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Back to: The American Revolution
S1E70
How the Patriots "Out-Spied" the British
October 20, 2025
As British soldiers marched across the colonies in displays of force, George Washington was busy playing “4D chess.” At the height of the Revolution, Washington led a secret spy network called the Culper Ring, where he was known as Agent 711. Discover how America’s first president embraced espionage to change the course of the nation forever in this episode of Simple Civics!
Full Episodes
In Order to Be Free (May 1754 – May 1775)
S1E1
Political protest escalates into violence. War gives thirteen colonies a common cause.
An Asylum for Mankind (May 1775 – July 1776)
S1E2
Washington takes command of the Continental Army. Congress declares American independence....
The Times That Try Men’s Souls (July 1776 – January 1777)
S1E3
Washington abandons New York City and flees across New Jersey, before attacking Trenton.
Conquer by a Drawn Game (January 1777 – February 1778)
S1E4
Philadelphia falls, but the American victory at Saratoga allows France to enter the war.
The Soul of All America (December 1777 – May 1780)
S1E5
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)
S1E6
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
S2025E9
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
S2025E8
Bedford, Indiana celebrated the 1976 bicentennial in a monumental way.
Simple Civics | THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
The Midnight Ride of Sybil Ludington
S1E74
Most know about Paul Revere's midnight ride, but 16-year-old Sybil Ludington's was 3 times...
Did the Patriots Stand a Chance?
S1E73
Despite being outnumbered, under-funded, and under-trained, the patriots managed to claim victory....
Indigenous Influence in the American Revolution
S1E72
The American Revolution fractured Indigenous nations.
The Committees that Created a Nation
S1E71
How a few emboldened colonists created the United States behind closed doors.
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