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Back to: The American Revolution
The First Shot
November 16, 2025
A single shot echoes on Lexington Green, and the American Revolution begins.
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.
'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.
How the Patriots "Out-Spied" the British
S1E70
Invisible ink, secret codes, and dirty laundry helped the patriots turn the tide of the Revolution....
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