Liberty's Kids
Benjamin Franklin enlists the help of young people to record the happenings leading up to and during the Revolution for his newspaper the Pennsylvania Gazette. First, there is a James Hiller, a patriot who tends to act before he thinks and is, at times, too quick a judge in his search for American heroes. Next is Henri, a French orphan who's only quest is for food. Lastly, a young woman named Sarah Phillips joins the team; the daughter of an ex-English general with strong views opposing slavery. Together, they travel the colonies witnessing the sacrifices made for freedom.
- 2002-2003
- 1 season
- Buzzfeed
- Animation, Action & Adventure, Comedy, Suspense, Drama, Family, Documentary
- TV-Y7
Benjamin Franklin enlists the help of young people to record the happenings leading up to and during the Revolution for his newspaper the Pennsylvania Gazette. First, there is a James Hiller, a patriot who tends to act before he thinks and is, at times, too quick a judge in his search for American heroes. Next is Henri, a French orphan who's only quest is for food. Lastly, a young woman named Sarah Phillips joins the team; the daughter of an ex-English general with strong views opposing slavery. Together, they travel the colonies witnessing the sacrifices made for freedom.
Season 1 Episode Guide
40 Episodes 2002 - 2003
Episode 1
The Boston Tea Party
Mon, Sep 2, 2002 24 mins
When Moses, James and Henri come to Boston pick up Sarah, they find themselves involved in the famous tax protest.
Episode 2
The Intolerable Acts
Tue, Sep 3, 2002 24 mins
Needing to escape occupied Boston, the kids can't stay out of trouble during the British crackdown imposed after the Boston Tea Party.
Episode 3
United We Stand
Wed, Sep 4, 2002 24 mins
Sarah and Henri deliver a letter to Abigal Adams, while James learns some hard lessons about patriotic sounding mob brutality while covering the first Continental Congress.
Episode 4
Liberty or Death
Thu, Sep 5, 2002 24 mins
While on a business trip to Virginia, the gang find Moses' brother enslaved and Moses resolves to free him.
Episode 5
Midnight Ride
Fri, Sep 6, 2002 24 mins
Paul Revere and William Dawes spread the word that the "British are coming!" on the eve of "the shot heard 'round the world."
Episode 6
The Shot Heard Round the World
Mon, Sep 9, 2002 24 mins
The Revolutionary War begins with the battles of Lexington and Concord.
Episode 7
Green Mountain Boys
Tue, Sep 10, 2002 24 mins
Trouble erupts in the New Hampshire Grants when settlers are forced from their homes (1770-1775).
Episode 8
The Second Continental Congress
Wed, Sep 11, 2002 24 mins
The colonies decide they need a national army.
Episode 9
Bunker Hill
Thu, Sep 12, 2002 24 mins
The first major battle of the war.
Episode 10
Postmaster General Franklin
Fri, Sep 13, 2002 24 mins
Ben Franklin is named the first Postmaster General of the colonies (7/26/75).
Episode 11
Washington Takes Command
Mon, Sep 16, 2002 24 mins
George Washington arrives in Boston to take command of the army (7/3/75).
Episode 12
Common Sense
Tue, Sep 17, 2002 24 mins
The kids meet the hot headed idealist, Tom Paine, whose popular anti-monarchist pamphlet, "Common Sense," popularizes the idea of colonial independence.
Episode 13
The First Fourth of July
Wed, Sep 18, 2002 24 mins
James learns about the power of political rhetoric as the motion to declare independence comes to a vote in the Continental Congress.
Episode 14
New York, New York
Thu, Sep 19, 2002 24 mins
At the Battle of Long Island, Washington fights the British in open field battles -- with catastrophic results (8/27-29/76).
Episode 15
The Turtle
Fri, Sep 20, 2002 24 mins
The first attempt to sink a ship with a submarine fails (9/6/76).
Episode 16
One Life to Lose
Mon, Sep 23, 2002 24 mins
A failed peace conference between the British Admiral Howe and John Adams and Ben Franklin convinces the American leaders that the British have no interest in making peace (9/11/76).
Episode 17
Captain Molly
Tue, Sep 24, 2002 24 mins
Ben Franklin, appointed to a commission to negotiate a treaty with the French, sails for France aboard the Reprisal (10/24/76).
Episode 18
American Crisis
Wed, Sep 25, 2002 24 mins
The low point of the war for the Americans has arrived and General Washington calls upon Thomas Paine to put the times in perspective.
