The Woodstock Festivals of both 1969 and 1999 have formed a distinct phenomenon in the popular imagination, but rarely are these two events examined through the lens of their civilizational implications. What happens when lots of people gather in a totally ungoverned, lawless shared space? How do they organize, interact, survive? And most importantly, what explains the difference between the original Woodstock, almost synonymous with peace and love, and Woodstock '99, in so many ways the apparent opposite? In the first episode of the series, Jake explores the fascinating story of the original Woodstock, from the eyes of those who experienced it firsthand, with the aim of understanding what made it such an important moment in history, how it even happened to begin with, and what it might mean for broader questions about human solidarity and the future of the world.

In the final episode of the series, Jake (with the help of historian Stephen B Oates' definitive biography To Purge This Land With Blood) details the dramatic conclusion of John Brown's extraordinary quest to destroy slavery and the profound impact it had, both immediately and on the course of history.

In part three of the series, John Brown and his renegade army move to implement his ultimate vision of igniting a widespread slave uprising.