[Music] [Applause] adventurers sail across an ocean to start a new life a nation is born which becomes the Envy of the world but in search of Freedom friends become foes and the these new Americans will wage a war against the world's greatest military [Music] power we are pioneers and Trailblazers We Fight For Freedom we transform our dreams into the truth our struggles will become a nation [Music] shiploads of businessmen and True Believers are crossing the Atlantic Ocean to create a new world may 1610 120 years after Columbus it's still a perilous Journey one ship the Deliverance carries a cargo that will change America forever hands over here on board is John Ralph a 24-year-old English farmer give me a head ambitious self-reliant Visionary a born entrepreneur got it hey what takes us 6 hours today by plane was then a voyage of more than 2 [Music] months seven of the early adventurers out of every 10 will be dead within a year but the risks are worth it North America is the ultimate land of opportunity a continent of vast untapped wealth starting with the most valuable resource of all land what will be home to more than 300 million people lies under a blanket of forest covering nearly half the land more than 50 billion trees further west 9 million square miles of vast American Wilderness 60 million bison roam the plains and underground there are rumors of gems silver and the largest seams of gold in the world the settlers expect nothing less than elderado but what Ralph finds at the English settlement of Jamestown is Hell on Earth more than 500 settlers made the journey before Ralph hello hello barely 60 remain it's called The Starving time having fed on horses and other animals we at Boots shoes and any other leather we came across 3 months before Ralph arrives a man is burned at the stake for killing his pregnant wife and planning to eat [Applause] [Music] her the English arrive unprepared for this new world and unwilling to perform manual labor instead of livestock they brought chemical tests for gold that they never find and this is not their land they buil jamest town in the middle of a Native American [Applause] Empire 60 starving settlers among 20,000 of the poh hatan Nation armed with bows and arrows that are up to nine times faster to reload in fire than an English musket they're soon enemies only one in 10 of the original settlers is [Applause] left John Ralph didn't come to plunder and leave like the [Music] others he's got his own plan there's money in tobacco and England is addicted he's arrived with a supply of South American Tobacco seeds but growing it is limited to the Spanish colonies the Spanish control the worldwide trade selling tobacco seeds to foreigners is punishable by death but John Ral has got his hands on some no one knows how and in the warm humid climate and fertile soil around the Chesapeake Bay ral's tobacco crop flourishes the first large Harvest produced by these seeds is worth more than a million dollars in today's money for the great strength of America is our people if you want to know what is the defining strength of America it is our people our immigrant tradition are bringing in cultures from all over the world I know what goes into making success and when somebody's really successful it's rarely luck it's Talent it's brain power it's lots of other things Ralph marries the daughter of the king of the pooten Empire her name becomes Legend Pocahontas in England Ralph makes her a celebrity when her face is put on a portrait that sells all over London advertising life in the New World Shakespeare mentions The Colony England's Rich invest money here all of London knows about this Land of [Music] Plenty within 2 years tobacco grows in every [Music] Garden from a living hell Jamestown is America's first Boom [Applause] Town 2 years later nearly a thousand more settlers arrived including 19 from West Africa [Music] slaves but some go on to own their own land in Virginia 12 years after the founding of Jamestown Africans were playing a shaping role in the creation of the colonies that's pretty incredible 30 years later there are over 20,000 settlers in Virginia America is founded on Tobacco For The Next Century and a half it's the continent's largest [Music] [Applause] [Music] export 10 years after Ralph arrives in Jam Town another group of English settlers lands in North [Music] America they come ashore on a deserted Beach 450 miles up the coast from Jamestown and call the place Plymouth after the English Port they sailed from these are a different breed of settler a group of religious dis ents with faith at the center of their lives they made the dangerous Atlantic Crossing seeking religious freedom in the new world 24-year-old Apprentice printer Edward Winslow arrives with a group of religious sectarians on a boat called the mayflower by April 1621 their settlement is taking shape the Mayflower returns to England the pilgrims are on their own in an unknown land a great hope and inward Zeal we had of laying some great foundation for the propagating and advancing the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in those remote parts of the world they're 19 families goats chickens pigs and dogs they have spinning wheels chairs books guns and no way home if you create this environment as a land of opportunity then you're going to attract those type of people who want to take that risk who have want to take that uh that Gamble and who who believe in a in a better life they were heading for the Hudson River but they've landed 200 miles further north at the beginning of [Music] winter they have arrived in the middle of a mini Ice Age temperatures 2° colder than [Music] today Winters are longer growing Seasons shorter [Applause] [Music] [Applause] the soil is poor little grows food supplies run low in the first 3 months more than half the pilgrims die William Bradford is the governor of a community soon in Desperate trouble it pleased God to visit us with death daily disease was everywhere the living were scarcely able to bury the dead they died sometimes two or three a day of 10 OD persons scarce 50 remained at times only six are fit enough to continue building their shelters Susanna White's husband dies that first winter [Music] Edward Winslow's wife perishes a month after within weeks white and Winslow marry they'll have five children today more than 10% of all Americans can trace their ancestry back to the Mayflower for a Time Plymouth provides the sanctuary they sought Edward Edward Edward look over there but like jamest town there were others here first April 1621 the pilgrims have been in the new world for 5 months barely half survived the first winter but they're not the first Europeans to arrive on this Coast 5 years before European ships brought light-skinned people and plague almost nine out of 10 of the local people are wiped out [Music] the Pocono people don't need enemies they make peace with the pilgrims they teach the English how to grow crops in sandy soil using fish for [Music] fertilizer but they want something in return they have a common enemy a rival tribe and the English have powerful weapons the pilgrims aren't soldiers but in the new world they have to fight to survive on August 14th 1621 pilgrims and Pocono shoulder Tosh shoulder will launch a surprise attack that will seal their future in this new land it was resolved to send 14 men well-armed and to fall upon them in the night the captain gave charge let none pass out [Music] the Rival tribe doesn't know what hit them surrounded they have no answer for English Firepower pocon noit and pilgrims find common ground and a chance to survive [Music] two unlikely allies a partnership all too rare in North America we have found the Indians very faithful in their Covenant of peace with us they are people without any religion or knowledge of any God yet very trusty quick of apprehension right witted and just their victory brings a period of peace to the Colony their friendship is celebrated in a feast in time it will become known as Thanksgiving one of the main themes in the founding of America was a place to do business a place to expand your horizons a place to live a life of your own practice your own religion those are the basic themes that brought people to these Shores to colonize [Music] it's the start of a period of prosperity it will transform North America from jamest toown and Plymouth their descendants grow across the [Music] landscape as more and more people cross the Atlantic thousands tens of thousands people with different backgrounds with different reasons for being here America becomes the place for everybody from everywhere rolling the dice coming together to create 13 colonies from Jamestown agriculture spreads across the South dirt Farms transform into sprawling plantations Irish Germans and swedes push back the frontier the Dutch bring Commerce to a small island at the mouth of the Hudson [Music] River in time it will be named New York the colonists are 2 in taller and far healthier than those they left behind in Europe the Puritans average eight children and they are twice as likely to survive to adulthood they are 20% richer and pay only a quarter of the taxes of those in England many still think of themselves as British but each generation grows further from its roots nowhere more so than Boston May 9th 1768 Seven Generations after John Ralph's first tobacco harvest the British want a bigger piece of the action a British Customs official Springs a surprise raid on the Liberty a ship belonging to John Hancock one of the richest men in Boston but Hancock's crew has other ideas they're carrying a 100 casks of imported wine and don't want to pay Duty it's a radical Act of rebellion against taxes imposed by a king 3,000 M away to the British they're just common Smugglers this small Skirmish changes everything the British seiz Hancock's ship triggering riots that sweep through Boston we didn't want to pay taxes to a King and to a parliament where we didn't have a voice uh and we didn't have any representation we have a natural resentment toward government which was how we were born the king sends 4,000 Red Coats to Boston to enforce his laws Boston was a city of Commerce culture civilization and Revolution unfolding right before the eyes of the colonists and the eyes of the British [Music] October 1768 British soldiers clamp down on Boston Port crucial to the British Empire and a hub of global trade and commerce its dockyards are some of the busiest in the world producing 200 ships a year from America's vast Timber reserves a third of all British shipping is built in the colonies Timber fuels the global economy much like oil does [Applause] today across New England marks identify the tallest strongest trees selected by the crown for British ships England has lost most of its forests it wants American [Music] Wood in Boston there's one red coat for every four citizens it's a city under occupation Paul River is a silver smith and one of Boston's prominent businessmen an unlikely subversive they formed and marched with insulin parade drums beating FES playing and colors flying each Soldier having received 16 rounds of powder and ball he is uh an upper middle class figure someone who has risen through his own efforts his own Talent he represents what we have created on our own with