:04:47,200 --> 02:04:51,100
But for now it is enough to have
gathered them to know. 

2352
02:04:51,100 --> 02:04:55,300
They are here ready when you 
need them, the midday Sun, fills

2353
02:04:55,300 --> 02:04:57,900
your shelter with light that 
angles through the Smoke Hole 

2354
02:04:57,900 --> 02:05:00,200
and glows, orange through the 
mammoth hide walls. 

2355
02:05:01,100 --> 02:05:03,300
You settle yourself on a flat 
rock near the fire. 

2356
02:05:03,300 --> 02:05:07,200
Arranging your stone working 
tools around you the large 

2357
02:05:07,200 --> 02:05:10,200
nodule of black Flint sits 
before you like a challenge and 

2358
02:05:10,200 --> 02:05:13,000
a promise. 
Tool-making requires, patience 

2359
02:05:13,000 --> 02:05:17,000
focus and an understanding of 
how Stone breaks you have spent 

2360
02:05:17,000 --> 02:05:20,300
Years Learning these skills 
beginning as a child who watched

2361
02:05:20,300 --> 02:05:23,500
the adults work progressing 
through countless mistakes and 

2362
02:05:23,500 --> 02:05:27,000
small successes and the 
knowledge lived in your hands as

2363
02:05:27,000 --> 02:05:30,400
much as your mind. 
Today, you will create several 

2364
02:05:30,400 --> 02:05:34,000
tools that your household needs.
You begin by examining the Flint

2365
02:05:34,000 --> 02:05:38,100
nodule from every angle turning 
it slowly in your hands, feeling

2366
02:05:38,100 --> 02:05:42,200
its weight and balance. 
The surface is smooth, covered 

2367
02:05:42,200 --> 02:05:45,500
with a pale chalky cortex that 
must be removed to reach the 

2368
02:05:45,500 --> 02:05:48,400
workable Stone beneath. 
You look for the grain of the 

2369
02:05:48,400 --> 02:05:51,700
Flint, the subtle ways that 
indicate how it will fracture, 

2370
02:05:51,700 --> 02:05:54,900
when struck this is not random 
Stone. 

2371
02:05:54,900 --> 02:05:58,100
Has an internal structure and 
working with that structure 

2372
02:05:58,100 --> 02:06:01,000
rather than against it is the 
key to successful napping. 

2373
02:06:01,000 --> 02:06:04,200
You select your Hammerstone, the
piece of quartzite you found 

2374
02:06:04,200 --> 02:06:07,600
earlier, it fits your hand 
perfectly heavy enough to 

2375
02:06:07,600 --> 02:06:09,800
deliver Force. 
But small enough to control 

2376
02:06:09,800 --> 02:06:13,000
precisely you hold the Flint 
firmly in your left hand, 

2377
02:06:13,000 --> 02:06:16,000
supporting it on your leather 
covered thigh, the leather will 

2378
02:06:16,000 --> 02:06:19,700
protect your leg from sharp 
edges and flying flakes. first 

2379
02:06:19,700 --> 02:06:23,400
strike is always important, you 
aim for a spot near the edge of 

2380
02:06:23,400 --> 02:06:26,400
the nodule and bring the hammer 
Stone down with controlled 

2381
02:06:26,400 --> 02:06:31,100
Force, the impact makes a sharp 
crack, a large flakes away from 

2382
02:06:31,100 --> 02:06:34,400
the nodule exposing, the glossy 
black interior of the Flint, 

2383
02:06:35,200 --> 02:06:39,000
Flake itself is useless, but it 
has opened up the stone giving 

2384
02:06:39,000 --> 02:06:41,200
you access to the workable 
material inside. 

2385
02:06:41,200 --> 02:06:44,300
You can continue striking 
working your way around the 

2386
02:06:44,300 --> 02:06:46,600
nodule. 
Removing the cortex in large 

2387
02:06:46,600 --> 02:06:50,700
rough flakes, each strike 
requires judgment too hard. 

2388
02:06:50,700 --> 02:06:53,700
And the stone might shatter too 
soft and nothing happens. 

2389
02:06:53,700 --> 02:06:56,300
The right Force applied at the 
right angle. 

2390
02:06:56,300 --> 02:06:59,400
Produces clean predictable, 
breaks the Rhythm develops, 

2391
02:06:59,400 --> 02:07:04,500
naturally strike, turn the stone
strike again, flakes pile up 

2392
02:07:04,508 --> 02:07:06,300
around your feet, sharp and 
glittering. 

2393
02:07:06,300 --> 02:07:10,200
After perhaps 20 strikes, you've
reduced the nodule to a smaller 

2394
02:07:10,200 --> 02:07:13,200
core of pure black, Flint 
roughly over in shape. 

2395
02:07:13,200 --> 02:07:16,500
This core is your platform for 
creating usable tools. 

2396
02:07:16,500 --> 02:07:20,300
Now the real work begins. 
You set aside the heavy Hammer 

2397
02:07:20,300 --> 02:07:22,500
Stone and pick up a softer 
strike are made from a piece of 

2398
02:07:22,508 --> 02:07:24,600
antler. 
Antler is gentler than 

2399
02:07:24,600 --> 02:07:26,800
quartzite, allowing for more 
controlled flaking. 

2400
02:07:27,500 --> 02:07:30,300
You will use this to remove thin
sharp flakes from the core. 

2401
02:07:30,300 --> 02:07:33,000
Each one a potential cutting 
tool you position. 

2402
02:07:33,000 --> 02:07:35,500
The antler Striker carefully and
strike a blown near the edge of 

2403
02:07:35,508 --> 02:07:38,300
the core. 
Along curved flake peels away, 

2404
02:07:38,300 --> 02:07:40,700
cleanly. 
The flake is about as long as 

2405
02:07:40,700 --> 02:07:44,300
your hand and sharp along both 
edges, you examine it closely. 

2406
02:07:44,300 --> 02:07:47,600
The edges Keen enough to slice 
hide or meet with minimal 

2407
02:07:47,600 --> 02:07:51,000
pressure, this flake will become
a scraper for processing animal 

2408
02:07:51,000 --> 02:07:53,100
skins. 
You can continue working the 

2409
02:07:53,100 --> 02:07:55,300
core removing flakes of various 
sizes. 

2410
02:07:55,300 --> 02:07:57,700
Some are long and narrow good 
for cutting. 

2411
02:07:57,700 --> 02:08:00,800
Others are broader and thicker 
suitable for scraping or 

2412
02:08:00,800 --> 02:08:04,100
chopping each flake that comes 
away is examined and set aside 

2413
02:08:04,100 --> 02:08:06,200
for later, use or discarded if 
it has flaws. 

2414
02:08:07,100 --> 02:08:10,200
The pile of potential tools. 
Grows steadily the work is 

2415
02:08:10,200 --> 02:08:13,100
meditative your hands move with 
practice. 

2416
02:08:13,100 --> 02:08:17,000
Certainly your mind enters a 
focus state where only the stone

2417
02:08:17,000 --> 02:08:21,500
exists its possibilities and 
limitations the precise angle of

2418
02:08:21,500 --> 02:08:23,900
each strike. 
The subtle feedback that tells 

2419
02:08:23,900 --> 02:08:26,000
you when the fracture is going 
well or poorly. 

2420
02:08:27,200 --> 02:08:30,600
Outside the wind continues 
across the steppe inside. 

2421
02:08:30,600 --> 02:08:32,900
There is only the quiet 
percussion of stone against 

2422
02:08:32,900 --> 02:08:36,200
Stone after removing, perhaps 15
usable flakes. 

2423
02:08:36,200 --> 02:08:37,600
You select one for further 
shaping. 

2424
02:08:37,600 --> 02:08:41,400
This flake is about the length 
of your palm narrow and gently 

2425
02:08:41,400 --> 02:08:43,500
curved. 
It will become a knife blade, 

2426
02:08:43,500 --> 02:08:46,600
but first it needs refinement, 
the edge of sharp. 

2427
02:08:46,600 --> 02:08:49,300
But irregular, you need to 
create a straight consistent 

2428
02:08:49,300 --> 02:08:51,900
Cutting Edge. 
You switch to an even softer 

2429
02:08:51,900 --> 02:08:54,200
tool of hardwood carved into a 
point. 

2430
02:08:54,200 --> 02:08:57,500
This pressure flake are allows 
you to remove tiny flakes from 

2431
02:08:57,500 --> 02:08:59,800
the edge of the larger. 
Flake shaping, it precisely. 

2432
02:08:59,800 --> 02:09:03,600
You hold the blade to be in your
left hand wrap in the leather 

2433
02:09:03,600 --> 02:09:06,500
for protection and press the 
wooden Point against the edge. 

2434
02:09:07,400 --> 02:09:10,600
With controlled pressure. 
And a slight twisting motion, a 

2435
02:09:10,600 --> 02:09:14,400
tiny flake pops off the edges. 
Now slightly straighter, you 

2436
02:09:14,400 --> 02:09:17,700
work your way along the edge 
removing microscopic flakes. 

2437
02:09:17,700 --> 02:09:20,400
Each one in, proving the line 
and sharpness. 

2438
02:09:21,100 --> 02:09:24,600
This process is called pressure 
flaking and it transforms a 

2439
02:09:24,600 --> 02:09:26,400
rough piece of stone into a 
finished tool. 

2440
02:09:26,400 --> 02:09:30,100
The work is slow and exacting. 
Your eyes are drawn close to the

2441
02:09:30,100 --> 02:09:33,200
stone watching. 
Each tiny fracture, your fingers

2442
02:09:33,200 --> 02:09:37,500
feel the edge becoming Keener 
more refined after perhaps 30 

2443
02:09:37,500 --> 02:09:39,600
careful pressure, flakes, the 
blade is ready. 

2444
02:09:39,600 --> 02:09:43,600
You test it by drawing the edge 
of scrap of leather, the stone 

2445
02:09:43,600 --> 02:09:45,900
cuts through the hide with 
almost no resistance. 

2446
02:09:45,900 --> 02:09:50,000
Leaving a clean straight line. 
You've created a knife, worthy 

2447
02:09:50,000 --> 02:09:53,300
of the most delicate work you 
set the finished blade aside and

2448
02:09:53,300 --> 02:09:54,900
select another flake from your 
pile. 

2449
02:09:54,900 --> 02:09:58,700
This one is broader and thicker,
good for scraping rather than 

2450
02:09:58,700 --> 02:10:00,600
cutting you shape it 
differently. 

2451
02:10:00,600 --> 02:10:04,000
Creating a rounded working Edge 
rather than a shop point. 

2452
02:10:04,900 --> 02:10:07,600
This scraper will be used to 
clean fat and tissue from animal

2453
02:10:07,600 --> 02:10:10,100
hides and a central step in 
making leather. 

2454
02:10:10,900 --> 02:10:13,800
The scraping Edge needs to be 
durable rather than hair sharp. 

2455
02:10:13,800 --> 02:10:16,200
So you leave it slightly thicker
less acute. 

2456
02:10:16,900 --> 02:10:19,000
The afternoon passes in the 
focused work. 

2457
02:10:19,800 --> 02:10:23,400
The pile of finished tools, 
grows a knife blade to scrapers 

2458
02:10:23,400 --> 02:10:26,700
of different sizes appointed. 
All for piercing holes in 

2459
02:10:26,700 --> 02:10:30,100
leather and a small Graver for 
carving designs into bone. 

2460
02:10:30,100 --> 02:10:33,000
Each tool is shaped for its 
specific purpose. 

2461
02:10:33,000 --> 02:10:37,700
Each one represents a problem 
solved, a need met as you work. 

2462
02:10:37,700 --> 02:10:40,800
You think about the generations 
before you who learn this craft 

2463
02:10:40,800 --> 02:10:43,500
who developed these techniques 
through experiment and 

2464
02:10:43,500 --> 02:10:47,200
observation and who passed the 
knowledge forward to make, is 

2465
02:10:47,200 --> 02:10:50,700
not Instinct. 
It is learned behavior, cultural

2466
02:10:50,700 --> 02:10:52,100
knowledge. 
That must be taught and 

2467
02:10:52,100 --> 02:10:54,700
practiced. 
The fact that you can sit here 

2468
02:10:54,700 --> 02:10:57,000
and create these precise 
implements from Raw. 

2469
02:10:57,000 --> 02:10:59,700
Stone, is the result of 
thousands of years of 

2470
02:10:59,700 --> 02:11:03,100
accumulated understanding this 
thought brings a sense of 

2471
02:11:03,100 --> 02:11:04,600
connection to those ancient 
teachers. 

2472
02:11:04,600 --> 02:11:07,500
A feeling that you are part of 
something larger than yourself, 

2473
02:11:08,400 --> 02:11:11,500
Fire Burns low, you add more 
wood and blow gently on the 

2474
02:11:11,508 --> 02:11:15,300
coals Flames. 
Rise Again, casting Shadows on 

2475
02:11:15,300 --> 02:11:18,600
the shelter walls, the light 
catches on the pile of stone 

2476
02:11:18,600 --> 02:11:21,400
flakes scattered around, you 
making them glitter like 

2477
02:11:21,400 --> 02:11:24,600
scattered Stars. 
You gather the finished tools 

2478
02:11:24,600 --> 02:11:26,300
and arrange them carefully on a 
piece of hide. 

2479
02:11:27,200 --> 02:11:30,100
Tomorrow, you will have to some 
of the wooden handles binding. 

2480
02:11:30,100 --> 02:11:32,000
The stone to wood with pine 
pitch. 

2481
02:11:32,000 --> 02:11:35,000
Others will be used as they are 
held directly in the hand. 

2482
02:11:35,000 --> 02:11:38,800
But for now they are complete 
ready to serve their purposes. 

2483
02:11:40,100 --> 02:11:43,000
The remaining core of Flint is 
smaller now but still useful. 

2484
02:11:43,000 --> 02:11:45,600
It will provide material for 
Future tools. 

2485
02:11:45,600 --> 02:11:48,400
You wrap it in leather and place
it with your other Stone 

2486
02:11:48,400 --> 02:11:50,600
reserves. 
Nothing is wasted. 

2487
02:11:50,600 --> 02:11:54,500
Even the smallest flakes can be 
used for cutting tasks or a 

2488
02:11:54,500 --> 02:11:57,900
scrapers for detailed work. 
You sweep the sharp debris into 

2489
02:11:57,900 --> 02:12:00,600
a pile and carry it out side, 
disposing of it away from the 

2490
02:12:00,600 --> 02:12:03,900
areas where people walk. 
Stone flakes are dangerously 

2491
02:12:03,900 --> 02:12:07,500
sharp capable of cutting through
hide boots or slicing skin. 

2492
02:12:07,500 --> 02:12:09,900
Proper disposal is a matter of 
safety. 

2493
02:12:11,000 --> 02:12:14,600
Back inside you, sit by the fire
and clean your hands brushing 

2494
02:12:14,600 --> 02:12:16,700
away, the stone dust and tiny 
particles. 

2495
02:12:16,700 --> 02:12:20,300
Your fingers are marked with 
small cuts from the days work, 

2496
02:12:20,300 --> 02:12:22,700
tiny lines of red against your 
skin. 

2497
02:12:22,700 --> 02:12:26,800
These are the marks of a craft 
person badges earned through 

2498
02:12:26,800 --> 02:12:29,800
concentration and skill. 
They will heal quickly and leave

2499
02:12:29,800 --> 02:12:32,300
no scars. 
The shelter feels warm and 

2500
02:12:32,308 --> 02:12:37,100
secure. outside the day is 
moving toward evening, but you 

2501
02:12:37,100 --> 02:12:40,500
have more work ahead before, 
Darkness Falls, Fire is the 

2502
02:12:40,500 --> 02:12:43,900
heart of survival in this cold 
land without it nights. 

2503
02:12:43,900 --> 02:12:46,700
Would be unbearable. 
Food would remain raw and hard 

2504
02:12:46,700 --> 02:12:49,800
to digest and predators would 
venture much closer to your 

2505
02:12:49,800 --> 02:12:53,600
dwelling. 
Maintaining fire is not simply a

2506
02:12:53,600 --> 02:12:55,900
task. 
It is a responsibility that runs

2507
02:12:55,900 --> 02:12:59,700
through every day like a thread 
through fabric Your fire has 

2508
02:12:59,700 --> 02:13:03,100
burned steadily since Dawn fed 
with wood throughout the day, 

2509
02:13:03,100 --> 02:13:05,600
but fire requires more than 
fuel. 

2510
02:13:05,600 --> 02:13:10,400
It needs attention, 
understanding and respect And 

2511
02:13:10,400 --> 02:13:14,200
neglected fire dies quickly. 
A poorly, managed fire consumes 

2512
02:13:14,200 --> 02:13:17,400
too much wood. 
Or producers choking smoke, a 

2513
02:13:17,400 --> 02:13:21,000
well-tended fire burns clean and
hot using fuel efficiently 

2514
02:13:21,000 --> 02:13:24,200
providing warmth and cooking 
heat exactly when needed. 

2515
02:13:24,200 --> 02:13:27,700
You kneel beside the fire pit 
and study the current state of 

2516
02:13:27,700 --> 02:13:30,300
the Flames. 
The wood has burned down to a 

2517
02:13:30,300 --> 02:13:32,000
bed of glowing coals mixed with 
Ash. 

2518
02:13:32,000 --> 02:13:34,500
This is actually ideal for many 
purposes. 

2519
02:13:34,500 --> 02:13:39,100
Kohl's provides steady sustained
heat without the dramatic Flames

2520
02:13:39,100 --> 02:13:42,100
that consumed fuel rapidly. 
You will cook on these coals 

2521
02:13:42,100 --> 02:13:44,400
later. 
But first, you need to ensure 

2522
02:13:44,400 --> 02:13:46,300
you have enough firewood for the
coming night. 

2523
02:13:46,300 --> 02:13:48,800
The woodpile near the wall is 
diminished. 

2524
02:13:48,800 --> 02:13:52,500
He counts 10. 
Branches remaining enough for a 

2525
02:13:52,500 --> 02:13:54,400
few hours but not enough to last
until morning. 

2526
02:13:55,700 --> 02:13:59,100
Gathering firewood is a constant
necessity one that cannot be 

2527
02:13:59,100 --> 02:14:02,300
postponed or forgotten. 
You take up a leather carrying 

2528
02:14:02,300 --> 02:14:05,300
sling and head outside. 
The sun is lowering toward the 

2529
02:14:05,300 --> 02:14:09,200
Western Horizon, painting, the 
sky and shades of Amber and pale

2530
02:14:09,200 --> 02:14:11,500
Rose. 
The temperature is dropping as 

2531
02:14:11,500 --> 02:14:15,500
evening approaches, you can feel
the change in the air, a subtle 

2532
02:14:15,500 --> 02:14:17,200
shift that your body reads 
automatically. 

2533
02:14:17,200 --> 02:14:21,500
The destination is a standard of
dead trees about a 1000 Paces to

2534
02:14:21,500 --> 02:14:24,100
the South. 
These trees died years ago 

2535
02:14:24,100 --> 02:14:28,000
killed by fire or disease and 
now they stand as weathered 

2536
02:14:28,000 --> 02:14:32,100
skeletons, there would dried 
perfectly for burning dead 

2537
02:14:32,100 --> 02:14:35,700
standing wood is far superior to
branches gather from the ground.

2538
02:14:35,700 --> 02:14:39,000
Ground wood, absorbs moisture 
from the soil and burns Pauli 

2539
02:14:39,000 --> 02:14:43,000
producing more smoke than Heat. 
Standing Deadwood is dry all the

2540
02:14:43,008 --> 02:14:44,900
way through burning hot and 
clean. 

2541
02:14:44,900 --> 02:14:48,800
As you walk, you notice how the 
angle of light transforms, the 

2542
02:14:48,800 --> 02:14:51,500
step, the grass that appeared 
silver at dawn. 

2543
02:14:51,500 --> 02:14:54,600
Now, glows, Golden Shadows 
stretched long and dramatic 

2544
02:14:54,600 --> 02:14:58,200
across the land, the distant 
mountains, invisible at midday 

2545
02:14:58,200 --> 02:15:01,200
and now visible as blue 
Silhouettes, against the sky. 

2546
02:15:01,900 --> 02:15:04,600
This is the time of day when the
harsh landscape reveals 

2547
02:15:04,600 --> 02:15:08,200
unexpected Beauty. 
The dead tree stand in a small 

2548
02:15:08,208 --> 02:15:12,400
Grove six tall trunks reduced to
Bare poles with scattered dead 

2549
02:15:12,400 --> 02:15:14,700
branches. 
Some of the branches have 

2550
02:15:14,700 --> 02:15:17,600
already fallen littering the 
ground around the trees others. 

2551
02:15:17,600 --> 02:15:21,000
Still cling to the trunks dried 
and brittle, you select the 

2552
02:15:21,008 --> 02:15:23,600
branches that are elevated off 
the ground, but Loose enough to 

2553
02:15:23,608 --> 02:15:27,300
Break Free with moderate Force. 
You reach up and grab a branch 

2554
02:15:27,300 --> 02:15:30,800
about as thick as your wrist. 
It's light, much lighter than 

2555
02:15:30,800 --> 02:15:34,700
Living Wood, evidence of how 
thoroughly it has dried, you 

2556
02:15:34,700 --> 02:15:37,500
pull down and the branch breaks 
free with a satisfying crack. 

2557
02:15:38,200 --> 02:15:41,200
The wood is pale. 
Gray one Smooth by years of 

2558
02:15:41,200 --> 02:15:43,200
weather. 
You break the branch in to 

2559
02:15:43,200 --> 02:15:45,600
manageable lengths by bracing, 
it against your knee and 

2560
02:15:45,600 --> 02:15:48,300
applying pressure. 
Each piece is about the length 

2561
02:15:48,300 --> 02:15:51,400
of your arm size to fit easily 
into your fire pit. 

2562
02:15:51,400 --> 02:15:54,500
You can continue Gathering 
working methodically through the

2563
02:15:54,500 --> 02:15:57,500
available Deadwood. 
Some branches are too rotted, 

2564
02:15:57,500 --> 02:15:58,900
crumbling to powder in your 
hands. 

2565
02:15:58,900 --> 02:16:03,000
You leave these others are solid
and sound despite their age. 

2566
02:16:03,000 --> 02:16:06,700
These go into your carrying 
sling, the work is physical, but

2567
02:16:06,700 --> 02:16:09,400
not difficult. 
Your body is a custom to such 

2568
02:16:09,400 --> 02:16:13,300
labor, a sound, makes you pause 
somewhere in the distance. 

2569
02:16:13,300 --> 02:16:16,400
A mammoth Trumpets, the call 
carrying a cross the empty 

2570
02:16:16,400 --> 02:16:18,800
space. 
You look toward the sound and 

2571
02:16:18,800 --> 02:16:22,000
see, a herd moving slowly 
Westward, dark shapes against 

2572
02:16:22,000 --> 02:16:25,100
the golden grass, the mammoths 
are enormous even at this 

2573
02:16:25,100 --> 02:16:27,300
distance their curved tusks 
visible. 

2574
02:16:27,300 --> 02:16:30,200
As graceful Arts, they are 
traveling to their feeding 

2575
02:16:30,200 --> 02:16:32,500
grounds following routes. 
They have used for Generations. 

2576
02:16:33,600 --> 02:16:36,600
You watch them for a moment, 
feeling a mixture of or 

2577
02:16:36,600 --> 02:16:39,500
unfamiliarity. 
Mammoths are part of the fabric 

2578
02:16:39,500 --> 02:16:42,000
of this world. 
They provide Ivory for tools 

2579
02:16:42,000 --> 02:16:46,200
hides for shelter meat for food.
But they are also dangerous. 

2580
02:16:46,200 --> 02:16:49,600
Massive creatures that can crush
a human without even noticing. 

2581
02:16:50,600 --> 02:16:54,100
Respect and caution are the 
appropriate responses to such 

2582
02:16:54,100 --> 02:16:56,299
animals. 
The mammoths move on 

2583
02:16:56,299 --> 02:16:59,000
disappearing. 
Beyond a low rise, your return 

2584
02:16:59,008 --> 02:17:02,000
to your wood Gathering. 
When the carrying sling is full 

2585
02:17:02,000 --> 02:17:04,900
you shoulder the load and start 
back toward your shelter. 

2586
02:17:04,900 --> 02:17:09,299
The wood is bulky but not heavy 
it rustles and shifts as you 

2587
02:17:09,299 --> 02:17:13,600
walk settling into the sling. 
Back at your dwelling you stack 

2588
02:17:13,600 --> 02:17:16,799
the new firewood carefully, near
the entrance, arranging it. 

2589
02:17:16,799 --> 02:17:19,000
So air can circulate around each
piece. 

2590
02:17:19,799 --> 02:17:22,000
Proper Storage keeps would dry 
and ready to burn. 

2591
02:17:22,000 --> 02:17:24,799
Damp wood produces smoke and 
waste effort. 

2592
02:17:24,799 --> 02:17:27,900
You return to the fire pit and 
consider the current state of 

2593
02:17:27,900 --> 02:17:30,400
the coals. 
They have begun to fade the 

2594
02:17:30,400 --> 02:17:33,799
bright orange, darling to read 
this is the time to add fresh 

2595
02:17:33,799 --> 02:17:36,000
fuel. 
You select three piece of the 

2596
02:17:36,000 --> 02:17:39,000
newly gathered wood and placed 
them on the coals in a careful 

2597
02:17:39,000 --> 02:17:41,400
Arrangement. 
The pieces are positioned to 

2598
02:17:41,400 --> 02:17:44,799
allow airflow beneath them. 
Creating channels for oxygen to 

2599
02:17:44,799 --> 02:17:48,200
reach the burning coals. 
Within moments thin wisps of 

2600
02:17:48,208 --> 02:17:51,500
Smoke, Rise From the wood, the 
smoke thickens, turning white 

2601
02:17:51,500 --> 02:17:56,100
and substantial, then with a 
soft whoosh, Flames appear, the 

2602
02:17:56,100 --> 02:17:58,799
dried wood catches quickly 
burning with clean yellow. 

2603
02:17:58,799 --> 02:18:02,200
Flames that grow rapidly in size
and intensity heat. 

2604
02:18:02,200 --> 02:18:05,000
Radiates outward warming, your 
face and hands. 

2605
02:18:05,000 --> 02:18:08,900
Fire is more than combustion. 
It is transformation. 

2606
02:18:08,900 --> 02:18:13,000
Would become heat, light, smoke,
and Ash. 

2607
02:18:13,799 --> 02:18:17,500
The process is both practical 
and somehow magical attaining of

2608
02:18:17,500 --> 02:18:20,299
one of Nature's. 
Most Powerful forces, every time

2609
02:18:20,299 --> 02:18:23,200
you light a fire or coax Flames 
from Coles, you are 

2610
02:18:23,200 --> 02:18:26,100
participating in knowledge. 
That humans discovered 10s of 

2611
02:18:26,108 --> 02:18:29,500
thousands of years ago The 
techniques you use were learned 

2612
02:18:29,500 --> 02:18:32,100
by trial and error. 
By people whose names are lost a

2613
02:18:32,100 --> 02:18:33,600
time. 
But, whose discoveries made 

2614
02:18:33,600 --> 02:18:36,900
civilization possible you add 
two more pieces of wood 

2615
02:18:36,900 --> 02:18:39,000
building. 
The fire to a size that will 

2616
02:18:39,000 --> 02:18:42,299
produce lasting coals. 
The shelter fills with warmth 

2617
02:18:42,299 --> 02:18:46,299
and the pleasant smell of 
burning Pine, like dances on the

2618
02:18:46,299 --> 02:18:49,200
curved walls, creating an 
atmosphere that feels safe and 

2619
02:18:49,200 --> 02:18:51,700
enclosed despite the vast cold 
world outside. 

2620
02:18:52,700 --> 02:18:56,000
As the fire stabilizes, you 
prepare for an important task 

2621
02:18:56,000 --> 02:18:59,600
creating fire from nothing 
without the benefit of existing.

2622
02:18:59,600 --> 02:19:01,900
Coals is a skill. 
You practice regularly. 

2623
02:19:02,700 --> 02:19:05,200
If your fire ever goes 
completely out and no one nearby

2624
02:19:05,200 --> 02:19:08,500
can share their calls, you must 
be able to create flame using 

2625
02:19:08,500 --> 02:19:11,600
only materials found on the 
step, you gather the necessary 

2626
02:19:11,600 --> 02:19:14,500
items. 
A flat piece of wood dry and 

2627
02:19:14,500 --> 02:19:16,299
sound which will serve as the 
fire board. 

2628
02:19:16,299 --> 02:19:19,299
A straight stick of slightly 
harder wood which will be the 

2629
02:19:19,299 --> 02:19:21,700
drill. 
A curved piece of bone with a 

2630
02:19:21,700 --> 02:19:24,100
smooth depression. 
Carved in one end which will 

2631
02:19:24,100 --> 02:19:27,100
hold the top of the drill. 
A bow made from a flexible 

2632
02:19:27,100 --> 02:19:29,600
Branch with a leather. 
Thong stretch between the ends 

2633
02:19:29,600 --> 02:19:33,500
and a small pile of dried grass 
and Tinder ready to catch the 

2634
02:19:33,500 --> 02:19:36,299
first Ember. 
The technique is called bow 

2635
02:19:36,299 --> 02:19:38,500
drill. 
Firemaking uses friction to 

2636
02:19:38,500 --> 02:19:40,900
create heat and heat to create 
an ember. 

2637
02:19:41,799 --> 02:19:45,299
Process requires technique 
endurance and favorable 

2638
02:19:45,299 --> 02:19:47,600
conditions. 
Even with experience. 

2639
02:19:47,600 --> 02:19:51,400
Success is Not Guaranteed. 
You carve a small notch in the 

2640
02:19:51,408 --> 02:19:54,400
edge of the fireball creating a 
collection point for the hot 

2641
02:19:54,400 --> 02:19:58,000
wood dust that the friction will
produce you place the fire board

2642
02:19:58,000 --> 02:20:01,000
on the ground and Brace it with 
your foot the drill stand 

2643
02:20:01,000 --> 02:20:04,800
upright on the fire board its 
top end fitted into the socket 

2644
02:20:04,800 --> 02:20:07,300
carved in the bone. 
The bowstring is raped. 

2645
02:20:07,300 --> 02:20:11,200
Once around the drill shaft in 
position yourself carefully one 

2646
02:20:11,200 --> 02:20:14,500
knee on the ground the other 
foot bracing the fire board you 

2647
02:20:14,500 --> 02:20:17,300
pressed down gently on the bone 
socket with your left hand while

2648
02:20:17,300 --> 02:20:19,300
moving the bow back and forth 
with your right. 

2649
02:20:20,100 --> 02:20:22,500
The drill begins to spin 
rotating first. 

2650
02:20:22,500 --> 02:20:26,200
One Direction, then the other 
smoke appears almost immediately

2651
02:20:26,200 --> 02:20:28,100
where the drill Point touches 
the fireboard. 

2652
02:20:28,100 --> 02:20:32,300
This is good, smoke means 
friction, and friction means 

2653
02:20:32,300 --> 02:20:36,700
heat, you increase your speed 
moving the bow faster, pressing 

2654
02:20:36,700 --> 02:20:39,400
down harder, more smoke Rises 
thicker. 

2655
02:20:39,400 --> 02:20:41,400
Now, with a sharp smell of 
burning wood. 

2656
02:20:41,400 --> 02:20:45,000
Your arm begins to feel the 
effort the bow drill method, 

2657
02:20:45,000 --> 02:20:46,800
demands, sustained, physical 
work. 

2658
02:20:46,800 --> 02:20:51,000
You cannot stop or slow down 
once the process has begun, the 

2659
02:20:51,000 --> 02:20:53,200
heat must build continuously 
until it reaches. 

2660
02:20:53,200 --> 02:20:56,400
The point where would dust 
becomes Ember sweat forms on 

2661
02:20:56,408 --> 02:20:59,900
your forehead, despite the cool,
air your arm makes, but the 

2662
02:20:59,900 --> 02:21:01,700
smoke is pouring from the 
friction point. 

2663
02:21:01,700 --> 02:21:05,900
Now dense and consistent, you 
can feel the heat building just 

2664
02:21:05,900 --> 02:21:08,600
a little longer. 
You make one final strong 

2665
02:21:08,600 --> 02:21:10,800
effort, moving the bow as fast 
as possible. 

2666
02:21:10,800 --> 02:21:13,700
Pressing down hard, then you 
stop carefully. 

2667
02:21:13,700 --> 02:21:16,500
Lifting away the drill in the 
notch of the fire board. 

2668
02:21:16,500 --> 02:21:20,300
You see a tiny pile of dark 
brown, wood dust smoking 

2669
02:21:20,300 --> 02:21:23,700
vigorously and at the center of 
that dust a pinpoint of orange 

2670
02:21:23,700 --> 02:21:26,600
and em. 
You carefully tip the Ember onto

2671
02:21:26,600 --> 02:21:29,500
a piece of bark and transfer it 
to the waiting nest of dried 

2672
02:21:29,500 --> 02:21:31,700
grass. 
You bring the nest close to your

2673
02:21:31,700 --> 02:21:35,400
face and blow gently. 
The emperor glows brighter, the 

2674
02:21:35,400 --> 02:21:40,000
grass, begins to smoke you blow 
again, more strongly Suddenly 

2675
02:21:40,000 --> 02:21:43,900
the grass bursts into flame, you
have created fire from nothing 

2676
02:21:43,900 --> 02:21:48,600
but wood friction and knowledge.
The Triumph is quiet but real 

2677
02:21:49,300 --> 02:21:51,800
Even though you have a perfectly
good fire burning in the pit 

2678
02:21:51,800 --> 02:21:55,000
even though you used flint and 
pyrite to start it this morning,

2679
02:21:55,000 --> 02:21:58,200
the ability to create flame with
the bow drill is Essential 

2680
02:21:58,200 --> 02:22:01,100
Knowledge. 
It is a backup system, a 

2681
02:22:01,100 --> 02:22:03,500
guarantee that you will never be
helpless as long as you have 

2682
02:22:03,500 --> 02:22:06,400
access to wooden grass. 
You let the grass fire burn out,

2683
02:22:06,400 --> 02:22:08,200
naturally watching the Flames 
consumed. 

2684
02:22:08,200 --> 02:22:10,800
The fuel in seconds, the 
demonstration is complete. 

2685
02:22:10,800 --> 02:22:14,200
Your skill is confirmed tomorrow
or a year from now. 

2686
02:22:14,200 --> 02:22:17,700
If you need this technique, your
hands will remember The main 

2687
02:22:17,700 --> 02:22:21,100
fire burn steadily filling the 
shelter with warmth. 

2688
02:22:21,800 --> 02:22:24,700
Evening is settling over the 
step outside soon. 

2689
02:22:24,700 --> 02:22:27,800
It will be time to prepare for 
food but the fire is ready, 

2690
02:22:27,800 --> 02:22:31,100
burning clean and hot exactly as
it should. 

2691
02:22:31,900 --> 02:22:35,000
Your shelter has protected you 
through many seasons but like, 

2692
02:22:35,008 --> 02:22:37,900
all things made by human hands, 
it requires constant 

2693
02:22:37,900 --> 02:22:40,400
maintenance. 
The Mamas hide walls are 

2694
02:22:40,400 --> 02:22:43,100
durable, but wind and weather 
take their toll. 

2695
02:22:43,800 --> 02:22:46,800
Framework of Bones and branches 
can shift or loosen. 

2696
02:22:47,600 --> 02:22:50,100
Small gaps can appear where cold
air seeps through. 

2697
02:22:50,900 --> 02:22:53,300
Shelter, neglected becomes a 
shelter failed. 

2698
02:22:54,000 --> 02:22:56,600
Before the day ends, you make a 
circuit around the outside of 

2699
02:22:56,600 --> 02:22:59,300
your dwelling examining every 
section carefully. 

2700
02:22:59,300 --> 02:23:03,100
The hide walls are held in place
by a combination of bone Stakes,

2701
02:23:03,100 --> 02:23:05,600
driven into the ground and 
leather thongs tied to the 

2702
02:23:05,608 --> 02:23:10,000
framework beneath You test each 
stake pushing against it to 

2703
02:23:10,000 --> 02:23:13,800
ensure it remains firm. 
Most are solid, but two of 

2704
02:23:13,800 --> 02:23:17,300
worked slightly loose, you drive
them deeper into the Earth, 

2705
02:23:17,300 --> 02:23:20,700
using a heavy Stone as a hammer.
One section of hide near the 

2706
02:23:20,700 --> 02:23:24,300
entrance shows signs of where 
the material has developed a 

2707
02:23:24,300 --> 02:23:26,300
small tear where it rubs against
a bone support. 

2708
02:23:26,300 --> 02:23:30,600
You examine the damage closely, 
the tear is not large, perhaps 

2709
02:23:30,600 --> 02:23:32,900
the length of your finger, but 
it will grow, if not repaired 

2710
02:23:32,900 --> 02:23:37,500
water could seep through cold, 
air could penetrate your return 

2711
02:23:37,500 --> 02:23:39,200
inside and retrieve your sewing 
kit. 

2712
02:23:40,000 --> 02:23:42,800
The kit consists of several bone
needles of different sizes. 

2713
02:23:42,800 --> 02:23:46,400
Each one, carefully carved and 
Polished with an, I drilled 

2714
02:23:46,400 --> 02:23:49,500
through one end. 
He also take a link of sinew 

2715
02:23:49,500 --> 02:23:52,000
thread pulled from the dried 
tendons, of a deer, you 

2716
02:23:52,008 --> 02:23:55,300
processed weeks ago, the sinuous
strong and flexible. 

2717
02:23:55,300 --> 02:23:58,200
Perfect for sewing, heavy, hide 
back outside. 

2718
02:23:58,200 --> 02:24:01,200
You thread the needle with 
sinew, the light is fading now, 

2719
02:24:01,200 --> 02:24:04,600
but enough remains to work by 
you begin stitching, the tear 

2720
02:24:04,600 --> 02:24:08,000
closed, using a technique passed
down through generations. 

2721
02:24:08,000 --> 02:24:12,400
The stitches are small and tight
pulled firmly but not so tight 

2722
02:24:12,400 --> 02:24:15,600
that they cut through the hide, 
each Stitch overlaps, the 

2723
02:24:15,600 --> 02:24:19,600
previous one slightly creating a
waterproof seam, the work is 

2724
02:24:19,600 --> 02:24:23,200
precise and satisfying, your 
fingers know the motion without 

2725
02:24:23,200 --> 02:24:26,800
thinking, push the needle 
through the thick hide, pull it 

2726
02:24:26,808 --> 02:24:28,600
out. 
The other side Loop the thread 

2727
02:24:28,600 --> 02:24:32,200
repeat. 
The rhythm is meditative similar

2728
02:24:32,200 --> 02:24:35,800
to the rhythm of knapping stone.
Both activities require Focus, 

2729
02:24:35,800 --> 02:24:39,400
patience and respect from 
materials as you work. 

2730
02:24:39,400 --> 02:24:42,400
You think about the Mamo who's 
hide forms your walls. 

2731
02:24:42,400 --> 02:24:46,500
The animal died years before you
were born killed by hunters from

2732
02:24:46,500 --> 02:24:49,700
a neighboring group. 
The hide was traded for tools 

2733
02:24:49,700 --> 02:24:53,400
and dried meat it served a 
shelter ever since protecting 

2734
02:24:53,400 --> 02:24:57,100
multiple families, from rain 
snow and wind the mammoths body.

2735
02:24:57,100 --> 02:24:59,700
Transformed into houses, tools, 
Fuel and food. 

2736
02:24:59,700 --> 02:25:02,300
Nothing of that great animal was
wasted. 

2737
02:25:02,300 --> 02:25:06,400
This is the way of the step, 
everything serves a purpose, the

2738
02:25:06,400 --> 02:25:08,900
repair complete. 
You tie off the sinew thread and

2739
02:25:08,900 --> 02:25:11,800
trim it close to the hide. 
The tear is now invisible. 

2740
02:25:11,800 --> 02:25:14,700
Unless, you know where to look, 
the wall is whole again. 

2741
02:25:14,700 --> 02:25:18,600
Ready for whatever comes next. 
Circle the shelter. 

2742
02:25:18,600 --> 02:25:22,400
Once more this time from the 
inside, the framework overhead 

2743
02:25:22,400 --> 02:25:25,700
is a lattice of Mammoth bones 
into woven with Willow branches 

2744
02:25:25,700 --> 02:25:28,500
all lashed together with sinew 
and strips of hide. 

2745
02:25:28,500 --> 02:25:32,100
You check each connection Point.
Tugging gently to test the 

2746
02:25:32,100 --> 02:25:35,200
bindings. 
Most are solid but one show 

2747
02:25:35,200 --> 02:25:38,400
signs of fraying. 
The sinew has begun to split 

2748
02:25:38,400 --> 02:25:42,100
weakened by exposure to smoke 
and moisture, you untie the 

2749
02:25:42,108 --> 02:25:44,600
damaged binding and replace it 
with fresh sinew from your 

2750
02:25:44,608 --> 02:25:47,000
supplies. 
The new binding is wound, 

2751
02:25:47,000 --> 02:25:49,800
tightly Crossing and Rec 
Crossing to create maximum 

2752
02:25:49,800 --> 02:25:52,200
strength. 
You tie it off with a knot that 

2753
02:25:52,200 --> 02:25:54,900
will not slip or loose. 
In the framework is secure 

2754
02:25:54,900 --> 02:25:58,700
again, the floor of the shelter,
all needs attention, the layer 

2755
02:25:58,700 --> 02:26:00,900
of dried grass. 
That provides insulation from 

2756
02:26:00,900 --> 02:26:04,400
The Frozen Ground has compressed
over time losing, its 

2757
02:26:04,400 --> 02:26:07,200
effectiveness. 
You gather fresh grass from a 

2758
02:26:07,200 --> 02:26:08,600
pile. 
You've kept dry near the 

2759
02:26:08,600 --> 02:26:11,900
entrance and spread it evenly 
across the floor, especially in 

2760
02:26:11,900 --> 02:26:14,700
the sleeping area. 
The new grass is springy and 

2761
02:26:14,700 --> 02:26:17,400
resilient creating a software 
warmer surface. 

2762
02:26:17,400 --> 02:26:21,400
Your range of sleeping Furs over
the fresh grass, testing the 

2763
02:26:21,400 --> 02:26:25,700
Comfort much better The Smoke 
Hole at the peak of the shelter 

2764
02:26:25,700 --> 02:26:28,300
requires regular adjustment, 
depending on wind direction and 

2765
02:26:28,300 --> 02:26:31,300
fire intense City. 
Today the wind comes from the 

2766
02:26:31,308 --> 02:26:33,500
north. 
So you shift the position of the

2767
02:26:33,500 --> 02:26:37,000
Hide flap, that partially covers
the opening angling it to allow 

2768
02:26:37,000 --> 02:26:40,100
smoke to escape while preventing
rain or snow from entering. 

2769
02:26:40,700 --> 02:26:42,900
Getting this balance, right? 
Is an art learned through 

2770
02:26:42,900 --> 02:26:46,300
experience. 
A good shelter is more than just

2771
02:26:46,300 --> 02:26:49,200
walls and a roof. 
It is a system of interconnected

2772
02:26:49,200 --> 02:26:51,700
elements. 
Each one affecting the others, 

2773
02:26:51,700 --> 02:26:55,200
the fire produces smoke, that 
must escape through the Smoke 

2774
02:26:55,200 --> 02:26:57,100
Hole. 
The Smoke Hole must be 

2775
02:26:57,100 --> 02:26:58,800
positioned to prevent rain 
entry. 

2776
02:26:58,800 --> 02:27:02,100
The hide walls must be tightened
enough to keep out wind, but 

2777
02:27:02,100 --> 02:27:04,600
must allow some air circulation 
to prevent the buildup of 

2778
02:27:04,608 --> 02:27:07,100
moisture. 
The framework must be strong 

2779
02:27:07,100 --> 02:27:09,700
enough to support the weight of 
the highs and resist wind 

2780
02:27:09,700 --> 02:27:11,900
pressure. 
Every element must work in 

2781
02:27:11,900 --> 02:27:14,300
harmony. 
You step back and Survey your 

2782
02:27:14,308 --> 02:27:17,300
dwelling with critical eyes. 
The walls are sound. 

2783
02:27:17,300 --> 02:27:21,400
The framework is secure, the 
floor is fresh, the Smoke Hole 

2784
02:27:21,400 --> 02:27:24,500
is properly adjusted, the 
entrance, hide hang smoothly, 

2785
02:27:24,500 --> 02:27:28,100
creating a good seal. 
When closed, the shelter is 

2786
02:27:28,100 --> 02:27:31,600
ready for the night to head and 
for many nights to come shelter 

2787
02:27:31,600 --> 02:27:33,400
building is knowledge. 
That must be learned and 

2788
02:27:33,400 --> 02:27:36,500
practiced. 
Skills involved a numerous and 

2789
02:27:36,500 --> 02:27:38,600
complex. 
Choosing the right location. 

2790
02:27:38,600 --> 02:27:41,500
One with good drainage and 
protection from prevailing, 

2791
02:27:41,500 --> 02:27:44,200
winds Gathering and preparing 
materials. 

2792
02:27:44,200 --> 02:27:47,400
Designing a structure that will 
shed rain and resist, wind 

2793
02:27:47,400 --> 02:27:50,400
constructing a framework. 
Strong enough to support the 

2794
02:27:50,400 --> 02:27:54,000
weight of heavy hides sewing. 
The hides together into panels 

2795
02:27:54,000 --> 02:27:57,300
large enough to cover the frame,
maintaining everything over 

2796
02:27:57,300 --> 02:27:59,000
time. 
No one learns all this 

2797
02:27:59,000 --> 02:28:01,600
overnight. 
The knowledge is passed down 

2798
02:28:01,600 --> 02:28:04,600
from experienced Builders to 
novices, taught through 

2799
02:28:04,600 --> 02:28:07,300
demonstration and corrected 
through patient feedback. 

2800
02:28:08,300 --> 02:28:11,400
You learn these skills as a 
child watching adults work, 

2801
02:28:11,400 --> 02:28:14,800
helping with simple tasks, 
gradually taking on more 

2802
02:28:14,800 --> 02:28:18,300
responsibilities. 
Your abilities grew now, you may

2803
02:28:18,300 --> 02:28:21,600
maintain your own shelter with 
confidence knowing that you can 

2804
02:28:21,600 --> 02:28:25,600
repair almost any problem that 
arises As Darkness Falls 

2805
02:28:25,600 --> 02:28:29,900
completely you return inside and
seal the entrance, hide behind 

2806
02:28:29,900 --> 02:28:33,400
you. 
The fire burns, brightly casting

2807
02:28:33,400 --> 02:28:37,100
warm light throughout the space,
your shelter feels solid and 

2808
02:28:37,100 --> 02:28:41,200
secure a small island of warmth 
and safety in the vast cold 

2809
02:28:41,200 --> 02:28:44,100
night outside. 
The wind can blow the 

2810
02:28:44,100 --> 02:28:48,300
temperature can drop inside your
protected by knowledge materials

2811
02:28:48,300 --> 02:28:51,600
and the work of your own hands 
evening is the time for cooking 

2812
02:28:51,600 --> 02:28:54,700
when the days work is done. 
And the fire burns steady and 

2813
02:28:54,700 --> 02:28:58,400
hot to tonight's meal will be 
simple but nourishing made from 

2814
02:28:58,400 --> 02:29:00,800
the materials you've gathered 
and the food you've preserved 

2815
02:29:00,800 --> 02:29:04,500
from early hunts and harvests. 
You Begin by selecting a cut of 

2816
02:29:04,500 --> 02:29:07,800
dried meat from your stores. 
The meat is from a reindeer 

2817
02:29:07,800 --> 02:29:11,200
killed a week ago, cut into thin
strips and hung near the fire to

2818
02:29:11,200 --> 02:29:13,700
dry. 
Drying, preserves meat by 

2819
02:29:13,700 --> 02:29:15,900
removing the moisture that 
bacteria need to grow. 

2820
02:29:15,900 --> 02:29:20,000
The strips are now hard and dark
reduced to about a third of 

2821
02:29:20,008 --> 02:29:22,700
their original weight. 
They will keep for months. 

2822
02:29:22,700 --> 02:29:26,100
Without spoiling, you take three
strips and place them on a flat 

2823
02:29:26,100 --> 02:29:28,400
stone near. 
The fire using your newly 

2824
02:29:28,400 --> 02:29:31,700
sharpened knife, you cut the 
dried meat into smaller pieces. 

