of their lives. this is not the only slave cemetery here at montpelier. there are archaeological surveys we have found evidence of other slave cemeteries at other locations. this appears to be the largest, and because of its location, its proximity to the mansion, it seems likely that it served the nucleus of the slave population and those that worked in the household, the tradesmen that ran the blacksmith shop and cared for the garden and the stables, this clearly emerges as the most important. we also hosted reunions of descendants of montpelier slaves, so we have learned some of the oral traditions about how burials were carried out during slavery and some of the beliefs attached to that. and that's given us some more insight into the meaning and significance of this cemetery. the last reunion we had which was in 2008, we had over 100 people attend. and really the evidence is all oral tradition. it's an understanding of where they came from, who their ancestors were, and we've worked very hard with many of those members to record those oral traditions a

next, a tour of james madison's montpelier mansion. and then an examination of the 1297 magna carta, the first document issued to an english king by subjects seeking liberties. later, a look back at the assassination attempt on president ronald reagan. >>> each week american history tv's american artifacts takes viewers behind the scenes at archives, museums, and historic sites. the 2600 acre estate of montpelier was once home to the nation's fourth president, james madison and his wife dolley. it lies about 90 miles south of the nation's capital in orange county, virginia. the national trust for historic preservation owns the property that is managed by the nonprofit montpelier foundation. american history tv visited the site for a tour with the foundation's president, michael quinn. >> welcome to the home of james and dolley madison. this house really tells madison's entire life story, and the house as it appears now reflects his vision for his life-long home. the core of the house was actually built by his father, and madison moved i

here is an image of montpelier and one of the early presidents square. you see our location, st. john's church. and you see the dolly madison house. one reason i wanted to show you these two images is because they were both water colors made by madame denuville. they were some of the notables that rented the decatur house before john gatsby purchased it. these were some of the many people, many notable people, parsona parsonages, if you will, personages, whom jennings got to know. and if even a slave, it helps to know people in high places. he was well connected. he was what we call a networker. and he took appropriate advantage of these connections in his pursuit. and here's a photo of dolly madison's house. you see the cellar windows where jennings quarters would be. and also i feel obliged to say that the door moved all over the place. it was first in front and then moved to the side where you see in this photograph. later that door was made a window and today it's further down on h street. this is one of the earliest photographs of the white house on the south pore portico, y

now, here is an image of mo montpelier during jennings' day. you see our location, st. john's church and you see the dolley madison house. one reason i wanted to show you these particular two images is because they were both water colors, made by madam hyde denuville. hyden clay and martin van buren were notable whose rented the decatur house. these were some of the many people, many notable people, par sonages if you -- personages, whom jennings got to know. even as a slave, it helps to know people in high places. he was well connected, a networker and he took appropriate advantage of the connections in his pursuit of the right to rise. and i feel obliged to say that the door at dolly madison's house moved all over the place. first in front. then it moved to the side where you see it in that photograph. later that door was made a window. today it is further down on h street. you see president polk whom jennings worked for you. can believe that dolly kept all the earnings. and dolly herself, who is a little bit fuzzy, she is not holding her, her head straight enough is

reeves, the madison's virginia neighbor in washington because of her husband's senate career wrote a letter to dolley madison at montpelier. i took the liberty of going to your house a few weeks ago and walking all about it. on asking a little girl who came to the door if there was anyone there, she said there was a gentleman. then she told me it was only a colored gentleman. good uncle paul stepped forth and quite justified her appellation by inviting me in and escorting me about in the most gentlemen-like manner. paul jenng returned to president's square for the first time in 20 years. the previous summer james madison had died and change had been the watch word ever since. mistress dolley decided she would make use of her city house on president square and sent jennings ahead to ready the dwelling. the town noise was humming in anticipation of the new martin van buren administration. the atmosphere must have reminded jennings of james madison's inauguration 28 years earlier. as president andrew jackson prepared to close shop at the white house up the street, jennings took stock of a president's square much altered, sta

around here, there is plenty of history that has yet to be discovered. holly is live at montpeliermore on how you can be a part of an amazing expedition. guys. come here, come here. [ telephone ringing ] i'm calling my old dealership. [ man ] may ford. hi, yeah. do you guys have any crossovers that offer better highway fuel economy than the chevy equinox? no, sorry, sir. we don't. oh, well, that's too bad. [ man ] kyle, is that you? [ laughs ] [ man ] still here, kyle. [ male announcer ] visit your local chevy dealer today. right now, very well qualified lessees can get a 2012 equinox ls for around $229 a month. >>> good morning i am holly morris on this wednesday. we are going on an add have been which you are. move over indiana jones we are live this morning where there is a bona fide archaeological expedition under way in fact, they are in the third year of a 3 year expedition investigating the lives of the slaves who lived here. right now we are in the field quarter where the field slaves would have lived and worked this morning we will see what we can unearth, we will do a lit

of you for coming. please join me in thanking the panel. >>> tonight, beginning at 8:00 from our american artifacts series, we travel to orange county, virginia, and james madison's montpelier. at 8:30 p.m. in old sturbridge villa village, massachusetts, an early history museum depicting early new england life from 1790 to 1840. about 9:00, we'll show a collection of inaugural gowns and white house china and learn more about the influential role of first ladies in presidential administrations. >> this weekend marks the anniversary of the bloodiest battle to be fought during the civil war. up to that point, the battle of shiloh with almost 24,000 casualties and we'll tour the battlefield with chief park ranger stacy allen saturday at 6:00 p.m. eastern. and sunday night at 7:00, the angel of the battlefield and founder of the red cross clara barton operated the missing soldiers office in a washington, d.c., boardinghouse until 1868. join us as we rediscover the third-floor office as it's prepared for renovations. this weekend on american history tv on c-span3. >> earlier this year, the reserve officers association gathered leaders in the national security arena for symposium