very little help from our cousins across the Atlantic but when Revolution comes to North America Rivier will be at the center of it Boston and the 13 colonies are an economic Powerhouse critical to [Applause] Britain nearly 40% of everything exported from Britain makes its way to America the fishing fleet ships thousands of tons of salted card to the Caribbean and returns with sugar and molasses raw material for rum taxed by the British after every Exchange in Africa rum is the currency used to purchase the most profitable cargo of all African slaves between 1700 and 1800 more than a quarter of a million Africans are brought to the American colonies more slaves than all those who came of their own free will most wind up on large plantations in the South but they're also critical to the economy of the North 10% of Boston's population is black Boston is a Melting Pot and tension is building nobody likes Invaders in their homes to have people here foreigners on your soil is something is a great incentive for people to fight March 5th 1770 after 3 days of unrest an angry mob roams the streets hundreds of men who lost their jobs and blame the British gather on King Street and face off against eight red coats with orders not to fire what's about to happen will change America forever a 17-year-old wig Maker's Apprentice Edward Garrick lights the fuse this is how Wars start private Hugh Montgomery is hit with a club [Applause] [Applause] [Music] an African-American Crispus addict dies instantly [Music] [Applause] on When the Smoke Clears four more are dead how Boston reacts will change the course of history [Music] silver smith and political radical Paul Riv captures the moment British soldiers kill five colonists in the streets of Boston his engraving will fuel the fires of Revolution as outrage spreads across the 13 colonies unhappy Boston see thy Sons deplore thy hallowed walks besmeared with Guiltless Gore whil faithless Preston and his Savage bands with murderous ranker stretch their bloody [Music] hands the most formidable army in the world firing on an unarmed crowd an explosive image with a title that says it all the bloody massacre there was the old joke you give me a picture I'll give you a war those who wanted to stir things up and to make make a statement and maybe even lead a revolution uh it made them able to Rally others to their side news spreads fast the colonists are Avid readers a legacy from the first Bible reading Puritans in Plymouth Boston has the first weekly newspaper there are now more than 40 papers across the colonies and the new Postmaster General Benjamin Franklin has introduced a revolutionary postal delivery system Night Riders cut the delivery time in half the communications Network connecting the colonies is one of the best in the world and the British have no idea they hope the news can be contained before news reaches England most of America knows about the Boston Massacre it's a very American Spirit of an idea uh this idea that everybody should have access to knowledge it's a it's very much like that pioneering idea everybody should be able to make their way in the world a printer in Connecticut can read the exact same story as a farmer in North Carolina December 1773 the Boston Gazette breaks another story that will fan the Flames of rebellion the rising tide of anger and resentment forces England's hand they repeal all taxes except one on T it's not enough in one of the most famous acts of resistance in American history Rebels dump over $1 million worth of tea in Boston Harbor when someone comes along uh and Smacks we don't turn the other cheek that's not who we [Music] are the British respond by shutting down Boston [Music] Harbor one of America's busiest wealthiest ports [Music] come on out hundreds lose their jobs come on out the British mean to strangle any resistance from the rebellious colony of [Music] Massachusetts America is about to change [Music] forever tensions escalate far beyond Boston settlers are pushing West many have their eyes set on new land west of the Appalachians but to protect Native American lands England has banned settlements along a boundary called The Proclamation line hundreds are evicted from their homes on the frontier September 5th 1774 we want Liberty incensed at the British actions 56 delegates from across the colonies gather at the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia it's the first step on the road to American democracy among them are John Adams Patrick Henry and a Gentleman land owner from Virginia named George Washington at a time when our lordly Masters in Great Britain will be satisfied with nothing less than the deprivation of American Freedom it seems highly necessary that something should be done to maintain [Music] Liberty across New England people prepare to defend themselves smuggled arms are collected and stashed in secret [Music] hideaways but while many expect conflict most delegates in Philadelphia want peace peace with Britain a military action would make a wound that would never be [Music] healed that's good have all day let's go come on the First Continental Congress resolves that a British attack on any one Colony would be regarded as an attack on all of them let's go you need back out the front what emerges at Philadelphia is solidarity the distinctions between Virginians pennsylvanians new englanders and New Yorkers are no more I'm not a Virginia I an American the future of the 13 American colonies hangs in the [Music] balance good morning gentlemen spring 1775 they conquered Massachusetts get here get those stacked up we haven't got all day local gunsmith Isaac Davis puts the town militia through