2825
02:29:31,700 --> 02:29:33,600
Each about the size of your 
thumb. 

2826
02:29:33,600 --> 02:29:36,400
The meat is tough. 
Requiring pressure to cut 

2827
02:29:36,400 --> 02:29:39,000
through this toughness is a sign
of proper drying. 

2828
02:29:39,000 --> 02:29:42,300
Next you retrieve the wild 
onions and Bird Rock route. 

2829
02:29:42,300 --> 02:29:45,200
You gather this morning, the 
onions, need only their outer 

2830
02:29:45,200 --> 02:29:49,000
layers removed before use you 
peel the carefully, revealing 

2831
02:29:49,000 --> 02:29:53,000
the white bulbs inside they 
smell strong and sharp, as that 

2832
02:29:53,000 --> 02:29:56,100
makes your mouth water. 
The bird route requires more 

2833
02:29:56,100 --> 02:29:58,600
preparation. 
You scrape away, the outer skin 

2834
02:29:58,600 --> 02:30:01,800
with a scraper, exposing the 
pale flesh beneath, then cut the

2835
02:30:01,800 --> 02:30:05,200
root Into Thin rounds. 
You have a clay cooking pot. 

2836
02:30:05,200 --> 02:30:07,100
One. 
You met yourself from River? 

2837
02:30:07,100 --> 02:30:11,000
Clay several seasons ago. 
The pot is round and simple with

2838
02:30:11,000 --> 02:30:15,300
thick walls and a wide mouth. 
It has no handles but it sits 

2839
02:30:15,300 --> 02:30:17,600
stable when placed directly on 
hot coals. 

2840
02:30:18,200 --> 02:30:20,500
You pull water into the pot from
a water skin. 

2841
02:30:20,500 --> 02:30:24,000
The water comes from the stream 
where you gathered Willows cold 

2842
02:30:24,000 --> 02:30:27,500
and clean cooking in water is 
one of Humanity's great 

2843
02:30:27,500 --> 02:30:30,000
Innovations before pots and fire
food. 

2844
02:30:30,000 --> 02:30:32,100
Could only be eaten raw or 
roasted directly. 

2845
02:30:32,100 --> 02:30:36,400
Over Flames water cooking allows
for gentler heat, better flavor 

2846
02:30:36,400 --> 02:30:39,800
and the ability to combine many 
ingredients into a single dish. 

2847
02:30:40,700 --> 02:30:43,900
The invention of pottery 
changed, everything you place. 

2848
02:30:43,900 --> 02:30:46,500
The pot carefully on the bed of 
coals, at the edge of the fire 

2849
02:30:46,500 --> 02:30:49,000
pit. 
The clay immediately begins to 

2850
02:30:49,000 --> 02:30:52,600
warm you add the pieces of dried
meat to the water, as the water 

2851
02:30:52,600 --> 02:30:55,900
heats, the meat will rehydrate 
and softened releasing its 

2852
02:30:55,900 --> 02:30:59,100
flavor into the liquid. 
Steam begins to rise from the 

2853
02:30:59,100 --> 02:31:01,200
pot surface while the meat 
Cooks. 

2854
02:31:01,200 --> 02:31:04,300
You prepare other additions? 
You take a handful of dried 

2855
02:31:04,300 --> 02:31:07,400
berries from a basket, small 
purple, fruits, gathered loss, 

2856
02:31:07,400 --> 02:31:09,300
summer, and sun dried on Flat 
Rocks. 

2857
02:31:09,300 --> 02:31:12,300
These berries, add sweetness and
nutrition to the stew. 

2858
02:31:12,300 --> 02:31:15,600
You also grind a small amount of
wild garlic using a grinding 

2859
02:31:15,600 --> 02:31:18,500
stone, creating a pace that will
add flavor and help with 

2860
02:31:18,500 --> 02:31:21,300
digestion. 
The water in the pot is heating 

2861
02:31:21,300 --> 02:31:23,600
rapidly. 
Now beginning to simmer small, 

2862
02:31:23,600 --> 02:31:27,400
bubbles rise to the surface and 
burst, you add the onions, Birdo

2863
02:31:27,400 --> 02:31:30,600
berries, and garlic paste. 
The ingredients settle in to the

2864
02:31:30,600 --> 02:31:34,200
bubbling water, the smell that 
rises with the steam is Rich and

2865
02:31:34,200 --> 02:31:37,700
complex a combination of meat, 
onion and wild herbs. 

2866
02:31:38,300 --> 02:31:42,100
Cooking is partly science and 
partly intuition, you know, from

2867
02:31:42,100 --> 02:31:44,100
experience. 
How long different ingredients 

2868
02:31:44,100 --> 02:31:47,800
need to become tender onions, 
cook quickly, Burdock takes 

2869
02:31:47,800 --> 02:31:51,800
longer dried meat needs, time to
fully rehydrate you judge by 

2870
02:31:51,800 --> 02:31:55,400
smell by the appearance of the 
bubbling water and by tasting 

2871
02:31:55,400 --> 02:31:57,300
small amounts as the cooking 
progresses. 

2872
02:31:57,300 --> 02:32:01,100
You add a pinch of salt, a 
precious substance traded from 

2873
02:32:01,100 --> 02:32:04,800
people who live near the distant
sea, Salt in enhances flavor and

2874
02:32:04,800 --> 02:32:08,400
helps preserve food. 
Use it sparingly, making your 

2875
02:32:08,400 --> 02:32:10,300
limited Supply lasts as long as 
possible. 

2876
02:32:11,000 --> 02:32:13,500
The stew bubbles. 
Gently the liquid reducing 

2877
02:32:13,500 --> 02:32:17,300
slowly concentrating, the 
flavors, you stir occasionally 

2878
02:32:17,300 --> 02:32:19,100
with a wooden spoon carved from 
Birch. 

2879
02:32:19,900 --> 02:32:22,200
Stirring prevents ingredients 
from sticking to the bottom of 

2880
02:32:22,208 --> 02:32:24,900
the pot and burning. 
While the meal Cooks. 

2881
02:32:24,900 --> 02:32:27,500
You prepare flatbread using a 
technique you learned from a 

2882
02:32:27,500 --> 02:32:29,400
traveler who passed through 
several years ago. 

2883
02:32:30,200 --> 02:32:33,000
You take a small amount of 
ground seed, flour made from 

2884
02:32:33,000 --> 02:32:35,400
grass seeds, you collected and 
ground between Stones. 

2885
02:32:35,400 --> 02:32:39,500
You mix the flour with water to 
form a thick dough, adding just 

2886
02:32:39,500 --> 02:32:41,000
enough liquid to make it 
workable. 

2887
02:32:41,000 --> 02:32:45,000
The dough is dense and sticky 
Heavy in Your Hands, you shape 

2888
02:32:45,000 --> 02:32:48,500
the dough into a flat round 
about as wide as your hand and 

2889
02:32:48,500 --> 02:32:51,600
as thick as your finger. 
You place this directly on a hot

2890
02:32:51,600 --> 02:32:55,200
stone position near the fire. 
The stone has been heating for 

2891
02:32:55,200 --> 02:32:57,400
the past hour and is now hot 
enough to cook on. 

2892
02:32:58,200 --> 02:33:00,500
The flatbread sizzles when it 
touches the stone. 

2893
02:33:00,500 --> 02:33:04,800
Releasing a toasted grain smell.
The bread Cooks quickly on one 

2894
02:33:04,800 --> 02:33:08,600
side, developing brown spots and
a firm texture, you flip it with

2895
02:33:08,600 --> 02:33:12,300
your fingers, working quickly, 
to avoid burning yourself the 

2896
02:33:12,300 --> 02:33:16,000
other side Cooks, just as fast, 
the finished bread is crispy on 

2897
02:33:16,000 --> 02:33:19,100
the outside and chewy inside. 
Perfect for soaking up stew. 

2898
02:33:19,100 --> 02:33:22,700
The stew has been cooking for 
perhaps half an hour, the meter 

2899
02:33:22,700 --> 02:33:25,700
softened and expanded absorbing 
water and becoming tender. 

2900
02:33:25,700 --> 02:33:28,900
Again, the Burdock is cooked 
through slightly translucent. 

2901
02:33:28,900 --> 02:33:32,200
The onions have nearly dissolved
their flavor. 

2902
02:33:32,200 --> 02:33:34,700
Permeating the liquid, you taste
a spoonful? 

2903
02:33:35,400 --> 02:33:38,400
The flavor is deep and 
satisfying Savory with a hint of

2904
02:33:38,408 --> 02:33:39,600
Sweetness. 
From the berries. 

2905
02:33:39,600 --> 02:33:42,600
You remove the pot from the 
coals, using a scrap of leather 

2906
02:33:42,600 --> 02:33:44,100
to protect your hands from the 
heat. 

2907
02:33:44,100 --> 02:33:46,800
The clay is nearly hot enough to
burn through the leather. 

2908
02:33:46,800 --> 02:33:49,800
You place the pot on a flat 
stove and let it cool slightly. 

2909
02:33:49,800 --> 02:33:53,400
This meal represents the 
convergence of many skills and 

2910
02:33:53,400 --> 02:33:57,300
much knowledge, hunting to 
obtain meet preserving the meat 

2911
02:33:57,300 --> 02:34:00,800
through drying Gathering wild 
plants and knowing which are 

2912
02:34:00,800 --> 02:34:04,900
edible making pottery from clay 
creating and maintaining fire 

2913
02:34:04,900 --> 02:34:08,100
under standing cooking times and
flavor combinations. 

2914
02:34:08,100 --> 02:34:12,700
Each element is essential Remove
anyone and the meal becomes 

2915
02:34:12,700 --> 02:34:14,700
impossible or at least much less
satisfying. 

2916
02:34:14,700 --> 02:34:18,400
You scoop stew into a wooden 
bowl and other item you carved 

2917
02:34:18,400 --> 02:34:22,500
yourself during a Long Winter. 
The bowl is smooth from use want

2918
02:34:22,500 --> 02:34:25,300
to fit comfortably in your hand.
You tear pieces from the 

2919
02:34:25,300 --> 02:34:28,600
flatbread and use them to soak 
up the rich liquid. the first 

2920
02:34:28,600 --> 02:34:32,500
bite is almost too hot but you 
are patient, you eat slowly 

2921
02:34:32,500 --> 02:34:36,200
savoring, each mouthful Food is 
fuel for your body. 

2922
02:34:37,000 --> 02:34:39,500
Providing the energy and 
nutrients, you need to continue 

2923
02:34:39,500 --> 02:34:42,500
surviving on the step, but it is
also more than that. 

2924
02:34:42,500 --> 02:34:46,900
It is Comfort pleasure and a 
reminder that life can be good. 

2925
02:34:46,900 --> 02:34:50,700
Even in harsh conditions, 
flavors can connect you to the 

2926
02:34:50,700 --> 02:34:54,400
land to the plants and animals 
that sustained you and to the 

2927
02:34:54,400 --> 02:34:57,600
accumulated knowledge that 
transforms raw ingredients into 

2928
02:34:57,600 --> 02:35:02,500
nourishment. as you eat the fire
crackle softly outside night as 

2929
02:35:02,500 --> 02:35:06,000
Fallen completely Stars are 
emerging thousands upon 

2930
02:35:06,000 --> 02:35:08,600
thousands of them scattered 
across the black Sky. 

2931
02:35:08,600 --> 02:35:12,300
The temperature continues to 
drop, but inside your shelter 

2932
02:35:12,300 --> 02:35:15,100
with food in your belly and 
warmth from the fire, you are 

2933
02:35:15,108 --> 02:35:17,900
content. 
This is what survival looks like

2934
02:35:17,900 --> 02:35:21,100
when done, well, not merely 
enduring but living with 

2935
02:35:21,100 --> 02:35:24,100
competence creativity and 
gratitude. 

2936
02:35:25,300 --> 02:35:28,200
After the meal was the fire 
burns and comfortable. 

2937
02:35:28,200 --> 02:35:31,100
You prepare for one final task 
of the day. 

2938
02:35:31,800 --> 02:35:35,600
This task has no immediate 
practical value, it produces no 

2939
02:35:35,600 --> 02:35:39,000
food creates no tools and 
improves no shelter. 

2940
02:35:39,900 --> 02:35:42,400
Yet, it may be the most 
important work you do. 

2941
02:35:42,400 --> 02:35:46,400
You're going to practice passing
on knowledge in a world without 

2942
02:35:46,400 --> 02:35:49,100
writing knowledge lives. 
Only in mind and hands 

2943
02:35:49,100 --> 02:35:52,500
everything, you know about 
survival, every technique for 

2944
02:35:52,500 --> 02:35:55,800
making tools, lighting fires, 
finding food and building 

2945
02:35:55,800 --> 02:35:58,100
shelter exists because someone 
taught you. 

2946
02:35:58,100 --> 02:36:00,700
And that person was taught by 
someone else. 

2947
02:36:00,700 --> 02:36:04,600
Reaching back through countless 
Generations. the chain of 

2948
02:36:04,608 --> 02:36:07,300
knowledge is unbroken only as 
long as each generation 

2949
02:36:07,300 --> 02:36:10,900
successfully teaches the next 
tonight, you will practice 

2950
02:36:10,900 --> 02:36:13,700
teaching, even though no student
is present, you do this 

2951
02:36:13,700 --> 02:36:16,800
regularly speaking, the 
knowledge allowed reinforcing, 

2952
02:36:16,800 --> 02:36:19,600
your own understanding, and 
preparing for the day, when you 

2953
02:36:19,600 --> 02:36:22,900
will have young people to 
instruct Speaking knowledge 

2954
02:36:22,900 --> 02:36:27,000
allowed helps you organize, it 
identify gaps, and find clear 

2955
02:36:27,000 --> 02:36:31,000
aways to explain complex ideas. 
You settled by the fire and 

2956
02:36:31,000 --> 02:36:34,500
begin to speak your voice quiet.
But steady in the enclosed 

2957
02:36:34,500 --> 02:36:38,100
space, you describe the process 
of making fire with flint and 

2958
02:36:38,100 --> 02:36:40,800
Pirates. 
Your hands move as you talk 

2959
02:36:40,800 --> 02:36:44,500
demonstrating, the grip, the 
angle of strike, the importance 

2960
02:36:44,500 --> 02:36:48,600
of having dry Tinder ready, You 
explain how to recognize good 

2961
02:36:48,600 --> 02:36:52,700
Flint by its glossy texture and 
conchoidal Fracture, you 

2962
02:36:52,700 --> 02:36:55,500
describe the feeling of a 
successful strike that 

2963
02:36:55,500 --> 02:36:58,200
particular sharp crack. 
That means the spark will come 

2964
02:36:58,200 --> 02:37:01,200
you move on to Tool making. 
You explain how to read the 

2965
02:37:01,208 --> 02:37:03,800
grain of stone. 
How to predict where a flake 

2966
02:37:03,800 --> 02:37:06,600
will separate, how much force to
apply for different materials. 

2967
02:37:06,600 --> 02:37:10,000
You demonstrate the difference 
between hard Hammer percussion 

2968
02:37:10,000 --> 02:37:12,700
and soft Hammer percussion. 
You describe the patience 

2969
02:37:12,700 --> 02:37:16,100
required for pressure flaking, 
the importance of taking time to

2970
02:37:16,100 --> 02:37:20,100
examine the Stone from every 
angle before striking The words 

2971
02:37:20,100 --> 02:37:23,000
flow easily. 
You have thought about these 

2972
02:37:23,000 --> 02:37:27,300
processes so many times perform 
them so often that explanation 

2973
02:37:27,300 --> 02:37:30,600
feels natural. 
But you also notice places where

2974
02:37:30,600 --> 02:37:33,800
your explanation stumbles 
Concepts that are difficult to 

2975
02:37:33,800 --> 02:37:36,400
put into words. 
These are the things that must 

2976
02:37:36,400 --> 02:37:39,700
be taught through demonstration,
through the student attempting, 

2977
02:37:39,700 --> 02:37:42,600
the tasks themselves under 
supervision through repeated 

2978
02:37:42,600 --> 02:37:45,500
practice until the hands, learn 
what the Mind struggles to 

2979
02:37:45,500 --> 02:37:47,700
express. 
You talk about shelter 

2980
02:37:47,700 --> 02:37:51,200
construction, you explain how to
select a building site with good

2981
02:37:51,200 --> 02:37:54,600
drainage and protection from 
wind, you described the process 

2982
02:37:54,600 --> 02:37:57,700
of creating a framework, strong 
enough to support heavy hides. 

2983
02:37:57,700 --> 02:38:00,600
You detail the technique for 
sowing highs together with 

2984
02:38:00,600 --> 02:38:03,800
waterproof seams, you explain 
how to maintain proper 

2985
02:38:03,800 --> 02:38:05,600
ventilation while keeping out 
cold air. 

2986
02:38:06,300 --> 02:38:08,900
Some of this knowledge is 
seasonal building a shelter in 

2987
02:38:08,900 --> 02:38:11,800
Spring requires different 
considerations than building, an

2988
02:38:11,800 --> 02:38:13,700
Autumn. 
You explain these differences 

2989
02:38:13,700 --> 02:38:16,400
describing how summer shelters 
can be lighter. 

2990
02:38:16,400 --> 02:38:19,100
And more open while winter 
structures must be heavily, 

2991
02:38:19,100 --> 02:38:22,500
insulated and windproof. 
You discuss food Gathering and 

2992
02:38:22,500 --> 02:38:25,100
preparation. 
You name the edible plants of 

2993
02:38:25,100 --> 02:38:28,000
the step and describe where to 
find them at different times of 

2994
02:38:28,000 --> 02:38:30,300
year. 
You explain which parts of each 

2995
02:38:30,300 --> 02:38:32,300
plant are edible and which must 
be avoided. 

2996
02:38:33,200 --> 02:38:35,900
You describe cooking techniques 
and food preservation methods. 

2997
02:38:35,900 --> 02:38:39,400
You talk about the importance of
varying, the diet of eating 

2998
02:38:39,400 --> 02:38:41,700
different foods. 
To obtain all the nutrients, the

2999
02:38:41,700 --> 02:38:45,500
body needs the knowledge, seems 
endless when you begin to list 

3000
02:38:45,500 --> 02:38:48,100
it all. 
Plant identification animal 

3001
02:38:48,100 --> 02:38:51,000
tracking weather prediction 
toolmaking, fire, building 

3002
02:38:51,000 --> 02:38:54,100
shelter construction food, 
preparation, hide processing 

3003
02:38:54,100 --> 02:38:57,400
cordage making basket, weaving. 
And countless other skills. 

3004
02:38:57,400 --> 02:39:02,000
Each skill has depth nuance and 
subtlety each requires practice 

3005
02:39:02,000 --> 02:39:04,700
to master you, pause and add 
more wood to the fire. 

3006
02:39:04,700 --> 02:39:07,400
The flame is Rise Again, bright 
and warm. 

3007
02:39:07,400 --> 02:39:09,300
You think about the different 
ways? 

3008
02:39:09,300 --> 02:39:12,200
Knowledge can be taught. 
Some things are best learned 

3009
02:39:12,200 --> 02:39:15,400
through story, memorable 
narratives that embed practical 

3010
02:39:15,400 --> 02:39:19,100
information in an entertaining 
framework other things require 

3011
02:39:19,100 --> 02:39:21,100
direct demonstration and hands 
on practice. 

3012
02:39:21,900 --> 02:39:24,300
Still other knowledge is passed 
through gentle correction 

3013
02:39:24,300 --> 02:39:27,400
observing a student's work and 
offering suggestions for 

3014
02:39:27,400 --> 02:39:30,000
improvement. 
The most important thing you 

3015
02:39:30,000 --> 02:39:34,800
realize is patience learning 
takes time students, make 

3016
02:39:34,800 --> 02:39:38,900
mistakes for get steps become 
frustrated, the good teacher 

3017
02:39:38,900 --> 02:39:42,000
expects, this accommodates it 
and finds ways to make the 

3018
02:39:42,000 --> 02:39:45,200
learning process engaging, 
rather than tedious you speak 

3019
02:39:45,200 --> 02:39:48,800
about the values, that underpin 
survival skills, respect for 

3020
02:39:48,800 --> 02:39:52,400
materials, recognizing that 
everything on the step is finite

3021
02:39:52,400 --> 02:39:55,400
and must be used wisely. 
Attention to detail 

3022
02:39:55,400 --> 02:39:58,800
understanding that small errors 
in toolmaking or shelter 

3023
02:39:58,800 --> 02:40:01,700
construction, can lead to 
failure persistence. 

3024
02:40:01,700 --> 02:40:04,500
The willingness to attempt 
difficult tasks, repeatedly 

3025
02:40:04,500 --> 02:40:07,800
until skill, develops, 
observation the habit of 

3026
02:40:07,808 --> 02:40:10,600
watching, nature carefully, 
learning from the world itself, 

3027
02:40:11,600 --> 02:40:14,100
These values are as important as
specific techniques. 

3028
02:40:14,100 --> 02:40:18,600
A person can know every step of 
fire making but still fail if 

3029
02:40:18,600 --> 02:40:21,900
they lack patience. 
Person can understand shelter 

3030
02:40:21,900 --> 02:40:24,800
design, but create a weak 
structure, if they work 

3031
02:40:24,800 --> 02:40:27,600
carelessly. 
Skills and values must be taught

3032
02:40:27,600 --> 02:40:30,000
together woven into the same 
lessons. 

3033
02:40:30,000 --> 02:40:32,800
You also think about the 
knowledge that cannot be taught 

3034
02:40:32,800 --> 02:40:35,500
directly. 
The wisdom that comes only from 

3035
02:40:35,500 --> 02:40:38,300
experience. 
How to judge whether by the 

3036
02:40:38,300 --> 02:40:40,100
quality of light and the 
behavior of animals. 

3037
02:40:40,100 --> 02:40:44,400
How to estimate distances on the
open steppe, how to pace 

3038
02:40:44,400 --> 02:40:47,100
yourself, physically to work all
day without exhaustion? 

3039
02:40:47,600 --> 02:40:50,000
These things develop through 
Years of Living on the land. 

3040
02:40:50,000 --> 02:40:52,800
They can be pointed out, but 
they cannot be transferred 

3041
02:40:52,800 --> 02:40:54,900
directly. 
The fire has burned down to 

3042
02:40:54,900 --> 02:40:56,700
Khols. 
Again, you let it settle 

3043
02:40:56,700 --> 02:40:58,700
naturally, knowing you will 
build it up once. 

3044
02:40:58,700 --> 02:41:01,300
More before sleep. 
The shelter is warm and 

3045
02:41:01,300 --> 02:41:04,400
comfortable outside. 
The night is quiet, except for 

3046
02:41:04,400 --> 02:41:05,900
the Whisper Of Wind Through 
grass. 

3047
02:41:06,800 --> 02:41:09,400
You have spent perhaps an hour, 
speaking knowledge, allowed 

3048
02:41:09,400 --> 02:41:12,500
organizing your thoughts 
preparing yourself to be a 

3049
02:41:12,500 --> 02:41:14,900
teacher. 
The exercise has been valuable 

3050
02:41:14,900 --> 02:41:17,800
you feel more confident about 
your ability to pass on what, 

3051
02:41:17,800 --> 02:41:22,000
you know, when the time comes to
teach actual students, you will 

3052
02:41:22,008 --> 02:41:24,600
be ready. 
But there is one more aspect of 

3053
02:41:24,600 --> 02:41:27,900
knowledge transfer to consider 
not all knowledge is practical 

3054
02:41:27,900 --> 02:41:30,200
some knowledge exists for its 
own sake. 

3055
02:41:30,200 --> 02:41:33,800
Stories about the Stars 
explanations for natural 

3056
02:41:33,800 --> 02:41:36,000
phenomena traditions and 
Customs. 

3057
02:41:36,000 --> 02:41:39,800
That bind people together This 
cultural knowledge is just as 

3058
02:41:39,800 --> 02:41:43,100
important to survival skills, it
gives meaning to existence 

3059
02:41:43,100 --> 02:41:46,400
connects individuals to their 
community and history. 

3060
02:41:47,300 --> 02:41:50,900
You look up at the Smoke Hole 
visible as a small circle of 

3061
02:41:50,908 --> 02:41:53,900
Darkness against the darker 
shelter ceiling through that 

3062
02:41:53,900 --> 02:41:56,300
opening. 
You can see a few Bright Stars, 

3063
02:41:56,300 --> 02:41:59,700
you know, stories about those 
Stars passed down from 

3064
02:41:59,700 --> 02:42:02,500
grandparents and great. 
Grandparents, Stories about 

3065
02:42:02,500 --> 02:42:05,500
hunters who became 
constellations about animals 

3066
02:42:05,500 --> 02:42:07,800
that live in the sky about the 
path. 

3067
02:42:07,800 --> 02:42:11,000
Souls take after death. 
These stories are not practical 

3068
02:42:11,000 --> 02:42:15,600
but they matter they Comfort 
Inspire and create shared 

3069
02:42:15,600 --> 02:42:18,600
understanding among people. 
They are part of what makes 

3070
02:42:18,600 --> 02:42:21,900
humans human. 
This need to explain to narrate 

3071
02:42:21,900 --> 02:42:26,300
to find ways and meaning in the 
chaos of existence your resolve 

3072
02:42:26,300 --> 02:42:27,900
to remember the stories as 
carefully. 

3073
02:42:27,900 --> 02:42:31,200
As you remember, the technical 
skills, both kinds of knowledge 

3074
02:42:31,200 --> 02:42:34,300
must be preserved and 
transmitted both shape. 

3075
02:42:34,300 --> 02:42:37,600
The character of the people who 
live on the step the day is 

3076
02:42:37,600 --> 02:42:39,600
ending. 
You have worked hard 

3077
02:42:39,600 --> 02:42:42,800
accomplished much and prepared 
yourself for the future. 

3078
02:42:42,800 --> 02:42:46,800
You are tired in a good way. 
The kind of tiredness that comes

3079
02:42:46,800 --> 02:42:49,100
from purposeful activity, 
tomorrow. 

3080
02:42:49,100 --> 02:42:51,200
We'll bring new tasks, new 
challenges. 

3081
02:42:51,200 --> 02:42:54,700
But tonight you rest with the 
satisfaction of a day? 

3082
02:42:54,700 --> 02:42:58,200
Well, spent, the final task 
before sleep, is to prepare the 

3083
02:42:58,200 --> 02:43:01,600
fire for the night. 
A fire that burns too hot will 

3084
02:43:01,600 --> 02:43:03,200
consume all your fuel before 
morning. 

3085
02:43:03,200 --> 02:43:07,000
A fire that dies completely will
leave you shivering in the cold.

3086
02:43:07,000 --> 02:43:10,400
The goal is to create a bed of 
coals that will provide warmth 

3087
02:43:10,400 --> 02:43:12,800
throughout the night without 
requiring constant attention. 

3088
02:43:12,800 --> 02:43:16,300
You select several large pieces 
of hardwood from your fuel 

3089
02:43:16,300 --> 02:43:19,200
supply. 
Hardwood Burns slowly and 

3090
02:43:19,200 --> 02:43:22,300
produces long-lasting. 
Coals your range. 

3091
02:43:22,300 --> 02:43:24,000
These pieces carefully on the 
fire pit. 

3092
02:43:24,000 --> 02:43:26,700
Positioning them close together 
to conserve Heat. 

3093
02:43:27,600 --> 02:43:30,900
The wood catches from the 
existing coals, Flames Rising 

3094
02:43:30,900 --> 02:43:33,300
briefly before settling into 
steady combustion. 

3095
02:43:34,300 --> 02:43:36,700
Once the new wood is burning, 
well, you partially cover the 

3096
02:43:36,700 --> 02:43:40,600
fire pit with a flat stone. 
Reducing the airflow, this 

3097
02:43:40,600 --> 02:43:42,300
slows, the combustion rate 
dramatically. 

3098
02:43:43,300 --> 02:43:46,600
File will burn for hours now 
providing warmth without wasting

3099
02:43:46,600 --> 02:43:49,600
fuel range of sleeping. 
Furs in the warmest part of the 

3100
02:43:49,608 --> 02:43:52,300
shelter closest to the fire but 
not so close. 

3101
02:43:52,300 --> 02:43:56,200
That a stray spark could cause 
problems The furs are heavy and 

3102
02:43:56,200 --> 02:43:59,000
soft layered to create 
insulation, both beneath and 

3103
02:43:59,000 --> 02:44:01,600
above your body. 
You've learned through many cold

3104
02:44:01,600 --> 02:44:04,300
nights exactly how to arrange 
them for maximum warmth. 

3105
02:44:05,100 --> 02:44:07,900
Before lying down. 
You make one final check of the 

3106
02:44:07,900 --> 02:44:10,000
shelter. 
The entrance hide is secure. 

3107
02:44:10,000 --> 02:44:13,500
The Smoke Hole is properly 
adjusted, your tools and Food 

3108
02:44:13,500 --> 02:44:16,500
Supplies are organized and safe.
Everything is in order. 

3109
02:44:16,500 --> 02:44:19,900
You settle into your sleeping 
Furs and feel your body relax. 

3110
02:44:20,900 --> 02:44:23,400
The physical work of the day. 
Has left you pleasantly tired. 

3111
02:44:23,400 --> 02:44:26,200
Your muscles are warm and loose 
from activity. 

3112
02:44:27,000 --> 02:44:29,100
Fires heat, radiates across your
skin. 

3113
02:44:29,100 --> 02:44:32,700
You pull the top layer of Furs 
up to your chin and allow 

3114
02:44:32,700 --> 02:44:36,200
yourself to Simply Be Still 
Thoughts drift through your 

3115
02:44:36,200 --> 02:44:38,200
mind, like clouds across the 
sky. 

3116
02:44:38,200 --> 02:44:41,500
You review the days 
accomplishments, materials, 

3117
02:44:41,500 --> 02:44:46,400
gathered, tools created, fire, 
maintained shelter, repairs food

3118
02:44:46,400 --> 02:44:49,800
prepared, knowledge, practice 
each task. 

3119
02:44:49,800 --> 02:44:53,200
Completed successfully. 
Each one contributing to your 

3120
02:44:53,200 --> 02:44:56,800
continued survival, but beyond 
mere survival, you recognize 

3121
02:44:56,800 --> 02:44:59,300
something else. 
Pride in your skills, 

3122
02:44:59,300 --> 02:45:03,100
satisfaction in your 
self-sufficiently connection to 

3123
02:45:03,100 --> 02:45:06,900
the land and the generations 
that came before you You're 

3124
02:45:06,900 --> 02:45:08,900
living in one of Earth's 
harshest environments. 

3125
02:45:08,900 --> 02:45:12,300
Yet you are not. 
Merely enduring your competent. 

3126
02:45:12,300 --> 02:45:16,000
Creative and capable of finding 
Beauty in this or steel 

3127
02:45:16,000 --> 02:45:17,700
landscape. 
The Ice Age. 

3128
02:45:17,700 --> 02:45:21,000
Step is a hard place to live. 
It offers no margin for error. 

3129
02:45:21,000 --> 02:45:23,800
No forgiveness for carelessness.
Yet. 

3130
02:45:23,800 --> 02:45:28,200
It is also a place of Stark 
beauty of vast skies, and 

3131
02:45:28,200 --> 02:45:31,700
endless, grasslands of 
resilience and adaptation. 

3132
02:45:32,700 --> 02:45:34,900
The same glaciers that make this
climate. 

3133
02:45:34,900 --> 02:45:38,000
So challenging have also created
these grasslands provided. 

3134
02:45:38,000 --> 02:45:41,400
The stones used for tools and 
supported the herds of animals 

3135
02:45:41,400 --> 02:45:44,300
that sustained you. 
You think about the mammoth, 

3136
02:45:44,300 --> 02:45:47,500
whose bones form, your shelter 
framework, the willow trees, the

3137
02:45:47,500 --> 02:45:49,500
provided materials for baskets 
and fire. 

3138
02:45:49,500 --> 02:45:53,400
The reindeer, whose meet you ate
tonight, the stream that offers 

3139
02:45:53,400 --> 02:45:56,900
water and attracts game. 
The Flint that becomes Tools in 

3140
02:45:56,908 --> 02:45:59,600
your skilled hands, everything 
is connected. 

3141
02:45:59,600 --> 02:46:03,000
Everything is part of a larger 
web of relationships between 

3142
02:46:03,000 --> 02:46:07,600
humans animals plants and the 
land itself. this understanding 

3143
02:46:07,600 --> 02:46:11,400
brings us of belonging you're 
not separate from nature, your 

3144
02:46:11,400 --> 02:46:14,800
part of it, another species 
making its way through the world

3145
02:46:14,800 --> 02:46:18,200
using the abilities Evolution as
giving you your intelligence, 

3146
02:46:18,200 --> 02:46:22,300
your hands, your capacity, for 
Learning and Innovation are your

3147
02:46:22,300 --> 02:46:26,000
equivalence of the mammoth size,
the reindeer speed, or the 

3148
02:46:26,000 --> 02:46:29,100
wolf's teeth These are your 
adaptations for survival. 

3149
02:46:29,800 --> 02:46:32,300
The fire crackle, softly a 
comforting sound. 

3150
02:46:32,300 --> 02:46:34,900
That is accompanied humans for 
thousands of years. 

3151
02:46:34,900 --> 02:46:38,900
How many of your ancestors? 
Fell asleep to the same sound in

3152
02:46:38,900 --> 02:46:40,900
shelters. 
Not so different from yours, 

3153
02:46:40,900 --> 02:46:44,400
living lives governed by the 
same rhythms of gathering making

3154
02:46:44,400 --> 02:46:47,700
maintaining and resting. 
The continuity is profound. 

3155
02:46:47,700 --> 02:46:51,100
You're doing what humans have 
done since before recorded time,

3156
02:46:51,100 --> 02:46:54,900
surviving through knowledge 
skill, and Community tomorrow 

3157
02:46:54,900 --> 02:46:57,900
will come with its own demands. 
There will be new tasks to 

3158
02:46:57,900 --> 02:47:02,300
complete new challenge to face. 
Perhaps you will hunt tracking 

3159
02:47:02,300 --> 02:47:05,500
game across the steppe. 
Perhaps you will process hides 

3160
02:47:05,500 --> 02:47:08,700
scraping and softening them into
leather that you will repair 

3161
02:47:08,700 --> 02:47:11,200
tools we've baskets or gather 
more food. 

3162
02:47:12,300 --> 02:47:14,900
Whatever needs doing, you will 
do it, because this is your 

3163
02:47:14,900 --> 02:47:18,100
life, the life, your ancestors 
prepared, you for through their 

3164
02:47:18,100 --> 02:47:21,400
teaching, and their example. 
But tomorrow is not here yet. 

3165
02:47:21,400 --> 02:47:25,500
Tonight is for rest for allowing
your body to repair itself off. 

3166
02:47:25,500 --> 02:47:28,900
After a day of labor for letting
your mind drift peaceful towards

3167
02:47:28,900 --> 02:47:31,000
sleep. 
You feel your breathing slow and

3168
02:47:31,000 --> 02:47:34,900
deep and your eyes grow heavy, 
the warmth of the fire and the 

3169
02:47:34,900 --> 02:47:37,800
comfort of the first, create a 
cocoon of safety and peace. 

3170
02:47:38,900 --> 02:47:41,800
Outside the Stars wheel slowly 
across the sky. 

3171
02:47:42,600 --> 02:47:45,600
The wind continues, its endless 
conversation with the grass 

3172
02:47:45,600 --> 02:47:50,200
somewhere in the distance, a 
wolf howls, the sound carrying 

3173
02:47:50,200 --> 02:47:53,300
across the empty land. 
It is a lonely sound, but also 

3174
02:47:53,300 --> 02:47:57,000
Strangely Beautiful, another 
voice in the wilderness, another

3175
02:47:57,000 --> 02:47:58,800
life finding its way through the
night. 

3176
02:47:59,700 --> 02:48:02,900
Your thoughts grow less, 
distinct blending into images 

3177
02:48:02,900 --> 02:48:06,800
and fragments Stone flakes 
glittering and firelight the 

3178
02:48:06,800 --> 02:48:09,800
smell of cooking stew. 
The weight of the caring sling, 

3179
02:48:09,800 --> 02:48:12,700
full of firewood, the 
satisfaction of a shelter. 

3180
02:48:12,700 --> 02:48:16,100
Well maintained, these 
Impressions swirl and fade as 

3181
02:48:16,100 --> 02:48:17,800
Consciousness, releases its 
grip. 

3182
02:48:18,800 --> 02:48:21,300
Sleep comes gently naturally as 
it should. 

3183
02:48:21,300 --> 02:48:24,800
After a day of purposeful work, 
your breathing falls into the 

3184
02:48:24,808 --> 02:48:29,200
deep regular rhythm of rest. 
The fire burns on its coals 

3185
02:48:29,200 --> 02:48:32,800
glowing softly in the darkness, 
the shelter holds its warmth, 

3186
02:48:32,800 --> 02:48:36,300
the night continues outside, 
vast and cold and filled with 

3187
02:48:36,300 --> 02:48:40,800
his own life, you sleep, deeply 
dreamless your body and mind, 

3188
02:48:40,800 --> 02:48:43,900
recovering their strength. 
Tomorrow you will wake with the 

3189
02:48:43,908 --> 02:48:46,400
dawn, had wood to the fire and 
begin the cycle. 

3190
02:48:46,400 --> 02:48:50,700
Again Gathering making 
maintaining teaching resting. 

3191
02:48:51,500 --> 02:48:54,200
these are the rhythms of 
survival the ways that have 

3192
02:48:54,200 --> 02:48:58,400
sustained humans through the 
harshest ages for now, you rest,

3193
02:48:59,100 --> 02:49:03,600
Safe, warm and competent. 
A small point of human warmth 

3194
02:49:03,600 --> 02:49:06,300
and intelligence in the great 
cold night of the Ice Age. 

3195
02:49:06,300 --> 02:49:10,000
Steppe tomorrow will bring new 
tasks, but tonight you have 

3196
02:49:10,000 --> 02:49:12,200
done. 
Well, you have lived skillfully 

3197
02:49:12,200 --> 02:49:14,800
Gathering what you need. 
Creating what you must 

3198
02:49:14,800 --> 02:49:18,000
maintaining what you have and 
preparing to pass it all 

3199
02:49:18,008 --> 02:49:19,700
forward. 
This is enough. 

3200
02:49:19,700 --> 02:49:24,700
This is everything. 
Fire glows, the shelter stands, 

3201
02:49:24,700 --> 02:49:28,300
you sleep and the long night 
passes peacefully. 

3202
02:49:28,300 --> 02:49:32,200
One more day of survival, 
complete one more night of rest 

3203
02:49:32,200 --> 02:49:34,400
earned. 
One more morning, waiting to 

3204
02:49:34,400 --> 02:49:36,600
arrive with its familiar, 
challenges and Rewards. 

3205
02:49:42,400 --> 02:49:46,800
Imagine New England in late 
February, 1717 back, when Boston

3206
02:49:46,800 --> 02:49:49,400
was still a collection of wooden
buildings, huddled around a 

3207
02:49:49,400 --> 02:49:53,400
harbor and the entire population
of Massachusetts numbered fewer 

3208
02:49:53,400 --> 02:49:56,600
people that a modern Suburban 
shopping mall on a Saturday 

3209
02:49:56,600 --> 02:49:59,500
afternoon. 
You're living in a world by 

3210
02:49:59,500 --> 02:50:02,700
candles and warmed by 
fireplaces, where your 

3211
02:50:02,700 --> 02:50:05,500
entertainment options consist of
reading the same books. 

3212
02:50:05,500 --> 02:50:09,100
You've read 20 times, doing 
needlework until your fingers 

3213
02:50:09,100 --> 02:50:12,800
cram or staring out the window 
and wondering of spring will 

3214
02:50:12,800 --> 02:50:16,200
ever arrive. 
Colonial New England has had a 

3215
02:50:16,200 --> 02:50:19,900
complicated relationship with 
winter on one hand, they chose 

3216
02:50:19,900 --> 02:50:23,100
to live in a place where Winter 
lasted roughly from October to 

3217
02:50:23,100 --> 02:50:25,200
May. 
So clearly they weren't entirely

3218
02:50:25,200 --> 02:50:28,700
opposed to cold weather. 
On the other hand, their Diaries

3219
02:50:28,700 --> 02:50:31,500
and letters from this period 
read, like extended complaints 

3220
02:50:31,500 --> 02:50:34,500
to a landlord who refuses to fix
the heating. 

3221
02:50:35,500 --> 02:50:39,600
Winter was something you endured
prepared for obsessively and 

3222
02:50:39,600 --> 02:50:42,300
then complained about with the 
satisfaction of someone who's 

3223
02:50:42,300 --> 02:50:47,200
earned the right to grumble. 
By late February, 1717 most new 

3224
02:50:47,200 --> 02:50:49,500
englanders thought they'd 
already survived the worst of 

3225
02:50:49,500 --> 02:50:52,500
winter. 
February in colonial times was 

3226
02:50:52,500 --> 02:50:55,900
what we'd call late winter. 
Snow was old and crusty. 

3227
02:50:55,900 --> 02:51:00,400
The firewood pile was getting 
concerningly low, and everyone 

3228
02:51:00,400 --> 02:51:04,200
was starting to think longingly 
about mud seas and which tells 

3229
02:51:04,200 --> 02:51:06,400
you something about how tired 
they were of snow. 

3230
02:51:07,300 --> 02:51:10,500
Children had already had months 
of what passed for snow days 

3231
02:51:10,500 --> 02:51:12,300
though. 
In their case, it meant more 

3232
02:51:12,300 --> 02:51:14,400
chores rather than sleeping in 
and hot chocolate. 

3233
02:51:15,900 --> 02:51:19,900
The typical Colonial household 
in 1717 Was preparing for early 

3234
02:51:19,900 --> 02:51:23,100
spring, with the optimism of 
people who really should have 

3235
02:51:23,100 --> 02:51:25,800
known better. 
You'd be checking your seed 

3236
02:51:25,800 --> 02:51:29,200
stores, planning your garden, 
and perhaps doing some early 

3237
02:51:29,200 --> 02:51:32,700
Maple sugaring. 
If the weather cooperated, Your 

3238
02:51:32,700 --> 02:51:34,600
house. 
And let's be honest, about 

3239
02:51:34,600 --> 02:51:38,100
Colonial architecture was 
essentially a wooden box with a 

3240
02:51:38,100 --> 02:51:41,600
fireplace some small windows 
that let in drafts more 

3241
02:51:41,600 --> 02:51:44,900
effectively than light and 
enough gaps in the walls that 

3242
02:51:44,900 --> 02:51:47,800
you could almost see your breath
indoors on particularly cold 

3243
02:51:47,800 --> 02:51:50,700
mornings. 
Daily life, revolved around 

3244
02:51:50,700 --> 02:51:54,200
staying warm and fed, which took
approximately all your waking 

3245
02:51:54,200 --> 02:51:58,600
hours. your morning began Before
Dawn when someone had to revive 

3246
02:51:58,600 --> 02:52:02,100
the banked fire from the night 
before a process that involved 

3247
02:52:02,100 --> 02:52:05,400
poking at barely glowing coals 
and praying they'd cooperate 

3248
02:52:06,100 --> 02:52:09,200
Water had to be fetched from the
well assuming it wasn't frozen 

3249
02:52:09,200 --> 02:52:11,600
solid. 
Breakfast needed, cooking 

3250
02:52:11,600 --> 02:52:15,400
animals needed tending, and all 
of this happened in the dark 

3251
02:52:15,400 --> 02:52:18,700
because the sun had the Curtis 
to arrived, fashionably late in 

3252
02:52:18,700 --> 02:52:21,600
winter. 
Women's spent their days in an 

3253
02:52:21,600 --> 02:52:25,800
endless cycle of cooking, 
spinning weaving sowing and 

3254
02:52:25,800 --> 02:52:28,300
trying to keep children from 
either burning themselves on the

3255
02:52:28,308 --> 02:52:32,600
fireplace or dieing of boredom. 
Men worked outside when weather 

3256
02:52:32,600 --> 02:52:37,300
permitted doing repairs chopping
wood and checking on livestock. 

3257
02:52:37,300 --> 02:52:39,700
That had the good sense to look 
miserable about the whole 

3258
02:52:39,700 --> 02:52:43,900
situation. 
Everyone, regardless of age, or 

3259
02:52:43,900 --> 02:52:47,100
gender spent a significant 
portion of their day, simply 

3260
02:52:47,100 --> 02:52:48,600
trying to stay warm enough to 
function. 

3261
02:52:49,500 --> 02:52:52,100
The landscape itself in late 
February was what we might 

3262
02:52:52,100 --> 02:52:54,800
charitably call tired. 
Snow. 

3263
02:52:54,800 --> 02:52:57,700
That had fallen in December was 
now grey and crusty. 

3264
02:52:58,400 --> 02:53:01,400
Pockmarked with soot from 
chimneys and various other 

3265
02:53:01,400 --> 02:53:04,200
evidence of human habitation 
that we won't detail before 

3266
02:53:04,200 --> 02:53:07,400
bedtime. 
The forests were skeletal black 

3267
02:53:07,400 --> 02:53:12,100
lines against gray skies and the
ocean was a cold dark presence 

3268
02:53:12,100 --> 02:53:15,700
that occasionally reminded 
everyone of its existence by 

3269
02:53:15,700 --> 02:53:18,500
freezing at the edges. 
But there was a rhythm to this 

3270
02:53:18,500 --> 02:53:21,300
life that modern people might 
find almost appealing in its 

3271
02:53:21,300 --> 02:53:24,200
simplicity. 
Knew what needed doing because 

3272
02:53:24,200 --> 02:53:27,200
it was the same thing that 
needed doing yesterday and would

3273
02:53:27,208 --> 02:53:30,100
need doing tomorrow. 
Your neighbor's were facing 

3274
02:53:30,100 --> 02:53:33,700
identical challenges, which 
created a sense of community 

3275
02:53:33,700 --> 02:53:37,600
born from shared suffering. 
When the sun set, which happened

3276
02:53:37,600 --> 02:53:40,900
depressingly early, you gather 
around the fire with your family

3277
02:53:40,900 --> 02:53:43,600
and whoever else was staying the
night and you made the best of 

3278
02:53:43,600 --> 02:53:45,600
it. 
Late February weather in. 

3279
02:53:45,600 --> 02:53:47,400
New England has always been 
unpredictable. 

3280
02:53:47,400 --> 02:53:51,800
A meteorological coin. 
Flip between maybe spring is 

3281
02:53:51,800 --> 02:53:54,900
coming and surprise. 
He is more winter. 

3282
02:53:56,000 --> 02:53:58,200
Colonists. 
Watch the sky with the intensity

3283
02:53:58,200 --> 02:54:01,700
of people whose lives depended 
on whether prediction which they

3284
02:54:01,700 --> 02:54:04,300
did. 
A storm could mean being trapped

3285
02:54:04,300 --> 02:54:08,300
indoors for days. 
Unable to work, unable to travel

3286
02:54:08,300 --> 02:54:11,200
and possibly running, 
dangerously low on supplies. 

3287
02:54:11,900 --> 02:54:14,500
The Barns and outbuildings were 
stocked with hay for the animals

3288
02:54:14,500 --> 02:54:17,600
though, by late February, those 
supplies were running low. 

3289
02:54:17,600 --> 02:54:20,200
And the hay that remained was 
probably not the highest 

3290
02:54:20,200 --> 02:54:23,900
quality. 
Cows horses, oxen, pigs and 

3291
02:54:23,900 --> 02:54:27,000
chickens. 
All depended on human care to 

3292
02:54:27,000 --> 02:54:29,500
survive the winter and all 
complained about their 

3293
02:54:29,500 --> 02:54:33,600
circumstances in their own ways.
The chickens probably had the 

3294
02:54:33,600 --> 02:54:37,000
most to complain about actually,
since the stopped, laying eggs 

3295
02:54:37,000 --> 02:54:39,600
weeks ago and were just eating 
resources while providing 

3296
02:54:39,600 --> 02:54:41,500
nothing. 
But the occasional egg that felt

3297
02:54:41,500 --> 02:54:44,600
like winning the lottery. 
Your roots settler would be 

3298
02:54:44,600 --> 02:54:46,300
carefully. 
Organized with the remaining 

3299
02:54:46,300 --> 02:54:49,800
stores of preserved food, 
Apple's getting softer by the 

3300
02:54:49,800 --> 02:54:53,600
day root vegetables. 
Beginning to sprout, barrels of 

3301
02:54:53,600 --> 02:54:57,100
salted meat, Crocs of butter 
preserved under salt. 

