America: The Story of US
A 6-night miniseries presenting the history of how the United States was invented, looking at the moments when Americans harnessed technology to advance human progress, from the rigors of linking the continent by transcontinental railroad to triumphing over vertical space through the construction of steel-structured buildings. The series also is a story of conflict, with Native American peoples, slavery, the Revolutionary War that birthed the nation, the Civil War that divided it, and the great world war that shaped its future.
- 2010-2010
- 1 season
- History Channel
- Documentary, Drama, Action & Adventure
A 6-night miniseries presenting the history of how the United States was invented, looking at the moments when Americans harnessed technology to advance human progress, from the rigors of linking the continent by transcontinental railroad to triumphing over vertical space through the construction of steel-structured buildings. The series also is a story of conflict, with Native American peoples, slavery, the Revolutionary War that birthed the nation, the Civil War that divided it, and the great world war that shaped its future.
Season 1 Episode Guide
12 Episodes 2010
Episode 1
Rebels
Sun, Apr 25, 2010 42 mins
From Jamestown to Plymouth, early settlers fight for survival. Tobacco sows the seeds of opportunity; the north becomes a powerhouse of trade. Tension, taxation and resistance explode into war as the rebels take on the might of the British Empire. Washington's army is near defeat, but new weapons and battle tactics turn the tide. Forged through revolution, a new nation is born.
Episode 2
Revolution
Sun, Apr 25, 2010 42 mins
The colonies declare independence, taking on the might of the British Empire. Washington's army is near defeat, but new weapons and battle tactics turn the tide. Forged through revolution, a new nation is born.
Episode 3
Westward
Sun, May 2, 2010 42 mins
As the American nation is born, a vast continent lies to the west of the mountains, waiting to be explored. Yet this land is not empty--Native American Indians are spread across the land mass, as are Spanish colonists and French explorers. For the pioneers who set out to confront these lands, the conquest of the West is a story of courage and hardship that forges the character of America.
Episode 4
Division
Sun, May 2, 2010 42 mins
Commerce and industry thrive across the new nation, now one of the wealthiest on Earth. The Erie Canal brings big risk and bigger reward. In the South, cotton is king but slavery fuels a growing divide. Violence flares across the territories and abolitionists make a stand for freedom. The election of Lincoln is a harbinger of war.
Episode 5
Civil War
Sun, May 9, 2010 42 mins
The Civil War rages. The minie ball is the great equalizer on the battlefield. The formidable Confederate army cannot match the Union's mastery of technology; railroads, supply lines and the telegram become new weapons in a modern war.
Episode 6
Heartland
Sun, May 9, 2010 42 mins
The Transcontinental Railroad unites the nation and transforms the Heartland. Native American civilizations decline as farmers settle the continent. Cattle replace wild buffalo as king of the Plains; the Cowboy becomes a new American icon.
Episode 7
Cities
Sun, May 16, 2010 42 mins
Americans conquer a new frontier--the modern city--with Carnegie's empire of steel as its backbone. Skyscrapers and the Statue of Liberty are symbols of the American Dream for millions of immigrants. Urban life introduces a new breed of social ills, set against the backdrop of stunning skylines and ambitious innovations.
Episode 8
Boom
Sun, May 16, 2010 42 mins
America strikes oil and the boom time begins. Henry Ford brings the motorcar to the masses; the nation hits the road. Massive engineering projects modernize the West. Intended to cure vice, Prohibition fuels the growth of organized crime.
Episode 9
Bust
Sun, May 23, 2010 42 mins
Boom turns to bust when the stock market crash ushers in the Great Depression. Dust storms blanket the Midwest in darkness. Roosevelt's New Deal signals recovery; thousands find work on projects like the Hoover Dam and Mount Rushmore. Hope for the American future collides with world conflict brewing in Europe.
Episode 10
World War II
Sun, May 23, 2010 42 mins
The attack on Pearl Harbor brings America into World War. The war effort revitalizes the nation's economy. American innovation and manufacturing might invigorate the Allies in Europe and in the Pacific, the ultimate piece of technology ends the war.
Episode 11
Superpower
Mon, May 31, 2010 42 mins
World War II transforms America into a global Superpower. The economy booms. Technology feeds the boom and a new age of consumerism is born. More than twenty thousand cars roll off production lines daily and - just like the Transcontinental Railroad more than a century before - the Interstate highways connect the country. After defending their country and their ideals the Greatest Generation comes home. Like the pioneers before them they push back the boundaries, plowing up over a million acres of virgin territory a year to create the suburbs. This pioneering spirit knows no bounds as first the jet age and then the space age takes America into the supersonic era. The first man walks on the moon - and plants the American flag. Optimism for the future prevails - but first America must deal with the past - and the issue of race. It's a second Civil War, but finally the Civil Rights movement brings the words of the Declaration of Independence home to ALL Americans - black and white. America is united once again - but a new enemy is threatening: Communism.
Episode 12
Millenium
Mon, May 31, 2010 42 mins
The Cold War is the first test for the new superpower. The Challenger disaster and 9/11 are tragedies that challenge the nation. From the television to the credit card and the personal computer, technology drives America into the 21st Century.
