mr_midnight_show If the History Channel can produce a 1000 hour program about United States history, that still would not be enough. We would have to start from Columbus for great detail but the show isn't about the discovery of land, it is about the concept of a free nation and the choices people made to survive. This documentary was made to show how the American people kept moving on from the turning points that shaped the "concept" which was built on blood and struggle.Sure they missed some key historical turning points but the show kept me interested enough that I found myself researching them online after watching an episode.Liev Schreibers narration is great as well.

SantaClause One person here doesn't like the show because he/she disagrees with the politics of some of the people narrating.A few others don't like it because things are left out.Some don't like the way things were interpreted.The goal of the show is to keep it exciting and give a brief overview of what what happened. Of course there's going to be a lot left out. Of course there's a lot to be left to interpretation.It's not a perfect show, but it does give a glimpse of events by adding dramatization. Lots of things have to be left out for a show like this.Overall, 8/10.

rooster_davis This is an excellent series. From it I learned so much about 'where we came from' that I never learned in school in the 60's - and you can bet a lot less than that is being taught in schools today. First let me say that while at least one reviewer frantically objected to some of the modern-day figures who commented on the historical events, and I am not totally crazy about some of their comments, they are but a very small part of this miniseries.From it I actually learned how this country came from a handful of Pilgrims and what their lives were like, to becoming the United States. I learned about people who have long been forgotten and should not be, who endured hardships and gave up their lives that we might live in freedom.Typically we hear in school or historical references just a sentence or two about this or that battle, this or that person. This miniseries brings them to life, tells the how and the when and the where and the why. I doubt that 1/10 of 1% of Americans know even a tiny fraction of where this country came from. "America: The Story of Us" should be required viewing. While one viewer was very upset by comments made by some of the modern-day people which are interspersed here and there, those can all be taken with a grain of salt. The story itself and the historical accounts are superb and gave me an entirely new appreciation for how and why this country came to be, and it is excellent viewing. Watch it with your kids - believe me, they can use this education.

bhart22 My 14-year-old son, wife, and I watched the entire series. My son, after a less-than-interesting year of American history in school, was not only interested, but excited about watching every new episode. There were a great many details about American history which are often glazed over in textbooks. I would not call this series an overview of American history, nor do I think it really attempts to become that...rather, it does a fine job of pinpointing some rather important, lesser-known events that greatly affected the direction of our country.The computer animations, at times, were poor...though I've seen blockbuster movies pushing the limits and doing little better. The side conversations and interviews with modern celebrities were interesting...at times very relevant...they were always brief, however, so even when some seemed a bit pointless, they were not really all that intrusive.If you have the chance to view this series in its entirety, and you are not an American history expert, I am certain you will learn a great deal in every episode. This series cannot be expected to be a standalone summary of American history, but it really is a great supplement to what you might already know and does a good job of actually avoiding hitting those topics which are usually taught in excruciation detail in a class setting (eg. Civil War battles).Update 1 year later: My son is completely interested in history class, and the topic of history, in general. He is not considering any career in the field, but thoroughly enjoys discussing detailed points of the topic with peers and adults. I fully attribute the spark of his interest in this topic to this mini-series.