3302
02:54:57,100 --> 02:54:59,500
And what ever else? 
You'd managed to preserve from 

3303
02:54:59,500 --> 02:55:02,800
last year's Harvest. 
Every meal required a 

3304
02:55:02,800 --> 02:55:06,200
calculation. 
Is this worth using now or 

3305
02:55:06,200 --> 02:55:10,500
should we save it for later? 
How much later what if spring 

3306
02:55:10,500 --> 02:55:12,100
doesn't come for another six 
weeks? 

3307
02:55:12,800 --> 02:55:16,000
The social fabric of Colonial, 
New England was tight-knit by 

3308
02:55:16,000 --> 02:55:19,600
necessity. your nearest neighbor
might be a quarter mile away, 

3309
02:55:19,600 --> 02:55:22,500
but you their business almost as
well as your own, because 

3310
02:55:22,500 --> 02:55:26,800
survival often depended on 
cooperation, If someone's Barn 

3311
02:55:26,800 --> 02:55:30,900
caught fire, everyone came to 
help if a family, ran short of 

3312
02:55:30,900 --> 02:55:32,100
food. 
Neighbors shared what they 

3313
02:55:32,108 --> 02:55:34,600
could. 
If someone got sick or injured, 

3314
02:55:34,600 --> 02:55:37,500
the community rallied around 
them, because there was no other

3315
02:55:37,500 --> 02:55:41,900
option. religious life provided 
structure and community and ways

3316
02:55:41,900 --> 02:55:44,900
that modern people might find 
the comforting or suffocating 

3317
02:55:44,900 --> 02:55:49,400
depending on their perspective, 
Sunday meeting at the church was

3318
02:55:49,400 --> 02:55:51,800
mandatory both legally and 
socially. 

3319
02:55:52,900 --> 02:55:56,200
You sat in an unheated building 
for hours listening to sermons. 

3320
02:55:56,200 --> 02:55:59,900
That were theologically, complex
and often focused on sin and 

3321
02:55:59,900 --> 02:56:03,600
Redemption with an intensity 
that made Game of Thrones seem 

3322
02:56:03,600 --> 02:56:06,700
like hearted But church was also
where you saw. 

3323
02:56:06,700 --> 02:56:10,600
Everyone heard news from other 
towns and felt part of something

3324
02:56:10,600 --> 02:56:13,400
larger than your individual 
struggle to stay alive through 

3325
02:56:13,400 --> 02:56:17,500
winter. 
Children in 1717 had childhoods,

3326
02:56:17,500 --> 02:56:19,900
that would seem impossibly harsh
by modern standards. 

3327
02:56:20,800 --> 02:56:24,000
They worked from the time. 
They could walk learned to read 

3328
02:56:24,000 --> 02:56:28,000
using the Bible and whatever few
books, the family owned and had 

3329
02:56:28,000 --> 02:56:30,300
responsibilities. 
That included genuinely 

3330
02:56:30,300 --> 02:56:34,000
dangerous tasks, like managing 
fires and handling large 

3331
02:56:34,000 --> 02:56:37,100
animals. 
But they were still children. 

3332
02:56:37,900 --> 02:56:41,900
They played when they could 
created games from nothing and 

3333
02:56:41,900 --> 02:56:44,000
found joy. 
And Simple Pleasures like a 

3334
02:56:44,000 --> 02:56:47,800
successful sled ride or the 
discovery of icicles in 

3335
02:56:47,800 --> 02:56:51,400
interesting shapes. 
The elderly held a respected 

3336
02:56:51,400 --> 02:56:54,100
position in colonial society, 
partly? 

3337
02:56:54,100 --> 02:56:56,800
Because surviving to old age was
an achievement in itself. 

3338
02:56:57,900 --> 02:57:01,400
If you made it to 60 or 70, 
You'd Survive diseases 

3339
02:57:01,400 --> 02:57:05,700
accidents, harsh weather, and 
periodic conflicts with 

3340
02:57:05,708 --> 02:57:09,800
indigenous, people's or other 
Colonial powers. your experience

3341
02:57:09,800 --> 02:57:13,100
and knowledge were valuable 
resources in your often 

3342
02:57:13,100 --> 02:57:15,900
consulted on everything from 
where the prediction to medical 

3343
02:57:15,900 --> 02:57:18,800
treatment whether or not you 
actually what you were talking 

3344
02:57:18,808 --> 02:57:24,100
about as February 1717 
progressed towards its end, new 

3345
02:57:24,100 --> 02:57:26,700
englanders had no idea. 
They were standing at the edge 

3346
02:57:26,700 --> 02:57:29,400
of one of the most remarkable 
weather events in American 

3347
02:57:29,400 --> 02:57:31,700
history. 
They went about their routine. 

3348
02:57:31,700 --> 02:57:34,900
Complained about the cold with 
the dedication of people who 

3349
02:57:34,900 --> 02:57:38,000
took complaining, seriously 
looked forward to march, with 

3350
02:57:38,000 --> 02:57:40,500
the hope that it might bring 
slightly less terrible weather. 

3351
02:57:41,600 --> 02:57:43,400
The sky that late February 
showed. 

3352
02:57:43,400 --> 02:57:46,800
No particular warning signs that
we know of Colonial weather 

3353
02:57:46,800 --> 02:57:50,200
prediction was based on 
folklore, careful, observation 

3354
02:57:50,200 --> 02:57:53,700
of animal behavior and a general
sense of what the sky looked 

3355
02:57:53,700 --> 02:57:57,100
like before trouble arrived. 
If your bones ached, more than 

3356
02:57:57,108 --> 02:57:59,800
usual rain or snow was probably 
coming. 

3357
02:58:00,700 --> 02:58:04,600
If the chickens acted strange, 
though, defining strange, for 

3358
02:58:04,600 --> 02:58:06,200
chickens is admittedly 
difficult. 

3359
02:58:06,200 --> 02:58:09,900
Whether there might be changing 
if the sunset looked 

3360
02:58:09,900 --> 02:58:13,400
particularly Vivid, make sure 
you had extra firewood handy. 

3361
02:58:14,300 --> 02:58:16,900
But nothing in anyone's 
experience prepared them for 

3362
02:58:16,900 --> 02:58:20,100
what was about to happen. 
New englanders were tough and 

3363
02:58:20,100 --> 02:58:23,400
resourceful and had survived 
plenty of harsh Winters. 

3364
02:58:23,400 --> 02:58:26,100
They'd seen big snowstorms 
before. 

3365
02:58:26,900 --> 02:58:28,900
They thought they knew what 
winter could throw at them. 

3366
02:58:28,900 --> 02:58:31,800
They were about to discover 
they'd been underestimating, 

3367
02:58:31,800 --> 02:58:35,400
Winter's Ambitions pitch 
yourself in your Colonial home 

3368
02:58:35,400 --> 02:58:41,600
on February 27th. 17. 
You wait before Dawn as usual to

3369
02:58:41,600 --> 02:58:45,000
Coke the fire back to life. 
The house is cold enough that 

3370
02:58:45,000 --> 02:58:47,400
you can see your breath which is
so normal. 

3371
02:58:47,400 --> 02:58:51,400
You barely notice anymore you 
pull on your warm as clothes and

3372
02:58:51,400 --> 02:58:55,000
in colonial times this meant 
layers of wool linen and leather

3373
02:58:55,000 --> 02:58:58,000
that made you look like a 
medieval Knight made a fabric 

3374
02:58:58,000 --> 02:59:01,200
and begin the days endless round
of chores. 

3375
02:59:02,700 --> 02:59:04,100
But something feels different 
this morning. 

3376
02:59:04,900 --> 02:59:06,800
The air has that peculiar 
weight. 

3377
02:59:06,800 --> 02:59:08,500
It gets before a significant 
storm. 

3378
02:59:09,300 --> 02:59:11,800
Pressure that makes your ears 
feel slightly odd and gives the 

3379
02:59:11,800 --> 02:59:15,200
world a muted quality. 
The wind which has been a 

3380
02:59:15,200 --> 02:59:18,700
constant companion all winter 
has gone still in a way that 

3381
02:59:18,700 --> 02:59:22,200
feels less peaceful and more 
like nature holding its breath. 

3382
02:59:23,100 --> 02:59:25,500
By midday the first flakes. 
Began to fall. 

3383
02:59:25,500 --> 02:59:29,100
Nothing dramatic, initially just
a gentle dusting. 

3384
02:59:29,100 --> 02:59:31,200
That looks almost pretty against
the gray sky. 

3385
02:59:32,000 --> 02:59:35,400
You've seen this hundreds of 
times before snow in February, 

3386
02:59:35,400 --> 02:59:38,000
is about a surprising, as 
finding out water as wet. 

3387
02:59:38,000 --> 02:59:41,700
You know, it make sure you have 
enough firewood, close to the 

3388
02:59:41,700 --> 02:59:43,700
house and continue with your 
day. 

3389
02:59:45,000 --> 02:59:49,600
But the snow doesn't stop. 
Our after-hours with a steady in

3390
02:59:49,600 --> 02:59:51,600
the begins to seem almost 
purposeful. 

3391
02:59:52,400 --> 02:59:55,700
Like evening, you've got several
inches of fresh accumulation. 

3392
02:59:55,700 --> 02:59:58,900
The snow is still falling with 
no sign of letting up. 

3393
02:59:59,700 --> 03:00:03,700
You Bank the Firefly before bed.
Make sure everyone is under 

3394
03:00:03,700 --> 03:00:06,800
enough blankets and think that 
tomorrow you'll need to do some 

3395
03:00:06,800 --> 03:00:09,300
shoveling. 
When you wake the next morning, 

3396
03:00:09,300 --> 03:00:12,800
your first clue that something 
unusual is happening comes from 

3397
03:00:12,800 --> 03:00:14,200
the quality of light in the 
house. 

3398
03:00:15,200 --> 03:00:19,000
Too bright for Dawn, a strange 
diffused glow, that seems to 

3399
03:00:19,000 --> 03:00:21,000
come from everywhere and 
nowhere. 

3400
03:00:21,800 --> 03:00:25,700
When you finally manage to open 
your door and this takes effort 

3401
03:00:25,700 --> 03:00:28,400
pushing against resistance that 
shouldn't be there. 

3402
03:00:29,200 --> 03:00:32,700
You discover why? 
The snow has piled against your 

3403
03:00:32,700 --> 03:00:35,200
door and drifts that reach past 
your knees. 

3404
03:00:36,100 --> 03:00:38,900
The world outside has been 
transformed into an alien 

3405
03:00:38,900 --> 03:00:42,600
landscape of white. 
Where Familiar shapes of become 

3406
03:00:42,600 --> 03:00:46,900
strange, rounded lumps, and the 
Horizon has disappeared into a 

3407
03:00:46,900 --> 03:00:50,100
curtain of falling snow. 
The storm that started 

3408
03:00:50,100 --> 03:00:53,000
yesterday, hasn't stopped if 
anything. 

3409
03:00:53,000 --> 03:00:57,200
It's intensified This is the 
beginning of what contemporary 

3410
03:00:57,200 --> 03:01:01,700
accounts would call the great 
snow of 1717, though, people 

3411
03:01:01,700 --> 03:01:05,200
living through, it probably had 
other less polite names for it. 

3412
03:01:06,200 --> 03:01:08,600
What new englanders couldn't 
have known was that they were 

3413
03:01:08,600 --> 03:01:11,100
experiencing something 
meteorologically. 

3414
03:01:11,100 --> 03:01:14,900
Extraordinary. 
Series of four massive storms 

3415
03:01:14,900 --> 03:01:18,100
that would arrive in wave. 
Over the next three weeks each 

3416
03:01:18,100 --> 03:01:21,100
adding to accumulation that were
already unprecedented. 

3417
03:01:22,600 --> 03:01:25,600
Snow fell with a relentlessness 
that began to feel almost 

3418
03:01:25,600 --> 03:01:28,600
personal. 
Not in violent gusts and 

3419
03:01:28,608 --> 03:01:31,800
dramatic blizzard conditions 
though there were certainly 

3420
03:01:31,800 --> 03:01:35,200
periods of that. 
But with a steady implacable 

3421
03:01:35,200 --> 03:01:38,500
determination. 
It was as if the sky decided 

3422
03:01:38,500 --> 03:01:41,000
that New England needed a really
thorough covering and wasn't 

3423
03:01:41,000 --> 03:01:42,900
going to stop until the job was 
done properly. 

3424
03:01:43,700 --> 03:01:46,600
You can imagine the progression 
of reactions among Colonial 

3425
03:01:46,600 --> 03:01:49,100
families. 
Day one. 

3426
03:01:50,100 --> 03:01:52,900
Well, this is a significant 
snowfall. 

3427
03:01:53,600 --> 03:01:57,600
Day two, this is quite unusual 
day 3. 

3428
03:01:57,600 --> 03:02:03,100
This is becoming concerning day 
for this is absolutely 

3429
03:02:03,100 --> 03:02:05,600
unprecedented and possibly the 
end of the world. 

3430
03:02:06,500 --> 03:02:10,400
They five if I have to spend one
more day trapped in the house 

3431
03:02:10,400 --> 03:02:12,800
with these people, I'm going to 
lose my mind. 

3432
03:02:14,100 --> 03:02:17,400
Practical challenges began 
immediately, your daily routine,

3433
03:02:17,400 --> 03:02:20,900
which was already demanding 
suddenly required three times as

3434
03:02:20,900 --> 03:02:24,000
much effort. 
Every trip to the barn to feed 

3435
03:02:24,000 --> 03:02:25,900
animals. 
Meant waiting through snow, that

3436
03:02:25,900 --> 03:02:29,300
reached your thighs, then higher
than eventually to your chest. 

3437
03:02:30,300 --> 03:02:32,900
Paths that you shovel one day 
were filled in by the next 

3438
03:02:32,900 --> 03:02:35,400
morning. 
The livestock trapped in their 

3439
03:02:35,400 --> 03:02:38,700
shelters needed constant 
attention to prevent them from 

3440
03:02:38,700 --> 03:02:40,500
panicking or Worse. 
Freezing. 

3441
03:02:41,400 --> 03:02:44,100
Firewood, which, you'd carefully
stacked within easy. 

3442
03:02:44,100 --> 03:02:48,100
Reach of the house became buried
under drifts Digging it out, was

3443
03:02:48,100 --> 03:02:51,700
exhausting work in the best of 
times doing it while snow 

3444
03:02:51,700 --> 03:02:55,200
continued to fall and wind 
created drifts that seemed to 

3445
03:02:55,208 --> 03:02:57,400
appear out of nowhere. 
It was like some kind of very 

3446
03:02:57,400 --> 03:03:00,800
cold, very tiring, meditation on
futility. 

3447
03:03:01,600 --> 03:03:04,000
Yet it had to be done because 
Without fire. 

3448
03:03:04,000 --> 03:03:08,100
Your family would freeze. 
Mathematics of survival became 

3449
03:03:08,100 --> 03:03:13,300
starkly simple, dig or die. 
The cycle impact of being 

3450
03:03:13,300 --> 03:03:15,900
trapped indoors during an 
endless, snowstorm is something 

3451
03:03:15,900 --> 03:03:19,500
modern people with heated, 
homes, electricity and streaming

3452
03:03:19,500 --> 03:03:22,400
services. 
Can barely imagine You're 

3453
03:03:22,400 --> 03:03:25,400
confined to a space, roughly the
size of a modern living room and

3454
03:03:25,400 --> 03:03:28,000
kitchen combined with your 
entire family. 

3455
03:03:28,000 --> 03:03:32,300
With no entertainment Beyond 
conversation, hand work and 

3456
03:03:32,300 --> 03:03:35,500
staring at the fire. 
The wall seemed to close in 

3457
03:03:35,500 --> 03:03:38,200
small, irritations, become, 
major grievance. 

3458
03:03:38,200 --> 03:03:42,400
That thing your spouse does when
they chew which you've tolerated

3459
03:03:42,400 --> 03:03:46,200
for years, suddenly becomes 
unbearable children. 

3460
03:03:46,200 --> 03:03:49,100
Blessed them, handled 
confinement with all the grace 

3461
03:03:49,100 --> 03:03:51,500
and patience that children have 
possessed throughout human 

3462
03:03:51,500 --> 03:03:54,100
history, which is to say none at
all. 

3463
03:03:54,900 --> 03:03:58,500
They were restless bored 
fighting with siblings and 

3464
03:03:58,500 --> 03:04:01,500
asking approximately every 10 
minutes when they could go 

3465
03:04:01,508 --> 03:04:04,400
outside. 
Parents responded with the 

3466
03:04:04,400 --> 03:04:07,600
Timeless, patience of people who
were also losing their minds, 

3467
03:04:07,600 --> 03:04:11,300
but had to pretend, they weren't
because civilization depended on

3468
03:04:11,300 --> 03:04:16,100
maintaining standards. 
The storms Came In Waves, each 

3469
03:04:16,100 --> 03:04:18,900
separated by just enough time 
for people to think. 

3470
03:04:18,900 --> 03:04:23,100
Maybe it was over only to watch 
the sky darkened again and the 

3471
03:04:23,108 --> 03:04:26,700
snow resume. 
Contemporary accounts described 

3472
03:04:26,700 --> 03:04:30,600
the snow as coming in for great 
storms, over the course of about

3473
03:04:30,600 --> 03:04:34,000
three weeks. 
The distinction between separate

3474
03:04:34,000 --> 03:04:36,400
storms. 
Probably felt academic when you 

3475
03:04:36,400 --> 03:04:37,700
were living through what seemed 
like? 

3476
03:04:37,700 --> 03:04:41,800
One continuous Siege by winter. 
Between storms. 

3477
03:04:41,800 --> 03:04:44,900
The sun, might break through 
Illuminating a transformed 

3478
03:04:44,900 --> 03:04:47,600
landscape. 
Everything familiar had been 

3479
03:04:47,600 --> 03:04:50,700
reshaped by snow into strange 
flowing forms. 

3480
03:04:51,600 --> 03:04:55,600
Fences disappeared entirely 
under drifts trees, bent under 

3481
03:04:55,600 --> 03:04:58,400
the weight of snow, until their 
branches touch the ground, 

3482
03:04:58,400 --> 03:05:02,300
creating natural tunnel's. 
Houses all, but vanished. 

3483
03:05:03,200 --> 03:05:05,600
With only their chimneys 
protruding above the white 

3484
03:05:05,600 --> 03:05:08,600
expanse, like Stone fingers, 
reaching for the sky. 

3485
03:05:09,500 --> 03:05:12,800
The drifts were what made this 
snowfall truly extraordinary. 

3486
03:05:13,700 --> 03:05:19,000
Wind had sculpted the snow into 
formations that defied logic. 10

3487
03:05:19,000 --> 03:05:23,100
feet deep in some places 
Fairground, in others and waves 

3488
03:05:23,100 --> 03:05:25,300
and curves that looked like a 
frozen ocean. 

3489
03:05:26,200 --> 03:05:29,200
You can walk across the top of 
some drifts while syncing to 

3490
03:05:29,200 --> 03:05:31,400
your armpits in others, just a 
few feet away. 

3491
03:05:32,200 --> 03:05:34,500
The surface would sometimes 
support your weight and 

3492
03:05:34,500 --> 03:05:38,000
sometimes not. 
And there was no reliable way to

3493
03:05:38,000 --> 03:05:40,100
tell which would happen until 
you test it. 

3494
03:05:41,100 --> 03:05:45,200
Animals suffered terribly during
these storms trapped in Barnes 

3495
03:05:45,200 --> 03:05:48,800
needed, constant care to prevent
them from overheating in their 

3496
03:05:48,800 --> 03:05:51,900
confined space while 
simultaneously ensuring they 

3497
03:05:51,900 --> 03:05:55,500
didn't freeze Chicken stopped 
laying entirely and seemed 

3498
03:05:55,500 --> 03:05:57,000
personally affronted by the 
weather. 

3499
03:05:57,000 --> 03:06:00,200
As if someone had promised them 
spring and then welched on the 

3500
03:06:00,208 --> 03:06:04,100
deal, Horses. 
And not usually stoic about 

3501
03:06:04,100 --> 03:06:07,500
whether showed clear signs of 
distress at being confined for 

3502
03:06:07,500 --> 03:06:12,500
days on end, while wild animals 
fared even worse, dear Trapped 

3503
03:06:12,500 --> 03:06:16,500
By snow too, deep to navigate 
either starved or became easy 

3504
03:06:16,500 --> 03:06:19,200
prey for wolves and other 
predators that could travel on 

3505
03:06:19,200 --> 03:06:23,200
top of the crusted snow. 
Birds that hadn't migrated found

3506
03:06:23,200 --> 03:06:25,500
food scarce and shelter hard to 
come by. 

3507
03:06:26,900 --> 03:06:29,500
Forest went silent in a way that
was eerie. 

3508
03:06:30,100 --> 03:06:34,100
No Birdsong, no rustling of 
small animals, just the whisper 

3509
03:06:34,100 --> 03:06:36,700
falling snow. 
And the occasional crack of a 

3510
03:06:36,700 --> 03:06:40,300
branch breaking under 
accumulated weight, The harbor 

3511
03:06:40,300 --> 03:06:43,100
in Boston, froze. 
Solid something that happened 

3512
03:06:43,100 --> 03:06:45,000
occasionally, but always felt 
ominous. 

3513
03:06:45,700 --> 03:06:49,300
Ships were trapped in ice their 
masts visible about the white 

3514
03:06:49,300 --> 03:06:53,100
expanse, like a bear Forest. 
The ice was thick enough to walk

3515
03:06:53,100 --> 03:06:56,300
on their only the foolhardy or 
desperate tried it. 

3516
03:06:57,200 --> 03:07:00,600
The ocean that vast presence, 
that defined so much of New 

3517
03:07:00,600 --> 03:07:04,200
England, life temporarily became
just another snowfield. 

3518
03:07:05,100 --> 03:07:07,900
Food stores that had seemed 
adequate in January began to 

3519
03:07:07,900 --> 03:07:10,100
look, alarmingly. 
Insufficient by mid-march. 

3520
03:07:10,900 --> 03:07:13,600
You were burning through 
firewood faster than planned 

3521
03:07:13,600 --> 03:07:15,800
because you needed to keep the 
fire going constantly. 

3522
03:07:16,800 --> 03:07:19,700
Animals were eating hay at their
normal rate, but the hay was 

3523
03:07:19,700 --> 03:07:23,000
getting harder to reach. 
Every meal required, careful, 

3524
03:07:23,000 --> 03:07:26,400
calculation, and families began 
to worry about what would happen

3525
03:07:26,400 --> 03:07:30,200
if the snow didn't stop soon. 
Yet, there was also a strange 

3526
03:07:30,200 --> 03:07:33,700
Beauty to it all on clear nights
between storms. 

3527
03:07:33,700 --> 03:07:37,800
The Moonlight on endless snow 
created illuminessence that 

3528
03:07:37,800 --> 03:07:41,600
turned the world into something 
magical The silence was 

3529
03:07:41,600 --> 03:07:44,700
profound. 
No wagon wheels on roads. 

3530
03:07:44,700 --> 03:07:48,000
No church bells carrying from 
distant towns. 

3531
03:07:48,000 --> 03:07:51,400
Just a hush. 
So complete it almost rang in 

3532
03:07:51,400 --> 03:07:55,300
your ears. 
The Stars seem brighter somehow 

3533
03:07:55,300 --> 03:07:58,500
as if the snow reflected light 
back to the sky. 

3534
03:07:59,700 --> 03:08:01,000
Some people found the 
experience. 

3535
03:08:01,000 --> 03:08:05,400
Almost meditative forced, as the
were to slow down and exist in 

3536
03:08:05,400 --> 03:08:08,900
the immediate moment. 
There were no trips to town, no 

3537
03:08:08,900 --> 03:08:11,800
visits with neighbors and no 
church meetings. 

3538
03:08:12,600 --> 03:08:15,900
Life contracted to the 
essentials, keep the fire 

3539
03:08:15,900 --> 03:08:20,100
burning feed your family, care 
for your animals and wait. 

3540
03:08:21,300 --> 03:08:24,400
In a world normally filled with 
constant labor and social 

3541
03:08:24,400 --> 03:08:27,900
obligations. 
This enforced, pause had an odd 

3542
03:08:27,900 --> 03:08:29,900
appeal at least for the first 
week or so. 

3543
03:08:29,900 --> 03:08:34,400
But as the snow continued as 
drifts grew higher and supplies,

3544
03:08:34,400 --> 03:08:36,600
grew lower as the novelty wore 
off. 

3545
03:08:36,600 --> 03:08:40,600
And the reality of the situation
set in that initial sense of 

3546
03:08:40,600 --> 03:08:43,200
wonder gave way to something 
close to anxiety. 

3547
03:08:44,400 --> 03:08:47,600
This wasn't just a big snowstorm
anymore, this was something 

3548
03:08:47,600 --> 03:08:50,100
different. 
Something that was rewriting. 

3549
03:08:50,100 --> 03:08:51,800
What new englanders thought 
possible? 

3550
03:08:52,500 --> 03:08:54,700
The snow had been falling for 
over two weeks. 

3551
03:08:54,700 --> 03:09:00,000
The drifts in some places were 
measuring 15, 18 or even 20 feet

3552
03:09:00,000 --> 03:09:02,500
deep. 
Houses were buried to their 

3553
03:09:02,500 --> 03:09:05,200
second stories and the snow was 
still falling. 

3554
03:09:06,100 --> 03:09:09,000
By the time, March arrived. 
New England had been transformed

3555
03:09:09,000 --> 03:09:12,600
into an alien landscape. 
That bore little resemblance, to

3556
03:09:12,600 --> 03:09:17,000
the world, colonists had known 
Imagine stepping out your door. 

3557
03:09:17,800 --> 03:09:21,400
Assuming you could open it and 
finding yourself standing on top

3558
03:09:21,400 --> 03:09:25,100
of what used to be your roof. 
This was an exaggeration for 

3559
03:09:25,100 --> 03:09:29,600
many families, the snow had 
piled so high that Second Story 

3560
03:09:29,600 --> 03:09:33,100
windows were at ground level and
chimneys required constant 

3561
03:09:33,100 --> 03:09:35,600
attention, to prevent them, from
being completely buried. 

3562
03:09:36,200 --> 03:09:39,700
Daily life had become a serious 
of adaptations to absurd 

3563
03:09:39,700 --> 03:09:42,700
circumstances. 
You didn't walk anywhere you 

3564
03:09:42,700 --> 03:09:46,200
tunnels. 
Created networks of passages 

3565
03:09:46,200 --> 03:09:48,200
through the snow. 
Connecting their houses to 

3566
03:09:48,200 --> 03:09:52,700
Barnes Wells and wood piles. 
These tunnels were engineering 

3567
03:09:52,700 --> 03:09:54,300
projects. 
Worthy of miners. 

3568
03:09:54,300 --> 03:09:58,200
Requiring constant maintenance 
of snow shifted and settled. 

3569
03:09:59,000 --> 03:10:01,800
Some colonists describe their 
tunnels collapsing while they 

3570
03:10:01,800 --> 03:10:05,100
were in the leading to panic to 
digging at a new found, 

3571
03:10:05,100 --> 03:10:09,200
appreciation for Open Spaces. 
The tunnels created a strange, 

3572
03:10:09,200 --> 03:10:13,300
new architecture of necessity. 
You descend from your door into 

3573
03:10:13,300 --> 03:10:14,900
a passage. 
Whose walls were compressed. 

3574
03:10:14,900 --> 03:10:18,800
Snow dimly lit by whatever 
sunlight penetrated from above. 

3575
03:10:19,700 --> 03:10:23,700
The tunnel would Branch One 
Direction to the barn and to the

3576
03:10:23,700 --> 03:10:26,000
well, and a third to the wood 
pile. 

3577
03:10:26,700 --> 03:10:30,300
Walking through these passages 
felt like being a very cold mole

3578
03:10:30,300 --> 03:10:34,500
and the disorientation of being 
surrounded by snow on all sides.

3579
03:10:34,500 --> 03:10:38,100
Took some getting used to 
feeding animals became an 

3580
03:10:38,100 --> 03:10:40,700
expedition. 
You'd suit up in every piece of 

3581
03:10:40,700 --> 03:10:45,000
warm clothing, you owned grab, 
whatever tools you needed like a

3582
03:10:45,000 --> 03:10:47,400
Lampton and descend into your 
tunnel system. 

3583
03:10:48,900 --> 03:10:51,600
The trip to the barn that 
normally took 30 seconds now 

3584
03:10:51,600 --> 03:10:55,000
took 15 minutes. 
Once their, you need to deal 

3585
03:10:55,000 --> 03:10:57,100
with animals that were restless 
from confinement. 

3586
03:10:57,100 --> 03:11:00,900
Nervous from the strange, 
muffled quality of sound through

3587
03:11:00,900 --> 03:11:04,200
snow and generally unhappy about
this circumstances. 

3588
03:11:04,200 --> 03:11:08,000
Getting water was perhaps the 
most challenging daily tasks. 

3589
03:11:09,000 --> 03:11:11,100
Wells that weren't buried. 
Had to be accessed through 

3590
03:11:11,100 --> 03:11:14,600
tunnels and Hauling water back 
through narrow passages, while 

3591
03:11:14,600 --> 03:11:17,800
trying not to spill was an 
exercise in patience and 

3592
03:11:17,800 --> 03:11:20,600
balance. 
Some families resorted to 

3593
03:11:20,600 --> 03:11:23,900
Melting snow, which sounds 
simple Until you realize, how 

3594
03:11:23,900 --> 03:11:26,700
much snow you need to melt to 
get a usable amount of water, 

3595
03:11:26,700 --> 03:11:30,600
and how much firewood that 
requires and how your firewood 

3596
03:11:30,600 --> 03:11:32,200
supplies are already stretched 
thin. 

3597
03:11:33,000 --> 03:11:35,700
Food preparation became creative
out of necessity. 

3598
03:11:35,700 --> 03:11:39,600
Your variety had been limited 
before the storms now. 

3599
03:11:39,600 --> 03:11:43,600
It was approaching monotonous, 
root vegetables, salted meat, 

3600
03:11:43,600 --> 03:11:46,400
dried beans, and perhaps some 
preserved fruit. 

3601
03:11:46,400 --> 03:11:50,000
If you were lucky, Every meal 
was a variation on the theme of 

3602
03:11:50,000 --> 03:11:52,500
things that can be boiled or 
roasted near the fire. 

3603
03:11:53,500 --> 03:11:55,600
The bright spot was that, at 
least you didn't have to worry 

3604
03:11:55,600 --> 03:11:59,100
about food spoiling, you could 
just stick it in a snowbank, 

3605
03:11:59,100 --> 03:12:01,700
which was basically a giant 
natural freezer that covered 

3606
03:12:01,700 --> 03:12:05,400
everything you owned. children 
education, such as it was 

3607
03:12:05,400 --> 03:12:09,300
continued, sporadically parents,
who could read would work with 

3608
03:12:09,300 --> 03:12:13,200
their children on basic literacy
and arithmetic using the Bible 

3609
03:12:13,200 --> 03:12:17,600
almanacs and whatever other 
books the family owned But 

3610
03:12:17,600 --> 03:12:22,600
concentration was difficult when
everyone was cold irritable and 

3611
03:12:22,600 --> 03:12:25,700
worried about their increasingly
precarious situation. 

3612
03:12:26,800 --> 03:12:30,100
Lessons often devolved into 
storytelling which at least 

3613
03:12:30,100 --> 03:12:33,100
passed the time and didn't 
require anyone to sit still and 

3614
03:12:33,100 --> 03:12:36,100
focus. 
The psychological strain of 

3615
03:12:36,108 --> 03:12:39,200
prolonged confinement. 
Manifested in various ways. 

3616
03:12:40,000 --> 03:12:44,000
Some people became withdrawn and
quiet staring into the fire for 

3617
03:12:44,000 --> 03:12:47,100
hours, others became manic in 
their activity. 

3618
03:12:47,100 --> 03:12:50,300
Finding endless small tasks to 
occupy themselves. 

3619
03:12:51,200 --> 03:12:54,500
Family dynamics that had been 
stable for years suddenly became

3620
03:12:54,500 --> 03:12:57,200
fraught. 
The colonial period didn't have 

3621
03:12:57,200 --> 03:13:00,800
therapists or self-help books. 
So people just had to cope using

3622
03:13:00,800 --> 03:13:05,900
prayer alcohol or sheer 
stubbornness. interestingly, the

3623
03:13:05,900 --> 03:13:08,900
forced isolation seemed to 
reduce religious attendance 

3624
03:13:08,900 --> 03:13:13,000
anxiety is getting to church was
physically impossible for most 

3625
03:13:13,000 --> 03:13:15,900
families, which meant missing 
services without any Guild. 

3626
03:13:16,700 --> 03:13:19,600
The Puritan ministers, who 
usually took a dim view of 

3627
03:13:19,608 --> 03:13:23,200
absence were presumably two busy
dealing with their own snow 

3628
03:13:23,200 --> 03:13:27,400
related problems to worry, much 
about who wasn't showing up. it 

3629
03:13:27,400 --> 03:13:30,100
was possibly the first time in 
Colonial New England history 

3630
03:13:30,100 --> 03:13:33,100
that you could skip church 
without social consequences 

3631
03:13:33,100 --> 03:13:35,900
neighbors, who could see each 
other's chimneys through the 

3632
03:13:35,900 --> 03:13:39,100
snow often, the only indication 
that other humans were nearby 

3633
03:13:39,100 --> 03:13:43,400
developed signaling systems 
Smoke patterns could convey 

3634
03:13:43,400 --> 03:13:46,900
basic information. 
We're okay, we need help. 

3635
03:13:46,900 --> 03:13:50,000
And does anyone have any spare 
candles, because we're running 

3636
03:13:50,000 --> 03:13:53,100
out and staring into docks for 
12 hours. 

3637
03:13:53,100 --> 03:13:56,700
A night is making a strange. 
These smoke signals were 

3638
03:13:56,700 --> 03:14:00,000
probably not terribly 
sophisticated but they provided 

3639
03:14:00,000 --> 03:14:02,600
reassurance that you weren't 
completely alone in the white 

3640
03:14:02,600 --> 03:14:06,000
wilderness. 
The male such as it existed in 

3641
03:14:06,000 --> 03:14:10,100
1717 completely stopped. 
There were no postal workers 

3642
03:14:10,100 --> 03:14:13,000
Brave or foolish enough to 
attempt delivery through 20 

3643
03:14:13,000 --> 03:14:15,400
foot. 
Snow drifts this meant that 

3644
03:14:15,400 --> 03:14:19,300
communities became isolated, not
just physically, but also 

3645
03:14:19,300 --> 03:14:23,100
informationally You had no idea 
what was happening in the next 

3646
03:14:23,100 --> 03:14:25,600
town. 
Let alone in Boston or other 

3647
03:14:25,600 --> 03:14:29,100
major settlements. 
For all you knew you were the 

3648
03:14:29,100 --> 03:14:32,500
only people left alive and the 
rest of New England had been 

3649
03:14:32,500 --> 03:14:35,900
consumed by snow. 
Animals developed their own 

3650
03:14:35,900 --> 03:14:39,400
coping strategies. 
Chickens trapped in coops 

3651
03:14:39,400 --> 03:14:43,000
established new packing orders 
based on who could commandeer 

3652
03:14:43,000 --> 03:14:46,200
the warmest spots. 
Cows adapted to their 

3653
03:14:46,200 --> 03:14:50,000
confinement with bovine. 
Stoicism though their milk 

3654
03:14:50,000 --> 03:14:51,600
production dropped 
significantly. 

3655
03:14:53,000 --> 03:14:56,300
Horses seem to understand the 
gravity of the situation and 

3656
03:14:56,300 --> 03:14:59,900
became unusually Cooperative, 
perhaps sensing that everyone 

3657
03:14:59,900 --> 03:15:03,500
needed to work together to 
survive. the few people who are 

3658
03:15:03,500 --> 03:15:06,400
tempted travel during this 
period, left accounts that sound

3659
03:15:06,400 --> 03:15:09,600
like expeditions to the Arctic 
One man. 

3660
03:15:09,600 --> 03:15:11,200
Described walking to his 
neighbor's house. 

3661
03:15:11,200 --> 03:15:13,500
A journey of perhaps a quarter 
mile. 

3662
03:15:13,500 --> 03:15:18,300
That took him three hours. 
He had to navigate drifts break 

3663
03:15:18,300 --> 03:15:22,000
through crusted snow backtrack 
when he encountered in possible,

3664
03:15:22,000 --> 03:15:25,300
barriers and generally 
experienced an adventure worthy 

3665
03:15:25,300 --> 03:15:28,800
of a polar Explorer. 
His neighbor apparently 

3666
03:15:28,800 --> 03:15:32,200
surprised to see anyone greeted 
him like he'd returned from a 

3667
03:15:32,200 --> 03:15:35,200
Voyage to the Moon. 
Some enterprising colonists 

3668
03:15:35,200 --> 03:15:38,200
discovered that the hard-packed 
surface of, the drifts could 

3669
03:15:38,200 --> 03:15:42,000
support considerable weight. 
If approached correctly, You 

3670
03:15:42,000 --> 03:15:45,100
could walk on top of snow that 
in other spots would swallow you

3671
03:15:45,100 --> 03:15:48,400
completely. 
This led to a strange, new form 

3672
03:15:48,400 --> 03:15:51,000
of travel where you'd move 
cautiously across the surface. 

3673
03:15:51,000 --> 03:15:54,700
Testing each step moving like 
someone walking on thin ice 

3674
03:15:54,700 --> 03:16:00,100
because in essence you were The 
technique required practice, 

3675
03:16:00,100 --> 03:16:04,400
patience and acceptance that 
you'd occasionally falls through

3676
03:16:04,400 --> 03:16:08,200
and need to be pulled out. 
The soundscape of Life under the

3677
03:16:08,200 --> 03:16:11,100
drifts was distinctive normal 
outdoor. 

3678
03:16:11,100 --> 03:16:15,300
Sounds were muffled by the snow,
creating an eerie quiet broken. 

3679
03:16:15,300 --> 03:16:18,900
Only by the occasional crack of 
breaking branches, the muffled 

3680
03:16:18,900 --> 03:16:22,600
blowing of cattle or the scrap 
of shovels as people fought to 

3681
03:16:22,600 --> 03:16:27,800
maintain their tunnel systems, 
Inside homes, every sound seemed

3682
03:16:27,800 --> 03:16:31,700
Amplified the pop of the fire. 
The Creeks of floorboards and 

3683
03:16:31,700 --> 03:16:35,500
the breathing of family members 
Some people found the quiet. 

3684
03:16:35,500 --> 03:16:38,200
Soothing others founded 
oppressive. 

3685
03:16:38,900 --> 03:16:40,700
Lighting became a precious 
commodity. 

3686
03:16:41,700 --> 03:16:44,900
Candles which were already 
expensive and time-consuming to 

3687
03:16:44,900 --> 03:16:48,600
make burn down steadily while 
the snow showed no signs of 

3688
03:16:48,600 --> 03:16:51,200
stopping. 
Families, rationed like 

3689
03:16:51,200 --> 03:16:55,200
carefully often going to bed 
shortly after Sunset to conserve

3690
03:16:55,200 --> 03:16:57,000
candles for when they were truly
necessary. 

3691
03:16:58,200 --> 03:17:01,700
Evenings were spent in 
semi-darkness with paps, one 

3692
03:17:01,700 --> 03:17:05,900
candle or the firelight to see 
by creating Shadows that danced 

3693
03:17:05,900 --> 03:17:08,900
on walls and made familiar rooms
seemed strange. 

3694
03:17:09,600 --> 03:17:13,200
The creativity of desperate 
people manifested in unexpected 

3695
03:17:13,200 --> 03:17:16,200
ways. 
Some families organized, indoor 

3696
03:17:16,200 --> 03:17:20,000
festivals to maintain morale. 
Singing storytelling, craft 

3697
03:17:20,000 --> 03:17:24,300
anything, to break the monotony.
Children created elaborate games

3698
03:17:24,300 --> 03:17:28,000
using household objects, adults 
told stories from memory. 

3699
03:17:28,000 --> 03:17:31,700
Embellishing with the retelling 
until they became local Legends.

3700
03:17:32,700 --> 03:17:35,800
One family, reportedly performed
an entire week's worth of 

3701
03:17:35,800 --> 03:17:39,100
evening entertainments using 
nothing, but shadow puppets and 

3702
03:17:39,100 --> 03:17:42,200
engineering. 
Health concerns, added another 

3703
03:17:42,200 --> 03:17:45,700
layer of anxiety. 
If someone got sick or injured 

3704
03:17:45,700 --> 03:17:48,300
during the snowstorm, there was 
no way to fetch a doctor. 

3705
03:17:48,300 --> 03:17:52,100
No way to get help from 
Neighbors and no options except 

3706
03:17:52,100 --> 03:17:55,100
to deal with it yourself, using 
whatever folk remedies and 

3707
03:17:55,100 --> 03:17:59,300
herbal knowledge, you possessed 
every Cog made parents nervous, 

3708
03:17:59,300 --> 03:18:03,600
every complained of feeling 
unwell triggered calculations 

3709
03:18:03,600 --> 03:18:06,800
about supplies of medicinal 
herbs and whether the situation 

3710
03:18:06,800 --> 03:18:10,500
might become serious, 
Surprisingly, the death rate 

3711
03:18:10,500 --> 03:18:13,800
during the Great snow, at least 
among humans was relatively low.

3712
03:18:14,500 --> 03:18:18,100
New englanders were tough 
resourceful and experienced in 

3713
03:18:18,100 --> 03:18:21,400
dealing with harsh conditions. 
They knew how to rational food 

3714
03:18:21,400 --> 03:18:24,800
maintain heat of efficiently and
keep themselves occupied during 

3715
03:18:24,800 --> 03:18:28,300
long periods of confinement. 
The bigger casualties were 

3716
03:18:28,300 --> 03:18:32,100
livestock, particularly those in
less dirty shelters or within 

3717
03:18:32,100 --> 03:18:35,600
adequate food stores. 
As March progressed and the snow

3718
03:18:35,600 --> 03:18:38,600
finally stopped falling. 
Colonists began to reckon with 

3719
03:18:38,608 --> 03:18:42,500
the full extent of what had 
happened. accumulation in most 

3720
03:18:42,500 --> 03:18:46,600
places measured between 10 and 
20 feet with drifts and exposed 

3721
03:18:46,600 --> 03:18:52,200
areas, reaching 25 feet or more 
houses were buried roads to 

3722
03:18:52,200 --> 03:18:56,100
exist as recognizable features. 
The landscape looked like 

3723
03:18:56,108 --> 03:18:59,600
someone had taken a giant, white
blanket and just dropped it over

3724
03:18:59,600 --> 03:19:02,200
everything. 
Smoothing out all the familiar 

3725
03:19:02,200 --> 03:19:06,200
Contours into alien curves and 
slopes The silence. 

3726
03:19:06,200 --> 03:19:08,900
When the snow stopped was 
somehow more profound than the 

3727
03:19:08,900 --> 03:19:11,800
silence during the storms. 
For weeks. 

3728
03:19:11,800 --> 03:19:14,900
There had been at least the soft
Whisper of falling Flakes and 

3729
03:19:14,900 --> 03:19:19,100
the occasional gust of wind. 
Now, there was nothing the world

3730
03:19:19,100 --> 03:19:22,400
held its breath waiting to see 
what would happen next. 

3731
03:19:23,300 --> 03:19:27,800
Birds that had survived began to
tentatively explore their calls.

3732
03:19:27,800 --> 03:19:30,000
Sounding impossibly loud in the 
Stillness. 

3733
03:19:31,100 --> 03:19:35,500
Son emerged from behind clouds 
making the snow surface Sparkle.

3734
03:19:35,500 --> 03:19:37,800
So brightly it hurt to look at 
directly. 

3735
03:19:39,200 --> 03:19:42,300
When the snow finally stopped 
falling in mid-march new 

3736
03:19:42,300 --> 03:19:45,200
englanders faced a new problem, 
they were living under 

3737
03:19:45,200 --> 03:19:49,100
approximately 20 feet of Frozen 
water that showed no immediate 

3738
03:19:49,100 --> 03:19:53,200
interest in going anywhere. 
Bring in New England, typically 

3739
03:19:53,200 --> 03:19:56,400
involves a gradual Thor with 
melting during the day and 

3740
03:19:56,400 --> 03:20:00,400
refreezing at night, a slow 
transition from Winter to mud 

3741
03:20:00,400 --> 03:20:03,000
season. 
But the great snow wasn't 

3742
03:20:03,000 --> 03:20:05,200
interested in following typical 
patterns. 

3743
03:20:06,000 --> 03:20:09,300
The sheer volume of snow 
created, its own microclimate. 

3744
03:20:10,000 --> 03:20:12,000
Even as temperatures Rose above 
freezing. 

3745
03:20:12,000 --> 03:20:16,400
During the day, the vast mass of
snow stayed cold reflecting 

3746
03:20:16,400 --> 03:20:18,900
sunlight and keeping air 
temperatures lower than they 

3747
03:20:18,900 --> 03:20:22,500
might otherwise be it was like 
living inside a massive Ice Cube

3748
03:20:22,500 --> 03:20:26,200
that was very slowly warming 
from the outside in the process 

3749
03:20:26,200 --> 03:20:28,200
of melting. 
This much snow would take weeks 

3750
03:20:28,200 --> 03:20:31,500
possibly months and would create
its own set of challenges. 

3751
03:20:32,600 --> 03:20:35,500
Initial attempts at clearing 
paths were almost commonly 

3752
03:20:35,500 --> 03:20:39,200
futile. 
You shovel for hours creating a 

3753
03:20:39,200 --> 03:20:41,900
narrow passage that represented 
significant effort and 

3754
03:20:41,900 --> 03:20:44,400
exhaustion. 
Only to realize you'd made a 

3755
03:20:44,400 --> 03:20:47,400
barely visible dent in drifts 
that stretched in every 

3756
03:20:47,400 --> 03:20:50,100
direction. 
It was like trying to empty a 

3757
03:20:50,100 --> 03:20:53,100
lake with the tea cup. 
Some colonists gave up on 

3758
03:20:53,100 --> 03:20:55,600
clearing entirely and just 
focused on maintaining their 

3759
03:20:55,600 --> 03:20:58,900
tunnel systems figuring the snow
would melt of eventually and 

3760
03:20:58,900 --> 03:21:00,300
there was no point in fighting 
it. 

3761
03:21:01,100 --> 03:21:03,500
But isolation was becoming a 
serious problem. 

3762
03:21:03,500 --> 03:21:06,900
Communities have been cut off 
from each other for over three 

3763
03:21:06,900 --> 03:21:09,000
weeks. 
Food supply is running 

3764
03:21:09,000 --> 03:21:13,100
critically low firewood that had
seemed adequate in February, was

3765
03:21:13,100 --> 03:21:16,200
nearly exhausted. 
People needed to reconnect 

3766
03:21:16,200 --> 03:21:20,300
needed to trade goods and needed
to know if the rest of the world

3767
03:21:20,300 --> 03:21:24,100
still existed. 
This necessity drove remarkable 

3768
03:21:24,100 --> 03:21:26,800
efforts to create pathways 
through the snow. 

3769
03:21:26,800 --> 03:21:30,300
The solution that emerged was 
essentially a combination of 

3770
03:21:30,300 --> 03:21:33,200
tunneling and tramping. 
Groups of men would work 

3771
03:21:33,200 --> 03:21:37,100
together to create packed down 
Trails walking the same path. 

3772
03:21:37,100 --> 03:21:39,500
Repeatedly until it was 
compressed enough to support 

3773
03:21:39,500 --> 03:21:42,600
regular traffic. 
It was exhausting work. 

3774
03:21:42,600 --> 03:21:46,400
Imagine hiking through deep snow
for hours, while carrying tools,

3775
03:21:46,400 --> 03:21:50,800
but gradually slowly paths, 
began to connect neighboring, 

3776
03:21:50,800 --> 03:21:53,000
farms, and eventually linked to 
main roads. 

3777
03:21:54,000 --> 03:21:56,800
These early Pathways were more 
like trenches than roads. 

3778
03:21:56,800 --> 03:22:00,300
You'd walk along the bottom of a
corridor whose walls was snow. 

