Skip to main content

The secret society of the Great Dismal Swamp - Dan Sayers

292,267 Views

2,480 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

Straddling Virginia and North Carolina is an area that was once described as the “most repulsive of American possessions.” By 1728, it was known as the Great Dismal Swamp. But while many deemed it uninhabitable, recent findings suggest that a hidden society persisted in the Swamp until the mid-1800’s. So, who lived there? And what happened to them? Dan Sayers uncovers a lost civilization.

WatchThink 5 Multiple Choice &
3 Open Answer Questions Dig Deeper Learn More Discuss 1 Guided Discussion &
0 Open Discussions

Archaeology is a social science in through which we study people of the past through the things and places that they made and used in their daily lives. What are some of the ways that archaeologists have helped us understand the lives of Black Maroon and Indigenous Americans who created a freer world in the Great Dismal Swamp?

Login to answer question

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Dan Sayers
  • Director Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Music Cem Misirlioglu
  • Sound Designer Cem Misirlioglu
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Script Editor Iseult Gillespie
  • Editorial Producer Cella Wright
  • Fact-Checker Jennifer Nam

More from The World's People and Places