Ken Burns American Revolution Series Premieres on PBS

Renowned documentary filmmaker Ken Burns premiered his latest project, "The American Revolution," on PBS on Sunday, November 16, at 8 p.m. ET. The six-part series, co-directed by Sarah Botstein and David P. Schmidt, chronicles the events leading to the American Revolutionary War, the conflict itself and the founding of the United States, spanning from the mid-18th century to the establishment of a federal government.

The 12-hour docuseries begins in 1754, exploring the formation of the 13 British colonies and the escalating tensions with Britain. It details key moments such as Benjamin Franklin's early call for colonial union, which was initially rejected, and subsequent catalysts including the French and Indian War, unfair taxation, the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. These events galvanized colonists, known as Patriots, to pursue independence in an eight-year war that drew in more than two dozen nations and reshaped global politics. The narrative highlights the war's global scope, from battles on two continents to the diverse impacts on Loyalists, enslaved and free Black people, Indigenous communities, women and fighters across the colonies.