3779
03:22:00,300 --> 03:22:05,000
Sometimes 15 feet high on either
side, unable to see anything, 

3780
03:22:05,000 --> 03:22:07,200
but the sky above, and the path 
ahead. 

3781
03:22:08,000 --> 03:22:11,400
It was disorienting and slightly
claustrophobic, but it was 

3782
03:22:11,400 --> 03:22:15,500
better than complete isolation. 
Travelers met in these trenches 

3783
03:22:15,500 --> 03:22:18,700
with the relief of survivors. 
Finding other humans after a 

3784
03:22:18,700 --> 03:22:22,500
disaster, exchanging news and 
supplies and reassurances that 

3785
03:22:22,500 --> 03:22:26,200
they weren't alone. 
Boston being a port city with 

3786
03:22:26,200 --> 03:22:29,900
more resources and Manpower. 
Organized more systematically 

3787
03:22:29,900 --> 03:22:33,300
clearing efforts, Teams of 
workers attack the snow with a 

3788
03:22:33,308 --> 03:22:35,700
determination. 
Born of economic necessity. 

3789
03:22:36,700 --> 03:22:40,500
The city's Commerce depended, on
ship traffic and ships. 

3790
03:22:40,500 --> 03:22:43,200
Couldn't move while the harbor 
was frozen and streets were 

3791
03:22:43,200 --> 03:22:46,400
impossible. 
The work was brutal shoveling 

3792
03:22:46,400 --> 03:22:50,000
snow all day and conditions that
ranged from barely tolerable to 

3793
03:22:50,000 --> 03:22:53,700
actively hostile. 
But wages were good by Colonial,

3794
03:22:53,700 --> 03:22:57,200
standards and Desperation made 
many willing to take on the 

3795
03:22:57,200 --> 03:23:00,300
task. 
Clearing efforts, in Boston, 

3796
03:23:00,300 --> 03:23:03,000
created mountains of snow that 
had to go somewhere. 

3797
03:23:03,800 --> 03:23:07,000
Without modern snow removal 
equipment, the only option was 

3798
03:23:07,000 --> 03:23:10,500
to pile it up. 
These artificial Hills of plowed

3799
03:23:10,500 --> 03:23:14,900
snow grew taller than buildings,
creating a strange new cityscape

3800
03:23:14,900 --> 03:23:17,200
where snow mountains loomed over
streets. 

3801
03:23:18,200 --> 03:23:21,100
Children found these mountains 
irresistible for sledding, 

3802
03:23:21,100 --> 03:23:23,900
despite parental warnings about 
the dangers. 

3803
03:23:24,900 --> 03:23:27,800
Some of these snow piles would 
remain visible well in to Summer

3804
03:23:27,800 --> 03:23:31,900
slowly shrinking but stubbornly 
refusing to disappear entirely. 

3805
03:23:32,900 --> 03:23:35,800
Rural areas, relied more on 
nature, to do the work? 

3806
03:23:36,500 --> 03:23:39,800
As temperatures gradually warmed
the snow began to settle and 

3807
03:23:39,800 --> 03:23:43,400
compress under its own weight. 
Paths that had been impossible 

3808
03:23:43,400 --> 03:23:47,500
slowly became navigable as the 
surface hardened and lowered. 

3809
03:23:48,200 --> 03:23:51,100
It was still difficult travel. 
You'd sink to your knees or 

3810
03:23:51,100 --> 03:23:54,600
thighs with regularity. 
But it was at least possible to 

3811
03:23:54,600 --> 03:23:56,500
move around your property and 
reach nearby. 

3812
03:23:56,500 --> 03:23:59,200
Neighbors. 
The livestock situation was 

3813
03:23:59,200 --> 03:24:03,000
becoming critical animals that 
had survived this long needed, 

3814
03:24:03,000 --> 03:24:06,000
fresh air exercise and grazing 
as soon as possible. 

3815
03:24:06,900 --> 03:24:10,200
But releasing them into deep 
snow risk losing them in drifts 

3816
03:24:10,200 --> 03:24:13,200
or having them injure themselves
trying to navigate impossible to

3817
03:24:13,200 --> 03:24:16,000
rain. 
Farmers had to create in closed 

3818
03:24:16,000 --> 03:24:20,000
areas near Barnes where snow was
compressed enough for animals to

3819
03:24:20,000 --> 03:24:22,900
move safely. 
Horses and oxen were 

3820
03:24:22,900 --> 03:24:25,900
particularly valuable and 
received the most careful 

3821
03:24:25,900 --> 03:24:28,900
attention while chickens were 
basically left to fend for 

3822
03:24:28,900 --> 03:24:32,400
themselves which they did with 
their usual combination of luck 

3823
03:24:32,400 --> 03:24:35,900
and spite. 
As communication, resumed 

3824
03:24:35,900 --> 03:24:39,500
people, discovered that the 
great snow had affected, all of 

3825
03:24:39,500 --> 03:24:41,600
New England with varying degrees
of severity. 

3826
03:24:42,800 --> 03:24:46,600
Some coastal areas had received 
less accumulation while Inland 

3827
03:24:46,600 --> 03:24:49,600
regions and higher elevations, 
were buried even deeper than 

3828
03:24:49,600 --> 03:24:52,700
most places. 
Stories began to circulate, 

3829
03:24:52,700 --> 03:24:57,300
Tales of whole house, is being 
lost until spring of Travelers. 

3830
03:24:57,300 --> 03:25:00,900
Who perished attempting to cross
impossible, distances of 

3831
03:25:00,900 --> 03:25:03,700
Creative, Solutions to 
unprecedented problems. 

3832
03:25:04,500 --> 03:25:07,300
One story that made the rounds 
involved, a family, whose 

3833
03:25:07,300 --> 03:25:10,000
chimney became so packed with 
snow that smoke couldn't escape.

3834
03:25:10,900 --> 03:25:13,900
Rather than suffocate the 
carefully, extinguish their fire

3835
03:25:13,900 --> 03:25:17,700
and spent several days in bitter
cold while working to clear the 

3836
03:25:17,700 --> 03:25:21,600
chimney from inside. 
When they finally succeeded and 

3837
03:25:21,600 --> 03:25:24,700
relit the fire, the sudden draft
nearly blew the roof off. 

3838
03:25:25,500 --> 03:25:29,400
The family survived the house 
survived, and they became local 

3839
03:25:29,400 --> 03:25:33,400
celebrities for their ordeal. 
Another account described a man 

3840
03:25:33,408 --> 03:25:36,000
who'd been visiting Neighbors, 
when the worst of the storms 

3841
03:25:36,000 --> 03:25:38,300
hit. 
Unable to return home. 

3842
03:25:38,300 --> 03:25:40,300
He was trapped for nearly three 
weeks. 

3843
03:25:41,300 --> 03:25:44,700
His wife assuming he'd taken 
shelter, somewhere wasn't 

3844
03:25:44,700 --> 03:25:47,800
particularly worried until he 
finally made it back half 

3845
03:25:47,800 --> 03:25:50,200
starved and with a beard that 
had grown wild. 

3846
03:25:51,600 --> 03:25:55,100
She reportedly greeted him with 
relief, then immediately put him

3847
03:25:55,100 --> 03:25:58,300
to work on clearing their paths.
Its priorities. 

3848
03:25:59,100 --> 03:26:02,100
The gradual reconnection of 
community's brought news both 

3849
03:26:02,100 --> 03:26:06,100
good and troubling the death 
toll while lower than might be 

3850
03:26:06,100 --> 03:26:08,300
expected. 
Given the severity of the storms

3851
03:26:08,300 --> 03:26:12,300
was still significant. 
Mostly elderly people who 

3852
03:26:12,300 --> 03:26:15,600
couldn't handle the cold a few 
Travelers caught between 

3853
03:26:15,600 --> 03:26:19,200
destinations and some children 
who wandered from safety. 

3854
03:26:20,300 --> 03:26:22,100
Livestock losses were 
substantial. 

3855
03:26:22,100 --> 03:26:26,700
Estimates suggested that 
hundreds of cattle, sheep and 

3856
03:26:26,700 --> 03:26:31,400
other animals had died from cold
starvation or injuries. 

3857
03:26:31,400 --> 03:26:35,100
Sustained in panic attempts to 
escape their shelters, but there

3858
03:26:35,100 --> 03:26:37,900
was also remarkable news of 
resilience and survival. 

3859
03:26:38,700 --> 03:26:40,300
Families. 
Who had been certain, they 

3860
03:26:40,300 --> 03:26:43,000
wouldn't make it through. 
Had found ways to endure. 

3861
03:26:43,600 --> 03:26:47,100
Communities that had seemed on 
the brink of Crisis discovered, 

3862
03:26:47,100 --> 03:26:50,300
they had more resources and 
creativity than they realized. 

3863
03:26:51,200 --> 03:26:53,400
The shared experience of 
surviving something 

3864
03:26:53,400 --> 03:26:57,000
unprecedented, created bonds 
between neighbors that would 

3865
03:26:57,000 --> 03:27:00,800
last for Generations. religious 
leaders, interpreted the great 

3866
03:27:00,800 --> 03:27:04,800
snow, according to their 
theological Frameworks, Some saw

3867
03:27:04,800 --> 03:27:07,800
it as Divine punishment. 
For Colonial sins, though. 

3868
03:27:07,800 --> 03:27:10,700
There was considerable debate 
about which specific sins had 

3869
03:27:10,700 --> 03:27:13,200
angered God enough to Warrant 20
feet of snow. 

3870
03:27:14,000 --> 03:27:16,000
Others viewed it as a test of 
faith. 

3871
03:27:16,800 --> 03:27:19,500
Trial, that would strengthen the
community's relationship with 

3872
03:27:19,500 --> 03:27:22,700
the divine. 
Few practical minded, ministers 

3873
03:27:22,700 --> 03:27:26,200
suggested, it was simply weather
and perhaps they should focus on

3874
03:27:26,200 --> 03:27:29,400
helping each other rather than 
debating spiritual significance.

3875
03:27:30,400 --> 03:27:33,700
As March gave way to April, the 
pace of melting accelerated 

3876
03:27:33,700 --> 03:27:36,100
warmer temperatures. 
And longer days. 

3877
03:27:36,100 --> 03:27:39,600
Finally began to make a visible 
dent in the snow accumulation. 

3878
03:27:40,200 --> 03:27:42,800
Roofs emerged from under their 
white burden. 

3879
03:27:43,400 --> 03:27:47,300
Fences reappeared trees. 
That had been bent double slowly

3880
03:27:47,300 --> 03:27:49,500
straightened as their load of 
snow melted. 

3881
03:27:50,200 --> 03:27:53,500
The landscape began to remember 
its original shape though. 

3882
03:27:53,500 --> 03:27:56,500
It would be weaks before it. 
Fully returned to normal the 

3883
03:27:56,500 --> 03:27:58,600
melting created its own set of 
problems. 

3884
03:27:58,600 --> 03:28:02,100
All that snow had to go 
somewhere and where it went was 

3885
03:28:02,100 --> 03:28:07,500
everywhere. rivers and streams 
swelled to flood stage roads 

3886
03:28:07,500 --> 03:28:11,700
turned into muddy rivers 
basements flooded The spring 

3887
03:28:11,700 --> 03:28:15,600
runoff, typically a manageable 
annual event became a deluge 

3888
03:28:15,600 --> 03:28:19,200
that overwhelmed normal drainage
and created temporary lakes in 

3889
03:28:19,200 --> 03:28:22,400
low-lying areas. 
It was like watching winter 

3890
03:28:22,400 --> 03:28:26,000
turned directly into a very wet,
very muddy version of spring, 

3891
03:28:26,000 --> 03:28:30,500
skipping all the pleasant parts.
But with the melting came hope 

3892
03:28:30,500 --> 03:28:34,200
every day, the world looked a 
little more familiar every day 

3893
03:28:34,200 --> 03:28:37,800
travel became a little easier 
every day, brought them closer 

3894
03:28:37,800 --> 03:28:40,700
to the farming season when they 
could begin to recover from 

3895
03:28:40,700 --> 03:28:43,700
Winter's assault. 
Gardens could be planned 

3896
03:28:43,700 --> 03:28:49,000
animals, could graze a normal 
life could resume, The first 

3897
03:28:49,000 --> 03:28:54,100
flowers to emerge crocuses and 
snowdrops, ironically became 

3898
03:28:54,100 --> 03:28:57,400
objects of Celebration 
disproportionate to their size 

3899
03:28:57,400 --> 03:29:00,500
or beauty. 
After months of nothing but 

3900
03:29:00,500 --> 03:29:04,600
white and gray and brown the 
sight of actual color in the 

3901
03:29:04,600 --> 03:29:07,500
landscape. 
Like a miracle children, brought

3902
03:29:07,500 --> 03:29:10,900
handfuls of early flowers to 
their mothers who placed them in

3903
03:29:10,900 --> 03:29:12,700
whatever containers could hold 
water. 

3904
03:29:12,700 --> 03:29:15,000
Treating them like Precious 
Treasures. 

3905
03:29:15,800 --> 03:29:18,700
Birds returned in force and 
their songs seemed loud louder 

3906
03:29:18,700 --> 03:29:21,100
and more enthusiastic than 
anyone remembered. 

3907
03:29:22,000 --> 03:29:25,000
Or perhaps it was just that 
after weeks of muffled, silenced

3908
03:29:25,000 --> 03:29:27,900
under snow, any sound felt 
remarkable. 

3909
03:29:28,900 --> 03:29:31,900
The geese flying overhead in 
their v-formation The Robin's 

3910
03:29:31,900 --> 03:29:35,600
hunting for worms in newly 
exposed soil, the Hawks circling

3911
03:29:35,600 --> 03:29:39,100
above looking for prey, all of 
its signal, that the world was 

3912
03:29:39,100 --> 03:29:44,400
returning to its normal rhythms.
A spring truly arrived and life 

3913
03:29:44,400 --> 03:29:47,300
returned to something 
approaching normal, new 

3914
03:29:47,300 --> 03:29:50,500
englanders began to reckon with 
what the great snow had done to 

3915
03:29:50,500 --> 03:29:53,700
their world. 
The physical impact of obvious 

3916
03:29:53,700 --> 03:29:59,100
damage to buildings, lost 
livestock and depleted supplies.

3917
03:30:00,100 --> 03:30:03,300
But the psychological and social
impacts would resonate for much 

3918
03:30:03,300 --> 03:30:05,800
longer. 
The great snow became the 

3919
03:30:05,800 --> 03:30:08,800
defining event against which all
other weather was measured for 

3920
03:30:08,800 --> 03:30:11,400
Generations. 
Grandparents would tell their 

3921
03:30:11,408 --> 03:30:13,700
grandchildren about the winter. 
When the snow reached, the 

3922
03:30:13,708 --> 03:30:17,000
Second Story windows and the 
children would roll their eyes. 

3923
03:30:17,000 --> 03:30:20,000
The way children always do when 
elderly relative start talking 

3924
03:30:20,000 --> 03:30:22,000
about how much harder things 
were in their day. 

3925
03:30:23,300 --> 03:30:26,700
Except in this case, the elderly
relatives were actually telling 

3926
03:30:26,700 --> 03:30:29,800
the truth, even if they 
embellish the details with each 

3927
03:30:29,800 --> 03:30:33,500
retelling. 
Diaries and letters from 1717 

3928
03:30:33,500 --> 03:30:36,900
provide glimpses into how people
process their experience. 

3929
03:30:37,700 --> 03:30:41,200
Cotton Mather, the famous 
Puritan Minister wrote 

3930
03:30:41,200 --> 03:30:44,600
extensively about the storms 
interpreting them through a 

3931
03:30:44,600 --> 03:30:48,000
religious lens while also 
providing details meteorological

3932
03:30:48,000 --> 03:30:51,400
observations. 
His accounts described snow 

3933
03:30:51,400 --> 03:30:55,800
debts drift patterns and the 
challenges of daily life with 

3934
03:30:55,800 --> 03:30:58,600
the Precision of someone who 
understood this was historically

3935
03:30:58,600 --> 03:31:02,300
significant. other written 
records are more personal and 

3936
03:31:02,300 --> 03:31:06,000
immediate one woman wrote about 
the strange intimacy of being 

3937
03:31:06,000 --> 03:31:09,200
confined with a family for 
weeks, how they learned things 

3938
03:31:09,200 --> 03:31:12,300
about each other that years of 
normal life had never revealed 

3939
03:31:13,100 --> 03:31:16,200
Another describe the terror of 
hearing the roof Creek, under 

3940
03:31:16,200 --> 03:31:20,300
the weight of snow wondering, if
each Creek might be the one that

3941
03:31:20,300 --> 03:31:23,500
proceeded collapse. 
A farmer. 

3942
03:31:23,500 --> 03:31:26,400
Catalogued his livestock losses 
with the resignation of someone 

3943
03:31:26,400 --> 03:31:29,900
who understood that, survival, 
sometimes meant accepting 

3944
03:31:29,900 --> 03:31:33,900
things, you couldn't control. 
The economic impact of the great

3945
03:31:33,900 --> 03:31:35,900
snow rippled through New, 
England for months. 

3946
03:31:36,800 --> 03:31:40,400
Spring planting was delayed 
which meant smaller harvests in 

3947
03:31:40,408 --> 03:31:43,300
the fall lost livestock had to 
be replaced. 

3948
03:31:43,300 --> 03:31:46,600
A significant expense for 
families whose margins were 

3949
03:31:46,600 --> 03:31:49,500
already thin. 
Buildings, needed repairs, 

3950
03:31:49,500 --> 03:31:51,300
Gardens. 
That have been carefully 

3951
03:31:51,300 --> 03:31:55,100
established over years were 
damaged or destroyed and needed 

3952
03:31:55,100 --> 03:31:59,400
to be started from scratch. 
The snow had essentially reset 

3953
03:31:59,400 --> 03:32:03,200
progress for many families. 
Forcing them to rebuild what had

3954
03:32:03,200 --> 03:32:05,600
been lost. 
But there were unexpected 

3955
03:32:05,600 --> 03:32:08,700
benefits as well. 
The Deep snowpack meant 

3956
03:32:08,700 --> 03:32:11,000
exceptional, water availability 
through the summer. 

3957
03:32:11,800 --> 03:32:15,600
Wells, that sometimes ran low 
stayed full streams that 

3958
03:32:15,600 --> 03:32:17,400
occasionally dried up, kept 
flowing. 

3959
03:32:18,300 --> 03:32:21,100
The moisture in the soil 
produced crops that despite the 

3960
03:32:21,100 --> 03:32:25,100
late start grew with unusual 
Vigor nature, having delivered 

3961
03:32:25,100 --> 03:32:29,100
an unprecedented winter. 
Apparently decided to compensate

3962
03:32:29,100 --> 03:32:31,200
with an uncommonly productive 
growing season. 

3963
03:32:31,200 --> 03:32:35,200
The shared experience of 
surviving the great snow created

3964
03:32:35,200 --> 03:32:38,100
social bonds that transcended 
previous division's. 

3965
03:32:39,100 --> 03:32:41,700
Disputes between neighbors, 
seemed Petty and light of what 

3966
03:32:41,708 --> 03:32:44,900
everyone had endured together. 
Communities that have been 

3967
03:32:44,908 --> 03:32:49,100
fractious, found new Unity. 
People who had survived the same

3968
03:32:49,100 --> 03:32:52,700
ordeal developed a kinship that 
came from understanding, what it

3969
03:32:52,700 --> 03:32:56,600
meant to face nature at its most
imposing and come through the 

3970
03:32:56,600 --> 03:32:59,100
other side. 
Children who lived through the 

3971
03:32:59,100 --> 03:33:01,500
great snow would carry its 
memory for the rest of their 

3972
03:33:01,500 --> 03:33:03,200
lives. 
For them. 

3973
03:33:03,208 --> 03:33:07,800
It became the dividing line 
between before and after the 

3974
03:33:07,800 --> 03:33:10,100
event that marked their 
transition from childhood. 

3975
03:33:10,100 --> 03:33:12,900
Innocence to an understanding 
that the world could be both 

3976
03:33:12,900 --> 03:33:16,600
beautiful and dangerous. 
Some would develop a lifelong 

3977
03:33:16,600 --> 03:33:19,800
wearing of winter, always 
preparing more than necessary. 

3978
03:33:19,800 --> 03:33:24,600
Always worried that another such
storm might arise Others, would 

3979
03:33:24,600 --> 03:33:28,000
remember it with a strange 
Nostalgia recalling. 

3980
03:33:28,000 --> 03:33:30,500
The adventure and excitement of 
living through something 

3981
03:33:30,500 --> 03:33:33,600
extraordinary. 
The physical evidence of the 

3982
03:33:33,600 --> 03:33:35,900
great snow lasted, surprisingly 
long. 

3983
03:33:36,700 --> 03:33:40,000
Those massive piles of plowed 
snow in Boston, melted slowly 

3984
03:33:40,000 --> 03:33:43,400
through the summer. 
Creating muddy pools that became

3985
03:33:43,400 --> 03:33:46,500
unofficial swimming holes for 
children and nuisance for 

3986
03:33:46,500 --> 03:33:49,400
everyone else. 
Some snow remained in deep 

3987
03:33:49,400 --> 03:33:53,500
shaded valleys well into June. 
Stubborn patches of winter 

3988
03:33:53,500 --> 03:33:55,800
refusing to admit that spring 
had won. 

3989
03:33:56,400 --> 03:33:59,500
Trees that had been damaged by 
the weight of snow or scars 

3990
03:33:59,500 --> 03:34:03,700
visible for years afterward. 
Bent trunks, missing branches 

3991
03:34:03,700 --> 03:34:07,200
and growth patterns that marked 
where they'd been broken and 

3992
03:34:07,200 --> 03:34:10,200
healed. 
Architecture changed subtly in 

3993
03:34:10,208 --> 03:34:13,400
response to the great snow. 
New buildings were constructed 

3994
03:34:13,400 --> 03:34:16,100
with steeper roofs to shed snow 
more effectively. 

3995
03:34:16,900 --> 03:34:20,500
Barns were reinforced with 
additional supports storage. 

3996
03:34:20,500 --> 03:34:23,400
Buildings were designed with 
better access during High snow 

3997
03:34:23,400 --> 03:34:26,400
conditions. 
These weren't dramatic changes 

3998
03:34:26,400 --> 03:34:29,000
but they reflected a 
recalibration of what new 

3999
03:34:29,000 --> 03:34:30,800
englanders understood winter 
could do. 

4000
03:34:31,700 --> 03:34:34,700
They'd been reminded that nature
could exceed their expectations 

4001
03:34:34,700 --> 03:34:37,100
and they adjusted their plans 
accordingly. 

4002
03:34:38,400 --> 03:34:42,400
The great snow entered folklore,
almost immediately stories, 

4003
03:34:42,400 --> 03:34:46,100
began to circulate that probably
had some basis and truth, but 

4004
03:34:46,100 --> 03:34:47,700
grew more elaborate with each 
telling. 

4005
03:34:48,600 --> 03:34:51,700
Tales of people walking over 
houses without realizing they 

4006
03:34:51,700 --> 03:34:54,300
were there. 
A chance of deer being found 

4007
03:34:54,300 --> 03:34:58,400
Frozen in standing positions 
preserved in ice like statues. 

4008
03:34:59,300 --> 03:35:03,700
Stories of tunnels collapsing 
and miraculous rescues of Supply

4009
03:35:03,700 --> 03:35:07,800
is running out just as a Thor 
allowed resupply of proper 

4010
03:35:07,800 --> 03:35:10,800
denchel inventions that save 
families from disaster. 

4011
03:35:11,800 --> 03:35:15,600
Some stories focused on human 
Ingenuity and creativity under 

4012
03:35:15,600 --> 03:35:18,300
pressure. 
The man who fashioned snowshoes 

4013
03:35:18,300 --> 03:35:21,600
from barrel staves and managed 
to walk across drifts that 

4014
03:35:21,600 --> 03:35:25,200
swallowed everyone else Family 
that rationed their food. 

4015
03:35:25,200 --> 03:35:28,400
So carefully they ended the 
ordeal with supplies to spare. 

4016
03:35:29,100 --> 03:35:32,100
The woman who kept her family 
spirits up through the darkest 

4017
03:35:32,100 --> 03:35:35,100
days with nothing but stories 
and songs. 

4018
03:35:35,800 --> 03:35:38,500
These Tales celebrated, the 
resilience and resourcefulness 

4019
03:35:38,500 --> 03:35:40,800
that had allowed the community 
to survive. 

4020
03:35:41,600 --> 03:35:44,900
Other stories had a darker tone 
acknowledging, the losses, and 

4021
03:35:44,900 --> 03:35:48,600
the moments of despair. 
The Traveler was found Frozen 

4022
03:35:48,600 --> 03:35:52,600
halfway between settlements his 
final thoughts, unknown. 

4023
03:35:54,200 --> 03:35:57,000
The elderly couple who simply 
didn't have the strength to 

4024
03:35:57,000 --> 03:35:59,500
endure another month of cold and
hardship. 

4025
03:36:00,400 --> 03:36:03,400
The animals that died despite 
their owners best efforts. 

4026
03:36:04,100 --> 03:36:07,700
He stories served as reminders 
that survival had come at a cost

4027
03:36:07,700 --> 03:36:11,900
and that luck played as much a 
role as preparation or strength.

4028
03:36:12,500 --> 03:36:15,700
The great snow also entered 
religious discourse in ways that

4029
03:36:15,700 --> 03:36:18,200
reflected the theological debate
of the era. 

4030
03:36:19,000 --> 03:36:21,700
Some ministers used it as 
evidence, of divine displeasure,

4031
03:36:21,700 --> 03:36:25,600
pointing to specific sins, they 
believed to triggered God's 

4032
03:36:25,600 --> 03:36:28,600
judgment. 
Others saw as a test at the 

4033
03:36:28,608 --> 03:36:32,400
community had passed evidence of
their faith and righteousness. 

4034
03:36:33,400 --> 03:36:36,600
Still others argued. 
It was simply whether remarkable

4035
03:36:36,600 --> 03:36:40,600
but natural and that attributing
moral significance to 

4036
03:36:40,608 --> 03:36:42,800
meteorology was perhaps missing 
the point. 

4037
03:36:43,700 --> 03:36:46,100
These debates, probably 
mattered, less to the average 

4038
03:36:46,100 --> 03:36:48,900
colonists than the Practical 
question of whether they're 

4039
03:36:48,900 --> 03:36:50,300
chickens would start laying 
again. 

4040
03:36:51,100 --> 03:36:54,300
Scientific observation in the 
early 18th century was informal 

4041
03:36:54,300 --> 03:36:58,200
and often mixed with folklore. 
But the great snow prompted, 

4042
03:36:58,200 --> 03:37:00,600
some genuine attempts to 
understand what had happened. 

4043
03:37:01,500 --> 03:37:05,200
People compared experiences, 
trying to establish patterns in 

4044
03:37:05,200 --> 03:37:09,300
snowfall and drift formation. 
They noticed that certain areas 

4045
03:37:09,300 --> 03:37:13,200
consistently received more or 
less know that wind patterns 

4046
03:37:13,200 --> 03:37:16,600
created predictable drift 
locations and let temperature 

4047
03:37:16,600 --> 03:37:18,800
fluctuations in Florence snow 
quality. 

4048
03:37:20,000 --> 03:37:24,000
This informal meteorology wooden
impress modern scientists, but 

4049
03:37:24,000 --> 03:37:26,800
it represented colonists trying 
to make sense of their world 

4050
03:37:26,800 --> 03:37:31,500
through observation and reason. 
The great snows Legacy extended 

4051
03:37:31,500 --> 03:37:35,800
Beyond New England. news of the 
extraordinary, winter to other 

4052
03:37:35,800 --> 03:37:39,600
colonies and eventually to 
England where it was received 

4053
03:37:39,600 --> 03:37:44,200
with a mixed of sympathy and 
skepticism, English readers 

4054
03:37:44,200 --> 03:37:48,400
accustomed to milder Winters 
struggled to imagine 20 feet of 

4055
03:37:48,400 --> 03:37:51,500
snow. 
Some assumed the accounts were 

4056
03:37:51,500 --> 03:37:54,800
exaggerated, surely the 
colonists were embellishing for 

4057
03:37:54,800 --> 03:37:58,700
effect. 
This skepticism frustrated new 

4058
03:37:58,700 --> 03:38:02,100
englanders who knew exactly how 
extraordinary their experience 

4059
03:38:02,100 --> 03:38:04,700
had been and resented having it 
questioned by people. 

4060
03:38:04,700 --> 03:38:09,300
Who'd never seen snow that deep.
In the decades that followed the

4061
03:38:09,300 --> 03:38:12,900
great snow became a benchmark. 
Other harsh Winters were 

4062
03:38:12,900 --> 03:38:19,200
compared to it and found wanting
bad but not 1717 bad became a 

4063
03:38:19,200 --> 03:38:22,700
common refrain. 
The event established a ceiling 

4064
03:38:22,700 --> 03:38:25,900
for what winter could do. 
A worst case scenario that 

4065
03:38:25,900 --> 03:38:30,100
seemed unlikely to be repeated 
And In Deed while New England 

4066
03:38:30,100 --> 03:38:35,100
has experienced many harsh 
Winters in 1717, none have quite

4067
03:38:35,100 --> 03:38:38,600
matched that remarkable season 
when the sky opened and didn't 

4068
03:38:38,600 --> 03:38:42,200
closed for nearly a month. 
As you sit here in your climate 

4069
03:38:42,200 --> 03:38:45,700
control Comfort, perhaps with a 
warm drink and a soft blanket. 

4070
03:38:46,700 --> 03:38:49,700
It's worth reflecting on what 
the great snow can teach us 

4071
03:38:49,700 --> 03:38:53,600
about resilience community and 
the human relationship with 

4072
03:38:53,600 --> 03:38:56,800
nature. 
We're separated from those 

4073
03:38:56,800 --> 03:38:59,200
Colonial. 
New englanders by over three 

4074
03:38:59,200 --> 03:39:02,200
centuries. 
Countless technological advances

4075
03:39:02,200 --> 03:39:05,000
and such dramatic changes in 
daily life. 

4076
03:39:05,000 --> 03:39:07,100
That they'd barely recognize our
world. 

4077
03:39:08,200 --> 03:39:11,400
Yet their experience speaks to 
something Timeless about how 

4078
03:39:11,400 --> 03:39:14,200
people cope with circumstances 
beyond their control. 

4079
03:39:15,000 --> 03:39:18,500
The colonists of 1717 didn't 
have weather forecasting, 

4080
03:39:18,500 --> 03:39:22,000
climate control, instant 
communication or any of the 

4081
03:39:22,000 --> 03:39:24,600
Technologies, we can consider 
essential for dealing with harsh

4082
03:39:24,600 --> 03:39:26,900
weather. 
What they had was knowledge 

4083
03:39:26,900 --> 03:39:31,200
passed down through generations,
strong Community, bonds are 

4084
03:39:31,200 --> 03:39:34,100
remarkable tolerance for 
discomfort and an understanding 

4085
03:39:34,100 --> 03:39:38,700
that survival sometimes meant 
simply enduring When faced with 

4086
03:39:38,700 --> 03:39:42,500
unprecedented circumstances, 
they adapted improvised and 

4087
03:39:42,500 --> 03:39:44,700
supported each other through the
crisis. 

4088
03:39:45,500 --> 03:39:48,300
There's something almost 
enviable about the Simplicity of

4089
03:39:48,300 --> 03:39:51,200
their challenges. 
Not enviable in the sense that 

4090
03:39:51,200 --> 03:39:54,100
we'd want to experience what 
they did spending weeks. 

4091
03:39:54,100 --> 03:39:56,400
Trapped in a cold house within 
adequate food. 

4092
03:39:56,400 --> 03:40:00,000
While buried under 20 feet of 
snow sounds terrible. 

4093
03:40:00,000 --> 03:40:03,600
No matter how you frame it but 
then viable in its directness 

4094
03:40:04,600 --> 03:40:08,300
The problems were clear. 
Stay warm, stay fed, keep 

4095
03:40:08,300 --> 03:40:10,500
animals alive and wait for 
spring. 

4096
03:40:11,900 --> 03:40:14,500
The solutions while difficult 
were equally clear. 

4097
03:40:15,200 --> 03:40:18,700
There was no ambiguity about 
what needed doing Modern Life. 

4098
03:40:18,700 --> 03:40:22,000
Rarely offers, such clarity. 
Our challenges are often 

4099
03:40:22,000 --> 03:40:25,200
abstract long-term and difficult
to Define precisely. 

4100
03:40:26,400 --> 03:40:30,900
Climate change, economic 
uncertainty social division. 

4101
03:40:31,600 --> 03:40:35,200
These are the storms we face now
and they don't have the simple 

4102
03:40:35,200 --> 03:40:39,800
directness of too much snow. 
We can't tunnel through them or 

4103
03:40:39,800 --> 03:40:43,300
wait for them to melt. the 
colonists who survived the great

4104
03:40:43,300 --> 03:40:45,900
snow have the advantage of 
knowing their ordeal had a 

4105
03:40:45,908 --> 03:40:50,000
definite endpoint Venturi spring
would arrive in the snow would 

4106
03:40:50,000 --> 03:40:54,200
melt They just had to last until
then perhaps we can learn 

4107
03:40:54,200 --> 03:40:56,200
something from how they approach
their crisis. 

4108
03:40:57,000 --> 03:40:59,700
They didn't waste energy 
complaining about the Injustice 

4109
03:40:59,700 --> 03:41:03,300
of the situation or debating, 
whether the snow was really that

4110
03:41:03,300 --> 03:41:06,600
deep or speculating about 
whether better leadership could 

4111
03:41:06,600 --> 03:41:10,200
have prevented it. 
They accepted the reality they 

4112
03:41:10,200 --> 03:41:14,000
face and focused on what they 
could control their own actions,

4113
03:41:14,000 --> 03:41:16,400
their family's welfare and their
neighbor's needs. 

4114
03:41:17,200 --> 03:41:20,200
There's wisdom in that 
acceptance and choosing to work 

4115
03:41:20,200 --> 03:41:24,600
with reality rather than arguing
with it The community bond 

4116
03:41:24,600 --> 03:41:27,800
strengthened, by the great snow 
offer another lesson modern 

4117
03:41:27,800 --> 03:41:31,100
society, often prioritizes 
individual achievement and 

4118
03:41:31,100 --> 03:41:34,600
self-sufficiency in ways that 
Colonial new englanders, would 

4119
03:41:34,600 --> 03:41:38,400
find both bizarre and dangerous.
They understood that survival 

4120
03:41:38,400 --> 03:41:41,200
depended on community on 
neighbors, helping each other 

4121
03:41:41,208 --> 03:41:44,200
and on sharing resources and 
knowledge and labor. 

4122
03:41:45,000 --> 03:41:48,400
The great snow reinforce these 
bonds by making their importance

4123
03:41:48,400 --> 03:41:51,500
undeniable. 
You survived not just through 

4124
03:41:51,500 --> 03:41:54,800
your own efforts but through the
web of relationships that 

4125
03:41:54,800 --> 03:41:58,000
connected you to others with a 
world, where such 

4126
03:41:58,000 --> 03:42:01,800
interdependence is less visible.
Your heat comes from distant 

4127
03:42:01,800 --> 03:42:05,400
power plants or gas lines. 
Your food comes from industrial 

4128
03:42:05,400 --> 03:42:07,800
Farms, hundreds or thousands of 
miles away. 

4129
03:42:07,800 --> 03:42:11,400
Your water arrives through 
underground pipes from treatment

4130
03:42:11,400 --> 03:42:15,100
facilities, you've never seen 
this system is remarkably 

4131
03:42:15,100 --> 03:42:19,300
efficient, but it obscures the 
reality that we're just as 

4132
03:42:19,300 --> 03:42:23,600
dependent on others as those 
Colonial families were We've 

4133
03:42:23,600 --> 03:42:27,100
just outsourced that dependence 
to systems so large and complex 

4134
03:42:27,100 --> 03:42:29,100
that we forget their there until
they fail. 

4135
03:42:30,000 --> 03:42:32,800
The great snow also reminds us 
of Nature's power and 

4136
03:42:32,800 --> 03:42:35,300
indifference. 
The storms didn't care about 

4137
03:42:35,300 --> 03:42:37,500
human plans or needs or 
survival. 

4138
03:42:38,200 --> 03:42:41,800
They want punishment or tests or
lessons, they were whether 

4139
03:42:41,800 --> 03:42:45,300
operating according to 
atmospheric physics, that has no

4140
03:42:45,300 --> 03:42:48,600
concern for whether humans, find
the results convenient. 

4141
03:42:49,600 --> 03:42:52,600
Colonial new englanders. 
Understood this at a visceral 

4142
03:42:52,600 --> 03:42:54,700
level that modern people often 
don't. 

4143
03:42:55,600 --> 03:42:59,000
They lived much closer to 
Nature's raw power and had fewer

4144
03:42:59,000 --> 03:43:01,300
buffers between the cells and 
its effects. 

4145
03:43:02,100 --> 03:43:05,900
Our technology has given us 
unprecedented ability to predict

4146
03:43:05,900 --> 03:43:09,600
prepare for and protect 
ourselves from natural events. 

4147
03:43:10,400 --> 03:43:14,000
We have weather satellites, 
climate models building codes, 

4148
03:43:14,000 --> 03:43:17,800
emergency services and 
infrastructure designed to 

4149
03:43:17,800 --> 03:43:21,600
handle extreme conditions. 
These are real advantages that 

4150
03:43:21,600 --> 03:43:25,200
save countless lives. 
But they can also create an 

4151
03:43:25,200 --> 03:43:26,900
illusion of control that doesn't
match. 

4152
03:43:26,900 --> 03:43:30,700
Reality nature retains the 
ability to overwhelm our 

4153
03:43:30,700 --> 03:43:33,100
preparations as hurricanes 
floods wildfires. 

4154
03:43:33,100 --> 03:43:37,200
And yes occasionally severe. 
Winter storms, continue to 

4155
03:43:37,200 --> 03:43:40,900
demonstrate. there's also 
something to be said about the 

4156
03:43:40,900 --> 03:43:45,100
pace of Life, the great snow in 
forced For weeks columns had 

4157
03:43:45,108 --> 03:43:48,600
nothing to do but exists with 
their families maintain basic 

4158
03:43:48,600 --> 03:43:52,200
necessities and wait. 
No, rushing to appointments 

4159
03:43:52,200 --> 03:43:57,500
know, checking devices know, 
consuming media, no busy work. 

4160
03:43:57,500 --> 03:43:59,100
That creates the illusion of 
productivity. 

4161
03:44:00,500 --> 03:44:03,700
Just being in the most 
fundamental sense. 

4162
03:44:04,700 --> 03:44:08,400
Many people who have experienced
similar Force, slowing, whether 

4163
03:44:08,400 --> 03:44:11,900
through illness isolation or 
circumstance. 

4164
03:44:12,500 --> 03:44:17,200
Report that while difficult it 
provided unexpected insights and

4165
03:44:17,200 --> 03:44:21,200
a recalibration of priorities, 
the stories that emerge from the

4166
03:44:21,200 --> 03:44:24,400
great snow highlight, Humanity's
need to make meaning from 

4167
03:44:24,400 --> 03:44:28,600
experienced, people didn't just 
survive the storms, they needed 

4168
03:44:28,600 --> 03:44:31,900
to understand them to fit them 
into narrative, that make sense 

4169
03:44:31,900 --> 03:44:35,000
of their world. 
Some narrative were religious 

4170
03:44:35,000 --> 03:44:39,200
others practical and still 
others focused on human heroism 

4171
03:44:39,200 --> 03:44:41,800
or failure. 
What matters isn't which 

4172
03:44:41,800 --> 03:44:45,900
interpretation was correct. 
But the creating these stories 

4173
03:44:45,900 --> 03:44:49,200
helped people process their 
experience and pass its lessons 

4174
03:44:49,200 --> 03:44:52,900
to Future Generations in our 
owner of Rapid change. 

4175
03:44:52,900 --> 03:44:56,400
And uncertainty were creating 
similar stories to make sense of

4176
03:44:56,400 --> 03:44:59,800
our experience is, we argue 
about their meaning, their 

4177
03:44:59,800 --> 03:45:03,200
implications and their lessons. 
Like those Colonial new 

4178
03:45:03,200 --> 03:45:06,400
englanders were trying to 
understand events that exceed 

4179
03:45:06,400 --> 03:45:08,200
our previous Frameworks for 
comprehension. 

4180
03:45:09,000 --> 03:45:11,500
Their arguments about whether 
the great snow was divine 

4181
03:45:11,500 --> 03:45:14,900
judgment or natural weather, 
mirror our debates about current

4182
03:45:14,900 --> 03:45:17,900
challenges, we're all just 
trying to make sense of things 

4183
03:45:17,900 --> 03:45:20,500
that don't fit comfortably into 
our existing understanding. 

4184
03:45:21,600 --> 03:45:24,500
The great snows eventual end 
offers the most important 

4185
03:45:24,500 --> 03:45:27,400
lesson. 
Hard times do end. 

4186
03:45:28,200 --> 03:45:32,200
Spring did arrive the snow. 
Did melt life did return to 

4187
03:45:32,200 --> 03:45:35,600
normal or at least to a new 
normal shape by the experience. 

4188
03:45:36,700 --> 03:45:39,000
For people in the midst of 
Crisis, this can be hard to 

4189
03:45:39,000 --> 03:45:42,600
believe when you're trapped 
under 20 feet of snow with 

4190
03:45:42,600 --> 03:45:44,800
dwindling supplies and no 
certain end date. 

4191
03:45:44,800 --> 03:45:47,000
It's difficult to maintain 
faith. 

4192
03:45:47,000 --> 03:45:49,100
That better days are coming, but
they came. 

4193
03:45:49,100 --> 03:45:53,300
Anyway, as they generally do, 
this isn't to your optimism or 

4194
03:45:53,300 --> 03:45:57,000
toxic positivity. 
It's simply an observation based

4195
03:45:57,000 --> 03:46:00,100
on history. 
Humans are remarkably good at 

4196
03:46:00,100 --> 03:46:03,600
surviving difficult 
circumstances, adapting to new 

4197
03:46:03,600 --> 03:46:06,300
realities and rebuilding after 
disasters. 

4198
03:46:07,400 --> 03:46:10,100
We've done it. 
Countless times in countless 

4199
03:46:10,100 --> 03:46:12,600
places. 
Facing challenges that seemed 

4200
03:46:12,600 --> 03:46:16,200
insurmountable and they were 
surmounted The colonists who 

4201
03:46:16,200 --> 03:46:18,900
survived the great snow didn't 
have any special abilities. 

4202
03:46:18,900 --> 03:46:22,200
We lack, they were ordinary 
people who found themselves in 

4203
03:46:22,200 --> 03:46:25,900
extraordinary circumstances and 
did what needed to do in until 

4204
03:46:25,900 --> 03:46:29,700
the circumstances changed. 
As we come to the end of our 

4205
03:46:29,700 --> 03:46:31,400
journey through that remarkable 
winter. 

4206
03:46:31,400 --> 03:46:34,800
It's time to settle deeper into 
your comfortable spot. 

4207
03:46:34,800 --> 03:46:38,700
And let the story find its 
resting place in your mind. 

4208
03:46:40,200 --> 03:46:44,100
The great snow of 1717 happened 
over three centuries ago. 

4209
03:46:44,900 --> 03:46:48,100
But it's lessons remain as 
relevant as fresh snowfall. 

4210
03:46:48,900 --> 03:46:52,400
Those Colonial families living 
through week, after week of 

4211
03:46:52,408 --> 03:46:55,900
isolation and uncertainty. 
Probably didn't feel 

4212
03:46:55,900 --> 03:47:00,700
particularly heroic. 
They felt cold tired, worried, 

4213
03:47:00,700 --> 03:47:04,100
and thoroughly sick of being 
trapped indoors with the same 

4214
03:47:04,100 --> 03:47:08,000
people, eating the same food and
having the same conversations. 

4215
03:47:08,800 --> 03:47:12,700
Heroism like most important 
human qualities is usually just 

4216
03:47:12,700 --> 03:47:15,700
ordinary people doing what needs
doing without much. 

4217
03:47:15,700 --> 03:47:17,800
Thought about how it looks to 
others or history. 

4218
03:47:17,800 --> 03:47:21,400
The physical evidence of the 
great snow has long since melted

4219
03:47:21,400 --> 03:47:24,100
away. 
The drifts that seemed permanent

4220
03:47:24,100 --> 03:47:26,800
proved as temporary as all snow,
eventually must be. 

4221
03:47:27,700 --> 03:47:31,100
The damage was repaired the 
losses mourned and moved past 

4222
03:47:31,100 --> 03:47:35,200
and the extraordinary slowly 
absorbed into ordinary life's 

4223
03:47:35,200 --> 03:47:38,800
continuing flow. 
What remains are the stories 

4224
03:47:38,800 --> 03:47:43,400
passed down and reshaped with 
each generation and the quiet 

4225
03:47:43,400 --> 03:47:46,500
knowledge that humans can endure
a remarkably difficult 

4226
03:47:46,500 --> 03:47:51,200
circumstances when necessary 
Tonight, as you drift towards 

4227
03:47:51,200 --> 03:47:54,700
sleeping, your warm bed, you 
might spare a thought for those 

4228
03:47:54,700 --> 03:47:58,200
Colonial families huddled around
their fires, waiting for a 

4229
03:47:58,200 --> 03:48:00,600
winter. 
That seemed endless to finally 

4230
03:48:00,600 --> 03:48:04,500
release its grip. 
They made it through spring 

4231
03:48:04,500 --> 03:48:08,300
arrived. 
Life continued, the snow despite

4232
03:48:08,300 --> 03:48:12,200
its overwhelming presence was 
ultimately just weather and 

4233
03:48:12,200 --> 03:48:13,900
weather. 
Always changes eventually. 

4234
03:48:15,300 --> 03:48:17,000
There's comfort in that 
persistence. 

4235
03:48:17,000 --> 03:48:21,100
In the knowledge that difficult 
times pass and seasons change 

4236
03:48:21,100 --> 03:48:26,100
and life finds ways to continue.
The great snow was exceptional. 

4237
03:48:26,800 --> 03:48:30,300
But what's truly remarkable is 
how people lived through it, not

4238
03:48:30,300 --> 03:48:33,200
through any special magic or 
Supernatural intervention. 

4239
03:48:33,200 --> 03:48:37,300
But through the ordinary magic 
of human resilience community 

4240
03:48:37,300 --> 03:48:41,900
support and simple, stubborn 
refusal to give up Sleep. 

4241
03:48:41,900 --> 03:48:44,900
Well knowing that whatever 
storms we face in our own lives.

4242
03:48:44,900 --> 03:48:48,000
Spring does eventually arrived 
the snow does melt. 

4243
03:48:48,000 --> 03:48:51,300
The world does return to green 
and growth and warmth. 

4244
03:48:52,000 --> 03:48:55,000
And the stories we tell about 
how we survived become part of 

4245
03:48:55,000 --> 03:48:58,400
the continuous human narrative, 
that stretches from those 

4246
03:48:58,400 --> 03:49:02,100
Colonial families to us. 
And from us to whoever will 

4247
03:49:02,100 --> 03:49:06,200
listen to these tales in 
centuries to come The great snow

4248
03:49:06,200 --> 03:49:09,000
of 1717 is waiting for you in 
dreams. 

4249
03:49:09,000 --> 03:49:13,800
If you want to visit All that 
white silence, all that forced 

4250
03:49:13,800 --> 03:49:17,400
Stillness, all those small human
moments of survival and 

4251
03:49:17,400 --> 03:49:21,000
community and endurance. 
But your experiencing it from 

4252
03:49:21,000 --> 03:49:24,800
the warm side of History, which 
is exactly where you should be 

4253
03:49:24,800 --> 03:49:28,700
rest. 
Easy, tomorrow will come as it 

4254
03:49:28,700 --> 03:49:33,400
always does, bringing whatever 
it brings, And if you wait to 

4255
03:49:33,400 --> 03:49:36,500
find snow outside your own 
window, you can smile knowing it

4256
03:49:36,500 --> 03:49:38,400
probably won't reach the Second 
Story. 

4257
03:49:39,200 --> 03:49:47,200
Probably. 
Close your eyes and imagine the 

4258
03:49:47,200 --> 03:49:50,400
night sky over ancient China, 
sometime around the seventh 

4259
03:49:50,400 --> 03:49:53,300
century. 
There are no streetlights, no 

4260
03:49:53,300 --> 03:49:57,300
neon signs and no glow from 
smartphones or television 

4261
03:49:57,300 --> 03:49:59,200
screens filtering through 
curtains. 

