What Can "Downton Abbey" Teach Us About British History?

Popular TV series "Downton Abbey" is not only engaging drama, it offers a window into the social, political, and culture life of a period. The show lets us examine such topics as Edwardianism, the New Woman, the Great War, voting rights, the Roaring 20s, and the first sexual revolution. As the show cycles through the years, we get a glimpse of the issues of the day.

Explore the show’s appeal, which goes deeper than its period fashions and lavish sets, with Julie Taddeo, research professor of history at the University of Maryland, College Park. She examines its historical accuracy and what it says about the 21st century, from the 2008 economic crash to Brexit to America's fascination with British royalty.

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