The Presidents (6-Disc Set) [DVD]

A remarkable snapshot of life from the White House.

From George Washington to Barack Obama, The Presidents gathers vivid snapshots of all 44 Commanders-in-Chief who have guided America throughout its history and analyses their personalities, weaknesses and major achievements. The Presidents features rare and unseen photographs and footage, unexpected insight and trivia from journalists, scholars and politicians. Viewed within the changing contexts of each administration, the Presidency has never seemed more compelling.

Also includes two brand new releases Mt. Rushmore and Presidential Estates, investigating all things presidential in even more depth. We tour three presidential estates the private sanctuaries of the most public lives. In Mt. Rushmore we visit the Black Hills of South Dakota to discover the story of the world famous rock carving immortalising 4 of the former presidents. Narrated by Edward Herrmann (The Aviator).

Disc One
Washingon to Monroe: 1789-1825
During the heady days of the Constitutional Era, America's Founding Fathers set the future of a nation on its course. Washington helps define the Presidency that evolves through Monroe's administration, while Adams see the country through the XYZ affair and Jefferson signs the Louisana Purchase.

John Q. Adams to Polk: 1825-1849
In a period of rapid growth for the nation and contentious politics in Washington, Jackson herals in the era of the Common Man and Manifest Destiny. Quincy Adams threatens to undo the virtues of American politics, while the economy tumbles during Van Buren's term. Harrison dies in office and Polk declares war on Mexico.

Taylor to Lincoln: 1849-1865
The most volatile period in U.S. history leads to the American Civil War. Follow the Presidency from the rough style of Taylor - the second president to die in office - and the relative ineffectiveness of Fillmore and Pierce, to the near treason of Buchanan's administration, to Lincoln's shocking assassination.

Disc Two
Andrew Johnson to Arthur: 1865-1885
The Age of Reconstruction follows the Civil War. Three of the five presidents during this period are formers generals of this war. Highlights include Johnson's impeachment trial, Grant's triumphs, the back room politics of Hayes, and Arthur's Civil Service reforms.

Cleveland to Taft: 1885-1913
During an era of unbridled economic growth called the Gilded Age, Cleveland becomes the first president to serve two non-consecutive terms, McKinley is assassinated, Teddy Roosevelt launches an all-out anti-trust assault on Big Money monopolies, and Taft becomes estranged from his mentor and friend, Teddy Roosevelt.

Wilson to Franklin D. Roosevelt: 1913-1945
While America emerges as a super-power, Wilson promises to "make the world safe for democracy," Harding's administration is rocked by scandal, Coolidge ushers the nation to a dangerous economic precipice that leaves Hoover with the Great Depression - which finally ends as Roosevelt leads the nation through WWII.

Disc Three
Truman to Ford: 1945-1977
Truman leads the United States into the Atomic Age and the beginning of the Cold War. The most likeable president in U.S. history and hero of D-Day, Eisenhower is followed by the youthful charisma of Kennedy, until his tragic assassination. Johnson finally pulls out of Vietnam, while Nixon resigns and Ford stumbles. Along the way the moon is reached.

Carter to George W. Bush : 1977-Present
From the fall of the Berlin Wall to the inauguration of 2005, Carter suffers through an economic depression and the Iran Hostage Crisis; Reagan survives assassination, Iran-Contra, and the Strategic Defence initiative; George Bush initiates the Gulf War; Clinton presides over a booming economy, sex scandals, and impeachment; and George W. Bush follows 9/11 with his doctrine of pre-emptive strikes.

Bonus Material

Disc 4: Barack Obama
When he called himself a skinny kid with a funny name at the 2004 Democratic National Covention, his star was already rising, By the time he triumphed in the 2004 Illinois Senate race, he was the golden child of a Democratic party in desperate need of a charismatic leader. And in November of 2008, he was the first African-American to be elected President of the United States.

BIO narrates the riveting story of Barack Obama, from his childhood in Honolulu to his history-making presidential win. Follow Obama through his teenage struggles for self-identity, his student days at Columbia University and Harvard Law School, and finally, through his political career in Chicago, where he rose to fame through a focus on ethics and political reform. Go behind the scenes of Obama's remarkable presidential campaign in which he raised a record-breaking $58 million in six months, and join him in his exciting journey towards the White House.

Featuring insightful interviews with friends and family members, as well as previously unreleased footage of Obama's campaign and victory, Barack Obama chronicles the uniquely American story of one man rising up to fight for what he believes in, and the dawning of a new chapter in American history.

Disc 5: Mt Rushmore Presidents

Disc 6: Presidential Estates
From George Washington's Mount Vernon to George Bush's Kennebunkport retreat, the private homes of America's presidents have offered peace, seclusion and privacy for the most public of men. America's Castles offers a remarkable, privileged look at some of the most impressive of these Presidential Palaces. Visit the final resting place of Andrew Jackson on the grounds of his sprawling Hermitage estate. With its dignified facade and stately elegance, Hermitage was built to honor Jackson's wife, who died weeks before his inauguration. Tour the magnificent Hudson Valley home of Martin Van Buren, which features a 40-foot banquet hall, lavish decoration and Moorish details. And marvel at the gorgeous Spiegel Grove, the beloved home of Rutherford Hayes, whose love of nature led him to build "a large verandah with a house attached." The stunning home features Chippendale furniture, a 12,000 volume library and a majestic curving staircase.

• Special Feature-Length Documentary All the Presidents’ Wives
• Timeline of U.S. Presidents