4262
03:50:00,200 --> 03:50:03,300
The darkness here is complete in
a way that most of us have never

4263
03:50:03,300 --> 03:50:07,200
experienced broken. 
Only by oil lamps flickering in 

4264
03:50:07,200 --> 03:50:11,800
Windows and the vast sweep of 
stars overhead, So many stars 

4265
03:50:11,800 --> 03:50:15,500
that the Milky Way looks like 
spilled rice across black silk. 

4266
03:50:16,800 --> 03:50:19,700
In this world night meant 
something different than it does

4267
03:50:19,700 --> 03:50:23,400
for you now. 
When the sun set over the tiled 

4268
03:50:23,400 --> 03:50:26,800
roofs and winding Rivers, most 
people simply stopped their 

4269
03:50:26,800 --> 03:50:29,300
work. 
Farmers returned to their homes,

4270
03:50:29,300 --> 03:50:33,800
markets closed, the Rhythm of 
Life, followed the sun because 

4271
03:50:33,800 --> 03:50:38,100
working after dark was difficult
expensive, and frankly 

4272
03:50:38,100 --> 03:50:41,200
exhausting when you're only 
light source required constant 

4273
03:50:41,200 --> 03:50:45,800
feeding with oil or tallow But 
in certain workshops scattered 

4274
03:50:45,800 --> 03:50:48,700
throughout the Empire lights 
still burned long after sunset. 

4275
03:50:49,900 --> 03:50:51,900
These were the spaces of 
Alchemists. 

4276
03:50:52,500 --> 03:50:54,500
Not the magical Wizards. 
You might pick picture from 

4277
03:50:54,500 --> 03:50:57,700
fantasy novels but something 
closer to the chemists and 

4278
03:50:57,700 --> 03:51:00,300
pharmacists of their time 
though, they would have been 

4279
03:51:00,300 --> 03:51:04,000
puzzled by those modern terms. 
These practitioners mix 

4280
03:51:04,000 --> 03:51:08,800
substance is heated materials, 
ground minerals into powders and

4281
03:51:08,800 --> 03:51:11,700
recorded their observations, 
with the kind of meticulous care

4282
03:51:11,700 --> 03:51:14,300
that would make a modern 
scientists in approval. 

4283
03:51:15,600 --> 03:51:18,600
The Alchemist worked by 
Lamplight, their faces 

4284
03:51:18,600 --> 03:51:22,100
illuminated by small Flames, 
that cast Dancing Shadows on 

4285
03:51:22,100 --> 03:51:26,900
walls covered with shells. 
These shells held ceramic jars 

4286
03:51:26,900 --> 03:51:30,000
and bamboo containers. 
Each carefully labeled in 

4287
03:51:30,000 --> 03:51:32,400
characters that described their 
contents. 

4288
03:51:33,200 --> 03:51:37,500
Sulfur from volcanic regions 
salt, peter gathered from cave 

4289
03:51:37,500 --> 03:51:41,100
walls and charcoal ground from 
specific types of wood. 

4290
03:51:42,000 --> 03:51:44,700
The air in these workshops 
carried a distinctive smell 

4291
03:51:44,700 --> 03:51:48,400
earthy. 
Mineral slightly accurate with 

4292
03:51:48,400 --> 03:51:52,300
occasional sweet notes from 
various plant materials, You 

4293
03:51:52,300 --> 03:51:54,600
need to understand that these 
people weren't trying to invent 

4294
03:51:54,600 --> 03:51:57,400
fireworks. 
That thought hadn't occurred to 

4295
03:51:57,400 --> 03:51:59,600
anyone because fireworks didn't 
exist yet. 

4296
03:51:59,600 --> 03:52:03,000
The Alchemists were pursuing 
something, that seemed far more 

4297
03:52:03,000 --> 03:52:06,600
practical and infinitely more 
important in mortality. 

4298
03:52:07,500 --> 03:52:10,800
Or at least they were seeking 
elixirs that might extend life, 

4299
03:52:10,800 --> 03:52:14,800
cure diseases or Grant, various 
forms of spiritual 

4300
03:52:14,800 --> 03:52:18,200
enlightenment. 
The idea that their experiments 

4301
03:52:18,200 --> 03:52:22,000
might produce spectacular 
entertainment, would have struck

4302
03:52:22,000 --> 03:52:25,000
them as a curious and probably 
disappointing outcome. 

4303
03:52:26,000 --> 03:52:29,200
Chinese alchemical tradition by 
this period had developed over 

4304
03:52:29,200 --> 03:52:33,000
centuries building on texts and 
teachings, passed from Masters 

4305
03:52:33,000 --> 03:52:36,800
to student in an unbroken chain 
of knowledge. these 

4306
03:52:36,800 --> 03:52:39,800
practitioners combined, what we 
might call, Proto chemistry with

4307
03:52:39,800 --> 03:52:44,300
philosophical, Concepts drawn 
from towers and Buddhism, They 

4308
03:52:44,300 --> 03:52:47,200
believe that by understanding 
and manipulating the fundamental

4309
03:52:47,200 --> 03:52:50,400
substances of the material 
world, they could achieve 

4310
03:52:50,400 --> 03:52:53,500
Transformations that extended 
beyond the merely physical. 

4311
03:52:54,400 --> 03:52:57,200
The night sky above these 
workshops held profound. 

4312
03:52:57,200 --> 03:53:01,300
Meaning in Chinese cosmology. 
Astronomers had been mapping the

4313
03:53:01,300 --> 03:53:04,900
heavens for thousands of years, 
recording the movements of 

4314
03:53:04,900 --> 03:53:08,500
planets and stars predicting, 
eclipses and weaving. 

4315
03:53:08,500 --> 03:53:11,200
Celestial observations into both
calendar keeping and 

4316
03:53:11,200 --> 03:53:15,400
philosophical understanding The 
idea that humans might one day 

4317
03:53:15,408 --> 03:53:17,700
at their own lights to the light
sky. 

4318
03:53:17,700 --> 03:53:21,600
Colorful, brilliant temporary 
flashes that existed purely for 

4319
03:53:21,600 --> 03:53:24,500
beauty. 
Would have seen like a peculiar 

4320
03:53:24,500 --> 03:53:28,500
form of hubris? 
And yet, that's exactly what was

4321
03:53:28,500 --> 03:53:32,600
about to happen in the quiet 
hours after midnight, when even 

4322
03:53:32,600 --> 03:53:35,400
the city's dogs, had finished 
their evening chorus and settled

4323
03:53:35,400 --> 03:53:38,100
in to sleep. 
Alchemist continued, their 

4324
03:53:38,100 --> 03:53:41,700
patient work. 
Heated substances and ceramic 

4325
03:53:41,700 --> 03:53:45,700
vessels watching how materials 
change color and texture under 

4326
03:53:45,708 --> 03:53:48,600
Flame. 
They mix powder in careful 

4327
03:53:48,600 --> 03:53:52,500
proportions, grinding components
together with pestles that have 

4328
03:53:52,500 --> 03:53:54,600
been smooth by generations of 
use. 

4329
03:53:55,500 --> 03:53:58,300
He wrote down their observations
and characters that flowed like 

4330
03:53:58,308 --> 03:54:02,200
water across paper or silk. 
Creating records that would be 

4331
03:54:02,208 --> 03:54:05,400
studied by students decades or 
centuries later. 

4332
03:54:06,800 --> 03:54:09,400
The temperature in these 
workshops varied with the season

4333
03:54:09,400 --> 03:54:13,400
in Winter, the furnaces provided
welcome warmth. 

4334
03:54:13,400 --> 03:54:16,800
And Alchemist might work through
the night in relative Comfort. 

4335
03:54:16,800 --> 03:54:21,200
The hands steady as they 
measured mixed. in summer, the 

4336
03:54:21,200 --> 03:54:24,500
heat from flames and furnaces 
made the work almost unbearable 

4337
03:54:24,500 --> 03:54:28,200
and practitioners often chose 
the cooler night hours for their

4338
03:54:28,200 --> 03:54:32,400
more delicate experiments 
working with Windows opened a 

4339
03:54:32,400 --> 03:54:35,800
catch what ever Breeze, might 
pass through the humid air What 

4340
03:54:35,800 --> 03:54:38,500
none of these night workers 
realized was that, they stood at

4341
03:54:38,500 --> 03:54:40,900
the edge of a discovery that 
would transform human 

4342
03:54:40,900 --> 03:54:45,600
celebration and self-expression 
in ways that would echo through 

4343
03:54:45,600 --> 03:54:50,300
the next Thousand Years. 
The substance is sitting in 

4344
03:54:50,300 --> 03:54:53,400
their jars, sulfur, salt peter 
and charcoal. 

4345
03:54:54,200 --> 03:54:57,300
Were waiting to teach Humanity, 
something new about light. 

4346
03:54:58,000 --> 03:55:02,000
Sound and the surprising beauty 
that can emerge from controlled 

4347
03:55:02,000 --> 03:55:05,500
combustion. 
The discovery requires more than

4348
03:55:05,500 --> 03:55:09,400
just the right materials. 
It requires patience careful, 

4349
03:55:09,400 --> 03:55:12,700
observation and often a 
willingness to recognize that 

4350
03:55:12,700 --> 03:55:16,300
you found something interesting,
even when it's not what you were

4351
03:55:16,300 --> 03:55:19,400
looking for. 
The Alchemist of Tang Dynasty. 

4352
03:55:19,400 --> 03:55:22,800
China, possessed, all these 
qualities in abundance along 

4353
03:55:22,800 --> 03:55:24,000
with something else. 
Crucial. 

4354
03:55:24,700 --> 03:55:28,400
They kept detailed records of 
their work allowing knowledge to

4355
03:55:28,400 --> 03:55:32,000
accumulate across Generations as
you drift deeper into 

4356
03:55:32,000 --> 03:55:35,300
relaxation. 
Imagine the sound of a pestle 

4357
03:55:35,300 --> 03:55:39,500
grinding against Stone, the soft
scratch of a brush recording 

4358
03:55:39,500 --> 03:55:43,200
observations and the gentle 
crackle of a small furnace 

4359
03:55:43,200 --> 03:55:47,900
maintaining steady Heat These 
were the sounds of inquiry of 

4360
03:55:47,900 --> 03:55:51,200
human curiosity pursuing 
understanding through direct 

4361
03:55:51,200 --> 03:55:53,100
investigation of the material 
world. 

4362
03:55:54,200 --> 03:55:57,300
In their quiet way. 
These sounds were the Prelude of

4363
03:55:57,300 --> 03:55:59,400
the spectacular explosions of 
color. 

4364
03:55:59,400 --> 03:56:02,400
That would one day, Mark 
festivals and celebrations 

4365
03:56:02,400 --> 03:56:05,200
around the world. 
Let's slow down and really 

4366
03:56:05,200 --> 03:56:08,100
observe what these Alchemists 
were doing because their daily 

4367
03:56:08,100 --> 03:56:10,800
practice was far more 
interesting than any dramatic 

4368
03:56:10,800 --> 03:56:14,400
explosion. 
In fact, the first steps toward 

4369
03:56:14,400 --> 03:56:17,600
fireworks were probably quite 
boring in the moment, which 

4370
03:56:17,600 --> 03:56:19,500
makes them perfect for our bed 
time, story. 

4371
03:56:20,800 --> 03:56:22,300
Picture yourself as an 
apprentice. 

4372
03:56:22,300 --> 03:56:25,600
In one of these workshops 
learning the craft from a master

4373
03:56:25,600 --> 03:56:28,700
who has spent decades studying 
the properties of materials. 

4374
03:56:29,500 --> 03:56:32,900
Your mornings begin with 
grinding, sulfur must be reduced

4375
03:56:32,900 --> 03:56:35,900
to a fine powder. 
Charcoal needs to be crushed to 

4376
03:56:35,900 --> 03:56:40,000
a consistency that looks almost 
like soot And salt peter 

4377
03:56:40,000 --> 03:56:43,900
requires patient pulverizing 
until it feels like Silk between

4378
03:56:43,900 --> 03:56:47,700
your fingers. 
This grinding work is meditative

4379
03:56:47,700 --> 03:56:50,800
in its repetition. 
The kind of task that allows 

4380
03:56:50,800 --> 03:56:53,700
your mind to wander while your 
hands maintain their steady 

4381
03:56:53,700 --> 03:56:57,000
rhythm. 
Sulfur arrived at the workshop. 

4382
03:56:57,000 --> 03:57:02,500
In lumpy yellow chunks that look
like strange cheese harvested 

4383
03:57:02,500 --> 03:57:05,400
from volcanic regions. 
Where the Earth itself seemed to

4384
03:57:05,400 --> 03:57:08,500
breed out this mineral. 
When you ground it. 

4385
03:57:08,500 --> 03:57:13,300
The smell was unmistakable. 
That distinctive sharp odor that

4386
03:57:13,300 --> 03:57:15,800
makes you think of hot springs 
and Volcanic vents. 

4387
03:57:16,600 --> 03:57:18,900
Scent that told your nose, 
something about the Earth in a 

4388
03:57:18,900 --> 03:57:21,700
chemistry, even if you couldn't 
articulate what? 

4389
03:57:21,700 --> 03:57:26,300
That something was Salt peter 
known to the Chinese as Chinese 

4390
03:57:26,300 --> 03:57:31,600
snow or fire drug. came from a 
more prosaic Source it 

4391
03:57:31,600 --> 03:57:35,800
crystallized on the walls of 
caves in certain types of soil 

4392
03:57:35,800 --> 03:57:39,500
and particularly around places 
where all organic material are 

4393
03:57:39,500 --> 03:57:43,300
decomposed over long periods, 
Collectors knew where to find 

4394
03:57:43,308 --> 03:57:47,300
the best deposits, often in 
caves that had sheltered bats or

4395
03:57:47,300 --> 03:57:50,800
other animals whose wasted 
contributed to the formation of 

4396
03:57:50,800 --> 03:57:52,600
these white, crystalline 
formations. 

4397
03:57:53,500 --> 03:57:55,800
When purified and dried 
saltpeter. 

4398
03:57:55,800 --> 03:57:59,000
Looked innocent enough, white 
crystals that you might mistake 

4399
03:57:59,000 --> 03:58:02,700
for salt if you didn't know 
better, Charcoal was perhaps the

4400
03:58:02,700 --> 03:58:06,100
most familiar of the three 
ingredients produced by the 

4401
03:58:06,100 --> 03:58:09,000
controlled burning of wood in 
low oxygen conditions. 

4402
03:58:10,000 --> 03:58:13,700
But not just any, charcoal would
do Alchemist learned through 

4403
03:58:13,700 --> 03:58:17,600
patient trial and error that 
charcoal from different Woods, 

4404
03:58:17,600 --> 03:58:21,100
had different properties. 
Willow, charcoal burned 

4405
03:58:21,100 --> 03:58:24,700
differently than Pine charcoal. 
The temperature at which the 

4406
03:58:24,700 --> 03:58:26,200
wood had been charred, made a 
difference. 

4407
03:58:27,200 --> 03:58:30,100
These subtle variations mattered
in ways that wouldn't become 

4408
03:58:30,100 --> 03:58:34,100
fully clear until much later. 
The master Alchemist would teach

4409
03:58:34,100 --> 03:58:36,800
you to test materials before 
using them in important 

4410
03:58:36,800 --> 03:58:40,300
experiments. 
Small bit of sulfur placed on a 

4411
03:58:40,300 --> 03:58:42,900
hot surface, should melt 
smoothly and burn with a 

4412
03:58:42,900 --> 03:58:46,200
particular color of flame. 
Salt peter should dissolve 

4413
03:58:46,200 --> 03:58:49,200
cleanly and water without 
leaving excessive residue. 

4414
03:58:49,900 --> 03:58:54,000
Charcoal should be light pure 
and free from unburned wood. 

4415
03:58:54,800 --> 03:58:57,200
These quality checks were part 
of the daily Rhythm. 

4416
03:58:57,200 --> 03:59:00,700
Small acts of verification that 
ensured you were working with 

4417
03:59:00,700 --> 03:59:03,300
known substances rather than in 
pure mixtures. 

4418
03:59:04,200 --> 03:59:07,200
The alchemical texts that guided
this work was sometimes 

4419
03:59:07,200 --> 03:59:11,000
frustratingly, vague by modern 
standards instructions, might 

4420
03:59:11,000 --> 03:59:14,900
read something like take the 
essence of fire or combine the 

4421
03:59:14,900 --> 03:59:18,700
Earthly and Heavenly elements in
Balance leaving considerable 

4422
03:59:18,700 --> 03:59:22,300
room for interpretation. 
Apprentices learned that these 

4423
03:59:22,300 --> 03:59:26,800
poetic descriptions often 
encoded specific procedures that

4424
03:59:26,800 --> 03:59:28,600
made more sense. 
Once you understood the 

4425
03:59:28,600 --> 03:59:32,100
underlying principles through 
direct experience, When 

4426
03:59:32,100 --> 03:59:35,500
Alchemist began experimenting 
with combinations of sulfur, 

4427
03:59:35,500 --> 03:59:38,700
salt, peter, and charcoal. 
They were following a logical 

4428
03:59:38,700 --> 03:59:41,500
path in their search for 
transformative substances. 

4429
03:59:42,400 --> 03:59:45,400
Sulfur was associated with fire 
and transformation. 

4430
03:59:46,600 --> 03:59:48,500
Salt. 
Peter had remarkable properties.

4431
03:59:48,500 --> 03:59:52,600
It could preserve food it 
affected the way things burned, 

4432
03:59:52,600 --> 03:59:56,000
and it seemed to possess a kind 
of inherent power that 

4433
03:59:56,000 --> 04:00:00,100
Alchemists found fascinating. 
Charcoal represented the 

4434
04:00:00,100 --> 04:00:04,000
transformation of wood through 
fire a substance that had 

4435
04:00:04,000 --> 04:00:06,200
already undergone a kind of 
alchemical change. 

4436
04:00:07,300 --> 04:00:09,400
The first mixtures were probably
quite simple. 

4437
04:00:09,400 --> 04:00:11,700
Perhaps. 
Equal parts of each ingredient 

4438
04:00:11,700 --> 04:00:15,200
ground together and heated 
gently to see what would happen.

4439
04:00:16,500 --> 04:00:19,100
The results would have been 
interesting but not spectacular.

4440
04:00:20,300 --> 04:00:24,000
The mixture burned more readily 
than any single component alone 

4441
04:00:24,000 --> 04:00:27,900
producing flames and heat in 
unexpected ways. 

4442
04:00:28,900 --> 04:00:31,900
This would have been noted 
recorded and investigated 

4443
04:00:31,900 --> 04:00:34,700
further. 
You have to imagine the patients

4444
04:00:34,700 --> 04:00:37,400
involved here. 
Modern Chemistry students can 

4445
04:00:37,400 --> 04:00:40,200
look up exact formulas and 
expected results. 

4446
04:00:40,900 --> 04:00:43,800
These Alchemists were exploring 
completely unknown territory 

4447
04:00:43,800 --> 04:00:46,200
with no periodic table to guide 
them. 

4448
04:00:46,200 --> 04:00:49,900
No understanding of oxidation or
combustion at the molecular 

4449
04:00:49,900 --> 04:00:52,900
level. 
Just careful observation and 

4450
04:00:52,900 --> 04:00:56,800
systematic experimentation. 
When a mixture behaved in 

4451
04:00:56,800 --> 04:01:01,200
unexpected ways, they would vary
the proportion slightly a bit 

4452
04:01:01,208 --> 04:01:04,500
more, sulfur, a bit less 
charcoal or different grades of 

4453
04:01:04,508 --> 04:01:07,200
salt peter. 
At some point. 

4454
04:01:07,200 --> 04:01:10,400
And we don't know exactly when 
or where because the discovery 

4455
04:01:10,400 --> 04:01:12,400
wasn't initially seen as 
particularly important. 

4456
04:01:13,400 --> 04:01:16,700
Someone created a mixture, with 
roughly the right proportions to

4457
04:01:16,700 --> 04:01:19,300
produce what we now call black 
powder or gunpowder. 

4458
04:01:20,300 --> 04:01:24,700
This mixture when ignited in an 
enclosed space didn't just burn 

4459
04:01:24,700 --> 04:01:28,500
steadily. 
It deflected rapidly producing, 

4460
04:01:28,500 --> 04:01:33,200
gas and heat so quickly that it 
created pressure, force and a 

4461
04:01:33,200 --> 04:01:36,000
distinctive sharp report that 
probably startled everyone in 

4462
04:01:36,000 --> 04:01:39,100
the workshop. 
The first reaction to this 

4463
04:01:39,100 --> 04:01:42,500
discovery was likely not 
excitement, but concern. 

4464
04:01:43,500 --> 04:01:47,300
Alchemists were trying to create
elixirs of life, not explosive 

4465
04:01:47,300 --> 04:01:50,600
substances. 
An experiment that resulted in 

4466
04:01:50,600 --> 04:01:54,800
loud noises acrid smoke and 
potential danger was from their 

4467
04:01:54,800 --> 04:01:59,800
perspective, a failure. 
Some early texts, warned against

4468
04:01:59,800 --> 04:02:02,900
certain combinations of 
materials, describing them as 

4469
04:02:02,900 --> 04:02:05,600
dangerous and unsuitable for 
their intended purposes. 

4470
04:02:06,500 --> 04:02:09,200
These Warnings preserved in 
their chemical. 

4471
04:02:09,200 --> 04:02:12,500
Manuscripts are some of our 
earliest evidence of black 

4472
04:02:12,500 --> 04:02:16,100
powders, discovery. 
But curiosity is a powerful 

4473
04:02:16,100 --> 04:02:20,200
force, especially among people 
dedicated to understanding how 

4474
04:02:20,200 --> 04:02:24,400
materials behave even if 
explosive mixtures, were useful 

4475
04:02:24,400 --> 04:02:28,200
for creating a mortality Elixir.
They were certainly interesting.

4476
04:02:29,300 --> 04:02:31,400
Some Alchemists began 
experimenting with these 

4477
04:02:31,400 --> 04:02:34,900
energetic combinations. 
Probably moving their work 

4478
04:02:34,900 --> 04:02:38,600
Outdoors or to more isolated 
locations, where sudden noises 

4479
04:02:38,600 --> 04:02:42,400
and burst of flame wouldn't 
disturb neighbors or risk, 

4480
04:02:42,400 --> 04:02:45,600
damaging their workshops. 
They discovered that the 

4481
04:02:45,600 --> 04:02:48,800
mixtures Behavior changed 
dramatically based on several 

4482
04:02:48,800 --> 04:02:52,200
factors. 
Finest of the grinding, matted. 

4483
04:02:52,900 --> 04:02:54,700
Finer powders reacted more 
quickly. 

4484
04:02:55,500 --> 04:02:59,300
The proportions were crucial too
much sulfur and the mixture 

4485
04:02:59,300 --> 04:03:03,400
burned sluggishly too much salt,
peter, and it barely burned at 

4486
04:03:03,400 --> 04:03:07,200
all the right balance, created 
that rapid deflagration. 

4487
04:03:08,000 --> 04:03:10,700
The moisture content. 
Affected, stability and 

4488
04:03:10,700 --> 04:03:13,200
performance. 
These were the kinds of details 

4489
04:03:13,200 --> 04:03:15,100
that could only be learned 
through repeated 

4490
04:03:15,100 --> 04:03:18,900
experimentation. 
Some one and again, we don't 

4491
04:03:18,900 --> 04:03:22,200
know who because these were the 
kinds of experiments that seemed

4492
04:03:22,200 --> 04:03:25,500
worthy of recording prominent. 
Discoveries had the idea of 

4493
04:03:25,500 --> 04:03:27,700
putting the mixture in a bamboo 
tube. 

4494
04:03:28,400 --> 04:03:32,000
Bamboo was ubiquitous and China 
used for everything from 

4495
04:03:32,000 --> 04:03:34,600
scaffolding to musical, 
instruments to water pipes. 

4496
04:03:35,400 --> 04:03:39,200
It grew Halo naturally creating 
ready-made tubes that were liked

4497
04:03:39,200 --> 04:03:42,200
fairly strong and easily cut to 
size. 

4498
04:03:43,500 --> 04:03:47,100
When black power was placed in a
bamboo tube, with one in sealed 

4499
04:03:47,100 --> 04:03:50,000
and then ignited, something 
remarkable happened. 

4500
04:03:50,900 --> 04:03:54,100
The rapid production of gas had 
nowhere to go but out the open, 

4501
04:03:54,100 --> 04:03:59,200
end creating thrust. 
Tube jumped moved or if held 

4502
04:03:59,200 --> 04:04:02,500
down roared and shot flame from 
the opening. 

4503
04:04:03,300 --> 04:04:07,400
The noise was considerable a 
sharp crack or bang that echoed 

4504
04:04:07,400 --> 04:04:10,400
across Courtyards and probably 
provoked, complaints from 

4505
04:04:10,408 --> 04:04:14,100
Neighbors trying to sleep. 
If the bamboo tube was closed at

4506
04:04:14,100 --> 04:04:17,600
both ends with just a small hole
in the sealed portions, the 

4507
04:04:17,600 --> 04:04:20,800
pressure would build until the 
bamboo split or ruptured with an

4508
04:04:20,800 --> 04:04:24,600
even louder report. 
This created something new in 

4509
04:04:24,600 --> 04:04:28,400
Human Experience. 
An intentional loud noise. 

4510
04:04:28,400 --> 04:04:32,200
Not produced by hitting things 
together not created by voice or

4511
04:04:32,200 --> 04:04:35,300
horn, but generated by chemical 
reaction. 

4512
04:04:36,700 --> 04:04:41,600
The sound was sharp, distinctive
and attention getting in a way 

4513
04:04:41,608 --> 04:04:43,800
that must have seemed almost 
magical. 

4514
04:04:43,800 --> 04:04:47,200
And here's where the story takes
its turn towards celebration. 

4515
04:04:47,200 --> 04:04:51,100
Rather than Alchemy Because 
someone watching these bamboo 

4516
04:04:51,100 --> 04:04:54,600
tubes, split and rupture with 
their sharp bangs, had a thought

4517
04:04:54,608 --> 04:04:59,800
that changed everything. 
What if that actually useful not

4518
04:04:59,800 --> 04:05:02,100
for making medicine or pursuing 
a mortality? 

4519
04:05:03,100 --> 04:05:06,700
But for something else, entirely
for driving away, evil spirits 

4520
04:05:06,700 --> 04:05:10,100
for marking and important 
moments, and for adding drama 

4521
04:05:10,100 --> 04:05:13,400
and excitement to Celebration. 
Now we reach one of those 

4522
04:05:13,400 --> 04:05:16,500
moments in history where 
practical used diverges from 

4523
04:05:16,500 --> 04:05:20,800
original intent and something 
created for one purpose Finds 

4524
04:05:20,800 --> 04:05:23,800
Its true calling and something 
entirely different. 

4525
04:05:25,100 --> 04:05:27,800
The journey from Alchemist 
mishap to festival 

4526
04:05:27,800 --> 04:05:30,200
entertainment. 
Required a shift in perspective.

4527
04:05:31,200 --> 04:05:33,900
Someone had to look at a loud 
Smokey sometimes. 

4528
04:05:33,900 --> 04:05:36,500
Dangerous chemical reaction and 
think. 

4529
04:05:36,500 --> 04:05:39,800
Let's do that on purpose, for 
fun. 

4530
04:05:41,200 --> 04:05:43,900
Chinese culture had a long 
tradition of using noise to 

4531
04:05:43,900 --> 04:05:46,500
drive away, evil, spirits, and 
negative forces. 

4532
04:05:46,500 --> 04:05:50,500
During New Year celebrations, 
people would bang drums, clang, 

4533
04:05:50,500 --> 04:05:54,200
symbols, and creators much 
commotion as possible, to scare 

4534
04:05:54,200 --> 04:05:57,200
away any malevolent entities, 
that might want to linger into 

4535
04:05:57,200 --> 04:05:59,500
the new year. 
The louder, the better. 

4536
04:05:59,500 --> 04:06:02,600
Because evil spirits were 
apparently quite timid and 

4537
04:06:02,600 --> 04:06:06,000
easily startled. 
So when someone observed that 

4538
04:06:06,000 --> 04:06:10,200
bamboo tubes filled with black 
powder produced, remarkably loud

4539
04:06:10,200 --> 04:06:14,500
bangs, it wasn't a hugely leap 
to think we could use this for 

4540
04:06:14,500 --> 04:06:18,700
New Year. 
First firecrackers and they were

4541
04:06:18,700 --> 04:06:22,300
literally crack as a fire bamboo
crackling from internal 

4542
04:06:22,300 --> 04:06:26,200
pressure, were probably used 
this way as noise makers for 

4543
04:06:26,200 --> 04:06:30,300
festivals and celebrations. 
Imagine the first New Year 

4544
04:06:30,300 --> 04:06:33,700
Festival where these devices 
were used families would like 

4545
04:06:33,700 --> 04:06:36,400
traditional firecrackers made 
from regular bamboo. 

4546
04:06:36,400 --> 04:06:40,200
These produced pops and cracks 
as air pockets in the bamboo 

4547
04:06:40,200 --> 04:06:43,800
exploded from Heat. 
But then someone would bring out

4548
04:06:43,800 --> 04:06:47,400
the special bamboo tubes, the 
ones filled with The Alchemist 

4549
04:06:47,400 --> 04:06:52,100
powder and the resulting bangs 
would be so much louder, so much

4550
04:06:52,100 --> 04:06:55,800
more impressive that everyone 
would jump and laugh and feel 

4551
04:06:55,800 --> 04:06:58,900
certain that no evil spirit 
would dare linger after that. 

4552
04:06:58,900 --> 04:07:02,000
Kind of announcement, the 
transition from medicinal 

4553
04:07:02,000 --> 04:07:05,500
research to entertainment. 
Might seem strange But it 

4554
04:07:05,508 --> 04:07:07,800
follows a pattern, you can 
observe throughout history. 

4555
04:07:08,800 --> 04:07:11,600
Plenty of substances and 
Technologies discovered for 

4556
04:07:11,600 --> 04:07:15,000
serious purposes. 
Found their calling in pleasure 

4557
04:07:15,000 --> 04:07:18,900
and celebration. 
The ancient Chinese were not 

4558
04:07:18,900 --> 04:07:21,600
unique in repurposing, their 
discoveries, they were just 

4559
04:07:21,608 --> 04:07:25,900
particularly creative about it. 
Once black powder move from 

4560
04:07:25,900 --> 04:07:29,000
alchemical workshops into the 
realm of Celebration and 

4561
04:07:29,000 --> 04:07:32,100
entertainment different kinds of
experimentation began. 

4562
04:07:33,200 --> 04:07:35,900
Entertainers and Festival 
organizers weren't trying to 

4563
04:07:35,900 --> 04:07:37,500
achieve spiritual 
transformation. 

4564
04:07:37,500 --> 04:07:41,400
They were trying to create 
impressive displays this change.

4565
04:07:41,400 --> 04:07:44,500
What questions, people asked and
what kinds of Innovations they 

4566
04:07:44,500 --> 04:07:48,300
pursued Some one discovered that
if you pack the powder, less 

4567
04:07:48,300 --> 04:07:51,500
tightly in a bamboo tube with a 
small opening, it would shoot 

4568
04:07:51,500 --> 04:07:55,900
Sparks and Flames rather than 
just explode. this created a 

4569
04:07:55,908 --> 04:08:00,000
fountain affect streams of fire 
and bright Sparks shooting 

4570
04:08:00,000 --> 04:08:02,800
upward in a display that was 
beautiful in addition to being 

4571
04:08:02,800 --> 04:08:07,500
loud, For the first time black 
powder was producing light 

4572
04:08:07,500 --> 04:08:10,500
effects. 
Not just sound the discovery 

4573
04:08:10,500 --> 04:08:13,100
that different materials added 
to the black powder mixture 

4574
04:08:13,100 --> 04:08:14,900
could produce different colors, 
came gradually. 

4575
04:08:15,800 --> 04:08:19,500
Copper compounds. 
Created blue green, tints iron 

4576
04:08:19,500 --> 04:08:23,800
filings, added golden, Sparks, 
different types of charcoal 

4577
04:08:23,800 --> 04:08:26,000
burned. 
With subtly different Hues. 

4578
04:08:26,000 --> 04:08:29,100
These discoveries were probably 
accidental at first. 

4579
04:08:29,100 --> 04:08:33,000
Someone used charcoal from a 
particular wood or powder that 

4580
04:08:33,000 --> 04:08:35,900
had been stored in a copper 
container and noticed that the 

4581
04:08:35,900 --> 04:08:39,100
Flames looked different. 
These are early fireworks. 

4582
04:08:39,100 --> 04:08:42,000
If we can call them that though,
they were still quite primitive 

4583
04:08:42,000 --> 04:08:46,000
were probably used at important 
occasions Beyond just New Year 

4584
04:08:46,000 --> 04:08:49,300
celebrations. 
Wedding's might feature special 

4585
04:08:49,300 --> 04:08:52,800
bamboo crackers, to bless the 
union and frighten away any 

4586
04:08:52,800 --> 04:08:54,400
spirits that might bring bad 
luck. 

4587
04:08:55,300 --> 04:08:58,000
Religious festivals could 
include fire displays as 

4588
04:08:58,000 --> 04:09:00,600
offerings or ceremonies 
important. 

4589
04:09:00,600 --> 04:09:04,200
Visitors might be greeted with 
impressive noises and Flames as 

4590
04:09:04,200 --> 04:09:08,000
a sign of honor and celebration.
The aesthetic that developed 

4591
04:09:08,000 --> 04:09:11,900
around these early displays was 
distinctly Chinese emphasizing 

4592
04:09:11,900 --> 04:09:15,700
certain qualities over others. 
Loud noises were good. 

4593
04:09:15,700 --> 04:09:19,600
They fulfilled the Practical 
purpose of spirit scaring and 

4594
04:09:19,600 --> 04:09:22,800
also demonstrated the power and 
effectiveness of the display. 

4595
04:09:23,500 --> 04:09:27,100
Bright Sparks and Flames were 
desirable creating visual 

4596
04:09:27,100 --> 04:09:31,000
interest and beauty. 
But the displays remained 

4597
04:09:31,000 --> 04:09:34,700
relatively close to the ground, 
shooting up from tubes, planted 

4598
04:09:34,700 --> 04:09:37,900
in the Earth or held by Brave 
individuals who understood the 

4599
04:09:37,900 --> 04:09:41,000
timing. 
The social aspects of these 

4600
04:09:41,000 --> 04:09:44,200
celebrations mattered as much as
the pyrotechnics themselves. 

4601
04:09:45,200 --> 04:09:49,000
Festivals were communal events 
where families, gathered special

4602
04:09:49,000 --> 04:09:52,500
Foods were prepared and the 
normal routines of daily life 

4603
04:09:52,500 --> 04:09:54,300
was set aside for Collective 
celebration. 

4604
04:09:55,500 --> 04:09:58,700
The fire displays became one 
element in a rich tapestry of 

4605
04:09:58,700 --> 04:10:02,800
activities, but an increasingly 
important element because they 

4606
04:10:02,800 --> 04:10:05,500
offered something unique that 
couldn't be replicated through 

4607
04:10:05,500 --> 04:10:09,100
any other means as these 
practices spread from one region

4608
04:10:09,100 --> 04:10:11,800
to another local variations 
developed. 

4609
04:10:12,500 --> 04:10:16,300
Different areas had access to 
different materials, leading to 

4610
04:10:16,300 --> 04:10:19,400
Regional styles of firecracker 
construction and fiery. 

4611
04:10:20,100 --> 04:10:23,000
Some regions became known for 
particularly loud crackers. 

4612
04:10:23,000 --> 04:10:26,900
Others for a specially bright 
Sparks, and still others for 

4613
04:10:26,900 --> 04:10:30,700
Innovative designs and effects. 
This diversity meant that the 

4614
04:10:30,700 --> 04:10:34,100
art of fire displays was 
constantly evolving with 

4615
04:10:34,100 --> 04:10:37,100
techniques and Innovations, 
spreading through networks of 

4616
04:10:37,100 --> 04:10:39,400
merchants Travelers and Festival
organizers. 

4617
04:10:40,900 --> 04:10:43,600
The manufacturer of these 
devices began to shift from 

4618
04:10:43,600 --> 04:10:47,800
Alchemist to specialized Crafts 
People Who Focus specifically on

4619
04:10:47,800 --> 04:10:51,400
creating items for celebration 
rather than pursuing any 

4620
04:10:51,400 --> 04:10:55,300
medicinal or spiritual goals. 
These are Early pyrotechnicians,

4621
04:10:55,300 --> 04:10:58,800
learn through apprenticeship, 
mastering the art of grinding 

4622
04:10:58,800 --> 04:11:00,400
powders to the right 
consistency. 

4623
04:11:00,400 --> 04:11:04,800
Mixing proportions, that would 
burn correctly and packing 

4624
04:11:04,800 --> 04:11:07,900
bamboo tubes and ways that 
produced desired effects without

4625
04:11:07,900 --> 04:11:10,600
being too dangerous. 
Safety was of course. 

4626
04:11:10,600 --> 04:11:13,800
A concern though. 
Perhaps not emphasized as much 

4627
04:11:13,800 --> 04:11:16,900
as modern safety. 
Professionals might prefer. 

4628
04:11:18,000 --> 04:11:21,100
Accident happened. 
Bamboo tubes exploded 

4629
04:11:21,100 --> 04:11:25,300
prematurely Sparks ignited, 
nearby materials and 

4630
04:11:25,300 --> 04:11:28,800
enthusiastic celebrations. 
Sometimes resulted in Burns or 

4631
04:11:28,800 --> 04:11:31,800
injuries. 
But the benefits, The Joy. 

4632
04:11:31,800 --> 04:11:35,700
The spectacle the sense of 
driving away, evil and welcoming

4633
04:11:35,700 --> 04:11:39,600
Good Fortune. seem to outweigh 
these risks in the minds of most

4634
04:11:39,600 --> 04:11:43,700
participants, Timing of displays
became ritualized. 

4635
04:11:44,400 --> 04:11:47,500
Certain moments in festivals 
would be marked by particularly 

4636
04:11:47,500 --> 04:11:50,800
impressive crackers or fire 
fountains the New Year. 

4637
04:11:50,800 --> 04:11:54,000
Transition, for instance might 
feature sustained sequences of 

4638
04:11:54,000 --> 04:11:57,900
explosions, creating a wall of 
sound that marked the boundary 

4639
04:11:57,900 --> 04:12:00,600
between the old year and the new
wedding ceremonies. 

4640
04:12:00,600 --> 04:12:04,200
Might include specific patterns 
of crackers that symbolized, 

4641
04:12:04,200 --> 04:12:07,600
good, wishes for the couple. 
These are rituals gave structure

4642
04:12:07,600 --> 04:12:10,000
and meaning to what might 
otherwise be just random 

4643
04:12:10,000 --> 04:12:12,700
explosions. 
Children of course were 

4644
04:12:12,700 --> 04:12:15,500
fascinated by these fire devices
though. 

4645
04:12:15,500 --> 04:12:17,600
Probably not allowed to handle 
them directly. 

4646
04:12:17,600 --> 04:12:21,300
Give the obvious dangers. 
Part of growing up in a 

4647
04:12:21,300 --> 04:12:23,900
community that used black powder
for celebrations. 

4648
04:12:23,900 --> 04:12:26,400
Meant learning the appropriate, 
respect for these powerful 

4649
04:12:26,400 --> 04:12:29,400
substances. 
Understanding that they were 

4650
04:12:29,400 --> 04:12:31,700
wonderful but needed to be 
treated with care. 

4651
04:12:32,600 --> 04:12:36,200
But the loud noise is and bright
Sparks came with real risks, 

4652
04:12:36,200 --> 04:12:38,600
that required adult supervision 
and expertise. 

4653
04:12:39,800 --> 04:12:42,500
The psychology of these displays
is worth, considering as you 

4654
04:12:42,500 --> 04:12:47,100
settled deeper into relaxation, 
why do humans enjoy loud noises 

4655
04:12:47,100 --> 04:12:50,100
and bright lights? 
Specially in Celebration. 

4656
04:12:50,800 --> 04:12:54,300
There's something Primal about 
our attraction to fire to light 

4657
04:12:54,300 --> 04:12:58,300
in darkness and to sounds that 
command attention and announce 

4658
04:12:58,300 --> 04:13:01,700
importance. 
The Chinese pyrotechnicians are 

4659
04:13:01,700 --> 04:13:03,600
tapped into something 
fundamental about human 

4660
04:13:03,600 --> 04:13:07,300
perception and emotion creating 
experiences that engaged 

4661
04:13:07,300 --> 04:13:11,800
multiple senses simultaneously 
and marked moments as special 

4662
04:13:11,800 --> 04:13:15,800
and significant. as we move 
forward, through Chinese history

4663
04:13:15,800 --> 04:13:22,400
into the Tang Dynasty 618 to 
9707 CE and especially the Song 

4664
04:13:22,400 --> 04:13:29,800
Dynasty 960 to 1279 CE The use 
of fireworks in festivals became

4665
04:13:29,800 --> 04:13:32,300
increasingly sophisticated, and 
culturally important. 

4666
04:13:33,400 --> 04:13:36,100
These were periods of 
remarkable, artistic flourishing

4667
04:13:36,100 --> 04:13:39,700
in China. 
Poetry painting ceramics. 

4668
04:13:39,700 --> 04:13:43,300
And yes, the art of fire 
displays all reached new, 

4669
04:13:43,300 --> 04:13:46,900
heights of refinement. 
The Tang Dynasty was a time when

4670
04:13:46,900 --> 04:13:51,000
China's capital cities grew into
Cosmopolitan centers, where 

4671
04:13:51,000 --> 04:13:55,600
Merchants from across Asia met 
traded goods and exchange ideas.

4672
04:13:57,000 --> 04:13:59,700
Chang on the Tang. 
Capitol became one of the 

4673
04:13:59,700 --> 04:14:03,900
largest cities in the world home
to over a million people who 

4674
04:14:03,900 --> 04:14:06,500
came from dozens of different, 
ethnic groups, groups and 

4675
04:14:06,500 --> 04:14:10,200
cultural backgrounds. 
In this environment festivals 

4676
04:14:10,200 --> 04:14:13,100
became showcases for Imperial 
Grandeur and cultural 

4677
04:14:13,100 --> 04:14:16,500
sophistication. 
Imperial festivals during the 

4678
04:14:16,500 --> 04:14:19,000
Tang. 
Period were spectacular Affairs,

4679
04:14:19,000 --> 04:14:22,100
that lasted for days and 
featured, every form of 

4680
04:14:22,108 --> 04:14:25,800
entertainment imaginable. 
There were musical performances 

4681
04:14:25,800 --> 04:14:29,500
with orchestras of dozens of 
instruments, dance troops 

4682
04:14:29,500 --> 04:14:31,800
performing, elaborate 
choreographed pieces. 

4683
04:14:32,700 --> 04:14:35,900
Acrobats and jugglers 
demonstrating, impossible Feats 

4684
04:14:35,900 --> 04:14:40,300
of balance and coordination. 
And yes, increasingly impressive

4685
04:14:40,300 --> 04:14:43,800
fire displays that are devolved.
Far beyond the simple bamboo 

4686
04:14:43,800 --> 04:14:47,800
crackers of early Generations. 
The fireworks of the Tang period

4687
04:14:47,800 --> 04:14:50,400
began to include what we might 
call special effects. 

4688
04:14:51,300 --> 04:14:54,500
Crafts People learned to create 
devices that would shoot Sparks 

4689
04:14:54,500 --> 04:14:57,900
in particular patterns, all that
would burn through sequences of 

4690
04:14:57,900 --> 04:15:01,200
different colors or that would 
create shape and images and 

4691
04:15:01,200 --> 04:15:03,900
Flame. 
He's Innovations required, 

4692
04:15:03,900 --> 04:15:07,500
careful engineering designing 
tubes with multiple Chambers, 

4693
04:15:07,500 --> 04:15:11,500
arranging different powder, 
mixtures in specific orders and 

4694
04:15:11,500 --> 04:15:14,100
timing sequences. 
So that one effect would lead 

4695
04:15:14,100 --> 04:15:17,800
naturally into another Lantern 
festivals became particularly 

4696
04:15:17,800 --> 04:15:22,400
associated with fire displays 
these events traditionally held 

4697
04:15:22,400 --> 04:15:24,500
on the 15th day of the first 
lunar month. 

4698
04:15:25,300 --> 04:15:28,800
Featured elaborate paper 
lanterns lit by candles and 

4699
04:15:28,800 --> 04:15:31,100
carried through streets and 
processions. 

4700
04:15:31,900 --> 04:15:36,500
The combination of soft Lantern 
light and the sudden Brilliance 

4701
04:15:36,500 --> 04:15:40,500
of fireworks created an 
aesthetic contrast that Festival

4702
04:15:40,500 --> 04:15:45,100
organizers found compelling. 
The gentle glow of paper and 

4703
04:15:45,100 --> 04:15:50,900
silk punctuated by sharp bursts 
of Sparks and Flame during the 

4704
04:15:50,900 --> 04:15:53,500
Song Dynasty. 
The sophistication of fireworks 

4705
04:15:53,500 --> 04:15:57,000
reached new levels, This was 
partly because song China was 

4706
04:15:57,000 --> 04:16:00,800
remarkably prosperous and 
urbanized creating demand for 

4707
04:16:00,800 --> 04:16:03,800
elaborate entertainment and 
partly because the technical 

4708
04:16:03,800 --> 04:16:05,900
knowledge of black powder in his
application. 

4709
04:16:05,900 --> 04:16:09,600
Had matured through centuries 
of, experimentation song, 

4710
04:16:09,600 --> 04:16:14,000
Fireworks, catalogs. 
Yes, they have catalogs 

4711
04:16:14,000 --> 04:16:17,300
described dozens of different 
types of devices with 

4712
04:16:17,300 --> 04:16:20,900
specialized names and functions.
There were Ground rats that 

4713
04:16:20,900 --> 04:16:24,600
would Scurry across the Earth. 
Shooting Sparks water rats 

4714
04:16:24,600 --> 04:16:27,400
designed to skim across the 
surface of ponds while burning 

4715
04:16:27,400 --> 04:16:31,300
and flying fish, that would leap
in Ark through the air. 

4716
04:16:31,300 --> 04:16:34,600
Each of these devices. 
Required careful design to 

4717
04:16:34,600 --> 04:16:36,800
produce the desired motion and 
effects. 

4718
04:16:37,400 --> 04:16:40,000
The craftspeople who made them, 
were combining practical 

4719
04:16:40,000 --> 04:16:44,300
knowledge of physics. 
Thrust, balance trajectory with 

4720
04:16:44,300 --> 04:16:48,000
chemistry and artistry. 
Skyrockets appeared during this 

4721
04:16:48,000 --> 04:16:51,000
period. 
Representing a major advance in 

4722
04:16:51,000 --> 04:16:54,800
fireworks technology. 
By carefully designing the tube 

4723
04:16:54,800 --> 04:16:57,700
and powder load. 
Pyrotechnicians could create 

4724
04:16:57,700 --> 04:17:01,200
devices that would shoot High 
into the air before exploding or

4725
04:17:01,200 --> 04:17:04,500
releasing Sparks. 
These were yet the elaborate 

4726
04:17:04,500 --> 04:17:07,800
aerial displays of modern 
fireworks but they were moving 

4727
04:17:07,800 --> 04:17:11,500
in that direction taking fire 
effects up into the night sky, 

4728
04:17:11,500 --> 04:17:13,800
rather than keeping them bound 
to the Earth. 

4729
04:17:14,800 --> 04:17:18,200
The social organization of 
fireworks displays also became 

4730
04:17:18,200 --> 04:17:21,800
more sophisticated. 
Imperial workshops, employed 

4731
04:17:21,800 --> 04:17:25,100
teams of Specialists, who did 
nothing but create fire devices 

4732
04:17:25,100 --> 04:17:29,200
for court celebrations. 
Master Crafts, People commanded 

4733
04:17:29,200 --> 04:17:32,200
high prices for their services 
and successful. 

4734
04:17:32,200 --> 04:17:36,200
Pirate technicians might travel 
from City to City hired by 

4735
04:17:36,200 --> 04:17:39,500
wealthy merchants and officials 
to create impressive displays 

4736
04:17:39,500 --> 04:17:43,100
for important occasions. 
Competition between different 

4737
04:17:43,100 --> 04:17:47,400
workshops and Crafts. 
People drove Innovation when one

4738
04:17:47,400 --> 04:17:51,200
Festival, featured a new type of
device or affect others. 

