From the Renaissance to the Reformation and colonization, meet pioneers in science, religion, and exploration that paved the way to a New World and the birth of a nation.
Discover George Washington and his experience with the French and Indian War. Then, find out what happened when the British government began taxing the colonies without their consent.
See what happens when pilgrims tire of oppression and seek religious freedom—and Sam Adams, John Adams, and John Hancock become the architects of American independence.
Find out what happens when the fervor for a revolution is fueled by Paul Revere’s famous ride, the Boston Tea Party, and the battles of Lexington and Concord.
The Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia. Emotions run high as General Ethan Allen is deployed to deal with the British at Ticonderoga. Washington lays siege to British-held Boston.
See what happens when the Second Continental Congress votes to create a document that will declare to the world that America will be free.
When General Howe brings an invasion to the battle of Brooklyn Heights, Washington’s miraculous retreat to Manhattan saves the Continental Army.
Washington does the unthinkable when he crosses the frozen Delaware for surprise attacks that will keep the patriot cause alive.
The great American victory at Saratoga makes France an ally of the new United States and turns the revolution into world war.
George Washington and the Continental Army endure the harsh winter at Valley Forge.
When Washington and the Continental army charge out of Valley Forge, the British change their strategy and take the war south.
The unruly “Overmountain Boys” crush the loyalists at Kings Mountain; General Daniel Morgan rediscovers modern tactics at Cowpens; and General Nathaniel Greene continues the war of attrition.
Learn about the nautical hero John Paul Jones, the great victory at Yorktown, and the French and American navies.
A government for the people, by the people is formed during the second Constitutional Convention.
Washington defines the role of the president and the Louisiana Purchase doubles the size of the United States.
Lewis and Clark map and explore the wilderness west of the Mississippi in search of the Northwest Passage.
Tensions flare between America and Great Britain, and the War of 1812 begins.
Westward expansion begins as famed frontiersman Daniel Boone leads settlers into the great unknown.
Travel with mountain men into the American west and learn about everything from the Astor expedition to the rendezvous of Jim Bridger.
Take a giant leap forward with the new technology of the steam engine, and see how American traffic and trade change across the nation--from steamships in the south to mighty locomotives in the North.
From Harriet Tubman to Frederick Douglass--meet the people who tried to solve the paradox of slavery in America.
Learn about the growing pains and sectional tensions between the North and the South as the nation expands across the continent.
Explore the pioneering spirit of westward expansion by following the Oregon trail, discovering the California coast, and settling into the high mountains of Utah.
As the nation expands across the continent, find a way to keep in touch with the Pony Express, stage coach, and telegraph.
Explore the two early American visions which inevitably tried to tear the country apart in the split between industry and agriculture.
Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and the actions of the violent abolitionist John Brown irreparably sever the union and send the nation toward Civil War.
Learn about the struggles of an unassuming “backwoods” lawyer who became a powerful political voice and the champion of the Union.
Hear the first shots of the Civil War and travel from coast to coast seeing the tragic consequences that followed.
Take a look at Civil War battles where the victors clinched their success against all odds.
The new technology of the industrial revolution makes the weapons of war even more destructive.
Learn about the genius of General Robert E. Lee, the last great warrior of the Napoleonic age, and discover what made General Grant the first warrior of a new era.
Learn how close the South came to winning this critical battle and how Gettysburg became the turning point of the war.
Learn about the Emancipation Proclamation, the Battle of Chattanooga, and other events surrounding the American Civil War.
General William T. Sherman may be the most vilified man of the war, but he is a man who did not burn Atlanta or Charleston and was very friendly to the southern point of view.
In General Grant’s Wilderness Campaign, the Union army suffers defeat after defeat. Despite these victories, General Lee feels the pressure of Grant’s army and the inexhaustible resources of the North.
Confederate General John Bell Hood launches an invasion of union held Tennessee and General Jubal Early strikes at the federal capitol of Washington, DC. Generals Grant and Lee glare out at each other at the siege of Petersburg.
Witness the remarkable meeting of General Grant with General Lee, where they begin to heal the nation’s wounds.
After the Civil War, many men were reunited as “brothers” while others continued to fight a war of words.
The end of the war brings a new hope for the nation, but one last tragic price must be paid for the victory of the Union and freedom.
The Civil War is over, but the nation is still divided. Explore the difficulties of putting a nation back together and how the end of the war led to the opening of the Wild West.
The American dream is alive once again, and the dreamers are heading west into wild country. Examine the wagon trains and steam trains, the gold and silver strikes, and the boomtowns that came and went.
Explore the business of beef: the cattle drives from Texas to the railways hundreds of miles to the north, the men who made the money, and the cowboys who did the real work.