example that we have to talk about is also at montpelier, and later today you're going to be hearing more from elizabeth taylor, as she was the leader as director of interpretation in sharing more of the stories of the african-american communities and enslaved peoples who were there. three years ago, i met the person whom i'm introducing, katherine malone-france, right at the slave quarters on the second floor of decatur house. and at the time it wasn't open to the public, never has been. it was a gallery space. previous owners had used it as a residence for their staff. it had also been office space. and the white house historical society is rising to the cause to conserve these slave quarters. his malone-france has also finished a historic structures report, and this was the first documentary research report on the quarters ever undertaken. she's going to be telling you some more about the highlights of the physical examination and the remaining questions that have to be answered regarding the space which was occupied by various peoples as it's existed over the last 125 years. so i hope you will join me in welcoming her. thank you. [ applause ]

montpelier. at 8:30 p.m., we'll visit a living history museum, depicting early new england life. and then at about 9:00, a collection of gowns and white house china and learn more about first ladies in presidential administrations. >>> this week on c-span's "washington classroom," we take a look inside presidential polling. how they're conducted. and how to analyze the results. our guest is frank newport, the editor in chief of gallup polls. "washington classroom" is a partnership with george mason university and the washington center. this semester's class is focusing on presidential politicians. issues shaping the company, with a look back at past elections. >> to the students joining us from the washington classroom here in washington, d.c., representing universities and colleges around the country, we want to focus today on polls and focus group and the latest from the gallup organization this week, showing that barack obama is ahead, 49% to 45%, the editor in chief of the gallup poll is joining us here in our studios, frank newport. thank you for being with us. >> my pleasure. >> as we look at the poll, you tell y

montpelier and 8:30 p.m., old sturbridge village, massachusetts, depicting life. and at 9:00, gowns and white house china and learn more about the influential role of first ladies in presidential administrations. >> this weekend marks the anniversary of the bloodiest battle to be fought during the civil war. up to that point, the battle of shiloh, with almost 24,000 casualties and we'll tour the battlefield with chief park ranger stacy allen and sunday night at 7:00 the angel of the battlefield and founder of the red cross, clara barton, operated the missing soldier's office in a washington, d.c., boarding house until 186. join us as we rediscover the third floor office as it's prepared for renovations, this weekend on american history tv on c-span3. this saturday at noon eastern, on c-span2's book tv, join our live call-in program with distinguished former navy seal and author chris kyle, as he talks about his life, from professional rodeo rider to becoming the most lethal sniper in u.s. military history. at 10:00 p.m. on "afterwords." >> if you think of yourself as a family and think of yourself as a team, she says i got a raise it's like we got a raise, the fam

of youth violence. 7:00 a.m. eastern. >>> friday, more "american history tv" on c-span3 in prime time. at 8:00 p.m., the american artifacts series travels to orange county virginia and james madison's montpelier to learn about the family cemetery and nearby slave cemetery. 8:30 p.m., a living museum in massachusetts that depicting early new england life from 1870 to 1940 and 9:00 p.m., a look at the role of first ladies, including a collection of inaugural gowns and white house china from the smithsonian's national museum of american history peer on c-span3. american history tv. >>> this weekend marks the anniversary of the bloodiest battle to be fought in the civil war up to that point. the battle of shiloh with almost 24,000 casualties and tour the battlefield with chief park ranger stacy allen saturday at 6:00 p.m. eastern and sunday night at 7:00 the angels of the battlefield and founder of the red cross clara barton operated the missing soldiers office until 1868. join us as we rediscover the third floor office as it's prepared for renovations this weekend on "american history tv" on c-span3. >>> in 2005, 40 years after the first full scale engagement between u.s. troops and the people's

montpelier. at 8:30, old sturbridge village, visit a living history museum depicting early life from 1790-1840. at 9:00, inaugural gowns and white house china. learn more about the influential role of first ladies in presidential administrations. >>> this weekend marks the anniversary of the bloodiest battle to be fought during the civil war, up to that point, the battle of shiloh with almost 24,000 casualties. we'll tour the battlefield with chief park ranger stacy allen, sunday night at 7:00 the angel of the battlefield founder of the red cross, clara barton, operated the missing soldiers office in a washington, d.c. boarding house until 1868. join us as we rediscover the third floor office as it's prepared for renovations. this weekend on american history tv on c-span 3. the house sub come mep might tee heard -- chairman jon leibowitz talked about the new con fumer financial protection bureau, staffing and office space considerations, internet privacy and enforcement actions against debt collectors. he was sworn in as commissioner in 2004 designated chairman by president obama in march, 2009. >> this is the first hearing for the financial services and general government sub comm

montpelier, vermont, six degrees below normal. altoona at 59 degrees where they've got the curve. here's what's going on in your neck ofng, here we've got the sun up and a blue sky, golden sunlight streaming through the trees of northwest washington. a live view from our sky watcher camera all around the region, it's cold. we're generally right near or above freezing throughout much of the shenandoah valley into the mountains, closer to washington, a little scattered frost west and north of i-95. we'll have a warm afternoon comparatively up near 70 degrees with a bit of a breeze and lots of sunshine. clouding up tonight and tomorrow. maybe some showers and thunderstorms on thursday. and maybe some showers late saturday. >> and that's your latest weather. matt? ann? >> al, thank you. earlier we told you about the university of colorado freshman, right, who spilled her food on president obama when he made a stop at a restaurant in boulder. let's take a look. >> oh, look it, you got me. you got me. >> i'm so sorry. >> i'm teasing. that's okay. whose yogurt got on me? >> it was mine. i'm really sorry. it was mine. >> you'v