4739
04:17:51,200 --> 04:17:53,300
Would try to replicate and 
improve upon it. 

4740
04:17:53,300 --> 04:17:57,600
This competitive Dynamic 
combined with the resources of 

4741
04:17:57,600 --> 04:18:00,800
available in Prosper songs. 
It is meant that fireworks 

4742
04:18:00,800 --> 04:18:03,600
technology, advanced more 
rapidly during this period. 

4743
04:18:03,600 --> 04:18:05,900
Then it had in previous 
centuries. 

4744
04:18:06,800 --> 04:18:09,800
The aesthetic principles that 
guided these displays were 

4745
04:18:09,800 --> 04:18:11,600
becoming more clearly 
articulated. 

4746
04:18:12,300 --> 04:18:16,200
Song, festival organizers 
valued, surprise, affects that 

4747
04:18:16,200 --> 04:18:19,500
were Delight audiences by 
exceeding expectations. 

4748
04:18:19,500 --> 04:18:23,700
They appreciated variety, a good
display, should include many 

4749
04:18:23,700 --> 04:18:26,500
different types of devices 
producing different sounds and 

4750
04:18:26,500 --> 04:18:29,900
visual effects. 
They sought Crescendo building 

4751
04:18:29,900 --> 04:18:33,500
from smaller displays to larger,
more impressive climaxes that 

4752
04:18:33,500 --> 04:18:37,400
would leave audiences marveling 
integration with other art forms

4753
04:18:37,400 --> 04:18:40,400
became increasingly important. 
Fireworks. 

4754
04:18:40,400 --> 04:18:41,600
Might come company. 
Musical. 

4755
04:18:41,600 --> 04:18:44,900
Performance is with effects 
timed to key moments in the 

4756
04:18:44,908 --> 04:18:47,500
music. 
They might be combined with 

4757
04:18:47,500 --> 04:18:51,800
theatrical presentations, adding
drama and spectacle to Stories 

4758
04:18:51,800 --> 04:18:54,900
being enacted. 
The best displays were seen as 

4759
04:18:54,900 --> 04:18:59,300
complete artistic experience 
that engaged multiple sizes and 

4760
04:18:59,300 --> 04:19:03,100
emotions simultaneously. 
The symbolism embedded in these 

4761
04:19:03,100 --> 04:19:06,700
displays, grew more complex. 
Different colors could represent

4762
04:19:06,700 --> 04:19:08,900
different concepts, read for 
Good. 

4763
04:19:08,900 --> 04:19:13,300
Fortune white for Purity and 
golden Sparks for wealth and 

4764
04:19:13,300 --> 04:19:16,500
prosperity. 
Certain patterns might suggest 

4765
04:19:16,500 --> 04:19:21,200
specific images dragons 
phoenixes flowers or Celestial 

4766
04:19:21,200 --> 04:19:24,700
phenomena. 
Audiences learn to read these 

4767
04:19:24,700 --> 04:19:27,600
visual languages. 
Understanding the meanings of 

4768
04:19:27,600 --> 04:19:30,300
wishes and coded in the fire and
smoke. 

4769
04:19:31,200 --> 04:19:34,500
Religious and philosophical 
Dimensions added depth to what 

4770
04:19:34,500 --> 04:19:36,400
might otherwise be mere 
entertainment. 

4771
04:19:37,400 --> 04:19:41,100
Buddhist temples, used fireworks
and ceremonies seeing in the 

4772
04:19:41,100 --> 04:19:44,500
temporary Brilliance of Sparks. 
A metaphor for the transient 

4773
04:19:44,500 --> 04:19:48,200
nature of existence. 
Taoists celebrations might 

4774
04:19:48,200 --> 04:19:51,000
incorporate fire displays as 
representations of 

4775
04:19:51,000 --> 04:19:54,200
transformation and the interplay
of fundamental elements. 

4776
04:19:55,300 --> 04:19:58,500
These meanings co-existed with 
more straightforward enjoyment, 

4777
04:19:58,500 --> 04:20:03,200
of beauty and spectacle. 
The scale of some song displays 

4778
04:20:03,200 --> 04:20:06,400
was remarkable. 
Major festivals, might burn 

4779
04:20:06,400 --> 04:20:09,300
through thousands of individual 
devices, over the course of 

4780
04:20:09,300 --> 04:20:12,600
several nights. 
Operation required months of 

4781
04:20:12,600 --> 04:20:16,500
work by teams of Crafts People. 
The coordination of materials 

4782
04:20:16,500 --> 04:20:20,000
from across the empire and 
careful planning of sequences 

4783
04:20:20,000 --> 04:20:22,800
and effects. 
These were Productions that 

4784
04:20:22,800 --> 04:20:25,800
rivaled modern events in their 
complexity and ambition. 

4785
04:20:26,700 --> 04:20:29,000
Descriptions from song poetry 
and prose. 

4786
04:20:29,000 --> 04:20:31,600
Give us glimpses of what these 
displays looked like to 

4787
04:20:31,600 --> 04:20:35,500
contemporary Observers. 
Writers describe Knights, when 

4788
04:20:35,508 --> 04:20:38,000
the sky seemed to bloom with 
flowers of Fire. 

4789
04:20:38,800 --> 04:20:42,800
When artificial Stars competed 
with natural ones and when the 

4790
04:20:42,800 --> 04:20:45,600
boundaries between Earthly 
celebration and Heavenly 

4791
04:20:45,600 --> 04:20:49,400
phenomena seem to blur and 
clouds of colored Sparks and 

4792
04:20:49,400 --> 04:20:53,300
thunderous reports. 
But alongside these poetic 

4793
04:20:53,300 --> 04:20:57,300
descriptions, we also have more 
practical documents manuals that

4794
04:20:57,300 --> 04:21:00,000
describe how to make specific 
types of fireworks. 

4795
04:21:00,000 --> 04:21:04,400
Safety warnings about proper 
handling procedures regulations,

4796
04:21:04,400 --> 04:21:07,100
governing when and where 
displays could be held and 

4797
04:21:07,100 --> 04:21:09,700
records of accidents, that 
occurred when things went wrong.

4798
04:21:10,600 --> 04:21:14,400
This combination of artistic 
appreciation and practical 

4799
04:21:14,400 --> 04:21:18,100
documentation gives us a 
remarkably complete picture of 

4800
04:21:18,100 --> 04:21:21,200
how fireworks were integrated 
into Song Dynasty life. 

4801
04:21:21,200 --> 04:21:24,700
The experience of attending one 
of these major festivals would 

4802
04:21:24,700 --> 04:21:28,000
have been overwhelming in the 
best possible way too much to 

4803
04:21:28,000 --> 04:21:32,100
fully process, an abundance of 
sensory input that would leave 

4804
04:21:32,100 --> 04:21:35,900
you days and delighted. 
The smell of black powder, smoke

4805
04:21:35,900 --> 04:21:38,000
mixed with incense and cooking 
food. 

4806
04:21:38,000 --> 04:21:43,100
The Sounds range from whisper 
quiet crackles to reports that 

4807
04:21:43,100 --> 04:21:47,100
shook your chest. 
The visual experience shifted 

4808
04:21:47,100 --> 04:21:50,200
from Darkness to brilliant 
illumination and Back Again, 

4809
04:21:50,200 --> 04:21:53,100
leaving after images floating 
across your vision. 

4810
04:21:54,000 --> 04:21:57,000
And through it all, there was 
the social experience of being 

4811
04:21:57,000 --> 04:22:00,400
part of a crowd sharing, 
amazement and Delight with 

4812
04:22:00,400 --> 04:22:04,000
thousands of other people and 
feeling connected to tradition 

4813
04:22:04,000 --> 04:22:07,900
and community Through 
participation in these ancient 

4814
04:22:07,900 --> 04:22:11,900
yet ever-new celebrations. 
Fireworks weren't just 

4815
04:22:11,900 --> 04:22:14,900
entertainment. 
They were threats in the fabric 

4816
04:22:14,900 --> 04:22:19,300
of social life, markers of time,
and season and expressions of 

4817
04:22:19,300 --> 04:22:23,400
Hope and joy. now we follow the 
knowledge of black powder and 

4818
04:22:23,400 --> 04:22:27,100
fireworks as it spreads, Beyond 
China's borders, carried by 

4819
04:22:27,100 --> 04:22:30,600
Merchants Travelers and 
Invaders, along the trade 

4820
04:22:30,600 --> 04:22:35,300
routes, that connected ancient 
civilizations, This dispersal 

4821
04:22:35,300 --> 04:22:37,900
took centuries and happened 
through many different channels 

4822
04:22:37,900 --> 04:22:41,500
each, adding their own cultural 
interpretations to the basic 

4823
04:22:41,500 --> 04:22:45,600
technology. 
The Silk Road actually a network

4824
04:22:45,600 --> 04:22:49,300
of routes rather than a single 
Road served as the primary 

4825
04:22:49,300 --> 04:22:52,500
conduit for many Chinese 
Innovations traveling Westwood. 

4826
04:22:53,400 --> 04:22:57,400
Merchants carrying silk 
porcelain and tea also carried 

4827
04:22:57,400 --> 04:23:00,100
knowledge, sometimes 
intentionally, and sometimes 

4828
04:23:00,100 --> 04:23:05,500
accidentally, The formula for 
black powder initially treated 

4829
04:23:05,500 --> 04:23:09,300
as a valuable secret, gradually 
leaked out through these 

4830
04:23:09,300 --> 04:23:12,700
commercial Networks. 
Arab traders were among the 

4831
04:23:12,700 --> 04:23:16,600
first non-chinese people to 
encounter fireworks probably 

4832
04:23:16,600 --> 04:23:19,400
sometime during the late Tang or
early song period. 

4833
04:23:20,200 --> 04:23:23,100
These Merchants who maintained 
extensive trading networks 

4834
04:23:23,100 --> 04:23:26,600
stretching from China, to the 
Mediterranean, recognize the 

4835
04:23:26,608 --> 04:23:29,100
Commercial and Military 
potential of black powder 

4836
04:23:29,100 --> 04:23:32,200
technology. 
Arab Alchemists and crafts. 

4837
04:23:32,200 --> 04:23:35,600
People began experimenting with 
their own versions of Chinese 

4838
04:23:35,600 --> 04:23:38,700
formulas. 
Adapting them to Local materials

4839
04:23:38,700 --> 04:23:41,200
and purposes. 
The transmission of knowledge 

4840
04:23:41,200 --> 04:23:43,600
wasn't always straightforward 
recipes. 

4841
04:23:43,600 --> 04:23:46,300
Might be partially understood or
incompletely recorded. 

4842
04:23:47,000 --> 04:23:49,700
Materials available in the 
Middle East weren't identical to

4843
04:23:49,700 --> 04:23:53,600
those in China, requiring 
adaptation and experimentation. 

4844
04:23:54,500 --> 04:23:57,400
What emerged were Regional 
variations on the basic 

4845
04:23:57,400 --> 04:23:59,900
technology? 
Each influenced by local 

4846
04:23:59,900 --> 04:24:01,800
conditions and cultural 
preferences. 

4847
04:24:02,700 --> 04:24:06,500
In the Islamic World black 
powder, found applications in 

4848
04:24:06,500 --> 04:24:09,000
both Warfare and celebration 
though. 

4849
04:24:09,000 --> 04:24:11,200
The celebratory uses took longer
to develop. 

4850
04:24:12,200 --> 04:24:15,900
Initially the focus was on the 
powders potential, as a military

4851
04:24:15,900 --> 04:24:19,900
tool for mining operations, for 
weapons for demolition. 

4852
04:24:19,900 --> 04:24:24,500
But as the technology matured 
Middle Eastern crafts, people 

4853
04:24:24,500 --> 04:24:27,600
began creating their own 
versions of Festival displays 

4854
04:24:27,600 --> 04:24:31,500
influenced by Chinese models, 
but adapted to Islamic 

4855
04:24:31,500 --> 04:24:35,400
aesthetic, principles and 
religious contexts Mongol 

4856
04:24:35,400 --> 04:24:37,800
conquests in the 13th. 
Century dramatically 

4857
04:24:37,800 --> 04:24:39,400
accelerated. 
The spread of Chinese 

4858
04:24:39,400 --> 04:24:42,000
Technologies including 
fireworks. 

4859
04:24:42,900 --> 04:24:46,300
The Mongol Empire at its height 
stretched from China to Europe, 

4860
04:24:46,300 --> 04:24:50,000
creating unprecedented 
opportunities for cultural, 

4861
04:24:50,000 --> 04:24:52,100
exchange and Technology 
transfer. 

4862
04:24:53,200 --> 04:24:55,700
Mongol armies. 
Employed Chinese engineers and 

4863
04:24:55,700 --> 04:24:59,400
crafts people who brought their 
knowledge of pyrotechnics to new

4864
04:24:59,400 --> 04:25:02,000
regions. 
European encounters with 

4865
04:25:02,000 --> 04:25:04,500
fireworks. 
Probably began through contact 

4866
04:25:04,500 --> 04:25:07,800
with the Islamic World during 
the Crusades and through Mongol 

4867
04:25:07,800 --> 04:25:11,300
presidents in Eastern Europe. 
The first European description 

4868
04:25:11,300 --> 04:25:15,700
of black powder and fire devices
date from the 13th century and 

4869
04:25:15,700 --> 04:25:17,100
show. 
A mixture of Fascination and 

4870
04:25:17,100 --> 04:25:20,400
fear regarding these strange 
Eastern inventions that produce 

4871
04:25:20,400 --> 04:25:24,408
such dramatic effects. 
Marco Polo's accounts of his 

4872
04:25:24,416 --> 04:25:27,200
travels in China written in the 
late 13th. 

4873
04:25:27,200 --> 04:25:31,000
Century included descriptions of
fire displays, that must have 

4874
04:25:31,000 --> 04:25:33,600
seemed almost incredible to 
European readers. 

4875
04:25:34,500 --> 04:25:37,900
His writing about festivals with
fire, that flew through the air 

4876
04:25:37,900 --> 04:25:41,800
and devices that may thunder. 
Sounds contributed to European 

4877
04:25:41,800 --> 04:25:44,800
understanding of Chinese 
pyrotechnics, though. 

4878
04:25:44,800 --> 04:25:47,600
Actual technology transfer 
happened through more direct 

4879
04:25:47,600 --> 04:25:50,100
channels. 
European Crafts. 

4880
04:25:50,100 --> 04:25:53,200
People in Alchemists began 
experimenting with black powder 

4881
04:25:53,200 --> 04:25:56,500
in the 14th century, initially 
focusing on Military 

4882
04:25:56,500 --> 04:25:59,600
applications but gradually 
recognizing its potential for 

4883
04:25:59,600 --> 04:26:03,700
celebration and display. 
Italian city-states were 

4884
04:26:03,700 --> 04:26:07,000
particularly Innovative in 
developing European style of 

4885
04:26:07,000 --> 04:26:11,200
fireworks, creating devices and 
displays that combined Chinese 

4886
04:26:11,200 --> 04:26:14,600
technical knowledge with 
European artistic sensibilities.

4887
04:26:15,700 --> 04:26:18,600
The Italian development of 
fireworks as a performing art 

4888
04:26:18,600 --> 04:26:22,600
reached sophisticated Levels by 
the 15th and 16th centuries. 

4889
04:26:23,800 --> 04:26:28,400
Pirate technicians in Florence 
Rome and Venice created, 

4890
04:26:28,400 --> 04:26:32,600
elaborate displays for religious
festivals Civic, celebrations, 

4891
04:26:32,600 --> 04:26:36,200
and private events. 
These weren't simple copies of 

4892
04:26:36,208 --> 04:26:39,100
Chinese models. 
But represented genuine 

4893
04:26:39,100 --> 04:26:42,800
Innovation developing new types 
of devices and new approaches to

4894
04:26:42,800 --> 04:26:46,900
choreographing displays. 
Talion pyrotechnicians 

4895
04:26:46,900 --> 04:26:50,400
introduced several important 
Innovations, they developed more

4896
04:26:50,400 --> 04:26:53,400
reliable ignition systems, that 
allowed better timing of 

4897
04:26:53,400 --> 04:26:57,300
effects. 
They created shells containers 

4898
04:26:57,300 --> 04:27:00,200
that could be launched into the 
air and would burst it altitude.

4899
04:27:00,200 --> 04:27:02,600
Releasing stars or other 
effects. 

4900
04:27:03,400 --> 04:27:06,600
They experimented with more 
complex, chemical compositions. 

4901
04:27:06,600 --> 04:27:10,200
That produced brighter colors 
and longer lasting effects than 

4902
04:27:10,200 --> 04:27:13,700
early Chinese formulas. 
The aesthetic that emerged in 

4903
04:27:13,700 --> 04:27:16,700
European fireworks differed from
Chinese traditions in 

4904
04:27:16,700 --> 04:27:19,900
interesting ways. 
European displays often 

4905
04:27:19,900 --> 04:27:23,200
emphasized geometric patterns 
and symmetrical designs 

4906
04:27:23,200 --> 04:27:25,900
reflecting Renaissance artistic 
principles. 

4907
04:27:27,000 --> 04:27:30,400
The integrated fireworks into 
broader theatrical Productions, 

4908
04:27:30,400 --> 04:27:33,500
using them as elements in 
allegorical, pageants and 

4909
04:27:33,500 --> 04:27:37,500
narrative, spectacles. 
The symbolic vocabulary Drew 

4910
04:27:37,500 --> 04:27:41,100
from classical mythology, and 
Christian iconography, rather 

4911
04:27:41,100 --> 04:27:42,900
than Chinese Cultural 
references. 

4912
04:27:43,800 --> 04:27:46,800
From Italy fireworks 
Technologies spread to other 

4913
04:27:46,800 --> 04:27:49,800
European centers. 
France developed its own 

4914
04:27:49,800 --> 04:27:53,400
pyrotechnic Traditions with 
displays becoming important 

4915
04:27:53,400 --> 04:27:56,300
elements of Royal celebrations 
and Civic festivals. 

4916
04:27:57,300 --> 04:28:00,600
England, imported Italian 
experts to create displays for 

4917
04:28:00,600 --> 04:28:04,300
coronations and other state 
occasions, Germany, Spain. 

4918
04:28:04,300 --> 04:28:07,600
And the Netherlands all 
developed Regional Specialties 

4919
04:28:07,600 --> 04:28:11,100
and techniques. 
In India, Mughal Emperors 

4920
04:28:11,100 --> 04:28:15,000
Incorporated fireworks into 
court celebrations, creating a 

4921
04:28:15,000 --> 04:28:18,900
distinctive indo-persian style 
that combined Islamic and Hindu 

4922
04:28:18,900 --> 04:28:22,400
aesthetic elements. 
Japanese adoption of fireworks 

4923
04:28:22,400 --> 04:28:26,600
influenced by Chinese technology
but developing its own unique 

4924
04:28:26,600 --> 04:28:30,100
characteristics. 
Led to the sophisticated, Hanabi

4925
04:28:30,100 --> 04:28:34,300
Traditions that continued today.
Each culture that encountered 

4926
04:28:34,300 --> 04:28:39,100
fireworks, technology adapted it
to local materials Aesthetics 

4927
04:28:39,100 --> 04:28:43,400
and ceremonial needs the global 
dispersal of fireworks 

4928
04:28:43,400 --> 04:28:46,500
technology over several 
centuries created, a fascinating

4929
04:28:46,500 --> 04:28:49,300
pattern of cultural adaptation 
and innovation. 

4930
04:28:50,500 --> 04:28:53,800
Technology invented by Chinese 
Alchemists pursuing immortality 

4931
04:28:53,800 --> 04:28:57,500
became a global language of 
Celebration, but one that was 

4932
04:28:57,500 --> 04:28:59,700
pronounced differently in each 
cultural context. 

4933
04:29:01,100 --> 04:29:03,100
The basic chemistry remained 
similar. 

4934
04:29:03,100 --> 04:29:07,700
But the ways people use 
fireworks to express Joy Market 

4935
04:29:07,700 --> 04:29:11,800
important moments and create 
shared experiences varied 

4936
04:29:11,800 --> 04:29:15,700
enormously. 
By the 17th and 18th centuries. 

4937
04:29:15,700 --> 04:29:19,400
Fireworks had become established
in most major cultures across 

4938
04:29:19,400 --> 04:29:21,700
Europe, Asia, and the Middle 
East. 

4939
04:29:22,500 --> 04:29:24,800
Each region had developed its 
own Traditions. 

4940
04:29:24,800 --> 04:29:28,800
Its own Master Crafts People and
its own Festival occasions. 

4941
04:29:28,800 --> 04:29:31,300
When fired displays were 
expected and anticipated. 

4942
04:29:33,000 --> 04:29:36,700
The original Chinese Innovations
had sparked if he'll pardon the 

4943
04:29:36,700 --> 04:29:40,400
expression, a worldwide 
tradition, that continued to 

4944
04:29:40,400 --> 04:29:44,200
evolve and diversify. 
This Global spread meant that 

4945
04:29:44,200 --> 04:29:47,500
fireworks became one of those 
rare technologies that 

4946
04:29:47,500 --> 04:29:51,300
transcended cultural boundaries 
while being adapted to countless

4947
04:29:51,300 --> 04:29:55,300
local contexts. 
Celebration in Beijing Baghdad 

4948
04:29:55,300 --> 04:29:57,300
and Barcelona. 
Might all feature fireworks. 

4949
04:29:58,100 --> 04:30:02,200
But the specific forms those 
displaced took the occasions, 

4950
04:30:02,200 --> 04:30:05,300
they marked and the meaning as 
They Carried would differ 

4951
04:30:05,300 --> 04:30:08,000
significantly based on local 
culture and tradition. 

4952
04:30:09,300 --> 04:30:11,400
The transmission of pyrotechnic 
knowledge. 

4953
04:30:11,400 --> 04:30:14,600
Also created networks of 
practitioners who shared 

4954
04:30:14,600 --> 04:30:17,300
techniques and Innovations 
across cultural boundaries 

4955
04:30:18,100 --> 04:30:20,900
Master fireworks. 
Makers might travel to learn new

4956
04:30:20,900 --> 04:30:23,900
methods or share discoveries 
through correspondence and 

4957
04:30:23,900 --> 04:30:27,500
published texts. 
Despite political conflicts and 

4958
04:30:27,500 --> 04:30:30,400
cultural differences. 
The community of people who 

4959
04:30:30,400 --> 04:30:33,200
understood how to create 
controlled explosions of light 

4960
04:30:33,200 --> 04:30:37,300
and sound maintained, a kind of 
professional kinship based on 

4961
04:30:37,300 --> 04:30:41,600
shared expertise, Let's slow 
down now and really explore what

4962
04:30:41,600 --> 04:30:43,500
it meant to be a master 
pyrotechnician. 

4963
04:30:43,500 --> 04:30:46,800
Someone who had devoted their 
life to understanding how to 

4964
04:30:46,800 --> 04:30:48,900
paint with fire and speak with 
thunder. 

4965
04:30:49,900 --> 04:30:53,800
This isn't glamorous work 
despite the spectacular result. 

4966
04:30:53,800 --> 04:30:59,800
It's patient detailed sometimes 
dangerous and requires the kind 

4967
04:30:59,800 --> 04:31:03,400
of accumulated wisdom that can 
only come from years of careful 

4968
04:31:03,400 --> 04:31:06,300
practice. 
A master fireworks makers 

4969
04:31:06,300 --> 04:31:09,600
Workshop would be a carefully 
organized space because 

4970
04:31:09,600 --> 04:31:12,200
organization might mean the 
difference between beautiful 

4971
04:31:12,200 --> 04:31:16,700
displays and tragic accidents. 
Raw materials would be stored 

4972
04:31:16,700 --> 04:31:18,800
separately. 
Kept dry and cool. 

4973
04:31:18,800 --> 04:31:21,700
Each substance in his designated
location. 

4974
04:31:22,900 --> 04:31:26,700
The workshop would likely be set
apart from other buildings a 

4975
04:31:26,700 --> 04:31:29,000
safety precaution. 
That also provided the quiet 

4976
04:31:29,000 --> 04:31:31,600
needed for concentration during 
delicate work. 

4977
04:31:31,600 --> 04:31:35,900
The grinding of powder was an 
art in itself, two course. 

4978
04:31:35,900 --> 04:31:39,500
And the mixture wouldn't burn. 
Properly producing disappointing

4979
04:31:39,500 --> 04:31:43,800
effects or failing to ignite at 
all too fine and it became 

4980
04:31:43,800 --> 04:31:47,600
dangerously sensitive prone to 
Accidental ignition from 

4981
04:31:47,600 --> 04:31:50,700
friction or static. 
The right consistency. 

4982
04:31:50,700 --> 04:31:55,600
Felt specific in your hands. 
Not quite like flower, not quite

4983
04:31:55,600 --> 04:31:58,800
like sand, but something in 
between that could only be 

4984
04:31:58,800 --> 04:32:02,200
learned through touch and 
experience mixing required 

4985
04:32:02,200 --> 04:32:04,100
attention that bordered on 
meditation. 

4986
04:32:04,900 --> 04:32:09,500
The proportions had to be exact 
but exact by feel and appearance

4987
04:32:09,500 --> 04:32:12,200
rather than by precise 
measurement with calibrated 

4988
04:32:12,200 --> 04:32:15,500
instruments. 
A master could look at a mixture

4989
04:32:15,500 --> 04:32:18,400
and know whether it needed more 
salt, peter or less sulfur. 

4990
04:32:19,100 --> 04:32:21,400
They could feel the texture 
between their fingers and 

4991
04:32:21,400 --> 04:32:23,800
sentence whether the grinding 
had been sufficient. 

4992
04:32:24,900 --> 04:32:27,300
This knowledge wasn't written 
down in formulas. 

4993
04:32:27,300 --> 04:32:30,600
It lived in the hands and 
sentences of practitioners. 

4994
04:32:31,500 --> 04:32:34,000
Creating effects required, 
understanding the relationship 

4995
04:32:34,000 --> 04:32:37,900
between Form and Function. 
Tightly packed tube produced 

4996
04:32:37,900 --> 04:32:39,900
different results than a Loosely
packed one. 

4997
04:32:40,600 --> 04:32:43,500
The diameter of the opening. 
Determined how sparks would 

4998
04:32:43,500 --> 04:32:46,300
disperse? 
The length of the tube affected,

4999
04:32:46,300 --> 04:32:49,200
how long affects would last? 
The placement of different 

5000
04:32:49,200 --> 04:32:53,000
powder mixtures in layers or 
compartments created sequences 

5001
04:32:53,000 --> 04:32:56,400
of changing effects. 
All of these variables, had to 

5002
04:32:56,400 --> 04:32:59,700
be considered and controlled. 
Color effects. 

5003
04:32:59,700 --> 04:33:02,700
Which had begun with simple 
observations about how different

5004
04:33:02,700 --> 04:33:05,900
materials affected Flames. 
Gradually became more 

5005
04:33:05,900 --> 04:33:11,599
sophisticated by the 17th and 
18th centuries, European, and 

5006
04:33:11,599 --> 04:33:14,800
Asian pyrotechnicians are 
developed extensive palettes of 

5007
04:33:14,800 --> 04:33:18,099
colors, through experimentation,
with various mineral compounds, 

5008
04:33:19,000 --> 04:33:24,200
Strontium produced, brilliant 
Reds barium gave greens, copper 

5009
04:33:24,200 --> 04:33:28,300
created Blues, sodium generated 
intense yellows. 

5010
04:33:28,300 --> 04:33:32,000
The challenge was creating 
compounds that would burn at the

5011
04:33:32,008 --> 04:33:35,599
right temperature, produced the 
desired color, and remained 

5012
04:33:35,599 --> 04:33:39,800
stable during storage and 
handling. the timing of affects 

5013
04:33:39,800 --> 04:33:42,099
was, perhaps the most 
challenging aspect of complex 

5014
04:33:42,099 --> 04:33:46,599
displays fuses had to be cut to 
specific lengths, to create 

5015
04:33:46,599 --> 04:33:48,099
delays between different 
elements. 

5016
04:33:48,900 --> 04:33:52,099
Sequences needed to build 
logically from one effect to 

5017
04:33:52,108 --> 04:33:55,099
another. 
Simultaneous effects required. 

5018
04:33:55,099 --> 04:33:59,800
Careful synchronization. 
Master pyrotechnicians developed

5019
04:33:59,800 --> 04:34:02,099
various techniques for 
controlling timing. 

5020
04:34:02,800 --> 04:34:06,800
Slow burning fuses, quick match,
that would propagate flame 

5021
04:34:06,800 --> 04:34:10,700
rapidly, and elaborate firing 
systems that allowed complex 

5022
04:34:10,700 --> 04:34:15,200
sequences to unfold reliably. 
Safety awareness was crucial, 

5023
04:34:15,200 --> 04:34:18,200
but had to be balanced against 
the nature of the work. 

5024
04:34:18,200 --> 04:34:22,599
You were after all deliberately 
creating controlled explosions. 

5025
04:34:23,500 --> 04:34:26,599
Accidents happen, even to the 
most experienced practitioners 

5026
04:34:26,599 --> 04:34:31,599
premature, ignitions unexpected 
reactions and devices that 

5027
04:34:31,599 --> 04:34:33,500
behave differently than 
anticipated. 

5028
04:34:34,500 --> 04:34:38,000
Successful pirate technicians, 
learn to respect the materials 

5029
04:34:38,000 --> 04:34:41,900
without being paralyzed by fear 
developed, safe, working 

5030
04:34:41,900 --> 04:34:45,200
procedures, and maintained 
constant vigilance during both 

5031
04:34:45,200 --> 04:34:48,900
preparation and performance. 
The meaning embedded in 

5032
04:34:48,900 --> 04:34:51,800
fireworks displays went Far 
Beyond Simple entertainment. 

5033
04:34:52,700 --> 04:34:55,700
And Chinese culture. 
The loud noise is continued to 

5034
04:34:55,707 --> 04:34:59,400
serve their original purpose of 
driving away, negative spirits 

5035
04:34:59,400 --> 04:35:02,599
and forces, but they all came to
symbolize the power of 

5036
04:35:02,599 --> 04:35:06,300
transformation itself. 
The way ordinary materials, 

5037
04:35:06,300 --> 04:35:09,300
could become extraordinary 
through proper combination and 

5038
04:35:09,308 --> 04:35:12,800
treatment. 
Each burst of Sparks represented

5039
04:35:12,800 --> 04:35:16,900
possibility the potential for 
sudden, brilliant change. 

5040
04:35:17,900 --> 04:35:21,599
In European contexts fireworks, 
became associated with power and

5041
04:35:21,599 --> 04:35:24,900
authority. 
Royal displays demonstrated the 

5042
04:35:24,908 --> 04:35:28,099
wealth and sophistication of 
monarchs who could afford to 

5043
04:35:28,099 --> 04:35:32,000
literally burn money in 
spectacular fashion. the ability

5044
04:35:32,000 --> 04:35:35,800
to command such displays showed 
control over powerful forces, 

5045
04:35:35,800 --> 04:35:39,099
suggesting by extension, the 
power of the ruler over their 

5046
04:35:39,099 --> 04:35:43,099
Realm but they also represented 
something more democratic 

5047
04:35:43,099 --> 04:35:47,200
moments when spectacular Beauty 
was available to everyone press 

5048
04:35:47,200 --> 04:35:51,900
and regardless of social status,
Japanese culture developed 

5049
04:35:51,900 --> 04:35:55,599
particularly Rich symbolic 
associations with fireworks or 

5050
04:35:55,599 --> 04:35:59,099
Hanabi which literally 
translates as fire flowers. 

5051
04:36:00,300 --> 04:36:03,900
Transient beauty of fireworks. 
Brilliant for a moment, then 

5052
04:36:03,900 --> 04:36:08,000
gone resonated with Buddhist 
concepts of impermanence and the

5053
04:36:08,000 --> 04:36:12,599
Japanese aesthetic principle of 
mono, no aware a pathos of 

5054
04:36:12,599 --> 04:36:15,300
things that are beautiful 
precisely because they don't 

5055
04:36:15,300 --> 04:36:20,500
last Watching fireworks became a
form of meditation on the nature

5056
04:36:20,500 --> 04:36:24,300
of existence itself. 
The craftsmanship involved in 

5057
04:36:24,300 --> 04:36:28,200
creating these displays was 
respected across cultures a 

5058
04:36:28,200 --> 04:36:32,500
master, pyrotechnician occupied.
A unique, social position part 

5059
04:36:32,500 --> 04:36:37,099
Artisan part artist and part 
dangerous magician who handled 

5060
04:36:37,099 --> 04:36:39,800
forces that could destroy as 
easily as Delight. 

5061
04:36:40,700 --> 04:36:44,400
Then knowledge was valuable. 
Sometimes carefully guarded and 

5062
04:36:44,400 --> 04:36:46,800
passed down through 
apprenticeship relationships 

5063
04:36:46,800 --> 04:36:51,000
that might last decades before a
student was considered ready to 

5064
04:36:51,000 --> 04:36:54,599
work independently. 
A physical toll of The Craft, 

5065
04:36:54,599 --> 04:36:57,700
shouldn't be ignored working 
with black powder, and his 

5066
04:36:57,700 --> 04:37:00,800
various chemical relatives, 
meant constant exposure to 

5067
04:37:00,800 --> 04:37:03,900
substances that were not 
particularly good for human 

5068
04:37:03,900 --> 04:37:06,599
health. 
The loud noises could damage 

5069
04:37:06,599 --> 04:37:09,800
hearing over time Burns, Rocky 
National hazards. 

5070
04:37:09,800 --> 04:37:12,800
The stress of knowing, that 
mistakes could be catastrophic 

5071
04:37:12,800 --> 04:37:17,300
probably affected practitioners 
mental health in ways that 

5072
04:37:17,300 --> 04:37:20,000
wouldn't have been discussed or 
addressed in early as centuries.

5073
04:37:20,900 --> 04:37:24,099
Yet people continue choosing 
this profession drawn by the 

5074
04:37:24,099 --> 04:37:27,900
satisfaction of creating Beauty.
The Prestige that came with 

5075
04:37:27,900 --> 04:37:29,800
Mastery and perhaps something 
deeper. 

5076
04:37:30,700 --> 04:37:33,599
The appeal of working with 
forces that existed at the 

5077
04:37:33,599 --> 04:37:35,700
boundary between control and 
chaos. 

5078
04:37:36,700 --> 04:37:40,000
There's something fundamentally 
human about the desire to take 

5079
04:37:40,008 --> 04:37:43,400
dangerous materials and 
transform them into sources of 

5080
04:37:43,400 --> 04:37:46,900
joy and wonder. 
The seasonal rhythm of a 

5081
04:37:46,900 --> 04:37:50,599
pyrotechnicians, life varied by 
culture, but generally followed 

5082
04:37:50,599 --> 04:37:53,000
patterns of festivals and 
celebrations. 

5083
04:37:53,900 --> 04:37:56,000
Preparations might be begin 
months before. 

5084
04:37:56,000 --> 04:38:00,400
Major events with the quieter 
Seasons devoted to experimenting

5085
04:38:00,400 --> 04:38:04,099
with new effects, replenishing 
supplies and training 

5086
04:38:04,099 --> 04:38:07,599
apprentices. 
As festivals approached, the 

5087
04:38:07,599 --> 04:38:10,700
pace would intensify long hours 
in the workshop. 

5088
04:38:10,700 --> 04:38:14,800
Careful testing of devices and 
coordination with Festival 

5089
04:38:14,800 --> 04:38:16,599
organizers about timing and 
placement. 

5090
04:38:17,700 --> 04:38:20,400
The actual performance of a 
display required intense 

5091
04:38:20,400 --> 04:38:24,200
concentration. 
Once ignition began, there was a

5092
04:38:24,200 --> 04:38:25,599
little room for error or 
correction. 

5093
04:38:26,599 --> 04:38:30,200
Effects had to unfold. 
As planned, timed sequences had 

5094
04:38:30,200 --> 04:38:33,400
to proceed correctly and the 
pirate technician had to monitor

5095
04:38:33,400 --> 04:38:36,700
everything while standing near 
substances that could if 

5096
04:38:36,700 --> 04:38:39,500
mishandled produced unfortunate 
results. 

5097
04:38:40,700 --> 04:38:43,400
The combination of careful, 
preparation and real-time 

5098
04:38:43,400 --> 04:38:47,099
awareness needed for successful 
displays demanded a particular 

5099
04:38:47,099 --> 04:38:49,800
temperament. 
Patient yet confident, 

5100
04:38:49,800 --> 04:38:53,599
detail-oriented yet able to 
improvise when necessary. 

5101
04:38:54,700 --> 04:38:58,500
After a display ended, there was
always clean up Gathering spent 

5102
04:38:58,500 --> 04:39:02,500
devices checking for anything 
that fail to ignite properly and

5103
04:39:02,500 --> 04:39:05,099
making notes about what worked 
well and what could be improved.

5104
04:39:06,000 --> 04:39:09,500
This unglamorous aftermath was 
actually crucial to the craft 

5105
04:39:09,500 --> 04:39:13,400
because systematic observation 
of results allowed continuous 

5106
04:39:13,400 --> 04:39:17,099
refinement of techniques. 
The greatest pirate technicians 

5107
04:39:17,099 --> 04:39:19,000
were those who learned from 
every display. 

5108
04:39:20,000 --> 04:39:22,500
Filing away mental notes about 
how different weather 

5109
04:39:22,500 --> 04:39:25,800
conditions, affected 
performance, which designs 

5110
04:39:25,800 --> 04:39:29,400
proved most, reliable, and what 
audiences responded to most 

5111
04:39:29,400 --> 04:39:33,599
enthusiastically. 
Transmission of pyrotechnic 

5112
04:39:33,599 --> 04:39:36,900
knowledge involved both explicit
teaching and pass it 

5113
04:39:36,908 --> 04:39:40,100
understanding. 
Apprentices could be taught 

5114
04:39:40,100 --> 04:39:45,100
formulas proportions and basic 
techniques but the deeper 

5115
04:39:45,100 --> 04:39:49,700
expertise, the ability to sense 
when a me was right to 

5116
04:39:49,700 --> 04:39:53,300
anticipate how a device would 
perform and to solve problems 

5117
04:39:53,300 --> 04:39:56,900
that arose during preparation. 
Could only be acquired through 

5118
04:39:56,900 --> 04:39:59,200
years of practice under skilled 
guidance. 

5119
04:40:00,300 --> 04:40:04,500
This made mastercrafts people 
invaluable their accumulated 

5120
04:40:04,500 --> 04:40:07,000
experience representing 
knowledge that couldn't be 

5121
04:40:07,000 --> 04:40:09,500
replaced simply by reading 
written instructions. 

5122
04:40:10,200 --> 04:40:12,500
Different cultures developed 
different training methods. 

5123
04:40:12,500 --> 04:40:16,700
Chinese workshops often kept 
knowledge within Family Lines 

5124
04:40:16,700 --> 04:40:20,400
with skills passed from parent 
to child across Generations. 

5125
04:40:21,200 --> 04:40:24,700
European guilds created more 
formal apprenticeship structures

5126
04:40:24,700 --> 04:40:27,800
with defined periods of training
and examinations before 

5127
04:40:27,800 --> 04:40:31,500
certification. 
Japanese Traditions emphasized, 

5128
04:40:31,500 --> 04:40:34,600
the spiritual dimensions of 
craftsmanship alongside 

5129
04:40:34,600 --> 04:40:38,700
technical proficiency. 
Treating fireworks creation as a

5130
04:40:38,700 --> 04:40:41,500
discipline that refined 
character as well as skill. 

5131
04:40:42,500 --> 04:40:47,300
Economics of the far Works trade
varied in Norse in some contexts

5132
04:40:47,300 --> 04:40:50,700
pyrotechnicians were well 
compensated, Crafts People Who 

5133
04:40:50,700 --> 04:40:53,900
earned comfortable living from 
their expertise in others. 

5134
04:40:53,900 --> 04:40:57,600
They struggled financially their
income depending on irregular 

5135
04:40:57,600 --> 04:41:00,400
Festival work and the patronage 
of wealthy sponsors. 

5136
04:41:01,400 --> 04:41:04,000
The materials themselves 
represented a significant 

5137
04:41:04,000 --> 04:41:08,900
expense, high quality chemicals,
and supplies were cheap and the 

5138
04:41:08,900 --> 04:41:11,200
investment required to set up a 
proper Workshop. 

5139
04:41:11,200 --> 04:41:15,400
Could be substantial Innovation 
in the craft came from multiple 

5140
04:41:15,400 --> 04:41:19,800
sources, sometimes technical 
advances emerge from systematic.

5141
04:41:19,800 --> 04:41:22,500
Experimentation by mastercrafts 
people. 

5142
04:41:22,500 --> 04:41:27,200
Exploring new possibilities. 
other times accidents or 

5143
04:41:27,200 --> 04:41:30,700
mistakes led to unexpected 
effects that once understood 

5144
04:41:30,700 --> 04:41:34,400
could be deliberately 
reproduced, Cross-cultural 

5145
04:41:34,400 --> 04:41:37,300
exchanges introduce techniques 
from different traditions. 

5146
04:41:38,200 --> 04:41:41,600
Spurring hybrid innovations that
combined elements from various 

5147
04:41:41,600 --> 04:41:45,100
approaches and occasionally 
advances in related fields, 

5148
04:41:45,100 --> 04:41:49,400
chemistry Metallurgy, and 
papermaking provided new 

5149
04:41:49,400 --> 04:41:52,500
materials or methods that 
pyrotechnicians could adapt for 

5150
04:41:52,500 --> 04:41:55,500
their purposes as you sink 
deeper into relaxation. 

5151
04:41:55,500 --> 04:42:00,200
Your breathing slow and steady. 
Let's trace the final threads of

5152
04:42:00,208 --> 04:42:02,900
our story. 
How those ancient Chinese 

5153
04:42:02,900 --> 04:42:06,500
Alchemists grinding powders by 
Lamplight in pursuit of 

5154
04:42:06,508 --> 04:42:10,300
immortality, inadvertently gave 
Humanity, a new language for 

5155
04:42:10,300 --> 04:42:14,200
expressing Joy marking 
Transitions and creating shared 

5156
04:42:14,200 --> 04:42:19,000
moments of wonder the legacy of 
those first fireworks extends, 

5157
04:42:19,000 --> 04:42:23,500
far beyond the spectacular 
displays we see today, Every 

5158
04:42:23,500 --> 04:42:27,000
time someone celebrate the new 
year with sparklers and Rockets 

5159
04:42:27,000 --> 04:42:30,000
their participating. 
In a traditional that stretches 

5160
04:42:30,000 --> 04:42:32,700
back. 
Over 1,000 years to those tanged

5161
04:42:32,700 --> 04:42:35,200
Dynasty workshops were 
Alchemists. 

5162
04:42:35,200 --> 04:42:39,400
Mixed sulfur, salt peter and 
charcoal in search of something 

5163
04:42:39,400 --> 04:42:43,600
entirely different The 
connection between those early 

5164
04:42:43,600 --> 04:42:46,400
experiments and modern 
celebrations represents one of 

5165
04:42:46,408 --> 04:42:49,900
the longest continuous cultural 
practices and human history. 

5166
04:42:51,100 --> 04:42:54,800
Modern fireworks, of course have
been transformed by centuries of

5167
04:42:54,808 --> 04:42:58,300
innovation and by scientific 
understanding that ancient 

5168
04:42:58,300 --> 04:42:59,900
Alchemists couldn't have 
imagined. 

5169
04:43:00,900 --> 04:43:05,000
We now comprehend the molecular 
basis of combustion can predict 

5170
04:43:05,000 --> 04:43:07,600
how different chemical compounds
will behave at various 

5171
04:43:07,600 --> 04:43:10,700
temperatures and design effects 
with computer precision. 

5172
04:43:11,600 --> 04:43:16,000
Yet the fundamental materials, 
sulfur, potassium nitrate and 

5173
04:43:16,000 --> 04:43:19,800
charcoal remain essentially the 
same as those used in ancient 

5174
04:43:19,800 --> 04:43:23,000
China. 
The sophistication lies in how 

5175
04:43:23,000 --> 04:43:26,300
we combine and deploy them not 
in replacing them with something

5176
04:43:26,300 --> 04:43:29,800
entirely new. 
The scale of contemporary 

5177
04:43:29,800 --> 04:43:33,100
displays would Astound those 
early pyrotechnicians. 

5178
04:43:34,000 --> 04:43:37,300
Major celebrations in modern 
cities might burn through tens 

5179
04:43:37,300 --> 04:43:39,800
of thousands of individual 
effects in a single evening. 

5180
04:43:40,600 --> 04:43:43,900
Choreographed to music with 
Split Second timing launched 

5181
04:43:43,900 --> 04:43:47,500
from multiple locations 
simultaneously and designed to 

5182
04:43:47,500 --> 04:43:50,200
be visible to audience's 
numbering in the hundreds of 

5183
04:43:50,200 --> 04:43:53,300
thousands. 
The logistics of such events, 

5184
04:43:53,300 --> 04:43:56,600
require teams of Specialists 
months of planning, 

5185
04:43:56,600 --> 04:44:01,100
sophisticated electronic, firing
systems and coordination, that 

5186
04:44:01,100 --> 04:44:03,700
would have seemed like sorcery 
to ancient practitioners. 

5187
04:44:05,100 --> 04:44:07,700
Yet something essential remains 
unchanged. 

5188
04:44:07,700 --> 04:44:12,300
When you watch fireworks bursts 
the night sky, your experiencing

5189
04:44:12,300 --> 04:44:14,700
the same. 
Fundamental wonder that 

5190
04:44:14,700 --> 04:44:16,800
audiences felt a thousand years 
ago. 

5191
04:44:17,800 --> 04:44:22,300
The surprise of light blooming 
in darkness, the visceral impact

5192
04:44:22,300 --> 04:44:27,200
of sudden loud sounds and the 
shared gas of a crowd. 

5193
04:44:27,200 --> 04:44:30,100
Witnessing something that 
exceeds every day experience. 

5194
04:44:31,000 --> 04:44:32,700
The technology may have 
advanced. 

5195
04:44:33,800 --> 04:44:37,600
Human psychology hasn't changed.
We're still creatures who 

5196
04:44:37,600 --> 04:44:40,500
respond to Fire and light with 
deep Primal fascination. 

5197
04:44:41,700 --> 04:44:44,200
The safety standard surrounding 
modern fireworks. 

5198
04:44:44,200 --> 04:44:46,400
Represent. 
Dramatic improvements over 

5199
04:44:46,400 --> 04:44:50,300
historical practices. 
Contemporary pirate, technicians

5200
04:44:50,300 --> 04:44:52,900
undergo extensive training and 
certification. 

5201
04:44:53,600 --> 04:44:57,500
Follow strict regulations about 
storage and handling an employee

5202
04:44:57,500 --> 04:45:00,400
safety equipment and procedures 
that minimize risks. 

5203
04:45:01,200 --> 04:45:04,200
The materials themselves have 
been refined to be more stable 

5204
04:45:04,200 --> 04:45:06,900
and predictable. 
Accidents still occur. 

5205
04:45:06,900 --> 04:45:09,800
But they're far less common than
they were when fireworks 

5206
04:45:09,800 --> 04:45:13,200
creation was a more intuitive 
less regulated craft. 

5207
04:45:14,500 --> 04:45:17,900
Environmental concerns about 
fireworks have emerged in recent

5208
04:45:17,900 --> 04:45:21,500
decades, as we've become more 
aware of pollution and its 

5209
04:45:21,500 --> 04:45:24,400
effects. 
The smoke from black powder and 

5210
04:45:24,400 --> 04:45:27,700
various chemical compositions 
contain substances that aren't 

5211
04:45:27,700 --> 04:45:30,100
particularly beneficial to air 
quality. 

