Why blows must decide

Top review. Yet another quality episode of a great series. This is the second in a six-part series on the American Revolution. Just like the other episodes, this one is fantastic--extremely well made and reeking of quality throughout.

Though recreations, narration and interviews, the story of this struggle is told and I am glad I saw it. Part Two begins with a huge shift in American attitudes towards the British.

In the previous show, these colonists were still loyal to the mother country and very few sought independence. However, by about , more and more folks especially in Massachusetts were calling for war. And, at the same time, the sentiment in Parliament was that the Colonists were being unreasonable--like unruly children who needed to be punished and brought back into line. At first, this was seen with the Tea Tax--which Parliament required whether or not the people even bought the tea since boycotts were a way around previous taxes!

This resulted in the Boston Tea Party--which resulted in the British closing Boston Harbor--thus destroying the local economy. Not surprisingly, the first shots fired in the war began in nearby Concord.

Now you might think that this would result in a widespread war, but it did not and remained, for the time being, a localized event. Even as the war slowly spread, many in the Continental Congress wanted to make up with Britain and made overtures for a reconciliation.

And, very oddly, the Congress also concurrently created an army! What's next? A six-part historical documentary, told largely through re-creations and readings by costumed actors, that chronicles the grievances and events that led the American colonists to seek independence from Great Britain, the progress of the Revolutionary War itself, and the political and governmental debates that shaped the newly created nation of the United States of America.

We use your web browser to confirm your location. For help, please check these FAQs or email help ket. Location Required for Video On Demand. Please allow KET to access your web browser's location to watch this video. The American Revolution. Common Sense became an immediate success.

It presented the American colonists with a powerful argument for independence from British rule at a time when the question of independence was still undecided.

Abigail Adams asks her husband not to put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. She states all men would be tyrants if they could. The delegates in the Continental Congress know that a formal declaration of independence means a formal declaration of war.

They are prepared to be tried for treason. To prepare the declaration, the delegates form a committee including Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. Adams defers to Jefferson to write the Declaration. Jefferson writes the first draft in a day.

Declaration of Independence made the war with England a war of ideas. America was not only going to be independent, but it was going to be a new organization, different from anything the world had ever seen. Adams tells his wife that July 2, ought to be remembered as a "day of deliverance. For additional digital leasing and purchase options contact a media consultant at press option 3 or sales films. A total break from Great Britain remained hard for many Americans to imagine, even after shots were fired at Lexington and Concord.

This classic program captures the long historical moment when the colonists positioned themselves for war against England. Distributed by PBS Distribution. A part of the series Liberty! The American Revolution. Length: 55 minutes.

American History's Biggest Fibs: Th The Founding Fathers and Insights I From the Talmud to Thomas Paine: Po Coercive Acts England installs military governor Thomas Gage. General Gage in Concord While British troops occupy Boston, citizens let their displeasure be known.

First Shot at Lexington The first shots were fired just as the sun was rising at Lexington. A Population in Rebellion More militiamen arrived soon after the skirmish at Lexington and inflicted heavy damage on the regulars as they marched back towards Boston. George Washington Predicts Revolution An archival letter written by George Washington predicts the revolution stating "the plains of America are to be drenched in blood.

Washington's Military Record Before leading the Continental Army, George Washington had never lead a successful military campaign.