On April 19, 1775, the world changed forever. British troops marched on Lexington and Concord to arrest Patriot leaders and seize hidden munitions—but they were met by a determined militia and the rising spirit of American resistance. From Paul Revere’s midnight ride to the tense standoff on Lexington Green, and the fierce fighting at North Bridge, this mini documentary captures the explosive beginning of the American Revolution.

In the tense early months of the American Revolution, before independence was declared, British and American forces clashed in one of the war’s most brutal and revealing early battles. On June 17, 1775, thousands of British troops stormed a hilltop fortification hastily constructed by colonial militia overnight. Though the British would ultimately claim the ground, their victory came at a staggering cost. Through grit, missteps, heroism, and sacrifice, the Battle of Bunker Hill proved that the colonial resistance would not be easily crushed—and that the road to American liberty would be long and bloody. From secret intelligence networks to last-minute reinforcements, and from smoldering Charlestown to the rise of George Washington as commander of a newly formed Continental Army, this mini documentary traces the events of that fateful day and its place in the broader struggle for American independence.

In December 1776, as the Revolutionary War teetered on the edge of collapse, Thomas Paine warned that “these are the times that try men’s souls.” British forces had driven the Continental Army out of New York and across New Jersey, enlistments were expiring, supplies were scarce, and the promise of independence declared only months earlier seemed close to slipping away. George Washington faced a stark choice: act boldly or watch the cause of liberty fall apart. On Christmas night, Washington chose action. Battling a fierce winter storm, his army crossed the icy Delaware River and launched a surprise attack on Hessian forces at Trenton, followed days later by another victory at Princeton. These daring strikes revived American morale, preserved the Continental Army, and demonstrated that perseverance and resolve could sustain the principles of the Declaration of Independence. In the darkest days of the Revolution, Washington’s leadership helped ensure that the struggle for self-government would endure.

This mini documentary tells the story of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where delegates debated fiercely over representation, executive power, and the protection of liberty. From the Virginia and New Jersey Plans to the Great Compromise and the creation of the presidency, discover how disagreement, debate, and compromise produced a Constitution built on natural rights, popular sovereignty, and the promise of limited government.

In the uncertain years after the American Revolution, the fate of the new republic hung in the balance. The Constitution—signed in Philadelphia after months of intense debate—was not yet the law of the land. Across the states, fierce battles erupted over its ratification. Would liberty be preserved or lost to centralized power? Federalists and Anti-Federalists clashed in newspapers, statehouses, and convention halls. From the impassioned arguments of Patrick Henry and George Mason to the razor-thin victories in Virginia and New York, this mini documentary captures the intensity and stakes of one of the most consequential debates in American history.

In September 1862, Confederate General Robert E. Lee led his army into Maryland, launching the first major Confederate invasion of the North. Facing him was Union General George McClellan, whose hesitation and caution had already tested President Lincoln’s patience. Along the banks of Antietam Creek, the two armies met in one of the bloodiest days in American history. When the smoke cleared, more than 23,000 soldiers were dead or wounded, and the course of the Civil War and the nation’s purpose had shifted forever.

In November 1863, just months after the Battle of Gettysburg left more than 51,000 casualties, a new national cemetery was being dedicated on the battlefield. President Abraham Lincoln was invited to offer “a few appropriate remarks.” After touring the grounds and reflecting on the sacrifice made there, Lincoln delivered a brief 272-word address that reshaped how the nation understood the war. In the Gettysburg Address, he connected the conflict to the founding promise of equality, honored the soldiers who had fallen, and called Americans to continue the “unfinished work” of preserving self-government so that freedom would endure.

In the stormy days leading up to one of World War II’s most pivotal operations, Allied leaders faced tough decisions, uncertain weather, and the weight of history on their shoulders. On the eve of the D-Day invasion, Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower carried not only the burden of strategy, but the moral responsibility for thousands of lives. As the fate of Europe hung in the balance, he demonstrated the civic virtues he believed were essential to leadership: humility, moderation, and responsibility. This mini documentary captures the tense hours before Operation Overlord, the words he prepared in case of failure, and the quiet, resolute character that defined his command. From late-night meetings with Churchill and Montgomery to visits with young paratroopers hours before they jumped into enemy territory, witness the story of a leader who rose to the moment and helped shape the course of history.

In the summer of 1963, a quarter-million Americans gathered in the heart of the nation’s capital to demand justice, equality, and civil rights. This mini documentary tells the story of the March on Washington. From the violence in Birmingham that shocked the nation to Martin Luther King Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, discover how ordinary citizens, inspired by the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, united to challenge injustice and fulfill the promise of liberty and equality for all.

Twenty-five short narratives of men and women who shaped the United States in it’s earliest days.

A curated set of quotations from America’s Founders that highlight their views on liberty, government, and individual rights.

A sequencing activity to help students understand the order of the response of the Colonists to the British Parliament.

A graphic organizer that helps student understand the documents that proceeded the Declaration of Independence in the Colonist relationship to the British Parliament.

What were the philosophical bases and practical purposes of the Declaration of Independence?