5212
04:45:30,900 --> 04:45:33,700
Debris from spent shells and 
casings creates clean up 

5213
04:45:33,700 --> 04:45:37,400
challenges. 
The noise disturbs wildlife and 

5214
04:45:37,400 --> 04:45:39,700
can be traumatic for people and 
animals with sound 

5215
04:45:39,700 --> 04:45:44,100
sensitivities. these concerns 
have spurred innovation in 

5216
04:45:44,100 --> 04:45:48,700
developing cleaner, pirate 
techniques, quieter displays an 

5217
04:45:48,700 --> 04:45:52,300
alternative celebration methods,
though, traditional fireworks, 

5218
04:45:52,300 --> 04:45:56,800
remain popular despite these 
issues The Democratic nature of 

5219
04:45:56,800 --> 04:45:59,200
fireworks. 
The way they create shared 

5220
04:45:59,200 --> 04:46:02,800
experience of available to 
everyone present, gives them a 

5221
04:46:02,800 --> 04:46:06,800
unique cultural role. unlike 
many art forms that require 

5222
04:46:06,800 --> 04:46:09,600
educational or cultural 
knowledge to fully, appreciate 

5223
04:46:10,600 --> 04:46:12,900
Fireworks. 
Communicate, immediately and 

5224
04:46:12,900 --> 04:46:15,300
viscerally. 
You don't need training to 

5225
04:46:15,300 --> 04:46:18,900
understand that brilliant colors
bursting across the sky, a 

5226
04:46:18,900 --> 04:46:22,800
beautiful and exciting. 
This accessibility helps explain

5227
04:46:22,800 --> 04:46:25,700
why fireworks have been adopted 
by virtually every culture 

5228
04:46:25,700 --> 04:46:28,700
they've encountered. 
Different occasions around the 

5229
04:46:28,700 --> 04:46:32,400
world have become associated 
with fireworks displays, each 

5230
04:46:32,400 --> 04:46:35,800
culture mapping the technology 
onto their own calendar of 

5231
04:46:35,800 --> 04:46:39,000
significant moments. 
Chinese New Year remains, 

5232
04:46:39,000 --> 04:46:42,800
perhaps the most extensive use 
of fireworks anywhere with 

5233
04:46:42,800 --> 04:46:46,500
celebrations that can last for 
days and consume staggering 

5234
04:46:46,500 --> 04:46:51,000
quantities of pyrotechnics. 
American independence day has 

5235
04:46:51,000 --> 04:46:54,900
become synonymous with fireworks
in the United States Diwali in 

5236
04:46:54,900 --> 04:46:59,800
India, feature spectacular fire 
displays guy Forks night in 

5237
04:46:59,800 --> 04:47:04,500
Britain, Bastille Day in France.
And countless local festivals, 

5238
04:47:04,500 --> 04:47:06,300
worldwide. 
All Mark themselves with 

5239
04:47:06,300 --> 04:47:10,400
artificial lights in the sky. 
A personal experience of 

5240
04:47:10,400 --> 04:47:14,400
watching fireworks varies but 
certain elements seem Universal 

5241
04:47:14,400 --> 04:47:17,200
is the anticipation as you wait 
in darkness. 

5242
04:47:17,200 --> 04:47:19,400
Knowing something is about to 
happen. 

5243
04:47:19,400 --> 04:47:25,100
The first burst always draws 
exclamations, even when you 

5244
04:47:25,100 --> 04:47:28,100
know, it's coming. 
The sudden transition from 

5245
04:47:28,100 --> 04:47:31,100
Darkness to brilliant. 
Light, captures attention 

5246
04:47:31,100 --> 04:47:35,100
completely. 
As displays progress, you find 

5247
04:47:35,100 --> 04:47:39,100
yourself looking for patterns, 
comparing different effects and 

5248
04:47:39,100 --> 04:47:43,500
perhaps developing favorites. 
The grand finale with its 

5249
04:47:43,500 --> 04:47:47,500
overwhelming density of effects 
and sound creates a kind of 

5250
04:47:47,500 --> 04:47:50,700
sensory saturation that borders 
on overwhelming. 

5251
04:47:51,700 --> 04:47:56,000
And then comes the silence after
with smoke drifting across your 

5252
04:47:56,000 --> 04:47:58,100
vision. 
And the smell of powder hanging 

5253
04:47:58,100 --> 04:48:01,000
in the air. 
Children experience in fireworks

5254
04:48:01,000 --> 04:48:03,900
for the first time go through a 
fascinating progression. 

5255
04:48:04,600 --> 04:48:08,200
Initial fear of the loud noises 
often gives away to excitement 

5256
04:48:08,200 --> 04:48:10,500
once they realize the sound 
won't hurt them. 

5257
04:48:11,500 --> 04:48:15,800
The visual spectacle captivates 
even very young children often 

5258
04:48:15,800 --> 04:48:18,600
try to reach up toward the 
lights as if they could somehow 

5259
04:48:18,600 --> 04:48:22,200
grab them from the sky. 
The association between 

5260
04:48:22,200 --> 04:48:25,700
fireworks and special occasions.
Gets established early. 

5261
04:48:26,400 --> 04:48:29,000
Creating memories that many 
people carry throughout their 

5262
04:48:29,000 --> 04:48:32,100
lives. 
Particular displays watched with

5263
04:48:32,100 --> 04:48:35,100
family that one time, the 
weather was perfect. 

5264
04:48:35,100 --> 04:48:38,700
And the year when everything 
seemed to Specialty magical. 

5265
04:48:40,100 --> 04:48:43,200
For adults fireworks often 
carry, nostalgic weight. 

5266
04:48:43,200 --> 04:48:46,200
Connecting present moments to 
pass celebration. 

5267
04:48:47,200 --> 04:48:50,600
Watching displays might trigger 
memories of childhood festivals 

5268
04:48:50,600 --> 04:48:53,000
or of significant personal 
moments. 

5269
04:48:53,000 --> 04:48:57,300
That happened to coincide with 
fireworks proposals celebrations

5270
04:48:57,300 --> 04:49:01,800
of achievements and farewell 
gatherings. the recurring nature

5271
04:49:01,800 --> 04:49:04,900
of fireworks on specific 
occasions creates markers in 

5272
04:49:04,900 --> 04:49:08,400
personal chronology, allowing 
people to measure the passage of

5273
04:49:08,400 --> 04:49:13,200
time through remembered displays
The craft of creating fireworks 

5274
04:49:13,200 --> 04:49:16,800
continues to evolve. 
Professional pyrotechnicians 

5275
04:49:16,800 --> 04:49:20,200
today combined traditional 
expertise with modern technology

5276
04:49:20,200 --> 04:49:23,500
using computer software, to 
choreographed displays 

5277
04:49:23,500 --> 04:49:26,900
electronic firing systems for 
precise timing. 

5278
04:49:26,900 --> 04:49:30,200
A new chemical formulation for 
novel effects. 

5279
04:49:31,100 --> 04:49:34,600
Yet they still draw on knowledge
accumulated over centuries. 

5280
04:49:34,600 --> 04:49:37,700
Still must understand how 
weather conditions affect 

5281
04:49:37,700 --> 04:49:40,100
performance and still need the 
Judgment. 

5282
04:49:40,100 --> 04:49:44,400
That comes only from experience.
It remains a craft where human 

5283
04:49:44,400 --> 04:49:48,700
expertise matters enormously 
even as technology provides new 

5284
04:49:48,700 --> 04:49:50,900
tools. 
How much are on hobbyist 

5285
04:49:50,900 --> 04:49:53,000
fireworks? 
Communities exist in many 

5286
04:49:53,000 --> 04:49:55,700
countries though. 
They are subject to varying 

5287
04:49:55,700 --> 04:49:57,900
legal restrictions and safety 
regulations. 

5288
04:49:58,800 --> 04:50:01,900
He's enthusiasts carry on 
traditions of experimentation 

5289
04:50:01,900 --> 04:50:05,800
and Innovation discovering new 
effects and techniques and 

5290
04:50:05,800 --> 04:50:09,500
sharing knowledge through online
forums and in-person gatherings.

5291
04:50:10,200 --> 04:50:12,900
The democratization of 
information through the internet

5292
04:50:12,900 --> 04:50:16,000
has made pyrotechnic knowledge 
more accessible than ever 

5293
04:50:16,000 --> 04:50:18,600
before. 
Though this comes with concerns 

5294
04:50:18,600 --> 04:50:20,100
about safety and proper 
training. 

5295
04:50:21,200 --> 04:50:24,400
The question of what fireworks 
mean continues to evolve. 

5296
04:50:25,100 --> 04:50:27,500
For some they remain primarily 
celebratory. 

5297
04:50:28,300 --> 04:50:31,500
Pure expressions of Joy without 
deeper significance Beyond 

5298
04:50:31,500 --> 04:50:35,400
marking happy occasions. 
Others see in the metaphors for 

5299
04:50:35,400 --> 04:50:38,500
life itself. 
Brilliant brief, and beautiful 

5300
04:50:38,500 --> 04:50:41,200
precisely. 
Because they cannot be held or 

5301
04:50:41,200 --> 04:50:44,000
preserved only experience in the
moment. 

5302
04:50:45,100 --> 04:50:46,300
Still others. 
Appreciate them. 

5303
04:50:46,300 --> 04:50:49,700
As technical achievements, 
marveling at the engineering and

5304
04:50:49,700 --> 04:50:52,400
chemistry required to produce 
specific effects. 

5305
04:50:53,400 --> 04:50:55,800
The future of fireworks. 
Likely involves continued 

5306
04:50:55,800 --> 04:50:57,400
innovation in several 
directions. 

5307
04:50:58,300 --> 04:51:01,000
Environmentally friendly a 
formulations that reduce 

5308
04:51:01,000 --> 04:51:04,200
pollution and noise are already 
being developed and deployed. 

5309
04:51:05,200 --> 04:51:07,400
Drone. 
Light shows offer Alternatives 

5310
04:51:07,400 --> 04:51:11,100
that create spectacular, aerial 
displays without combustion or 

5311
04:51:11,100 --> 04:51:13,900
debris. 
Augmented reality, might 

5312
04:51:13,900 --> 04:51:15,500
eventually. 
Allow people to experience 

5313
04:51:15,500 --> 04:51:18,200
virtual fireworks customized to 
their preferences. 

5314
04:51:19,400 --> 04:51:22,300
Yet traditional pyrotechnics 
were likely endure because they 

5315
04:51:22,300 --> 04:51:24,500
offer something that 
technological Alternatives 

5316
04:51:24,500 --> 04:51:28,200
cannot quite replicate. 
The real physical presence of 

5317
04:51:28,200 --> 04:51:32,000
fire and light the authentic 
boom that you feel in your chest

5318
04:51:32,000 --> 04:51:35,200
and the shared experience of 
witnessing something that is 

5319
04:51:35,200 --> 04:51:38,300
genuinely happening in the 
moment rather than being 

5320
04:51:38,300 --> 04:51:42,300
mediated through screens. 
The Alchemist who first mix, 

5321
04:51:42,300 --> 04:51:46,200
sulfur, salt, peter and charcoal
would probably be bemused to 

5322
04:51:46,200 --> 04:51:48,600
know, their fail, that 
experiments at creating a 

5323
04:51:48,600 --> 04:51:53,000
mortality Elixir instead created
something that has brought joy 

5324
04:51:53,000 --> 04:51:55,900
to billions of people across 
countless Generations. 

5325
04:51:57,300 --> 04:52:00,700
They were looking for a way to 
extend life in definitely but 

5326
04:52:00,700 --> 04:52:03,000
they inadvertently discovered 
something else. 

5327
04:52:04,000 --> 04:52:07,900
A waiter Mark life's important 
moments to create shared 

5328
04:52:07,900 --> 04:52:11,900
experiences of Wonder and to add
Beauty and excitement to human 

5329
04:52:11,900 --> 04:52:15,300
celebration. 
In that sense, perhaps they 

5330
04:52:15,300 --> 04:52:17,900
succeeded off. 
After all, just not in the way 

5331
04:52:17,900 --> 04:52:20,900
they intended. 
They didn't create him mortality

5332
04:52:20,900 --> 04:52:23,800
for individuals, but they 
created something that has 

5333
04:52:23,800 --> 04:52:27,200
persisted across centuries and 
will likely continue for many 

5334
04:52:27,200 --> 04:52:29,500
more. 
A tradition that connects 

5335
04:52:29,500 --> 04:52:33,200
ancient Chinese workshops to 
Modern celebrations worldwide. 

5336
04:52:33,200 --> 04:52:37,300
That links, those first 
primitive, bamboo crackers, to 

5337
04:52:37,300 --> 04:52:40,600
the most sophisticated 
contemporary displays and that 

5338
04:52:40,600 --> 04:52:43,900
transforms simple chemical 
reactions into experiences of 

5339
04:52:43,908 --> 04:52:47,200
beauty and joy. 
As we bring this journey to a 

5340
04:52:47,208 --> 04:52:51,800
close, imagine yourself standing
under a night sky similar to the

5341
04:52:51,800 --> 04:52:55,600
one that ancient Alchemists saw 
from their workshops back. 

5342
04:52:55,600 --> 04:52:58,600
When they first noticed that 
certain mixtures of powder, 

5343
04:52:58,600 --> 04:53:03,300
would burn with unexpected 
brilliant's The same Stars 

5344
04:53:03,300 --> 04:53:06,700
looked down arranged in patterns
that humans have been reading 

5345
04:53:06,700 --> 04:53:10,600
for thousands of years, finding 
meaning and stories in their 

5346
04:53:10,600 --> 04:53:13,800
Arrangements. 
The darkness that surrounds you 

5347
04:53:13,808 --> 04:53:17,100
is comfortable now, not 
threatening or empty but full of

5348
04:53:17,108 --> 04:53:20,300
potential. 
The same potential that those 

5349
04:53:20,300 --> 04:53:22,700
early experimenters sensed when 
they work through. 

5350
04:53:22,700 --> 04:53:26,300
Quiet hours, grinding powders 
and mixing substances. 

5351
04:53:26,300 --> 04:53:29,400
Not knowing they were creating 
something that would Outlast 

5352
04:53:29,400 --> 04:53:33,300
Empires and span continents. 
You can almost smell that 

5353
04:53:33,300 --> 04:53:36,700
distinctive scent of black 
powder, smoke, sharp and 

5354
04:53:36,700 --> 04:53:39,200
accurate. 
But associated with joy and 

5355
04:53:39,200 --> 04:53:43,400
celebration, You can imagine the
sound of the first bamboo 

5356
04:53:43,400 --> 04:53:46,400
cracker splitting. 
From internal pressure, the 

5357
04:53:46,400 --> 04:53:49,400
surprise laughter that must have
followed and the realization 

5358
04:53:49,400 --> 04:53:53,300
that here was something new a 
way to make Darkness suddenly 

5359
04:53:53,300 --> 04:53:57,000
bright to Mark, important 
moments, with light and sound. 

5360
04:53:57,000 --> 04:54:00,900
And to share Wonder with 
everyone with Insight near shot.

5361
04:54:01,600 --> 04:54:04,900
The journey from medicinal 
research to Global celebration 

5362
04:54:04,900 --> 04:54:08,400
is a reminder that human 
creativity often Works in 

5363
04:54:08,400 --> 04:54:12,400
unexpected ways. 
We set out to achieve one goal 

5364
04:54:12,400 --> 04:54:14,600
and discovered something 
entirely different. 

5365
04:54:14,600 --> 04:54:19,000
We try to solve one problem and 
create solutions to problems. 

5366
04:54:19,000 --> 04:54:23,100
We hadn't even recognized those 
Alchemists fail at their 

5367
04:54:23,100 --> 04:54:27,100
original purpose but succeeded 
in creating something arguably 

5368
04:54:27,100 --> 04:54:30,900
more valuable. 
Not a mortality for individuals 

5369
04:54:30,900 --> 04:54:34,300
but a tradition as brought Joy 
across Generations. 

5370
04:54:34,300 --> 04:54:38,500
A shared human language of light
that requires no translation. 

5371
04:54:40,000 --> 04:54:41,900
As your breathing slows and your
body. 

5372
04:54:41,900 --> 04:54:45,500
Settles into complete 
relaxation, let yourself feel 

5373
04:54:45,500 --> 04:54:48,400
connected to that long chain of 
Human Experience. 

5374
04:54:49,300 --> 04:54:53,200
From those first experimenters 
in Tang Dynasty workshops to 

5375
04:54:53,200 --> 04:54:56,500
Modern pirate technicians 
preparing tomorrow's displays 

5376
04:54:56,500 --> 04:54:59,500
from ancient Festival. 
Goers gathering in Chinese 

5377
04:54:59,500 --> 04:55:03,300
Courtyards to contemporary 
audiences watching, synchronized

5378
04:55:03,300 --> 04:55:05,900
displays set to music in cities 
around the world. 

5379
04:55:07,100 --> 04:55:09,500
You're part of this story. 
Every time you've watched 

5380
04:55:09,500 --> 04:55:13,800
fireworks, burst across the sky.
Every time you felt that 

5381
04:55:13,800 --> 04:55:17,600
visceral thrill of sudden, 
light, blooming and darkness, 

5382
04:55:17,600 --> 04:55:20,600
and every time you've shared 
that Collective intake of 

5383
04:55:20,608 --> 04:55:23,900
breath, when something 
particularly spectacular unfolds

5384
04:55:23,900 --> 04:55:27,000
overhead, the tradition that 
began with Alchemist seeking 

5385
04:55:27,000 --> 04:55:31,200
immortality continues through 
your experiences, your memories 

5386
04:55:31,200 --> 04:55:34,900
and your participation in 
celebrations marked by fire and 

5387
04:55:34,900 --> 04:55:38,700
light the beauty of fireworks. 
Like the beauty of this story 

5388
04:55:38,700 --> 04:55:43,700
lies, partly in its impermanence
each burst exists for only a 

5389
04:55:43,700 --> 04:55:46,400
moment. 
Brilliant and then gone leaving 

5390
04:55:46,400 --> 04:55:51,500
only smoke and memory. but those
moments accumulate, Building a 

5391
04:55:51,500 --> 04:55:54,700
tradition that has endured for 
over 1,000 years and likely 

5392
04:55:54,700 --> 04:55:58,700
continuous long as humans gather
to celebrate to Mark important 

5393
04:55:58,700 --> 04:56:02,500
Transitions and to create Beauty
together in the Darkness. 

5394
04:56:04,200 --> 04:56:07,000
The ancient Chinese Alchemists 
couldn't have predicted any of 

5395
04:56:07,000 --> 04:56:09,300
this. 
They were just trying to extend 

5396
04:56:09,300 --> 04:56:13,400
life mixing substances according
to theories that combined 

5397
04:56:13,400 --> 04:56:16,500
philosophy, medicine and early 
chemistry. 

5398
04:56:18,100 --> 04:56:21,100
They would probably be surprised
to learn that their experiments 

5399
04:56:21,100 --> 04:56:23,300
live on not in extended 
lifespans. 

5400
04:56:23,300 --> 04:56:26,900
But in the joyful explosions of 
color that Mark celebrations 

5401
04:56:26,900 --> 04:56:32,300
worldwide Yet there's a certain 
poetry in this outcome, their 

5402
04:56:32,300 --> 04:56:35,200
quest for permanence created. 
Something that is beautiful 

5403
04:56:35,200 --> 04:56:39,900
precisely because it doesn't 
last as you drift towards sleep 

5404
04:56:39,900 --> 04:56:42,800
carried by The Gentle rhythm of 
this story in your own quiet 

5405
04:56:42,800 --> 04:56:46,300
breathing, let the images of 
ancient workshops and modern 

5406
04:56:46,300 --> 04:56:51,200
festivals blend and soften The 
specific details don't matter, 

5407
04:56:51,200 --> 04:56:53,300
so much. 
Now what matters is the 

5408
04:56:53,300 --> 04:56:57,700
connection, the continuity, the 
way human creativity and 

5409
04:56:57,700 --> 04:57:01,300
curiosity of threaded, through 
centuries, transforming 

5410
04:57:01,300 --> 04:57:05,600
accidents into Traditions 
turning failed experiments into 

5411
04:57:05,600 --> 04:57:08,900
sources of Joy. 
The night sky above you, hold 

5412
04:57:08,900 --> 04:57:11,900
all the same potential at held 
for those ancient Observers. 

5413
04:57:12,700 --> 04:57:16,500
The darkness is simply waiting 
for light for color for the 

5414
04:57:16,500 --> 04:57:19,900
sudden, brilliant Bloom of fire 
flowers that fade even as their 

5415
04:57:19,900 --> 04:57:24,200
being born. 
And somewhere right now someone 

5416
04:57:24,200 --> 04:57:28,500
is preparing tomorrow's display,
measuring powder packing, tubes 

5417
04:57:28,500 --> 04:57:32,700
and timing fuses continuing work
that began in quiet. 

5418
04:57:32,700 --> 04:57:34,600
Workshops more than a millennium
ago. 

5419
04:57:35,400 --> 04:57:38,800
When Alchemists first noticed 
that certain combinations of 

5420
04:57:38,800 --> 04:57:41,600
Earth and mineral could 
transform into something 

5421
04:57:41,600 --> 04:57:43,900
extraordinary. 
Sleep. 

5422
04:57:43,900 --> 04:57:47,100
Now with the knowledge that 
human curiosity and creativity 

5423
04:57:47,100 --> 04:57:50,700
continue their patient work, 
that beautiful accidents, still 

5424
04:57:50,700 --> 04:57:53,000
happen. 
That the search for one thing 

5425
04:57:53,000 --> 04:57:56,400
often leads to discovering 
something else entirely and that

5426
04:57:56,400 --> 04:57:58,800
sometimes, our failures turn out
to be gifts. 

5427
04:57:58,800 --> 04:58:03,300
We never expected to give the 
story of fireworks is the story 

5428
04:58:03,300 --> 04:58:07,500
of transformation of materials 
transformed by fire of 

5429
04:58:07,500 --> 04:58:10,400
accidental discoveries 
transformed into intentional 

5430
04:58:10,400 --> 04:58:14,600
art, Of individual experience is
transformed into shared 

5431
04:58:14,600 --> 04:58:17,300
Traditions. 
It's a story that continues 

5432
04:58:17,300 --> 04:58:21,000
every time someone looks up at 
night sky and sees its suddenly 

5433
04:58:21,000 --> 04:58:23,000
painted with him possible 
colors. 

5434
04:58:23,000 --> 04:58:27,500
Every time a crowd gasped 
together at spectacular Beauty. 

5435
04:58:27,500 --> 04:58:31,500
And every time a celebration is 
marked with light blooming and 

5436
04:58:31,500 --> 04:58:35,100
darkness rest easy in the 
knowledge and let the gentle 

5437
04:58:35,100 --> 04:58:39,200
images of distant workshops and 
Festival nights Fade Into the 

5438
04:58:39,200 --> 04:58:41,700
comfortable, Darkness behind 
your closed eyes. 

5439
04:58:43,200 --> 04:58:45,300
The Alchemists are still at 
work, somewhere in your 

5440
04:58:45,308 --> 04:58:49,300
imagination grinding their 
powders by Lamplight, not 

5441
04:58:49,300 --> 04:58:52,400
knowing what they're about to 
discover and that's perfectly 

5442
04:58:52,400 --> 04:58:54,900
fine. 
Discovery doesn't require 

5443
04:58:54,900 --> 04:58:58,200
knowing the destination. 
It only requires curiosity 

5444
04:58:58,200 --> 04:59:01,400
patience. 
And the willingness to notice 

5445
04:59:01,400 --> 04:59:05,000
when something unexpected 
happens, The ancient Stars 

5446
04:59:05,000 --> 04:59:09,000
continue their slow wheel 
overhead the night holds its 

5447
04:59:09,000 --> 04:59:12,700
secrets and its possibilities. 
And somewhere between sleeping 

5448
04:59:12,700 --> 04:59:15,100
and waking. 
You understand that some of 

5449
04:59:15,108 --> 04:59:18,100
Humanity's greatest gifts came 
from people looking for 

5450
04:59:18,100 --> 04:59:22,100
something else entirely and 
that, this too is beautiful this

5451
04:59:22,100 --> 04:59:26,100
stumbling into one day. 
This accidental creation of joy.

5452
04:59:26,900 --> 04:59:28,900
Sleep. 
Well, under the same sky that 

5453
04:59:28,900 --> 04:59:31,800
has watched over Chinese 
workshops and Roman festivals 

5454
04:59:31,800 --> 04:59:36,800
over Tang dinasti celebrations 
and modern displays over every 

5455
04:59:36,800 --> 04:59:40,600
human who ever looked up at 
darkness and imagined it right 

5456
04:59:40,600 --> 04:59:44,900
with flowers of Fire. 
The tradition continues, the 

5457
04:59:44,900 --> 04:59:49,300
craft endures and the simple 
chemistry of sulfur, salt, 

5458
04:59:49,300 --> 04:59:53,600
peter, and charcoal still 
transforms into moments of 

5459
04:59:53,600 --> 04:59:56,200
beauty, that connect us across 
centuries. 

5460
04:59:57,200 --> 05:00:00,000
Let these thoughts dissolve. 
Now in to the peaceful darkness 

5461
05:00:00,000 --> 05:00:04,300
of sleep, Carrying with them, 
the Warm Glow of distant lamps 

5462
05:00:04,300 --> 05:00:08,100
in ancient Workshops. 
The brilliant flash of Festival 

5463
05:00:08,100 --> 05:00:12,000
fireworks and the quiet 
satisfaction of understanding. 

5464
05:00:12,000 --> 05:00:16,000
How accidents and experiments 
and patient craftsmanship, can 

5465
05:00:16,000 --> 05:00:20,300
combine to create Traditions 
that Outlast Empires and cross 

5466
05:00:20,300 --> 05:00:23,800
every border. 
The story is complete. 

5467
05:00:23,800 --> 05:00:26,500
The night is quiet, and sleep is
calling. 

5468
05:00:27,400 --> 05:00:29,900
Rest. 
Now, knowing that tomorrow will 

5469
05:00:29,900 --> 05:00:32,100
bring its own possibilities for 
Discovery. 

5470
05:00:32,100 --> 05:00:35,900
Its own chances to transform 
ordinary materials into 

5471
05:00:35,900 --> 05:00:39,800
extraordinary experiences and 
its own opportunities to create 

5472
05:00:39,800 --> 05:00:44,200
beauty that like the best 
fireworks exists brilliantly for

5473
05:00:44,200 --> 05:00:46,200
a moment before Fading Into 
memory. 

5474
05:00:53,500 --> 05:00:56,100
Eleanor Roosevelt's name, 
evokes, images of a dignified. 

5475
05:00:56,100 --> 05:00:59,700
First lady championing human 
rights and redefining the role 

5476
05:00:59,700 --> 05:01:03,000
of women in politics. 
Yet her Story begins in an era 

5477
05:01:03,000 --> 05:01:05,600
marked by hush to assumptions 
about what women could and 

5478
05:01:05,600 --> 05:01:08,800
should do and her journey from 
shy, orphaned Global influence. 

5479
05:01:08,800 --> 05:01:10,200
So was no predictable 
progression. 

5480
05:01:11,200 --> 05:01:15,000
Born Anna Eleanor Roosevelt on 
October 11th 1884. 

5481
05:01:15,000 --> 05:01:18,400
She entered a family steeped in 
Prestige but also riddled with 

5482
05:01:18,400 --> 05:01:22,500
private, heartbreak her mother 
and a halt rows of elt was 

5483
05:01:22,500 --> 05:01:25,500
renowned for beauty and social 
graces while her father. 

5484
05:01:25,500 --> 05:01:27,700
Elliot Roosevelt was the 
charismatic. 

5485
05:01:27,700 --> 05:01:30,700
But troubled, Young Brother of 
future president, Theodore 

5486
05:01:30,700 --> 05:01:33,500
Roosevelt. 
Some narratives cast her parents

5487
05:01:33,500 --> 05:01:36,400
and start contrasts her mother's
alef Manor. 

5488
05:01:36,400 --> 05:01:40,800
Her father's, erratic Behavior. 
Yet Eleanor recalled them both 

5489
05:01:40,800 --> 05:01:43,600
with a child's longing, craving 
acceptance. 

5490
05:01:44,400 --> 05:01:46,800
Her mother's criticisms of her 
looks haunted her. 

5491
05:01:46,800 --> 05:01:50,500
And her father struggles with 
alcohol often overshadowed his 

5492
05:01:50,500 --> 05:01:54,300
tender devotion, these paradoxes
shaped Eleanor's earliest 

5493
05:01:54,300 --> 05:01:58,300
perceptions of self-worth by age
10, she had lost both parents, 

5494
05:01:58,300 --> 05:02:02,800
her mother died of diphtheria 
and her father, long embroiled 

5495
05:02:02,800 --> 05:02:06,400
in personal turmoil passed away.
Two years later left without 

5496
05:02:06,400 --> 05:02:09,500
their protective presence. 
Eleanor moved in with relatives,

5497
05:02:09,500 --> 05:02:11,900
who maintained the typical 
decorum of New York, High 

5498
05:02:11,900 --> 05:02:14,100
Society. 
She was a timid Child 

5499
05:02:14,100 --> 05:02:16,700
overshadowed by cousins, who 
found her seriousness 

5500
05:02:16,700 --> 05:02:20,300
perplexing, she found some 
solace in reading stories of 

5501
05:02:20,300 --> 05:02:23,600
Daring, heroine's, and moral 
dilemmas her maternal, 

5502
05:02:23,600 --> 05:02:27,400
grandmother Mary Ludlow Hall 
insisted on conventional. 

5503
05:02:27,400 --> 05:02:30,500
Decorum, with the hope that 
Eleanor would Bloom into a 

5504
05:02:30,500 --> 05:02:33,400
proper debutant. 
Instead the girl quietly 

5505
05:02:33,400 --> 05:02:37,000
internalized, a sense of Duty 
and self-consciousness, she 

5506
05:02:37,000 --> 05:02:40,300
learned how to host tease and 
navigate social niceties, but 

5507
05:02:40,300 --> 05:02:43,900
she also developed in a resolve 
The gulf between The Confident 

5508
05:02:43,900 --> 05:02:46,600
girls around her and her 
insecurities never fully 

5509
05:02:46,600 --> 05:02:49,000
disappeared. 
But she forged a methodical 

5510
05:02:49,000 --> 05:02:53,500
approach to self-improvement At 
age 15, she was shipped to 

5511
05:02:53,500 --> 05:02:56,400
Alan's would Academy. 
A boarding school outside London

5512
05:02:56,400 --> 05:02:59,200
there? 
Under the guidance of Marie 

5513
05:02:59,200 --> 05:03:02,500
souvestre, an educator known for
fostering independent thought 

5514
05:03:03,100 --> 05:03:05,800
Elinor found a nurturing 
environment for the first time 

5515
05:03:05,800 --> 05:03:09,300
since her parents deaths. 
Sylvester saw potential in her 

5516
05:03:09,300 --> 05:03:11,200
seriousness and urged her to 
speak her mind. 

5517
05:03:11,900 --> 05:03:14,400
Gone with a constraints of 
superficial Society. 

5518
05:03:14,400 --> 05:03:18,000
Gatherings instead classes 
focused on world affairs 

5519
05:03:18,000 --> 05:03:22,200
literature and critical thinking
Eleanor traveled across Europe 

5520
05:03:22,200 --> 05:03:26,100
absorbing cultural differences, 
forging friendships, and 

5521
05:03:26,100 --> 05:03:27,400
learning to question 
assumptions. 

5522
05:03:28,500 --> 05:03:31,400
The timid girl from New York 
high society was Awakening to 

5523
05:03:31,400 --> 05:03:35,400
the world's complexity returning
to the United States at age 18. 

5524
05:03:35,400 --> 05:03:38,700
She struggled to react to make 
to the rigid expectations of 

5525
05:03:38,700 --> 05:03:42,800
debutant life Gowns balls and 
polite, suitors. 

5526
05:03:42,800 --> 05:03:45,800
Filled her schedule yet. 
She yearned for deeper 

5527
05:03:45,800 --> 05:03:50,300
substance, family members urged 
her to embrace tradition Barry. 

5528
05:03:50,300 --> 05:03:53,900
Well, produced heirs and carry 
on the rows of elk name with 

5529
05:03:53,900 --> 05:03:56,200
appropriate, decorum, 
internally. 

5530
05:03:56,200 --> 05:03:58,100
She felt her convictions 
hardening. 

5531
05:03:58,100 --> 05:04:00,600
There was a broader realm where 
she might be of use. 

5532
05:04:01,400 --> 05:04:04,500
She began volunteering and 
settlement houses, encountering 

5533
05:04:04,500 --> 05:04:06,600
immigrants grappling with 
poverty and discrimination. 

5534
05:04:07,800 --> 05:04:10,400
It was her first intimate brush 
with social injustice. 

5535
05:04:11,200 --> 05:04:13,800
Around this time, she 
reconnected with her distant 

5536
05:04:13,800 --> 05:04:15,400
cousin Franklin, Delano 
Roosevelt. 

5537
05:04:16,100 --> 05:04:19,500
A Dashing Young Man set on a 
political career, their shared 

5538
05:04:19,500 --> 05:04:22,600
family name and ties to Theodore
Roosevelt, added a certain 

5539
05:04:22,608 --> 05:04:24,300
inevitability to their 
courtship. 

5540
05:04:24,300 --> 05:04:26,600
Yet. 
Their bond was more complex than

5541
05:04:26,600 --> 05:04:29,200
a convenient match. 
Franklyn, admired her 

5542
05:04:29,208 --> 05:04:32,200
seriousness and warmth. 
She found in him a lively 

5543
05:04:32,200 --> 05:04:35,800
optimism that promised Adventure
despite concerns from his 

5544
05:04:35,800 --> 05:04:39,200
domineering mother. 
Sara Delano Roosevelt, they 

5545
05:04:39,200 --> 05:04:43,800
married in 1905, Theodore 
Roosevelt, then president gave 

5546
05:04:43,800 --> 05:04:46,800
away the bride and event that 
overshadowed the couple's day 

5547
05:04:46,800 --> 05:04:50,600
with national headlines early 
married life plunged into the 

5548
05:04:50,600 --> 05:04:54,500
complexity of the extended 
Roosevelt Clan dominated by a 

5549
05:04:54,500 --> 05:04:57,300
SARS strict ideas about 
household and social status. 

5550
05:04:58,300 --> 05:05:02,500
She bought children, eventually 
six one in infancy, Eleanor 

5551
05:05:02,500 --> 05:05:03,700
struggled to maintain her 
identity. 

5552
05:05:04,500 --> 05:05:07,200
She discovered that her new role
often felt like a performance, 

5553
05:05:07,200 --> 05:05:11,700
the shy orphan recast as the 
society Hostess and dutiful 

5554
05:05:11,700 --> 05:05:14,400
political wife. 
Yet beneath the formalities. 

5555
05:05:14,400 --> 05:05:18,800
She was observing learning and 
quietly resolving to find her 

5556
05:05:18,800 --> 05:05:21,400
voice. 
Her childhood taught her to 

5557
05:05:21,400 --> 05:05:24,000
survive loss. 
In isolation marriage would 

5558
05:05:24,000 --> 05:05:26,600
teach her to navigate Duty and 
compromised. 

5559
05:05:26,600 --> 05:05:30,800
By her mid-twenties Eleanor 
Roosevelt stood at a Crossroads 

5560
05:05:30,800 --> 05:05:33,900
respectable wife in a prominent 
family yet. 

5561
05:05:33,900 --> 05:05:36,900
Privately aware of how little 
she truly belonged to herself. 

5562
05:05:37,700 --> 05:05:40,300
She endured tragedy and 
internalized criticism. 

5563
05:05:40,300 --> 05:05:43,400
And now balanced motherhood with
a sense that she was meant for 

5564
05:05:43,400 --> 05:05:47,200
more. as her husband's political
Ambitions gathered momentum, she

5565
05:05:47,200 --> 05:05:50,400
would face new tests of 
resilience and discover just how

5566
05:05:50,400 --> 05:05:54,000
profound her influence could 
become, In her first years of 

5567
05:05:54,000 --> 05:05:57,500
married life, Eleanor Roosevelt 
found her space and autonomy 

5568
05:05:57,500 --> 05:05:59,900
overshadowed by the imposing 
figure of her mother in law. 

5569
05:06:00,700 --> 05:06:04,700
Sara Delano Roosevelt Sara 
manage the household finance's 

5570
05:06:04,700 --> 05:06:06,700
and even designed a joining 
living quarters. 

5571
05:06:06,700 --> 05:06:09,300
So she could oversee Ellen's 
management of the children. 

5572
05:06:10,300 --> 05:06:13,700
This Arrangement stifled Ellen's
Independents, Leaving her 

5573
05:06:13,700 --> 05:06:17,400
feeling perpetually monitored 
frankly seemed comfortable with 

5574
05:06:17,400 --> 05:06:20,400
his mother's involvement and 
this statistic of acceptance. 

5575
05:06:20,400 --> 05:06:23,900
Further isolated Eleanor 
nevertheless, she made the best 

5576
05:06:23,900 --> 05:06:27,100
of her circumstances. 
She immersed herself in child. 

5577
05:06:27,100 --> 05:06:30,300
Rearing determined that her 
children would experience a 

5578
05:06:30,300 --> 05:06:31,800
warmth. 
She had too often lacked. 

5579
05:06:32,300 --> 05:06:35,600
Simultaneously, she sought 
outlets for her curiosity, about

5580
05:06:35,600 --> 05:06:38,300
social issues volunteering for 
the Junior League. 

5581
05:06:38,300 --> 05:06:41,600
She assisted in settlement work 
on Manhattan's Lower East Side. 

5582
05:06:41,600 --> 05:06:44,600
Coming face-to-face with poverty
and labor and justices. 

5583
05:06:44,600 --> 05:06:48,400
Observing the hardships of 
immigrant families, Eleanor 

5584
05:06:48,400 --> 05:06:51,200
recognized, the Stark gap 
between her privileged Circle, 

5585
05:06:51,200 --> 05:06:55,100
and those struggling at 
America's margins around 1910 

5586
05:06:55,100 --> 05:06:58,600
Franklin's political career 
began elected to the New York 

5587
05:06:58,600 --> 05:07:01,000
State Senate. 
He moved the family to Albany, 

5588
05:07:01,000 --> 05:07:03,900
though, still reluctant to step 
into the public Spotlight, 

5589
05:07:03,900 --> 05:07:07,400
Eleanor gleaned, insights into 
legislative processes and 

5590
05:07:07,400 --> 05:07:10,400
networking. 
She watched as lawmakers engaged

5591
05:07:10,400 --> 05:07:13,600
in negotiation formed, alliances
and face seemingly 

5592
05:07:13,600 --> 05:07:16,600
insurmountable challenges that 
social Gatherings. 

5593
05:07:16,600 --> 05:07:19,700
She was the beautiful wife, 
exchanging pleasantries, while 

5594
05:07:19,700 --> 05:07:21,600
quite quietly absorbing the 
undercurrents of power. 

5595
05:07:21,600 --> 05:07:24,800
Her Vantage Point revealed a 
system in dire need of 

5596
05:07:24,800 --> 05:07:30,700
empathetic leadership tragedy 
soon into 1912 Ellen's world was

5597
05:07:30,700 --> 05:07:34,300
rocked when her eldest daughter,
Anna nearly died of illness 

5598
05:07:34,300 --> 05:07:37,700
shortly thereafter. 
She endured her health scares on

5599
05:07:37,700 --> 05:07:40,500
a complicated birth. 
The precariousness of life 

5600
05:07:40,500 --> 05:07:43,500
combined with the Relentless 
swirl of political obligations 

5601
05:07:43,500 --> 05:07:46,800
prayed her nerves. 
Sarah's hovering presents 

5602
05:07:46,800 --> 05:07:50,800
exacerbated tensions. 
Yet adversity stirred in Eleanor

5603
05:07:50,800 --> 05:07:54,000
a growing resolve. 
She ventured Beyond polite Tea 

5604
05:07:54,000 --> 05:07:57,000
Room talk forging, links with 
Progressive women, seeking to 

5605
05:07:57,000 --> 05:08:00,300
address, glaring, social 
inequities, She admired 

5606
05:08:00,300 --> 05:08:03,400
activists who battled for child 
labor laws and workplace, safety

5607
05:08:03,400 --> 05:08:07,900
reforms by 1913 Franklin was 
appointed assistant Secretary of

5608
05:08:07,900 --> 05:08:11,100
the Navy by President Woodrow 
Wilson, prompting a move to 

5609
05:08:11,100 --> 05:08:12,700
Washington. 
DC. 

5610
05:08:14,100 --> 05:08:16,800
The capitals Elite Social Scene,
revolved around formal 

5611
05:08:16,800 --> 05:08:20,400
receptions and ranking protocols
neither of which thrilled 

5612
05:08:20,400 --> 05:08:22,900
Eleanor. 
Still, she recognized the city 

5613
05:08:22,900 --> 05:08:24,700
as a crucible of national 
decision-making. 

5614
05:08:25,600 --> 05:08:28,200
She developed friendships with 
Progressive minded, officials 

5615
05:08:28,200 --> 05:08:30,900
and activists. 
Exchanging ideas about wages, 

5616
05:08:30,900 --> 05:08:37,000
education and women's suffrage. 
World War 1 broke out in 1914, 

5617
05:08:37,000 --> 05:08:41,600
drawing America, in by 1917, 
Washington became a hive of 

5618
05:08:41,600 --> 05:08:46,100
wartime mobilization hospitals, 
overflowed and soldiers returned

5619
05:08:46,100 --> 05:08:49,400
with devastating injuries 
Eleanor volunteered at the Red, 

5620
05:08:49,400 --> 05:08:51,200
Cross counties, and Naval 
hospitals. 

5621
05:08:51,200 --> 05:08:54,600
An experience that brought her 
face to face with Wars human 

5622
05:08:54,600 --> 05:08:57,000
soul. 
She found it impossible to 

5623
05:08:57,000 --> 05:08:59,900
return to trivial chatter at 
lavish parties after seeing 

5624
05:08:59,900 --> 05:09:04,200
wounded veterans struggle to 
rebuild their lives, even as she

5625
05:09:04,200 --> 05:09:06,700
navigated demands for 
appearances by Franklin side, 

5626
05:09:06,700 --> 05:09:09,700
she yearned to channel her 
growing empathy into concrete 

5627
05:09:09,700 --> 05:09:12,800
action. 
Meanwhile, her personal life. 

5628
05:09:12,800 --> 05:09:17,000
Took a shocking, turn in 1918, 
she discovered Franklin's 

5629
05:09:17,000 --> 05:09:19,800
romantic letters to Lucy, 
Mercer, her social secretary, 

5630
05:09:19,800 --> 05:09:22,200
and betrayal, Rockdale and has 
foundations. 

5631
05:09:22,200 --> 05:09:25,200
She confronted her husband and 
while divorce was considered 

5632
05:09:25,200 --> 05:09:28,100
Sara Roosevelt threatened to cut
off financial support. 

5633
05:09:29,000 --> 05:09:32,700
The Scandal never fully reached 
the public here but it jolted 

5634
05:09:32,700 --> 05:09:35,700
Eleanor into rethinking her 
marriage, although she remained 

5635
05:09:35,700 --> 05:09:38,400
married, the emotional bond 
between them change. 

5636
05:09:39,400 --> 05:09:41,700
It began cultivating, her 
identity separate from him, 

5637
05:09:41,700 --> 05:09:44,500
forging alliances, and 
friendships that didn't revolve 

5638
05:09:44,500 --> 05:09:46,400
solely around, Franklins 
ambitions. 

5639
05:09:47,300 --> 05:09:50,200
As the war ended, Washington 
shifted back to peace, time 

5640
05:09:50,200 --> 05:09:52,400
routines. 
The rows of belts returned to 

5641
05:09:52,400 --> 05:09:55,100
New York where Franklin resumed 
his political climb. 

5642
05:09:55,100 --> 05:09:59,700
However, Ellen has worldview had
expanded no longer content to 

5643
05:09:59,700 --> 05:10:02,000
linger in the background. 
She immersed herself in 

5644
05:10:02,000 --> 05:10:05,400
political clubs, particularly 
the League of Women Voters and 

5645
05:10:05,400 --> 05:10:07,100
the new women's Trade Union 
League. 

5646
05:10:07,800 --> 05:10:11,200
She devoured reports on social 
conditions labor rights and 

5647
05:10:11,200 --> 05:10:14,100
civil liberties. 
She overcame her shyness when 

5648
05:10:14,100 --> 05:10:16,800
speaking in public fueled by the
conviction that she had 

5649
05:10:16,800 --> 05:10:20,300
something to contribute. 
This Evolution coincided with 

5650
05:10:20,300 --> 05:10:23,900
the ratification of the 19th. 
Amendment in 1920, granting 

5651
05:10:23,900 --> 05:10:27,700
women, the right to vote. 
Energized by this Milestone, 

5652
05:10:27,700 --> 05:10:31,000
Eleanor campaigned for Franklin 
when he ran as the Democratic 

5653
05:10:31,000 --> 05:10:33,000
vice presidential. 
Candidate at that same year, 

5654
05:10:33,000 --> 05:10:35,200
though. 
They lost the experience 

5655
05:10:35,200 --> 05:10:36,700
broadened, her political 
Network. 

5656
05:10:37,600 --> 05:10:41,000
She saw how campaigns were 
orchestrated, how messages were 

5657
05:10:41,000 --> 05:10:45,100
spun and most importantly, how 
public opinion could be swayed 

5658
05:10:45,100 --> 05:10:48,500
toward Progressive ideals. 
If approached with authenticity,

5659
05:10:49,300 --> 05:10:52,600
By the early 1920s Eleanor 
Roosevelt had traversed 

5660
05:10:52,600 --> 05:10:55,100
heartbreak War. 
Volunteer as a political 

5661
05:10:55,100 --> 05:10:59,000
initiation she had begun. 
Forging her path shaped by the 

5662
05:10:59,000 --> 05:11:01,300
directing counters with 
suffering and by her growing 

5663
05:11:01,300 --> 05:11:05,700
circle of reform-minded peers, 
her marriage once the access of 

5664
05:11:05,700 --> 05:11:07,800
her. 
Existence now became just one 

5665
05:11:07,800 --> 05:11:12,300
facet of a broader calling As 
she discovered adversity often 

5666
05:11:12,300 --> 05:11:15,900
planted the seeds of purpose. 
The once quiet shy girl. 

5667
05:11:15,900 --> 05:11:19,900
Now determined to stand on her 
own terms Guided by a conscience

5668
05:11:19,900 --> 05:11:22,300
that refused to stay silent was 
emerging. 

5669
05:11:23,100 --> 05:11:26,600
The 1920s brought both hardship 
and opportunity to Eleanor 

5670
05:11:26,600 --> 05:11:29,800
Roosevelt Franklin's political 
career stalled when he lost the 

5671
05:11:29,800 --> 05:11:33,500
vice presidential race in 1920 
but his future seemed boundless 

5672
05:11:33,500 --> 05:11:38,400
until polio struck him in 1921 
that summer during a vacationing

5673
05:11:38,400 --> 05:11:41,800
Campobello he suddenly found 
himself paralyzed from the waist

5674
05:11:41,800 --> 05:11:44,000
down. 
Doctors, offered little hope for

5675
05:11:44,000 --> 05:11:47,400
complete recovery. 
The family, rallied yet the 

5676
05:11:47,408 --> 05:11:49,800
crisis triggered. 
Another shift in Ellen's life 

5677
05:11:49,808 --> 05:11:53,000
overnight. 
She transformed into Franklin's 

5678
05:11:53,000 --> 05:11:57,100
indispensable Ally, juggling 
therapy, regimens household 

5679
05:11:57,100 --> 05:12:01,000
Logistics, and public relations.
Many within the Roosevelt. 

5680
05:12:01,000 --> 05:12:03,400
Clan believed Franklins, 
political days were over. 

5681
05:12:04,200 --> 05:12:06,800
Sarah Delano Roosevelt. 
Pressed him to retire quietly. 

5682
05:12:07,700 --> 05:12:10,000
But Ellen had discerned that 
relinquishing, his Ambitions 

5683
05:12:10,000 --> 05:12:13,400
would crush his spirit. 
She supported his determination 

5684
05:12:13,400 --> 05:12:16,600
to regain Mobility, helping him 
navigate new routine. 

5685
05:12:17,600 --> 05:12:20,000
She also shouldered tasks 
frankly in previously, handled 

5686
05:12:20,000 --> 05:12:22,100
from correspondence to 
scheduling. 

5687
05:12:22,900 --> 05:12:25,000
Suddenly, she was more than a 
supportive spouse. 

5688
05:12:25,000 --> 05:12:28,100
She was a gatekeeper, an 
intermediary, and an architect 

5689
05:12:28,100 --> 05:12:31,400
of her husband's comeback. 
Her own organizational skills. 

