What the Tudors Did for Us

Episodes

Episode one: ''Seeing the World''

Hart-Davis travels around Britain to introduce the idea and inventions of the Tudor Age in art, optics and exploration.

• Wad (graphite) discovered by shepherds in the mid 16th century was used as the first pencil leading to life drawing and realistic portraiture.
• The lens was added to the camera obscura by Giambattista della Porta in Natural Magic leading to fine arts and the first cinema.
• Mainland North America was discovered by John Cabot and possibly named after his investor Richard Americ.
• The first atlas (flat map) was drawn by Gerardus Mercator using the Mercator projection demonstrated by Hart-Davis.
• The first British colony in America was founded by Sir Walter Raleigh at Roanoke opening the New World to the Tudors.
• The perspective glass invented by Leonard Digges and demonstrated by Hart-Davis may have been the first telescope.

Episode two: ''The Thinkynge Revolution''

Hart-Davis travels around Britain to introduce the idea and inventions of the Tudor Age in science, literature and education.

• The first printing press, like the one recreated at St Bride Printing Library, was brought to England by William Caxton.
• The resulting printing revolution included William Tyndale's English bible that lead to the standardisation of the English language.
• State education was founded by Henry VIII providing opportunities for Christopher Marlowe and William Harvey amongst others.
• Human anatomy was revolutionised by Andreas Vesalius following the legalisation of human dissection by Henry VIII.
• Modern medicine began from the Swiss Alchemist Paracelsus' belief that minerals and chemicals could be used to treat diseases.
• Observational science came of age when Thomas Diggs recorded the first observation of a supernova.

Episode three: ''The Goode Lyfe''

Hart-Davis travels around Britain showing how domestic life developed during Tudor times.

• Interior design, using the example of Hardwick Hall: the layout of separate rooms with dedicated functions – instead of one great hall, upholstered furniture, wallpaper, carpets, and windows.
• The invention of the flush toilet by John Harington.
• The foundation of the Royal Exchange, London by Sir Thomas Gresham, and in particular the associated two floors of shops, characterised as the world's first mall.
• The popularising of sports including real tennis and horse racing.
• Adding hops to small beer thereby increasing the alcohol content.
• The invention of the knitting machine by William Lee.

Episode four: ''War Machyne''

References

References

1. "What The Tudors Did For Us (2002)".