In the first episode of the four-hour series THE ASCENT OF MONEY, economist and historian Niall Ferguson documents the roots of money in the conquest of the Americas, from the Incan empire to the Louisiana territory.

In the second episode of the four-hour series THE ASCENT OF MONEY, economist and historian Niall Ferguson explores John Law and his Louisiana territory Ponzi scheme; bond markets that supported warfare in Europe.

In "Risky Business," part three of the four-part THE ASCENT OF MONEY, economist and historian Niall Ferguson examines the roots of the insurance industry, natural disasters and risk management, and the history of hedge funds.

In the final episode of four-part THE ASCENT OF MONEY series, Niall Ferguson chronicles the spread of good -- and bad -- financial practices across the globe, the meteoric rise of the American real estate market, and the consequences of the subprime mortgage fiasco.