5690
05:12:31,400 --> 05:12:34,100
Flourished, she managed 
Franklin's Affairs, and 

5691
05:12:34,100 --> 05:12:37,400
dedicated time to committees 
that advanced her interests, she

5692
05:12:37,400 --> 05:12:39,500
joined the women's division of 
the New York state democratic 

5693
05:12:39,500 --> 05:12:43,100
committee, recruiting Women, 
Voters and championing issues 

5694
05:12:43,100 --> 05:12:44,900
that aligned with social 
reforms. 

5695
05:12:44,900 --> 05:12:48,600
This dual Role Family caretaker 
and political operator, 

5696
05:12:48,600 --> 05:12:50,600
displayed an emerging 
confidence. 

5697
05:12:50,600 --> 05:12:54,700
She shared the last vestiges of 
social timidity speaking at 

5698
05:12:54,700 --> 05:12:56,900
rallies and forging alliances 
with Party leaders. 

5699
05:12:56,900 --> 05:13:00,900
While some ridiculed her for 
lacking classic oratory Flair of

5700
05:13:00,900 --> 05:13:05,000
others appreciated, her 
sincerity in 1924, frankly 

5701
05:13:05,000 --> 05:13:07,600
invented back in to politics by 
supporting Al Smith for the 

5702
05:13:07,600 --> 05:13:09,900
position. 
Of governor of New York behind 

5703
05:13:09,900 --> 05:13:13,600
the scenes, Eleanor, arranged 
events wrote letters and 

5704
05:13:13,600 --> 05:13:16,600
networked on his behalf. 
She began to see how her 

5705
05:13:16,600 --> 05:13:20,200
initiatives merged with broader 
political Machinery, the women's

5706
05:13:20,200 --> 05:13:22,900
City Club and the League of 
Women Voters offered her 

5707
05:13:22,900 --> 05:13:25,400
platforms to discuss labor 
issues and child welfare. 

5708
05:13:26,400 --> 05:13:29,000
Her voice carried an 
authenticity rooted in hands on 

5709
05:13:29,000 --> 05:13:32,000
experience. 
And she found an audience eager 

5710
05:13:32,000 --> 05:13:34,900
for that perspective. 
Yet her personal Journey, wasn't

5711
05:13:34,900 --> 05:13:37,900
all smooth. 
Living under the same roof as 

5712
05:13:37,900 --> 05:13:40,100
Sarah. 
She faced constant friction 

5713
05:13:40,100 --> 05:13:41,700
about how to manage Franklins 
care. 

5714
05:13:41,700 --> 05:13:45,300
Moreover, Echoes of the Lucy 
Mercer, Fair lingard, 

5715
05:13:45,300 --> 05:13:49,400
complicating, the emotional bond
with her husband, their married.

5716
05:13:49,400 --> 05:13:53,100
Those stable in outward 
appearance evolved into more of 

5717
05:13:53,108 --> 05:13:55,100
a partnership than a traditional
Romance. 

5718
05:13:56,000 --> 05:13:58,300
Trusted friends, such as 
journalists Lorena. 

5719
05:13:58,300 --> 05:14:01,100
Hickok, entered her life, 
providing emotional support. 

5720
05:14:01,900 --> 05:14:04,700
Speculation about the nature of 
these friendships arose later. 

5721
05:14:04,700 --> 05:14:09,000
But at the time they served as 
lifelines anchoring Eleanor's 

5722
05:14:09,000 --> 05:14:12,300
sense of self-worth. 
As Franklin's Mobility, improved

5723
05:14:12,300 --> 05:14:15,700
incrementally, supported by 
crutches, braces, and daily 

5724
05:14:15,700 --> 05:14:17,800
exercises. 
His political, aspirations 

5725
05:14:17,800 --> 05:14:22,000
reignited, he ran for governor 
of New York in 1928 and won. 

5726
05:14:22,700 --> 05:14:25,800
Suddenly Eleanor had to navigate
her new role as the governor's 

5727
05:14:25,800 --> 05:14:28,200
wife. 
She disliked the ceremonials of 

5728
05:14:28,200 --> 05:14:31,700
the executive mansion in Albany 
but she saw an Avenue to shake 

5729
05:14:31,700 --> 05:14:34,600
policy from within. 
She was no longer content with 

5730
05:14:34,600 --> 05:14:37,500
simply greeting dignitaries at 
reception instead. 

5731
05:14:37,500 --> 05:14:40,000
She turned the governor's 
residence into a meeting point 

5732
05:14:40,000 --> 05:14:44,200
for activists and policy makers.
Under her watch Progressive 

5733
05:14:44,200 --> 05:14:47,400
agendas on labor laws and social
welfare found an informal forum.

5734
05:14:48,400 --> 05:14:51,500
Meanwhile, she continued 
building her own reputation, she

5735
05:14:51,500 --> 05:14:53,900
wrote articles for women, 
women's magazines, pushing 

5736
05:14:53,900 --> 05:14:56,900
readers to engage in Civic 
matters, in one piece and she 

5737
05:14:56,900 --> 05:14:59,400
insisted that the success of 
democracy depended on. 

5738
05:14:59,400 --> 05:15:03,800
Informed Citizen's, specially 
newly enfranchised women, a 

5739
05:15:03,800 --> 05:15:07,000
writing style was direct and 
personal resonating with readers

5740
05:15:07,000 --> 05:15:09,400
tired of lofty rhetoric 
critically. 

5741
05:15:09,400 --> 05:15:13,300
She believed that compassion and
practical Solutions, not empty, 

5742
05:15:13,300 --> 05:15:16,908
slogans made politics 
meaningful, By the close of the 

5743
05:15:16,916 --> 05:15:19,700
1920s, the Roosevelts have 
become a formidable team. 

5744
05:15:20,500 --> 05:15:24,100
Franklin's charismatic optimism,
Drew public admiration, while 

5745
05:15:24,100 --> 05:15:27,400
Ellen has growing expertise on 
social issues, injected 

5746
05:15:27,400 --> 05:15:31,500
substance into his political 
image, the 1929 stock market 

5747
05:15:31,500 --> 05:15:35,400
crash sent the nation reeling. 
Intensifying scrutiny of 

5748
05:15:35,400 --> 05:15:39,000
Leader's efforts to alleviate 
economic despair as Governor. 

5749
05:15:39,000 --> 05:15:41,200
Franklyn, grappled with the 
relief measures for the 

5750
05:15:41,208 --> 05:15:45,400
unemployed Eleanor for her part 
traveled, the state, when 

5751
05:15:45,400 --> 05:15:48,300
visiting factories tenements and
Rural communities to assess 

5752
05:15:48,300 --> 05:15:51,700
problems for first-hand. 
Herr dispatches back to Albany 

5753
05:15:51,700 --> 05:15:55,000
shaped policy debates ensuring 
that the voices of ordinary 

5754
05:15:55,000 --> 05:15:57,600
citizens, didn't get lost in the
shuffle of bureaucracy. 

5755
05:15:58,400 --> 05:16:01,200
It was during this period that 
illness solidified her belief in

5756
05:16:01,200 --> 05:16:03,300
the potential of government to 
uplift the vulnerable. 

5757
05:16:04,400 --> 05:16:07,000
While critics accused her of 
meddling in Affairs, Beyond a 

5758
05:16:07,000 --> 05:16:09,600
spouse's domain, she brushed off
the barbs. 

5759
05:16:09,600 --> 05:16:13,900
If democracy was to thrive, she 
reasoned it needed more than 

5760
05:16:13,900 --> 05:16:17,100
figureheads it needed. 
Informed Advocates willing to 

5761
05:16:17,100 --> 05:16:19,300
engage directly with citizens 
struggles. 

5762
05:16:20,400 --> 05:16:23,900
As the 1932 presidential 
election approached, franklyn 

5763
05:16:23,900 --> 05:16:25,600
emerged as the Democratic 
front-runner. 

5764
05:16:26,400 --> 05:16:29,000
With the Great Depression. 
Tightening its grip and 

5765
05:16:29,000 --> 05:16:31,700
Americans craved leadership that
promised hope and decisive 

5766
05:16:31,700 --> 05:16:34,100
action. 
Eleanor stealed the stealed 

5767
05:16:34,100 --> 05:16:37,200
herself for the next stage 
little did she know the White 

5768
05:16:37,200 --> 05:16:40,100
House would offer an even 
broader platform yet also test 

5769
05:16:40,100 --> 05:16:42,800
her capacity to balance public 
influence with private 

5770
05:16:42,800 --> 05:16:45,600
conviction. 
When Franklin D Roosevelt won, 

5771
05:16:45,600 --> 05:16:49,400
the 1932 presidential election, 
America was in the throes of the

5772
05:16:49,400 --> 05:16:52,700
Great Depression lines for bread
and soup stretched across city. 

5773
05:16:52,700 --> 05:16:56,000
Blocks Farms were foreclosed and
unemployment soared. 

5774
05:16:56,000 --> 05:16:59,200
Millions looked to the incoming 
president for salvation. 

5775
05:17:00,200 --> 05:17:03,400
Amid the frenzied national 
attention, Eleanor Roosevelt, 

5776
05:17:03,400 --> 05:17:05,800
stepped into the role of first 
lady with an approach that 

5777
05:17:05,800 --> 05:17:08,800
defied convention. 
Rather than focusing on high 

5778
05:17:08,800 --> 05:17:10,800
society. 
Receptions, she resolved to 

5779
05:17:10,808 --> 05:17:12,900
become the eyes and ears of the 
administration. 

5780
05:17:13,700 --> 05:17:17,200
Traveling extensively to gauge 
people's reality's from the 

5781
05:17:17,200 --> 05:17:19,500
onset. 
She carved out an unprecedented 

5782
05:17:19,500 --> 05:17:22,100
public profile. 
She held weekly press 

5783
05:17:22,100 --> 05:17:24,800
conferences, for female 
reporters insurance that women 

5784
05:17:24,800 --> 05:17:27,500
in journalism retained access to
the political heart of the 

5785
05:17:27,500 --> 05:17:30,200
nation. 
This moves sparked controversy 

5786
05:17:30,200 --> 05:17:33,700
know first lady had ever done 
something so openly proactive 

5787
05:17:33,700 --> 05:17:38,700
critics labeled her a medley but
Ellen persisted explaining that 

5788
05:17:38,700 --> 05:17:41,300
women's voices deserved 
inclusion in National discourse.

5789
05:17:42,200 --> 05:17:44,600
She believed that an 
Administration ignoring half the

5790
05:17:44,600 --> 05:17:46,800
population's perspective was 
doomed to fail. 

5791
05:17:47,600 --> 05:17:51,000
She also launched a syndicated 
newspaper column my day. 

5792
05:17:51,800 --> 05:17:53,800
In it. 
She chronicled her observations 

5793
05:17:53,800 --> 05:17:57,800
on policy, social conditions, 
and even personal Reflections, 

5794
05:17:57,800 --> 05:18:00,800
while some columns, offered 
daily glimpses into her travels,

5795
05:18:00,800 --> 05:18:03,200
or family life. 
Others pushed readers to 

5796
05:18:03,200 --> 05:18:06,600
consider labor issues, civil 
rights, and youth programs. 

5797
05:18:07,500 --> 05:18:09,100
The column garnered a massive 
following. 

5798
05:18:09,900 --> 05:18:13,300
Americans, especially women 
found an advocate in the White 

5799
05:18:13,300 --> 05:18:17,300
House who spoke plainly about, 
societal injustice detractors, 

5800
05:18:17,300 --> 05:18:18,900
how old about an overstepping 
spouse? 

5801
05:18:19,900 --> 05:18:21,700
But she refused to see the 
platform. 

5802
05:18:22,600 --> 05:18:24,700
Her pain became a conduit for 
the unheard. 

5803
05:18:25,400 --> 05:18:28,100
Meanwhile, the Roosevelt 
administration rolled out the 

5804
05:18:28,100 --> 05:18:31,700
New Deal an array of programs 
aimed at relief recovery and 

5805
05:18:31,700 --> 05:18:34,400
reform. 
While franklyn handled the 

5806
05:18:34,400 --> 05:18:37,200
sweeping political Maneuvers, 
Ellen of visited, factories 

5807
05:18:37,200 --> 05:18:41,100
slums, and Rural Backwater 
reporting her findings back to 

5808
05:18:41,100 --> 05:18:43,100
him. 
And other officials her input 

5809
05:18:43,100 --> 05:18:45,100
influenced initiatives like the 
National Youth Administration 

5810
05:18:45,100 --> 05:18:48,200
which provided jobs and 
education for young people. 

5811
05:18:48,900 --> 05:18:51,500
Eleanor believed that social 
welfare wasn't about handouts, 

5812
05:18:51,500 --> 05:18:54,200
but about giving people the 
tools to regain dignity. 

5813
05:18:55,200 --> 05:18:57,900
She pressed agencies to ensure 
these programs reached women 

5814
05:18:57,900 --> 05:19:02,200
minorities and rural families 
often sidelined in bureaucratic 

5815
05:19:02,200 --> 05:19:05,100
distribution. 
Activism caught attention 

5816
05:19:05,100 --> 05:19:08,100
outside Washington, Labor 
leaders, praised her empathy 

5817
05:19:08,100 --> 05:19:11,300
while some conservatives accused
soon of championing. 

5818
05:19:11,300 --> 05:19:14,200
Socialism unions. 
Specially the newly, formed 

5819
05:19:14,200 --> 05:19:16,900
Congress of industrial 
organizations CIO. 

5820
05:19:17,700 --> 05:19:20,600
Saw her as an ally willing to 
bring workers grievances to her 

5821
05:19:20,600 --> 05:19:23,300
husband's ear. 
Civil rights groups led by 

5822
05:19:23,300 --> 05:19:25,400
African-American leaders like 
Mary McLeod. 

5823
05:19:25,400 --> 05:19:28,000
Bethune found in Eleanor a rare 
White House. 

5824
05:19:28,000 --> 05:19:30,400
Allah who would openly address 
racial Injustice? 

5825
05:19:31,600 --> 05:19:35,500
famously defied segregation 
Norms in 1938 by sitting in the 

5826
05:19:35,500 --> 05:19:38,300
middle aisle between black and 
white delegates at a Southern 

5827
05:19:38,300 --> 05:19:42,300
Conference critics deemed it a 
publicity stunt, but for many 

5828
05:19:42,300 --> 05:19:45,500
African-Americans it was a 
symbolic stand by someone in 

5829
05:19:45,500 --> 05:19:48,500
power in private though she 
battled frustration and 

5830
05:19:48,500 --> 05:19:52,300
loneliness Franklins, polio 
limited his mobility and the 

5831
05:19:52,300 --> 05:19:54,600
Relentless demands of the 
president sea deepened, the 

5832
05:19:54,608 --> 05:19:59,000
emotional Gulf between the White
House brimmed with staff and 

5833
05:19:59,000 --> 05:20:01,700
visitors leaving little time for
introspection. 

5834
05:20:02,600 --> 05:20:05,700
She relied on friendships with 
women like Lorena, Hickok, Who 

5835
05:20:05,700 --> 05:20:08,300
provided an emotional Outlet. 
She rarely found in her 

5836
05:20:08,300 --> 05:20:11,100
marriage. 
Historians later scrutinize 

5837
05:20:11,100 --> 05:20:14,200
these relationships, but at the 
time, they served as islands of 

5838
05:20:14,200 --> 05:20:17,000
understanding and affection in a
sea of political chaos. 

5839
05:20:18,000 --> 05:20:21,100
Despite the strain, Eleanor 
recognized her unique influence,

5840
05:20:21,100 --> 05:20:24,200
she championed the Arts through 
projects under the works 

5841
05:20:24,200 --> 05:20:27,800
progress administration. 
Believing creativity spurred. 

5842
05:20:27,800 --> 05:20:31,300
Hope she publicly supported 
Progressive, women in office, 

5843
05:20:31,300 --> 05:20:35,600
including Secretary of Labor, 
Frances Perkins, the first woman

5844
05:20:35,600 --> 05:20:39,800
to hold a US cabinet position, 
In doing so she had Advanced the

5845
05:20:39,800 --> 05:20:41,600
notion that women could excel in
governance. 

5846
05:20:42,700 --> 05:20:44,800
Septic snared at the idea of 
female leadership. 

5847
05:20:44,800 --> 05:20:48,300
But Ellen has Karma Assurance 
backed by real accomplishments. 

5848
05:20:48,300 --> 05:20:51,200
Counted their doubts. 
She also found herself in 

5849
05:20:51,200 --> 05:20:54,400
Tangled and controversies 
around, housing, reforms, Rural 

5850
05:20:54,400 --> 05:20:56,700
electrification, and migrant 
labor camps. 

5851
05:20:56,700 --> 05:21:00,300
In each case her approach was 
consistent travel to the site, 

5852
05:21:00,300 --> 05:21:04,000
talk to affected families and 
push her husband's advisors to 

5853
05:21:04,000 --> 05:21:06,700
craft Solutions. 
If she couldn't persuade through

5854
05:21:06,700 --> 05:21:09,900
formal channels, she sometimes 
appealed directly to the public 

5855
05:21:09,900 --> 05:21:11,700
through her column or radio 
addresses. 

5856
05:21:11,700 --> 05:21:15,100
She skillfully balanced between 
being a supportive first lady 

5857
05:21:15,100 --> 05:21:18,200
and being an independent 
political actor by the late 

5858
05:21:18,200 --> 05:21:20,700
1930s. 
The Rosevelt Administration, 

5859
05:21:20,700 --> 05:21:24,700
confronted new challenges 
fascism rise in Europe and are 

5860
05:21:24,700 --> 05:21:28,300
still wobbly economy at home 
through it all Eleanor schedule 

5861
05:21:28,300 --> 05:21:31,000
remained Relentless. 
She believed in direct 

5862
05:21:31,000 --> 05:21:34,500
engagement convinced that a 
leader unaware of suffering, had

5863
05:21:34,500 --> 05:21:37,300
no moral right to shape policy 
though. 

5864
05:21:37,300 --> 05:21:39,900
She never held official office, 
Her counsel influenced 

5865
05:21:39,900 --> 05:21:42,100
decisions, that altered millions
of lives. 

5866
05:21:42,700 --> 05:21:44,400
With war clouds gathering 
overseas. 

5867
05:21:44,400 --> 05:21:47,600
She would soon discover that her
role required, not just empathy,

5868
05:21:47,600 --> 05:21:51,400
but a Steely resolve to face a 
global crisis poisoned to test 

5869
05:21:51,400 --> 05:21:55,900
America's ideals as the 1930s 
ended and World War Two loomed. 

5870
05:21:55,900 --> 05:21:59,000
Eleanor, Roosevelt sensed a 
shifting Global landscape. 

5871
05:21:59,000 --> 05:22:02,600
She saw fascism trampling human 
rights in Europe and Asia. 

5872
05:22:02,600 --> 05:22:05,100
While America debated isolation 
versus intervention. 

5873
05:22:06,300 --> 05:22:09,000
Though Franklin initially 
focused on domestic recovery by 

5874
05:22:09,000 --> 05:22:12,700
1940, it was clear the nation 
couldn't ignore International 

5875
05:22:12,700 --> 05:22:17,000
turmoil, Eleanor never shy about
voicing her stance argued, that 

5876
05:22:17,000 --> 05:22:20,400
America's moral responsibility 
extended Beyond its borders. 

5877
05:22:21,200 --> 05:22:22,900
She wrote passionately in my 
day. 

5878
05:22:22,900 --> 05:22:25,100
Warning readers, that Democratic
Values. 

5879
05:22:25,100 --> 05:22:27,900
Needed defending lest they 
perish in the onslaught of 

5880
05:22:27,900 --> 05:22:30,200
tyranny? 
When Franklin won an 

5881
05:22:30,200 --> 05:22:33,900
unprecedented, third term, in 
1940, the Roosevelt steel 

5882
05:22:33,900 --> 05:22:35,500
themselves for a tumultuous 
period. 

5883
05:22:36,300 --> 05:22:39,100
Eleanor accelerated her advocacy
for civil rights and women's 

5884
05:22:39,100 --> 05:22:42,100
involvement in war preparedness 
with men, joining the military. 

5885
05:22:42,100 --> 05:22:46,000
She championed female workers to
fill industrial, roles touring 

5886
05:22:46,000 --> 05:22:49,000
factories, she highlighted the 
contributions of Rosie, the 

5887
05:22:49,000 --> 05:22:53,000
Riveter types urging Americans 
to Shared old prejudices about A

5888
05:22:53,000 --> 05:22:56,500
Woman's Place. 
Her stance was pragmatic the 

5889
05:22:56,500 --> 05:23:00,300
nation required every capable 
hand to be looming threats yet. 

5890
05:23:00,300 --> 05:23:03,500
Pearl Harbor's bombing in 
December 1941, brought War to 

5891
05:23:03,500 --> 05:23:06,400
us, soil, igniting, frantic 
mobilization. 

5892
05:23:07,300 --> 05:23:10,600
Elena plunged into morale. 
Building efforts visiting troops

5893
05:23:10,600 --> 05:23:13,400
meeting with families of 
servicemen and pushing for 

5894
05:23:13,400 --> 05:23:15,300
improved conditions in military 
camps. 

5895
05:23:16,000 --> 05:23:19,000
Elena believed that even small 
actions, like providing decent 

5896
05:23:19,000 --> 05:23:23,100
food, Medical Care and pay could
demonstrate the country's 

5897
05:23:23,100 --> 05:23:26,300
commitment to those who served 
despite the war department 

5898
05:23:26,300 --> 05:23:29,200
having its structures. 
Her personal visits, frequently 

5899
05:23:29,200 --> 05:23:33,000
revealed, areas of concern, such
as segregated facilities, 

5900
05:23:33,000 --> 05:23:36,900
limited Mental, Health Services 
or insufficient resources in 

5901
05:23:36,900 --> 05:23:39,900
remote training sites. 
She penned Frank memos to 

5902
05:23:39,908 --> 05:23:43,400
generals and even her husband 
demanding improvements on the 

5903
05:23:43,400 --> 05:23:47,600
homefront war fever, sometimes 
fueled racism Japanese-Americans

5904
05:23:47,600 --> 05:23:49,000
were forced into internment 
camps. 

5905
05:23:49,000 --> 05:23:52,400
A policy Ellen has struggled to 
reconcile with her belief in 

5906
05:23:52,400 --> 05:23:55,400
Democratic principles, she 
quietly lobbied behind the 

5907
05:23:55,400 --> 05:23:58,600
scenes, but her opposition to 
the policy never gained enough 

5908
05:23:58,600 --> 05:24:01,700
traction to reverse it. 
Critics later labeled her 

5909
05:24:01,700 --> 05:24:04,700
substance on internment as one 
of her greatest moral failures. 

5910
05:24:04,700 --> 05:24:08,100
Still she strove to mitigate 
conditions by visiting camps and

5911
05:24:08,100 --> 05:24:10,400
advocating for educational 
programs inside them. 

5912
05:24:10,400 --> 05:24:14,300
Mindful that these efforts fell 
short of outright Justice. 

5913
05:24:14,300 --> 05:24:18,300
Meanwhile, civil rights leaders 
urged, the administration to 

5914
05:24:18,300 --> 05:24:21,700
address discrimination in 
defense Industries, Ellen became

5915
05:24:21,700 --> 05:24:22,900
their conduit in the White 
House. 

5916
05:24:23,600 --> 05:24:27,100
Franklyn issued executive order 
8802, Banning racial 

5917
05:24:27,100 --> 05:24:30,200
discrimination, in defense 
contracts partly due to her 

5918
05:24:30,200 --> 05:24:33,800
persistent urging. 
Though enforcement was patchy it

5919
05:24:33,800 --> 05:24:36,700
set a precedent. 
She continued her bold stands 

5920
05:24:36,700 --> 05:24:40,200
like publicly supporting the 
Tuskegee Airmen and ensuring 

5921
05:24:40,200 --> 05:24:43,200
African-American nurses were 
integrated into the Army Nurse 

5922
05:24:43,200 --> 05:24:45,600
Corps. 
Each symbolic action fanned 

5923
05:24:45,600 --> 05:24:49,400
controversy among 
segregationists but to her, the 

5924
05:24:49,400 --> 05:24:53,000
quality was non-negotiable 
especially in a war, purportedly

5925
05:24:53,000 --> 05:24:55,200
fought for freedom. 
Abroad. 

5926
05:24:55,200 --> 05:24:58,200
Ellen has reach extended through
her Goodwill tours. 

5927
05:24:58,200 --> 05:25:01,500
She traveled to Britain, and the
South Pacific meeting soldiers, 

5928
05:25:01,500 --> 05:25:04,100
and Allied Leaders, her 
presence, was more than 

5929
05:25:04,100 --> 05:25:06,300
ceremonial. 
She asked probing questions 

5930
05:25:06,300 --> 05:25:10,600
about troop morale, supply lines
and local tensions often she 

5931
05:25:10,600 --> 05:25:11,900
cabled. 
Back suggestions for 

5932
05:25:11,900 --> 05:25:14,700
improvements from British prime 
minister Winston, Churchill, 

5933
05:25:14,700 --> 05:25:17,500
praised her empathy. 
Even if some in his Entourage 

5934
05:25:17,500 --> 05:25:20,600
found her activism unorthodox 
for a first lady. 

5935
05:25:21,400 --> 05:25:23,900
She reassured War weary 
civilians that American Aid, 

5936
05:25:23,900 --> 05:25:26,500
wasn't just strategic. 
It was driven by genuine 

5937
05:25:26,500 --> 05:25:29,000
commitment to Liberty. 
At home. 

5938
05:25:29,000 --> 05:25:32,200
She confronted a personal 
heartbreak, her brother. 

5939
05:25:32,200 --> 05:25:35,300
Paul Rose of elks struggled with
alcoholism echoing. 

5940
05:25:35,300 --> 05:25:39,000
The family's tragic Legacy. 
She tried to arrange support and

5941
05:25:39,000 --> 05:25:41,700
discreet care, balancing private
loyalties with public 

5942
05:25:41,700 --> 05:25:45,100
responsibilities, a circle of 
intimate friends, provided 

5943
05:25:45,100 --> 05:25:47,600
emotional ballast. 
Lorena Hickok. 

5944
05:25:47,600 --> 05:25:50,600
Remained a confidant though. 
War Logistics limited their time

5945
05:25:50,600 --> 05:25:53,200
together through letters Eleanor
confided. 

5946
05:25:53,200 --> 05:25:56,800
Her exhaustion admitting that 
the Public's expectations, often

5947
05:25:56,800 --> 05:26:01,100
felt insurmountable As the 
conflict raged on Franklin's 

5948
05:26:01,100 --> 05:26:04,800
Health waned, his blood pressure
Rose and stress weighed heavily.

5949
05:26:05,400 --> 05:26:08,500
Elena stepped in more 
assertively bridging gaps in his

5950
05:26:08,508 --> 05:26:10,900
schedule. 
She delivered radio addresses, 

5951
05:26:10,900 --> 05:26:14,500
championing, war, bonds visited 
hospitals, treating wounded, 

5952
05:26:14,500 --> 05:26:17,000
veterans, and comforted, 
grieving families. 

5953
05:26:17,800 --> 05:26:20,100
Some cynics dismissed her as 
Madame do good. 

5954
05:26:20,100 --> 05:26:23,500
But many others found solace in 
a leader unafraid to see 

5955
05:26:23,500 --> 05:26:27,700
suffering first-hand. 
By 1944, the Allied Forces were 

5956
05:26:27,700 --> 05:26:31,000
making significant progress. 
Victory seemed a complicated 

5957
05:26:31,000 --> 05:26:32,500
Prospect. 
The wars. 

5958
05:26:32,500 --> 05:26:35,600
Devastation would require not 
just triumph over access powers 

5959
05:26:35,600 --> 05:26:40,100
but a blueprint for peace. 
Ellen has mined with questions 

5960
05:26:40,100 --> 05:26:43,600
about refugees post-war 
reconstruction, and a 

5961
05:26:43,600 --> 05:26:45,800
re-imagined global framework 
that might prevent future 

5962
05:26:45,800 --> 05:26:48,800
catastrophes. 
She saw glimpses of a potential 

5963
05:26:48,800 --> 05:26:51,900
role for the United States. 
As a moral leader though. 

5964
05:26:51,900 --> 05:26:54,100
She worried domestic politics 
might hamper that vision. 

5965
05:26:55,000 --> 05:26:57,800
In the final year of the war, 
she began hinting that the world

5966
05:26:57,800 --> 05:27:01,500
needed a robust International 
body to maintain peace for 

5967
05:27:01,500 --> 05:27:03,700
shadowing. 
Her eventual pivotal role in the

5968
05:27:03,700 --> 05:27:06,700
United Nations. 
Franklin D, Roosevelt died, in 

5969
05:27:06,700 --> 05:27:11,300
April, 1945 mere weeks before 
Germany's surrender the nation 

5970
05:27:11,300 --> 05:27:13,900
mourned a four-term president, 
whose New Deal and wartime 

5971
05:27:13,900 --> 05:27:17,500
leadership had reshaped America 
for Eleanor Roosevelt. 

5972
05:27:17,500 --> 05:27:20,800
The loss was both intimate and 
public while she and Franklin 

5973
05:27:20,800 --> 05:27:23,600
had forged a practical 
partnership over the years, she 

5974
05:27:23,600 --> 05:27:26,100
grieved the passing of a 
companion who had despite all 

5975
05:27:26,100 --> 05:27:28,900
their marital complexities had 
walked beside her through 

5976
05:27:28,900 --> 05:27:32,400
Monumental Transformations when 
Harry Truman succeeded to the 

5977
05:27:32,400 --> 05:27:34,900
presidency. 
He recognized Ellen as unique 

5978
05:27:34,900 --> 05:27:38,000
standing at first. 
Many assumed she would Retreat 

5979
05:27:38,000 --> 05:27:41,100
from public life. 
Instead, she showed no sign of 

5980
05:27:41,100 --> 05:27:44,400
Disappearing into widowhood She 
considered her husband's death, 

5981
05:27:44,400 --> 05:27:47,900
a passing of the Baton, a 
moment, demanding continued 

5982
05:27:47,900 --> 05:27:52,100
engagement, the war with Japan. 
Still raged in global politics 

5983
05:27:52,100 --> 05:27:54,900
were in flux. 
She quietly rebuffed suggestions

5984
05:27:54,900 --> 05:27:59,100
to retire stating famously. 
The story is over but not the 

5985
05:27:59,100 --> 05:28:04,300
journey. 
In May 1945 v-day victory in 

5986
05:28:04,300 --> 05:28:07,100
Europe. 
Arrived overshadowed by the 

5987
05:28:07,100 --> 05:28:09,000
looming. 
Final battles against Japan. 

5988
05:28:09,000 --> 05:28:13,000
Eleanor immersed herself in 
relief, efforts focusing on 

5989
05:28:13,000 --> 05:28:16,300
wounded, veterans returning from
both theaters, she visited 

5990
05:28:16,300 --> 05:28:20,100
hospitals, consoled, families in
championed bills aimed at their 

5991
05:28:20,100 --> 05:28:23,300
rehabilitation Fall Truman's 
Administration tackled the 

5992
05:28:23,308 --> 05:28:25,400
complexities of forming a 
post-war order. 

5993
05:28:26,100 --> 05:28:28,300
She used her platform to 
advocate for a strong 

5994
05:28:28,300 --> 05:28:30,300
Cooperative, International 
Community. 

5995
05:28:31,100 --> 05:28:33,808
One of Truman's defining acts 
was to appoint Eleanor to the 

5996
05:28:33,816 --> 05:28:37,200
first American delegation to the
United Nations in 1945. 

5997
05:28:38,100 --> 05:28:42,100
Many in Washington, the choice. 
Could a former first lady or be 

5998
05:28:42,100 --> 05:28:45,800
at well-traveled effectively 
navigate high stakes diplomacy 

5999
05:28:46,700 --> 05:28:49,900
Truman saw something, others 
overlooked her blend of empathy 

6000
05:28:49,900 --> 05:28:53,600
and pragmatism the appointment. 
Signaled, a fresh chapter for 

6001
05:28:53,600 --> 05:28:56,100
both the UN. 
And Eleanor she approached the 

6002
05:28:56,100 --> 05:28:59,300
role with disciplined, study 
brushing up, on parliamentary 

6003
05:28:59,300 --> 05:29:02,600
rules, international law, and 
economic recovery. 

6004
05:29:02,600 --> 05:29:06,000
Proposals attending the un's 
early session in London. 

6005
05:29:06,000 --> 05:29:08,200
And then at Lake Success, New 
York. 

6006
05:29:08,200 --> 05:29:11,100
She immersed herself in the 
complexities of post-war 

6007
05:29:11,100 --> 05:29:14,800
negotiations nation's wrestled 
with forming stable, governments

6008
05:29:14,800 --> 05:29:17,000
in war. 
Ravaged Region's setting up 

6009
05:29:17,000 --> 05:29:18,900
structures to prevent future 
conflicts. 

6010
05:29:18,900 --> 05:29:22,300
While seasoned diplomats haggled
over boundaries and reparations.

6011
05:29:22,300 --> 05:29:24,700
Ellen assented, her efforts on 
human rights. 

6012
05:29:24,700 --> 05:29:28,800
She found common cause with 
delegators from smaller nation's

6013
05:29:28,800 --> 05:29:31,000
forging. 
Alliance is that transcended 

6014
05:29:31,000 --> 05:29:33,100
cold war lines just beginning to
emerge. 

6015
05:29:34,000 --> 05:29:37,000
In 1946. 
She chaired the newly formed un 

6016
05:29:37,000 --> 05:29:40,500
Commission on human rights. 
Initially, some delegates saw 

6017
05:29:40,500 --> 05:29:44,000
her as an American figurehead 
polite, but lacking intellectual

6018
05:29:44,000 --> 05:29:48,100
heft a swiftly learned otherwise
she steered discussions with 

6019
05:29:48,100 --> 05:29:51,900
firmness, ensuring smaller 
Nations had their say, She 

6020
05:29:51,900 --> 05:29:54,500
insisted the commission. 
Draft not just broad statements 

6021
05:29:54,500 --> 05:29:58,500
but actionable principles. 
This laborious process, required

6022
05:29:58,500 --> 05:30:02,500
reconciling different cultural 
values, economic realities, and 

6023
05:30:02,500 --> 05:30:06,200
political ideologies. 
Hours of debate tested. 

6024
05:30:06,200 --> 05:30:08,700
Her resolve. 
She found an ally in French 

6025
05:30:08,700 --> 05:30:11,700
philosopher. 
Renee cassette among others, who

6026
05:30:11,700 --> 05:30:14,600
appreciated her unwavering focus
on practical outcomes. 

6027
05:30:15,600 --> 05:30:18,100
The commission's, most famous 
product, the universal 

6028
05:30:18,100 --> 05:30:21,500
Declaration of Human Rights, 
emerged as a collaborative 

6029
05:30:21,500 --> 05:30:23,700
Masterpiece though it bore 
Ellen, has imprint. 

6030
05:30:24,500 --> 05:30:27,400
She reminded delegates that 
lofty words meant little and 

6031
05:30:27,400 --> 05:30:29,200
less every day. 
People could understand them. 

6032
05:30:29,900 --> 05:30:33,200
She pushed for language, that 
was clear Universal and free 

6033
05:30:33,200 --> 05:30:36,600
from legalistic clutter. 
Late night session ended with 

6034
05:30:36,600 --> 05:30:39,500
her scribbling revisions by 
Lamplight fueled by an 

6035
05:30:39,500 --> 05:30:42,600
unshakeable belief that each 
article mattered to someone's 

6036
05:30:42,600 --> 05:30:46,200
dignity Her experience among the
poor and marginalized during the

6037
05:30:46,200 --> 05:30:48,900
Depression in shaped her 
commitment to ensuring each 

6038
05:30:48,900 --> 05:30:50,600
Clause. 
Addressed Thunder. 

6039
05:30:50,600 --> 05:30:55,000
Mental human needs, Throughout 
these intense negotiations, she 

6040
05:30:55,000 --> 05:30:57,400
maintained a public speaking 
schedule traveling to 

6041
05:30:57,400 --> 05:31:00,100
universities and women's clubs 
to explain the un's mission. 

6042
05:31:00,800 --> 05:31:03,000
To tractors at home accused of 
naivete. 

6043
05:31:03,000 --> 05:31:06,200
Suggesting the Soviet Union's, 
looming, power rendered human 

6044
05:31:06,200 --> 05:31:09,700
rights talk meaningless. 
She counted that precisely 

6045
05:31:09,700 --> 05:31:11,300
because of geopolitical 
tensions. 

6046
05:31:11,300 --> 05:31:13,300
A moral framework was 
indispensable. 

6047
05:31:14,100 --> 05:31:16,200
She refused to let cynicism 
overshadow. 

6048
05:31:16,200 --> 05:31:17,600
The potential of collective 
action. 

6049
05:31:18,600 --> 05:31:21,600
By 1948, the commission 
finalized, the universal 

6050
05:31:21,600 --> 05:31:25,200
Declaration of Human Rights. 
The UN General assembly's 

6051
05:31:25,200 --> 05:31:26,900
adoption of it. 
Marked a significant Milestone 

6052
05:31:26,900 --> 05:31:31,500
though, not legally binding, its
set a moral standard, Eleanor 

6053
05:31:31,500 --> 05:31:34,200
delivered speeches, describing 
it as a Magna, carter For All 

6054
05:31:34,200 --> 05:31:37,200
Mankind, ensuring the public, 
understood it as a tool to 

6055
05:31:37,200 --> 05:31:40,100
uplift the disenfranchise. 
Internet. 

6056
05:31:40,100 --> 05:31:43,100
National media, credited her 
leadership, albeit, sometimes 

6057
05:31:43,100 --> 05:31:46,500
grudgingly as she had shattered 
prior assumptions about a first 

6058
05:31:46,500 --> 05:31:49,300
lady capabilities. 
In the aftermath she found 

6059
05:31:49,300 --> 05:31:52,100
little time for rest. 
The world was shifting into the 

6060
05:31:52,108 --> 05:31:54,900
Cold War era. 
Economic reconstruction, 

6061
05:31:54,900 --> 05:31:58,300
decolonization an ideological 
battles. 

6062
05:31:58,300 --> 05:32:02,100
Now, defined Global relations. 
Even as she stepped away from 

6063
05:32:02,100 --> 05:32:05,000
the commissioner, she continued 
to serve as a roving ambassador 

6064
05:32:05,000 --> 05:32:08,000
of sorts championing human 
rights across continents. 

6065
05:32:09,500 --> 05:32:12,700
Helena saw her late husband's 
passing as an opportunity to 

6066
05:32:12,700 --> 05:32:16,100
forge her own unique Legacy, 
rooted not in being a 

6067
05:32:16,100 --> 05:32:20,000
president's wife, but in shaping
International Norms at a pivotal

6068
05:32:20,000 --> 05:32:23,200
moment in history, In the final 
decade of her life. 

6069
05:32:23,200 --> 05:32:26,500
Eleanor Roosevelt, continued as 
an indefatigable voice for 

6070
05:32:26,500 --> 05:32:29,900
social justice, human rights and
democratic ideals. 

6071
05:32:29,900 --> 05:32:34,100
The universal Declaration of 
Human Rights, adopted in 1948 

6072
05:32:34,100 --> 05:32:36,200
remained her crowning 
achievement. 

6073
05:32:36,200 --> 05:32:40,200
However, she refused to rest on 
her past achievements with the 

6074
05:32:40,200 --> 05:32:43,300
onset of the Cold War critics, 
claimed the un's ideals would 

6075
05:32:43,300 --> 05:32:46,400
crumble under superpower 
rivalry, Eleanor believed, 

6076
05:32:46,400 --> 05:32:49,500
otherwise maintaining that 
shared principles could mitigate

6077
05:32:49,500 --> 05:32:54,000
conflict even if progress 
unfolded slowly, She returned to

6078
05:32:54,000 --> 05:32:57,900
private citizenship in 1953, but
State active in public 

6079
05:32:57,900 --> 05:33:01,100
discourse. 
Writing, lecturing and 

6080
05:33:01,100 --> 05:33:03,500
advocating. 
She championed civil rights at 

6081
05:33:03,500 --> 05:33:05,900
home. 
When African-American students, 

6082
05:33:05,900 --> 05:33:08,900
integrated previously, all white
schools under court orders. 

6083
05:33:09,800 --> 05:33:12,800
She lent moral support, 
reminding Americans that 

6084
05:33:12,800 --> 05:33:14,600
equality was part of their 
National fabric. 

6085
05:33:15,400 --> 05:33:19,000
The Columns remained, 
unflinching calling out racism 

6086
05:33:19,000 --> 05:33:22,500
poverty and the complacency of 
those who benefited from the 

6087
05:33:22,500 --> 05:33:25,200
status quo. 
Some saw her as anachronistic 

6088
05:33:25,200 --> 05:33:28,400
others discovered in her words. 
A beacon for an America 

6089
05:33:28,400 --> 05:33:31,200
struggling to reconcile its 
ideals with its realities. 

6090
05:33:31,200 --> 05:33:34,700
Her personal network, still 
included political, heavyweights

6091
05:33:34,700 --> 05:33:37,500
enabling her to press for a 
forms behind the scenes. 

6092
05:33:37,500 --> 05:33:40,500
She served under President John 
F Kennedy as chair of the 

6093
05:33:40,500 --> 05:33:43,500
presidential commission on the 
status of women established in 

6094
05:33:43,500 --> 05:33:48,900
1961 at an age, when many retire
Elena dissected legal codes 

6095
05:33:48,900 --> 05:33:52,300
Employment Practices and 
educational barriers hindering 

6096
05:33:52,300 --> 05:33:56,000
women, She demanded data case 
studies and policy 

6097
05:33:56,000 --> 05:33:59,400
recommendations aiming to 
transform rhetoric into tangible

6098
05:33:59,400 --> 05:34:03,000
steps that the commission's 
final report spurred legislative

6099
05:34:03,000 --> 05:34:07,100
changes underscored her ability 
to channel moral Vision in to 

6100
05:34:07,100 --> 05:34:10,500
Legal Frameworks, throughout the
1950s and early 1960s. 

6101
05:34:10,500 --> 05:34:14,300
She traveled the globe. 
Invitations poured in, from 

6102
05:34:14,300 --> 05:34:16,700
countries, wanting to meet the 
woman behind the Declaration of 

6103
05:34:16,700 --> 05:34:19,600
Human Rights in India. 
She walked through Villages, 

6104
05:34:19,600 --> 05:34:22,100
discussing rural development in 
Israel. 

6105
05:34:22,100 --> 05:34:25,000
She Marvel's communities in 
Africa. 

6106
05:34:25,000 --> 05:34:27,900
She observed newly independent 
nations grappling with 

6107
05:34:27,900 --> 05:34:31,700
post-colonial reconstruction, 
where American ambassadors might

6108
05:34:31,700 --> 05:34:35,200
exude, formality Eleanor 
embraced dialogues with every 

6109
05:34:35,200 --> 05:34:38,000
day people. 
She returned from each Journey, 

6110
05:34:38,000 --> 05:34:41,500
energized writing extensive 
notes for policymakers, 

6111
05:34:41,500 --> 05:34:44,700
cautioning, against 
condescending attitudes toward 

6112
05:34:44,700 --> 05:34:47,700
emerging Nations. 
Her willingness to learn from 

6113
05:34:47,700 --> 05:34:51,600
other cultures became a Hallmark
of her diplomacy time. 

6114
05:34:51,600 --> 05:34:54,500
And again, she confronted 
critics who branded her a busy 

6115
05:34:54,500 --> 05:34:57,000
body. 
She was neither a scholar or a 

6116
05:34:57,000 --> 05:34:59,400
government official. 
Why should she meddle in foreign

6117
05:34:59,400 --> 05:35:02,500
or domestic affairs? 
She answered that democracy was 

6118
05:35:02,500 --> 05:35:06,100
every Citizen's business and 
moral responsibility didn't 

6119
05:35:06,100 --> 05:35:08,000
vanish with the end of a fish of
appointments. 

6120
05:35:08,000 --> 05:35:11,700
Observers noted that her brand 
of activism hinged, on practical

6121
05:35:11,700 --> 05:35:15,900
empathy nurtured from her 
earliest, volunteer days where 

6122
05:35:15,900 --> 05:35:18,100
the lecturing at a university or
chatting with the Royal 

6123
05:35:18,100 --> 05:35:21,000
cooperative. 
She asked questions and listened

6124
05:35:21,000 --> 05:35:25,100
her convictions were firm yet. 
She respected the complexity of 

6125
05:35:25,100 --> 05:35:27,800
local struggles. 
She also mentored Rising 

6126
05:35:27,800 --> 05:35:31,300
figures, both men and women 
urging them to wield compassion 

6127
05:35:31,300 --> 05:35:35,500
as a strength, not a weakness. 
From civil rights activists in 

6128
05:35:35,500 --> 05:35:37,900
the American South to Young 
diplomats in the US. 

6129
05:35:37,900 --> 05:35:41,200
She encouraged them to merge 
policy with Humanity. 

6130
05:35:42,100 --> 05:35:45,100
People, she mentored often 
recalled her direct manner, no 

6131
05:35:45,100 --> 05:35:48,000
Idol flattery just pointed 
questions, that force them to 

6132
05:35:48,000 --> 05:35:51,500
clarify their own beliefs 
rarely, did she scold in public 

6133
05:35:51,500 --> 05:35:55,000
but in private she offered 
candid criticisms designed to 

6134
05:35:55,008 --> 05:35:58,800
Sharp and strategies. as a 
health began to decline in the 

6135
05:35:58,800 --> 05:36:03,100
early 1960s, She scaled back her
demanding itinerary though. 

6136
05:36:03,100 --> 05:36:06,400
Not her convictions. 
President Kennedy valued her 

6137
05:36:06,408 --> 05:36:08,900
Council on international 
relations and domestic policy. 

6138
05:36:09,600 --> 05:36:12,900
She remained a fixture in press 
interviews, her voice steady 

6139
05:36:12,900 --> 05:36:14,800
even if her physical stamina 
waned. 

6140
05:36:15,400 --> 05:36:17,300
She firmly believed in 
transferring the responsibility 

6141
05:36:17,300 --> 05:36:21,700
to the Next Generation in. 
One of her final interviews, she

6142
05:36:21,700 --> 05:36:24,200
expressed hope that the seeds 
planted by the universal 

6143
05:36:24,200 --> 05:36:27,400
declaration would bear fruit, 
even if it took centuries for 

6144
05:36:27,400 --> 05:36:31,700
Humanity to fully embrace the 
ideals of Justice, Liberty and 

6145
05:36:31,700 --> 05:36:37,500
equality Eleanor Roosevelt died 
on November 7th 1962. 

6146
05:36:38,300 --> 05:36:41,100
Tributes poured in from heads of
state and ordinary citizens 

6147
05:36:41,100 --> 05:36:45,500
alike, many lauded her as the 
first lady of the world, a title

6148
05:36:45,500 --> 05:36:48,300
first coined in recognition of 
her Global humanitarian work 

6149
05:36:48,300 --> 05:36:52,000
over the coming years, her 
Legacy would be Revisited by 

6150
05:36:52,000 --> 05:36:55,800
historians feminists diplomats 
and human rights advocates. 

6151
05:36:56,700 --> 05:36:59,700
Unlike fleeting political 
personalities, she left a 

6152
05:36:59,700 --> 05:37:01,700
lasting moral imprint that 
transcended parties. 

6153
05:37:01,700 --> 05:37:04,800
And geography today, her words 
still resonate. 

6154
05:37:04,800 --> 05:37:08,800
Where are after all do Universal
human rights begin in small 

6155
05:37:08,800 --> 05:37:12,800
places close to home. 
Her famous advocacy statement, 

6156
05:37:12,800 --> 05:37:14,700
encapsulates, the essence of her
life. 

6157
05:37:15,300 --> 05:37:18,400
She believed real change took 
root in neighborhoods, schools 

6158
05:37:18,400 --> 05:37:22,200
and local governments only, then
scaling up to National and 

6159
05:37:22,200 --> 05:37:24,300
international levels. 
Born into privilege. 

6160
05:37:24,300 --> 05:37:26,800
She grew into a figure who 
championed the powerless 

6161
05:37:26,800 --> 05:37:29,000
overcoming shyness and 
heartbreak. 

6162
05:37:29,000 --> 05:37:31,700
She constructed a role for 
herself that few imagined 

6163
05:37:31,700 --> 05:37:34,300
possible. 
And in that process, she altered

6164
05:37:34,300 --> 05:37:37,500
the global Dialogue on rights 
dignity and what it means to 

6165
05:37:37,500 --> 05:37:38,300
serve Humanity,