Only time and history will tell if tonight’s premiere of Ken Burns’ massive PBS series **“The American Revolution”** is the best, the greatest, or the most eye-opening among this documentarian’s popular and critically acclaimed work.
Certainly, **“The American Revolution”** is a singular achievement, offering new perspectives and insights on the uprising against British rule that changed the world by creating a democracy that has lasted 250 years. Officially, that milestone anniversary is July 4, 2026—the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The series was eight years in the making. “Just getting that much film for this 12-hour, six-part series technically done takes a while,” said Sarah Botstein, who, along with David Schmidt, co-directs with Burns.
The stories they told had to be carefully chosen. They needed to find the characters to follow as they filmed across this vast country. “Our live cinematography is really one of the centerpieces of the series,” Botstein explained.
“Given the fact that it’s a story that happens before the advent of still photography and moving images, we filmed throughout the country at every season. There were years of archival research in museums, historical societies, and private collectors—not just here, but in London, France, and other places in Europe.”
The goal in telling this complicated history, she added, was to answer the essential question: **How dare this tiny, little country go up against the mighty British Empire?**
The answer is truly shocking because the series shows just how close the Revolution came to failing. “It’s hard for those who have grown up in the United States to understand just how tenuous it was,” Schmidt said. “How divided the population was—either because they didn’t completely agree with what the Patriots were selling or because they were afraid of what it would mean to go against this empire.”
That question, **“Would they succeed?”**, continues to be asked throughout the series. “There are all sorts of factors that play into why they did succeed,” he added, “and they all matter: the great ocean between the two countries, the support of the French, and the ability for the new United States to unite behind a message that really resonated with the people.”
“All sorts of things, not to mention battlefield victories. You begin to understand how this was possible, and at the same time, you recognize and value how long the odds were against them.”
“There’s a lot to be drawn from, a lot to learn from our history, a lot to aspire to, and a lot to do better at,” Botstein said. “We never want to tell our audiences what to think or feel. We just want to give them the information to ask questions, draw conclusions, and be inspired by the history of the United States.”
**Ken Burns’ “The American Revolution” premieres on PBS November 16 and continues for six consecutive nights.**
https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/11/16/ken-burns-pulls-out-the-stops-for-the-american-revolution/