basic training American Patriots knew that they were doing the right thing you're starting a birth of of a Nation you know you had to really believe in what you were doing you got to keep this clean here sir you keep that clean it'll save your life you don't if War Comes This will be America's first line of defense a volunteer Home Guard with weapons paid for by local citizens gentleman is looking good it's looking good let's have some breakfast and move out they're Farmers blacksmith and store owners a fighting force of ordinary Americans the militia men of any of the colonies were made up of just its citizens it was a citizen-based protection unit and uh some of them had some skills but some of them were just the Carpenters some of them were just the the Mason or the blacksmith I mean these were the guys that uh they had something at stake to protect their colony so they started to form together just trying to help protect each other for every town across the colonies has its own militia but now they're preparing to defend themselves against the British army better than yesterday now better than yesterday for six Generations across Massachusetts men are expected to serve as militia men in Massachusetts a third of all men between 16 and 50 are ready to bear arms at a minute's notice excellent good shot we keep this up we're going to give those Red Coats a scare all right the British will not stand for any armed resistance April 19th 1775 after midnight 900 Red Coats leave their barracks in Boston for Lexington and Concord about 20 mi away their orders arrest the rebel leaders and seize their weapons news of the British attack also reaches Paul rier his Midnight Ride will alert local militias River rides ahead of the British troops his warning spreads from town to town across the New England Countryside [Music] Paul Riv reaches Lexington in time to spread the word the British are coming we need to war the militia get them together all right come [Music] on bye 5 in the morning 60 militia men line up they're commanded by a Farmer John Parker they're faced off against hundreds of well-armed and highly experienced British [Applause] soldiers what happens next will transform the world forever Sunrise April 19th 1775 on one side 60 men poorly armed and barely trained on the other hundreds of the most powerful army in the world men who have only been active for a handful of months versus an army that in the past 20 years has fought on five continents and defeated everything in its path for these Rebels the fight is for nothing less than Freedom itself these guys were revolutionaries they were Scallywags they were Rebels some of them were gentlemen Farmers some of them were overeducated some of them were undereducated it really was The Birth of a Nation the Lexington militia gathers on the village common Dairy Farmers and shopkeepers but also among them are free African-Americans and slaves it is a unique experience that African-Americans have had in the military in America uh African-Americans fought for the country even before it was a country African-Americans like Prince [Music] esterbrook you give me training you give me a weapon and I can perform as well as you can then there is no power on Earth that's going to hold me down forever stand your ground don't fire unless fire to pawn but if we mean to have War let it begin here Captain John Parker once fought on the side of the British a quarter of the men standing at his side are related to [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] him no one knows who fires the first shot at Lexington but it's the shot heard round the world I mean the Red Coats that's intimidating the way they move the way they March the way they execute on that open space I imagine on some level for the guy who works the printing press this is overwhelming beyond anything you could possibly articulate in words fire Prince esterbrook is hit in the first volley no army in the world can stand toe to- Toe with the British let alone a rag tag [Music] [Applause] militia the British fired up to four times the rate of the militia [Applause] within minutes of the first shots fired at Lexington eight Patriots are dead 10 wounded the American Revolution has [Music] begun the Red Coats reach Concord at 9:00 in the morning acting on a tip off from colonists loyal to the crown they raid the militia's arm stash but the rebels have got their [Music] first hiding almost everything it's good have all day let's go come on [Music] they continue to search for weapons giving the Patriots more time to spread the [Music] word the militia gathers just outside the town of Concord by late morning more than a thousand have arrived from the surrounding villages [Music] their plan to defend their towns against the British let's go the British soldiers left their Barracks 15 hours ago and now they face a 20m March back to Boston [Music] shattered [Music] lives an occupied [Music] [Applause] City blood in the streets of Boston and now Lexington [Music] a people unified in the fight against [Applause] tyranny now the Patriots have their [Applause] chance gunsmith and militia leader Isaac Davis takes a bullet through the heart [Applause] [Music] the Patriots seiz the upper hand and intend to make the British soldiers pay they Shadow the red coat's March firing on them the entire way a third are killed or wounded Seven Generations after the first settlers left England in search of prosperity and freedom their descendants will have to fight for these rights [Music] standing in their way is the might of the world's greatest military [Music] superpower and they're not about to give up their colonies lightly