Fall has arrived and school is now in session, even if you're still stuck in chill summer mode, sipping lemonade by the pool. But no need to worry if you are not feeling quite ready for the new semester! Whether you're a college student or a parent preparing your kids to go back to school, we've got an array of ABC and National Geographic historical documentaries that will kickstart all the gears back into motion. Classmates and professors will be impressed with stories of ancient lands, horrifying wars, grand technological feats and powerful protests. Our documentary collection spans thousands of years, starting in the distant past with shows such as "Egypt with the World's Greatest Explorer" and ending in the mid-twentieth century with "1969." Read on to discover all the TV shows and films available to watch on ABC.com and the ABC app that will prepare everyone for the year of learning ahead and ensure top-class results! 

If it's ancient civilizations you're interested in, there's no need to take down those dusty old history textbooks from the top of the bookcase. We have a plethora of informative documentaries that will tell you everything you need to know. Travel back to a time when pharaohs ruled the Nile in the three-part series "Egypt with the World's Greatest Explorer." Actor Joseph Fiennes and his cousin, explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, retrace the famous steps of past expeditions, bravely spending a night in the Great Pyramid of Giza and visiting the site of Thebes - the capital city of ancient Egypt.

Then travel across the Atlantic to the jungles of Guatemala, where local people have discovered hills arranged in peculiar circular designs. In "Lost World of the Maya," archaeologists deduce that the site is none other than the religious and cultural center of the once dominant Mayan civilization. Satellites and laser scanning technology have aided in showing these ruins in a new light. 

Consider yourself more of an American history scholar? You can only earn such a title after watching the extraordinary six-part series "1969." Each episode focuses on one of the many major events that took place during this defining year for the country. The first episode opens on the vast expanse of space and interviews the mathematicians, engineers, and astronauts at NASA involved in the Apollo 11 mission that saw the first man land on the moon. The following episodes in the series take us back down to Earth, to the muddy fields of the Woodstock festival and to the terrifying battlefields of the Vietnam War. In episode four, former Black Panther members discuss the role and influence the party had in the fight for African American civil rights.

For a greater understanding of the Civil Rights movement and how it began, we recommend the documentary series "Let the World See." It tells the story of Mamie Till-Mobley and her campaign for justice after the lynching of her fourteen-year-old son, Emmett Till, in 1950s Mississippi. Mamie's brave choice to speak out and condemn the men who murdered her son would be the spark that ignited the Civil Rights movement across America.

One of our largest collections of documentaries is devoted to the topic of World War II. The variety of factual TV shows and specials available cover many aspects of the war, from the Normandy landings in "Eyewitness: D-Day" to the Nazi's final attempt to prevent Allied forces from freeing Europe in "Hitler's Last Stand." You can also watch documentaries covering battles fought high in the clouds and deep beneath the tides, such as "Heroes of the Sky: The Mighty Eighth Air Force" and "WWII: Hell Under the Sea." For an overview of the war told by the those who lived through it on both sides, "Inside WWII: The People's War" is essential viewing.

Get a head start on the new school year by watching these documentaries and more on ABC.com and the ABC app now!