The American Revolution
The six-part, 12-hour docuseries The American Revolution from Ken Burns premieres on WHYY on November 16, 2025, and runs through November 21.
Burns’ docuseries brings the epic struggle for independence into vivid focus and shows how events in and around Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, from the Continental Congress at Independence Hall to Valley Forge and the Brandywine campaign, played a central role in shaping the Revolution and the new nation.
Don’t miss this landmark television event that brings America’s founding story home to Bucks County and the Delaware Valley.
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How Philadelphia Became the Birthplace of American Independence
Why Philadelphia? When most people picture the American Revolution, they see muskets flashing in Boston, redcoats marching through New York, or Washington’s army crossing the…
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PA Tourism Office: Bowman’s Hill Tower in Washington Crossing Is a Place You Can’t Leaf Alone for Fall Foliage
With the earlier sunsets and cooling temperatures, the lush greenery of the Pennsylvania woodlands is about to be transformed into an array of spectacular autumnal…
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Was The Revolutionary War America’s First Civil War? You Decide
When Ken Burns sat down with Joe Rogan last month and called the American Revolution “our first civil war,” it caught a lot of people…
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Valley Forge Explained So a Fifth-Grader Could Understand: Cold, Courage, and a Comeback
Most of us have heard of Valley Forge, but not many people really understand what happened there, or why it mattered so much. It wasn’t…
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When Washington’s Army Ran Out of Food at Valley Forge, Polly Cooper of Oneida Indian Nation Helped Feed Them
When General George Washington’s army ran out of food while taking refuge in Valley Forge during the winter of 1777, Polly Cooper of Oneida Indian…
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Ken Burns’ Delaware Valley Roots: How His Mother’s Battle with Cancer Forged a Passion for Storytelling
Before Ken Burns became the United States’ most admired documentary filmmaker, he was a quiet boy growing up in Newark, Delaware, the son of a…
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With 350 Years Under Its Belt, King George II Inn in Bristol Holds Rich History
King George II Inn in Bristol, the oldest bar in Pennsylvania and the longest and oldest continuously operating inn in the United States, has been…
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The Greatest Event Since the Birth of Christ? Ken Burns Says It Began in the Delaware Valley
When Ken Burns, the celebrated documentary filmmaker behind The Civil War and The Vietnam War, calls the American Revolution “the most important event in world…
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Licking the British: Local Revolutionary War Reenactor Mimics Battle Formations with Popsicle Sticks
While spring is usually a big season for Revolutionary War reenactors, most have had to find new ways to enjoy their hobby during the pandemic…
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Untangling a Revolution: How Ken Burns and His Team Brought America’s Revolution to Life
Everyone thinks they know the story of the American Revolution including the midnight rides, the musket smoke, George Washington at Valley Forge. But filmmaker Ken…
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One of Bucks County’s Most Famous Historical Events Will Soon Jingle in Your Pocket
Starting April 5, the coins from buying your morning paper or breakfast sandwich may have imagery that resonates with Bucks County residents, according to a press release from the U.S. Mint. …
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Iconic Painting ‘George Washington Crossing the Delaware’ Celebrates American Leadership
The iconic painting “George Washington Crossing the Delaware” by Emanuel Leutze depicts General George Washington on a boat as he is leading his troops in…
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The Revolution Happened Here: 10 Philadelphia Area Battles That Shaped the Fight for Independence
Before the world called it the American Revolution, it began right here along the Delaware River, across the rolling farms of Chester County, and in…
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5 Places Where Washington Slept: A County-by-County Journey Across the Delaware Valley
You can’t have driven anywhere around the Delaware Valley without passing a place where George Washington is reported to have spent the night. From riverbank…
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Across All 6 Episodes, Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley Take Center Stage in Ken Burns’ The American Revolution
The Revolution that changed the world was born right here in the Delaware Valley, in the muddy crossroads of Chester County, the meeting houses of…
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Revolutionary November: PBS Docuseries Brings The Revolution Home to Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley
Before the world called it the American Revolution, the fight for independence began right here, in the fields, taverns, meeting houses, and muddy crossroads of…
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How Secret Meetings at Carpenters’ Hall in Philadelphia Helped Secure America’s Independence
A secret meeting between Benjamin Franklin and French spy Julien-Alexandre Achard de Bonvouloir at Carpenters’ Hall in 1775 helped bolster America’s fight for independence, writes…
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Ken Burns’ New Documentary ‘The American Revolution’ Puts Ben Franklin at Start, Philadelphia at Center
After a decade of filming for his new docuseries The American Revolution, Ken Burns begins with Ben Franklin and positions Philadelphia right at the heart…
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