Episode 19
Across the Delaware
Thu, Sep 26, 2002 24 mins
To prevent ultimate defeat, Washington and his forces cross the Delaware River for a daring attack on Christmas Day.
Episode 20
An American in Paris
Fri, Sep 27, 2002 24 mins
Ben Franklin sets up residence in Paris and begins his uphill battle to enlist France in the American cause (12/28/76).
Episode 21
Sybil Ludington
Mon, Sep 30, 2002 23 mins
Sixteen-year-old Sybil Ludington makes her own "midnight ride" in Westchester County, New York (4/26/77).
Episode 22
Lafayette Arrives
Tue, Oct 1, 2002 24 mins
The 19-year-old Marquis de Lafayette arrives after an eventful journey from France and offers his services to Congress (7/27/77).
Episode 23
The Hessians Are Coming
Wed, Oct 2, 2002 24 mins
While General Horatio Gates battles Burgoyne at the Battle of Saratoga, James is captured by British and Hessian forces as a spy.
Episode 24
Valley Forge
Thu, Oct 3, 2002 24 mins
James, Sarah and Henri are there as George Washington and his Continental Army endure a horrible winter at Valley Forge while Baron von Steuben arrives to train Washington's men into a proper fighting force.
Episode 25
Allies at Last
Fri, Oct 4, 2002 24 mins
News of the American victory at Saratoga helps pave the way for Ben Franklin to negotiate a treaty with France.
Episode 26
Honor and Compromise
Mon, Nov 4, 2002 24 mins
The States struggle to unite politically before the arrival of the French Ambassador (5/9/78-7/8/78).
Episode 27
The New Frontier
Tue, Nov 5, 2002 24 mins
In the Ohio territory, Shawnee Chief Cornstalk and his people are caught between the Americans and the British, with tragic results (11/77).
Episode 28
Not Yet Begun to Fight
Wed, Nov 6, 2002 24 mins
In a long, desperate battle, John Paul Jones and his wildly outgunned Bonhomme Richard defeat the British Serapis off the coast of England (9/23/79).
Episode 29
The Great Galvez
Thu, Nov 7, 2002 23 mins
Spanish Governor Bernardo de Galvez aides the American cause by capturing Baton Rouge (9/21/79), Natchez (10/5/79) and Mobile (3/13/80) from the British.
Episode 30
In Praise of Ben
Fri, Nov 8, 2002 24 mins
Sarah returns to Philadelphia and is reunited with her friends just in time to help them explain to a boy the character and accomplishments of Benjamin Franklin.
Episode 31
Bostonians
Mon, Nov 11, 2002 24 mins
Sarah and Henri join the Adams family in Massachusetts just as John and his son John Quincy return from France and are reunited with Abigail (8/2/79).
Episode 32
Benedict Arnold
Mon, Jan 20, 2003 30 mins
James, Sarah and Henri are there when Arnold tries to hand West Point over to British (9/21/80).
Episode 33
Conflict in the South
Tue, Jan 21, 2003 24 mins
General Nathanael Greene replaces Horatio Gates as the American commander in the south (10/16/80).
Episode 34
Deborah Samson: Soldier of the Revolution
Wed, Jan 22, 2003 24 mins
Deborah Samson masquerades as a man so she can enlist in the Continental army (5/20/1782-10/23/83).
Episode 35
James Armistead
Thu, Jan 23, 2003 24 mins
Virginia slave James Armistead joins Lafayette and spies on Benedict Arnold (3/81).
Episode 36
Yorktown
Fri, Jan 24, 2003 24 mins
The climatic battle of the war.
Episode 37
Born Free and Equal
Mon, Mar 3, 2003 24 mins
Massachusetts slave "Mum Bett" sues for her freedom (5/28/1781).
Episode 38
The Man Who Wouldn't Be King
Mon, Mar 24, 2003 24 mins
Ben Franklin and John Adams sign the peace treaty with England, ending the Revolutionary War, but General Washington must thwart a potential uprising by his frustrated officers.
Episode 39
Going Home
Wed, Apr 2, 2003 24 mins
With the signing of the Treaty of Paris, loyalists are forced to leave their homes.
Episode 40
We the People
Thu, Apr 3, 2003 24 mins
With the new nation falling apart under the Articles of Confederation, America's leaders meet at a convention in Philadelphia and decide to write a radical new Constitution.