The West is growing, business is expanding, and civilization is on its way, both good and bad. Meet some of the men, and ladies, who put the "Wild" into the Wild West, including the notorious James Gang.
Civilization is taking hold in the West, and people are demanding law and order. Enter the lawman, a man who might be of dubious character, but he's good with a gun, and he's got a badge.
Take a look at the myths and truths about famous gunfights in the Wild West. Both justice and business were dispensed at the end of a gun, and once in a while a fight over a woman, a card game, or an insult was ended with a gun.
Learn about the Earps, the most iconic name of the Old West. Follow the trail of Wyatt, his brothers, and his pal Doc Holliday, and discover how most of their reputation and legacy was earned at the O.K. Corral.
Ride with Stan and learn the story of the Westward expansion from the point of view of the people of the Lakota and Cheyenne nations.
Witness the quest of two great Native American leaders hoping to keep their people free. Ride the trails of Chief Joseph and the last free Apache, Geronimo, who became an American folk hero.
Cattle barons fight to maintain their power and money.
The sun sets on the days of the Wild West: civilization closes down the wide-open spaces, and the lawless have been pushed to the edge of the California coast.
Ride with Stan as he recounts the end of the last confederate, Jesse James, and discovers where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid committed some of the most daring and successful train robberies in history.
The Wild West and the American cowboy become larger than life with tall tales and dime novels of frontier adventures.
American politics in the Gilded Age was rife with graft and corruption. The American people demanded something different. Could presidents Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, and Cleveland be the right men when America felt it was time for a change?
The Gilded Age saw a boom in immigration to the United States. The Statue of Liberty had lifter her lamp "beside the golden door" and the poor and weary of the world came to enjoy the blessings of freedom and the hope of a new beginning.
It was an age of discovery, an age of innovation, and invention. Great minds like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Nikola Tesla and the Wright brothers would change the world forever.
The American industrial renaissance makes the United States a world power. Powerful men like Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Carnegie, and Morgan push America to the top - but were they captains of industry or robber barons?
The working class fights for a voice, newly freedmen of the South fight for equal rights, and the women fight for the right to vote.
With the words "Remember the Maine!" as its battle cry, the United States is set to explode onto the international stage. Is America ready to become a world power?
One of the most famous universities in the world is the University of Notre Dame. Join Stan as he explores the history of Notre Dame and finds how faith, fellowship, and football coexist in this special edition of American Ride.
He was one of the most powerful personalities to ever occupy the White House. Learn of the tragedies and triumphs that made Theodore Roosevelt the champion of American exceptionalism and one of our most celebrated presidents.
The world is going crazy, and in the gathering darkness that will result in World War I, Woodrow Wilson is elected President. Will he be able to keep us out of the war? Or will America have to fight to keep the world safe for democracy?
In Europe, war has been raging for years. Trench warfare has decimated generations of soldiers. And when America gets thrown into the mix, it is truly a world war. The Yanks are coming! And we won't be back 'til it's over over there.
American soldiers enter the fight, turn the tide, and eventually help win the bloody war. Heroes are made but too many young men die. And what about the future? Could Wilson's fourteen-point plan sow the seeds for a peaceful future?
After World War I, America enters a new era of prosperity and excess characterized by prohibition and gangsters, Broadway and baseball.
"Good times" come with a price, and the price for the Roaring '20s would be heavy. The crash of '29 would lead to the worst economic disaster in world history, and America would be dragged down the drain along with everybody else.
After the Japanese attack in the Pacific, America prepares for war. The most incredible industrial transformation in history turns America into an unrivaled military power as American men and women go to work and war to keep our nation free.
The clouds of war again cover the earth. Despite efforts to stay neutral, a dastardly sneak attack shatters the American dream of peace, forcing the United States into World War II and the world-wide struggle for freedom against tyranny.
An industrial transformation changes America
The Japanese war machine; the US Navy stands tall; American victories at Midway and Gaudacanal
German U-Boats an spies destroy
Japanese born American citizens in camps.
The United States is once again ensnarled in a world war. Generals Marshall, Eisenhower, and Patton lead American victories in North Africa and Sicily and General Mark Clark leads the invasion of Italy taking the war to Hitler's doorstep.
D-Day, the Great Invasion, the Longest Day--call it what you will, but the Allied invasion of France on the beaches of Normandy was, as General Eisenhower said, the hour of America's "Great Crusade."
Facing fierce resistance, Americans take the war to the Japanese. Allied Forces 'island hop' across the South Pacific, and General Douglas...
