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Back to: The American Revolution
S1E2
An Asylum for Mankind (May 1775 – July 1776)
November 16, 2025
New Englanders rush to surround the British Army in Boston, but as war begins Americans find themselves sharply divided. After the Battle of Bunker’s Hill, George Washington of Virginia arrives to command the newly created Continental Army. In July 1776, the Continental Congress issues the Declaration of Independence, insisting on the people’s right to resist tyranny and govern themselves.
Full Episodes
In Order to Be Free (May 1754 – May 1775)
S1E1
Political protest escalates into violence. War gives thirteen colonies a common cause.
The Times That Try Men’s Souls (July 1776 – January 1777)
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Washington abandons New York City and flees across New Jersey, before attacking Trenton.
Conquer by a Drawn Game (January 1777 – February 1778)
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Philadelphia falls, but the American victory at Saratoga allows France to enter the war.
The Soul of All America (December 1777 – May 1780)
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The war drags on and moves to new theaters: at sea, in Indian Country, and in the South.
The Most Sacred Thing (May 1780 – Onward)
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Victory at Yorktown secures independence. Americans aspire for a more perfect union.
Clips & Previews
Official Trailer | The Revolution that Changed the World
November 16, 2025
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, a new six-part, 12-hour documentary from Ken Burns.
The First Shot
November 16, 2025
A single shot echoes on Lexington Green, and the American Revolution begins.
'We Are in the Very Midst of a Revolution'
November 16, 2025
John Adams, read by Paul Giamatti. The American Revolution premieres November 16.
'We Would Not Have Had a Country Without Him'
November 16, 2025
Historian Annette Gordon-Reed. The American Revolution premieres November 16.
From A Small Spark
November 16, 2025
A spark ignites—quiet, unstoppable. What follows changes everything.
The American Revolution: An Inside Look
August 8, 2025
Step behind the scenes of Ken Burns’s new film to see how The American Revolution came to...
Across Indiana | THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
The War in the West
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The Revolutionary War in the West was a war for land, fought between colonial and native peoples....
From Brushstrokes to Limestone: How Indiana Celebrated the 1976 Bicentennial
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Bedford, Indiana celebrated the 1976 bicentennial in a monumental way.
Simple Civics | THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
The Midnight Ride of Sybil Ludington
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Most know about Paul Revere's midnight ride, but 16-year-old Sybil Ludington's was 3 times...
Did the Patriots Stand a Chance?
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Despite being outnumbered, under-funded, and under-trained, the patriots managed to claim victory....
Indigenous Influence in the American Revolution
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The American Revolution fractured Indigenous nations.
The Committees that Created a Nation
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How a few emboldened colonists created the United States behind closed doors.
How the Patriots "Out-Spied" the British
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Invisible ink, secret codes, and dirty laundry helped the patriots turn the tide of the Revolution....
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