Martha Katz-Hyman discusses the arrival of Jews in early colonial America, their reception in the colonies, and the ways in which they observed their religion and its celebrations.

Colonial Williamsburg historian Lou Powers discusses the holiday season as it existed in the colonial era, as well as touching on calendar systems and class divisions.

Kelly Ladd-Kostro, associate curator of archaeological collections at Colonial Williamsburg, describes the search for remnants of 17th-century Middle Plantation, the settlement which preceded Williamsburg.

Political pressure and personal bias have hounded American journalists since the first newspapers were printed. Interpreter Dennis Watson talks about the Virginia Gazette.

Paul Aron, author of We Hold These Truths, discusses examples of famous American rhetoric, particularly dating from the American Revolution.

Tom Hay, site supervisor in the Courthouse-Capitol-Gaol ensemble at Colonial Williamsburg, describes several notable escapes from the Gaol during the colonial era and the Revolutionary War.

Architectural researcher Ed Chappell describes the 1782 Frenchman's Map, an overhead view of the town of Williamsburg referred to in the restoration and reconstruction of Colonial Williamsburg.

Brooke Welborn, a journeywoman milliner and mantua maker at Colonial Williamsburg, describes colonial women's undergarments, the ways in which dress determined or was determined by women's social roles and class, and the trade of millinery and mantua making. For more information on 18th century clothing, click here.

Medical historian Susan Pryor describes the role of the apothecary in the colonial society, and looks at colonial understanding of disease and treatment.

Historian Cathy Hellier explains the differences between modern American English and the English of the colonists during the 1700s; she looks also at new ideas on the dialect of African Americans in the Williamsburg area at the time. Click here to learn more about 18th century speech.