I've been watching the Ascent of Money on PBS for the past week and have found it very interesting. You can view all 4 hour episodes here http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ascentofmoney/. The host uses money to explain our current crisis along with other historical events. While I think he might put too much emphasis on the role of money, it is a very interesting history of money and how finance and financial products have evolved. By describing the origins of today's finance system (bonds, stocks, insurance, derivatives), you get a better understanding of the economic history and how it relates to the present. I would definitely recommend watching.