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America: The Story of Us (also internationally known as America: The Story of the U.S.)[1] is a six-part, 12-hour documentary television miniseries[2] that premiered on April 25, 2010, on History.[3] Produced by Nutopia, the program depicts over 400 years of American history (with particular emphasis on American contributions to modern technology) spanning from the successful English settlement of Jamestown on May 14, 1607, through to the present day.[4] Narrated by Liev Schreiber (Danny Webb for the international version), the series recreates many historical events by using actors dressed in the style of the period and computer-generated special effects.
Episodes
Title[5] | Summary | Original airdate | Viewers (in millions) |
---|---|---|---|
"Rebels" | From Jamestown to Plymouth, early settlers fight for survival. Tobacco sows the seeds of opportunity; the north becomes a powerhouse of trade. Tension, taxation, and resistance explode into war as the rebels take on the might of the British Empire. | April 25, 2010 | 5.674[6] |
"Revolution" | George Washington's army is near defeat, but new weapons and battle tactics turn the tide. The colonies declare independence from the British Empire. Forged through revolution, a new nation is born. | ||
"Westward" | Trailblazing pioneers set out to conquer the west, but find the land already claimed. Wagon trains meet hardship on the road to California's gold. The steamboat ushers in a new era of commerce, industry, and unprecedented wealth. | May 2, 2010 | 3.881[7] |
"Division" | Commerce and industry thrive across the new nation, now one of the wealthiest in the world. The Erie Canal brings big risk and bigger reward. In the South, cotton is king but slavery fuels a growing divide. Violence flares across the territories and abolitionists make a stand for freedom. The election of Abraham Lincoln is a harbinger of war. | ||
"Civil War" | The American Civil War rages. The formidable Confederate army cannot match the Union's mastery of technology; railroads, supply lines and the telegram become new weapons in a modern war. | May 9, 2010 | 3.281[8] |
"Heartland" | The Transcontinental Railroad unites the nation and transforms the American Heartland. Native American civilizations decline as farmers settle the continent. Cattle replace wild buffalo as king of the Great Plains. The cowboy becomes a new American icon. | ||
"Cities" | Americans conquer a new frontier: the modern city, with Andrew Carnegie's empire of steel as its backbone. Skyscrapers and the Statue of Liberty are symbols of the American Dream for millions of immigrants. Urban life introduces a new breed of social ills. | May 16, 2010 | |
"Boom" | America strikes oil and the boom time begins. Henry Ford brings the motorcar to the masses and the nation hits the road. Massive engineering projects modernize the American West. Intended to cure vice, Prohibition fuels the growth of organized crime in burgeoning cities. | ||
"Bust" | Boom turns to bust when the stock market crashes. The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl blanket the nation in darkness. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal signals recovery. | May 23, 2010 | 2.759[9] |
"WWII" | The attack on Pearl Harbor brings America into World War II. The war effort revitalizes the nation's economy. American innovation and manufacturing might invigorate the Allies in Europe and in the Pacific, nuclear weapons help end the war. | ||
"Superpower" | America becomes a global superpower; technology fuels a boom in the economy and the population. American pioneers conquer new frontiers, from the jet age to the space age, and run headlong into a new threat: Communism. | May 31, 20101 | |
"Millennium" | In 2001, the September 11 attacks fuel the War on Terror. |
^1 The final episode, "Millenium", coincided with Memorial Day, and, coupled with "Superpower", was broadcast on Monday, May 31, 2010.[5]
Summary
Commentators
The following are commentators who appear on the miniseries[10] (listed in alphabetical order):
- Buzz Aldrin – former astronaut and the second man to step on the Moon
- David Baldacci – best-selling American novelist
- Tony Bennett – singer
- Michael Bloomberg – current Mayor of New York City
- Tom Brokaw – journalist and former anchor of NBC Nightly News
- Margaret Cho – comedian, actress, and activist
- Sean "Diddy" Combs – record producer, rapper, actor, and men's fashion designer
- Sheryl Crow – singer-songwriter, musician, and actress
- Michael Douglas – actor and producer
- Melissa Etheridge – singer-songwriter
- Henry Louis Gates Jr. – Harvard professor
- Newt Gingrich – former Speaker of the House
- Rudy Giuliani – former Mayor of New York City
- Annette Gordon-Reed – Pulitzer Prize-winning American historian and law professor
- Tim Gunn – creative director of Liz Claiborne and mentor on Project Runway
- Sean Hannity – American radio/television host and political commentator
- Rick Harrison – co-owner of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop from History's Pawn Stars
- David Kennedy – American historian
- John Legend – recording artist, musician, and actor
- Bill Maher – political commentator and the host of Real Time
- Soledad O'Brien – American journalist and CNN personality
- John Lasseter - American animator, chief creative officer of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios
- I.M. Pei – Chinese-born American architect
- Colin Powell – former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Al Sharpton – Baptist minister and civil rights activist
- Michael Strahan – former NFL football player
- Meryl Streep – Academy Award-winning actress
- Donald Trump – American business magnate, socialite, author, and television personality
- Jimmy Wales – co-founder of Wikipedia
- Vera Wang – American fashion designer
- Brian Williams – current anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News
Reception
The documentary received a 60% approval rating from Metacritic.com, receiving criticism by many of the people who saw it for having far too many "celebrities" express their opinions about the United States, instead of having more historians tell what occurred at specific events.[11]
References
- ^ "America The Story of the US". Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Shales, Tom (April 25, 2010). "Review of 'America: The Story of Us': TV miniseries has flash but not creativity". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
- ^ "America The Story of Us — About America The Story of Us". History.com. A&E Television Networks. 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
- ^ MacIntyre, April (May 12, 2009). "History announces 'America The Story of Us' 12 part series for 2010". Monsters and Critics. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
- ^ a b "Episode Guide". History. 2010. Retrieved 2010.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ Seidman, Robert (April 27, 2010). "Cable Top 25: NFL Draft, America The Story of US Top Weekly Cable Viewing". TVbytheNumbers.com. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
- ^ Seidman, Robert (May 4, 2010). "Cable Top 25: Lebron is the King (of Cable), Celtics vs. Cavs, WWE RAW, iCarly Top Weekly Cable Viewing". TVbytheNumbers.com. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
- ^ Seidman, Robert (May 11, 2010). "Sunday Cable: NBA, 'Army Wives' Tops With 18–49; 'The Pacific' Dives Below 2 Million". TVbytheNumbers.com. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
- ^ Gorman, Bill (May 25, 2010). "Sunday Cable: Lakers/Suns NBA Playoff, America: The Story Of US Tops With 18–49". TVbytheNumbers.com. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
- ^ "America The Story of us". imdb.com. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
- ^ Metacritic review