In Europe, Allied successes in the summer of '44 are followed by big trouble in the fall. A series of military setbacks lead to a massive German winter Counter Offensive, the Battle of the Bulge--Hitler's last gasp effort to win the war.
The war in the Pacific rages on, but the price in lives is going up. Will the Strategic Bombing Campaign force a Japanese surrender, or will US troops be called upon to invade the Japanese homeland to stop the carnage?
August 1945--the world is changed forever as the beginning of the Atomic age ends the war. The horrors of the Holocaust are uncovered, and the heroes who fought for freedom come home.
Explore Florida's obsession with youth from Juan Ponce de Leon and his famous fountain to the celebration that is Miami. From the architecture to the cultures and colorful communities, it's a celebration for the senses.
Two colonies started with hope and promise, went through dark days, and reemerged as cities of light. Ride with Stan through mysterious Savannah, Georgia, and the Queen of Rebellion: Charleston, South Carolina.
From the Asheville, North Carolina, through the Smoky Mountains to Gatlinburg, explore the settlers, the music, and the magic of the early American Frontier.
The conquest of Florida takes you from the early days of the Spanish conquistadores to Henry Flagler and his Over-Sea railroad. Expansion continues all the way through the Keys, making Ernest Hemingway's refuge accessible to everyone.
Discover the reality of the American pirate. Were they profiteers, privateers, or patriots? Learn the truth about the notorious Blackbeard, and meet a man who lives the modern day legacy, Captain Horatio Sinbad.
From the beginning of America, the spirit of freedom has spread throughout the world. Liberty has been our birthright, but meet some of the people who have led the struggle for freedom in their own lands and have seen change in their lifetimes.
Baltimore is an all-American town and the home of Old Glory. The "Charm City" represents its best in the blue-collar effort that built America. From crabbing in the bay to watching baseball games at Camden Yards, these people work hard and play harder.
From the creation of the colony, William Penn hoped to create a society that was accepting of everyone. Learn how an age of intolerance created the American idea of religious freedom. Explore the modern manifestation of that experiment with the Anabaptist movement.
Discover the truth about a time of intolerance in the Massachusetts community. Much has been made of the myth and legend surrounding the events of the Salem Witch Trials, but learn the facts about these martyrs of justice and liberty.
Nantucket is America’s outpost against the Atlantic. The people of Nantucket have weathered fierce storms and rugged economies. This is the place where America’s whaling fleet was born. Now it’s thriving with tourism, but there are still some salty dogs that represent the true heart of Nantucket.
If it weren't for Atlanta, Georgia--the boyhood home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.--there may never have been a Selma or Montgomery. It was in Atlanta that he learned the life lessons that would lead him to a ministry of change the world for all.
The home of the world famous Kentucky Horse Park—the place for all things horse—is set deep in the rolling hills of Bluegrass Country. Get to know the history and legacy of the horse in America, meet some of the largest working horses in the world, and remember some of the greats of racing: Secretariat and Man O´ War.
There was a time when the riverboat was the backbone of American transit and trade in Memphis, Tennessee. In those days, cotton was king and the Mississippi River brought wealth and importance. Beale Street, then as now, was home to world famous blues music and Memphis barbeque!
Throughout her history, Nashville has been many things; she has been a hunting camp, the last outpost, and a gateway to the American wilderness. Today she is the repository and guardian of America´s "home grown" music. Learn why "bein´ country" will always be a big part of our country.
The Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most beautiful and romantic rides in the world. From San Luis Obispo to Big Sur and Carmel to Salinas, the American dream is alive and well. The history of art, literature, and architecture that is found here proves that magic happens where the mountains meet the sea!
San Francisco has seen her share of hard times and tragedy. The story of Angel Island stands in stark contrast to the vibrant and lively Chinatown of present day San Francisco. The Earthquake of 1906 still ranks as one of the worst natural disasters in United States history. Amazingly, San Francisco found a way to rebuild and renew herself. Today she is a shining jewel of America´s Pacific coast.
There are trees, and then there are the mighty Redwoods of Northern California. Most of these fellas predate our republic and grow taller than the Statue of Liberty. The beauty of the mountains wrapped in these mystic trees is timeless. Learn about the efforts to save these giants, and visit the deepest lake in the United States!
Seattle has been a city of innovation and invigoration. Beginning as a Native American fishing community, Seattle became a Lumber boomtown in the 1850s. She is now is the epicenter of a software and telecommunications revolution.
The San Juan Islands were the site of America's last border war with the Britain. The islands are filled with natural wonder and beauty. The very solitude of the islands themselves may have created the solution to the great "Pig War."
In 1775, the people of Boston rose up and helped to create a new republic where everyone could live a life in pursuit of happiness, a life only limited by one´s own ambition and drive. Boston still inspires people from many lands to come and enjoy the blessings of liberty and freedom—and to pursue the American dream.
At the conclusion of the French and Indian war, the American Colonies were in a state of political unrest. Men like Richard Henry Lee, George Mason, and Patrick Henry would become some of the pioneers of American patriotism, leading the charge towards revolution.
Throughout the American Revolution, leaders like Paul Revere, Joseph Warren, and John Hancock led the way to a nation free from Great Britain's grasp. Daring to jump into the fray, these leaders would become icons of patriotism and American independence.
As one of the most iconic Founding Fathers of America, Benjamin Franklin was a respected inventor, philosopher, and politician. After rallying America to band together against Great Britain, his ideals paved the way to establishing a complete and independent nation.
George Washington is one of the most respected and revered leaders in American history. See how his experiences as a soldier in the French and Indian War molded him into a hero of the Revolution and, eventually, the first president of the United States.
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were some of the greatest political rivals yet the best of friends. Their shared background in law allowed them to pave the way for the creation of the Declaration of Independence and the establishment of the "unalienable rights" central to American ideology.
On July 4, 1776, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both signed the Declaration of Independence and became two of the most prominent leaders of the Revolution. Each served as both vice president and president of the United States. And although they were political rivals, they shared an everlasting bond of brotherhood that lasted until death.
Despite the disadvantages of his upbringing, became one of our nation's greatest leaders. He served as aid-de-camp to General George Washington during the American Revolution, helped to shape the constitution, and was the very first secretary of the treasury.
After the Revolution, a young James Madison identified flaws in the Articles of Confederation and sought to fortify the American colonies with a stronger central government. The future fourth president of the United States became known as the "Father of the Constitution."
Before serving as fifth president of the United States, James Monroe was an officer in the Continental army during the Revolution, studied law with Thomas Jefferson, served in Congress, and was US minister to France. His years as president have become known as the "Era of Good Feelings."
Most stories of the Revolution are about the men who led the fight for freedom. Less known—but no less important—are the stories of the women of the Revolution. Women like Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Martha Jefferson Randolph, Dolly Madison, and Elizabeth Monroe helped to establish a young United States and the position of "First Lady."
The election of 1824 saw the beginning of a new political era in America. It was the end of the Federalists and the Democratic Republicans, and the end of the era of good feelings. The presidency of John Quincy Adams ushered in more than thirty years of political animosity that would finally divide our nation.
Andrew Jackson was our nation's second military hero to become president. His rise to power ushered in the modern party system, ad the democratic political machine was created to ensure the election of Ol' Hickory. But the party system also created a culture of favoritism and patronage that affects our country even today.
Gone was the powerful personality of Andrew Jackson. Now we were faced with ineffectual leadership and unforeseen tragedy. Martin Van Buren would fire the furnace of sectional rivalry for more than 20 years. Tippecanoe and Tyler hardly fared much better.
In 1824, Mexico revolted against General Antonio López de Santa Anna. Ten years later, Texas had decided that independence from Mexico was the only sure road to liberty. The birth of the Lone Star Republic would have a dramatic impact on the United States, and the siege of the Alamo would become an American legend.
James K. Polk said what he meant and meant what he said, and because of him, the United States now spreads from sea to shining sea. Polk was a man of Manifest Destiny, for both himself and his country. He was a one-term wonder who got things done, but at what cost?
The year 1850 was a time of compromise, but neither Zachary Taylor or Millard Fillmore did much to ease the tension. The question of expanding slavery into the territories brought about a constitutional crisis. Senator Henry Clay and Stephen Douglas would craft the "deal" that was meant to keep the Union together.
The United States was in need of a strong leader, but what we got were Presidents Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan. Despite their best efforts, the two men only managed to drive the nation further apart, destroy one party and see a new party rise from the ashes, and make a hero of a frontier lawyer from Illinois.
When Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated, he became president of a fractured Union. America was poised for what would become the bloodiest chapter in its young history. The Civil War killed more Americans than all our other wars combined. It was only through Lincoln's strength, dedication, and faith that the Union survived.
Andrew Johnson was truly a victim of circumstance. A Democrat placed on the Republican ticket, Johnson became president after the death of our nation's most beloved chief executive. Lincoln's plans for reunification died with him, and Johnson's loyalty to Lincoln's vision almost destroyed the presidency.
In 1868, America turned to the war hero and man of the people, Ulysses S. Grant. Grant was a man who would roll up his sleeves and get straight to work. Not big on politics, Grant would chart a course through the waters of reconstruction based on what he saw as the right thing to do.