Watch Founding Fathers & Founding Brothers

Name: Founding Fathers & Founding Brothers
Genre: History
Released: April 14, 2008

2008
1 Season

Founding Fathers & Founding Brothers is a television series produced by the Arts and Entertainment (A&E) network. This seven-episode documentary series explores the lives and legacies of the founding fathers of the United States and their relationships with each other both during and after the American Revolution. The show examines the historical context in which they lived and worked, and how their differing backgrounds, ideas and ambitions contributed to the creation of the United States of America.

The series begins by introducing key figures such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and others. It explores their early lives, education, and careers before they joined together to fight for independence from Britain. The show then delves into the founding of the country, including the writing of the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, and the creation of the Constitution.

Throughout the series, particular emphasis is placed on the relationships between these men. Their disagreements and conflicts, as much as their shared goals, defined the early history of the United States. The show examines the challenges they faced in building a new nation, including debates over the scope of federal power, the role of slavery in the new republic, and ongoing conflicts with Native American tribes.

Founding Fathers & Founding Brothers also explores the personal lives of these men. It covers issues such as love, marriage, family, and faith. The series highlights the struggles and triumphs of these individuals not only as statesmen, but also as human beings.

The show provides a rich tapestry of historical events, organized chronologically, that depict the American Revolution and the early years of the United States. The series makes use of a variety of primary sources, including letters, diaries, government documents, news clippings, and artwork. The production team has also included the insights of numerous scholars and experts in the field, helping to give viewers a deeper understanding of the period.

Founding Fathers & Founding Brothers uses contemporary actors to portray the key figures in reenactments, but historians, authors, and scholars provide commentary, analysis, and context. Every episode is an hour long, which provides ample time for the series to delve deeply into the complex political and social landscape that gave birth to the United States.

The first episode begins with an introduction to the three most famous Founding Fathers of the United States: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams, as well as a less well-known figure, Benjamin Franklin. Further episodes highlight other important figures, the challenges they faced, and how their disagreements were resolved. The final episode of the series looks at the later years of the Founding Fathers' lives and how their legacies endure to this day.

The show is a masterful mix of drama, history, and academic analysis. It is suitable for audiences of all ages, from high school students to senior citizens. The series provides a rich set of resources for teachers to use in the classroom to teach American history. Furthermore, it is a compelling watch for anyone interested in American history, politics or culture.

In conclusion, Founding Fathers & Founding Brothers is a well-researched and compelling series that brings history to life. It offers a glimpse into the lives of men who shaped the country and whose actions helped to define the country's character. The series provides a balanced portrayal of these historical figures, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, and giving insight into what motivated them. It is a must-watch for history buffs and anyone interested in the development of the United States of America.

Founding Fathers & Founding Brothers is a series that ran for 1 seasons (6 episodes) between April 14, 2008 and on A&E

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Seasons

6. Evolution of a Revolution

America's first truly contested presidential election took place in 1796, with John Adams and Thomas Jefferson vying to replace George Washington. In keeping with the standards of 18th-century American politics, neither man actively campaigned, and Jefferson even claimed not to know that he was a candidate. Adams's victory ended the long friendship between the two former revolutionaries, and while Jefferson served as Vice President, Adams never consulted him on political matters. Nor could Adams trust his cabinet; held over from Washington's administration in an attempt to provide continuity, these men took their orders from Alexander Hamilton. About the only advisor he could rely on was his wife, Abigail, and Founding Brothers reveals how she played a key role in the defining event of Adams's presidency, the passage of the hated Alien and Sedition Acts.

5. A More Perfect Union

Founding Brothers opens with a look at two of the many crises faced by George Washington during his term as America's first president. At a time when any conflict had the potential to dissolve the fragile union, Washington surrounded himself with brilliant men who were bound by their undying devotion to America, but often bitterly divided about how best to serve their common cause. At a secret meeting arranged by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison reached a critical compromise on their rival views for America's future. Just months before his death, Benjamin Franklin signed a petition calling for an end to slavery--forcing a reluctant Congress to confront the issue that would eventually divide the nation.

4. You Say You Want a Revolution?

By 1776, the rebels would finally make their fateful, final break with Britain. One of those advocating this extreme step was a young Virginia planter named Thomas Jefferson. A misogynist who suffered debilitating migraines, the man who penned the Declaration of Independence wrestled all his life with the contradiction of being a slave-owner himself. On the battlefield, the war did not get off to a promising start. George Washington failed miserably in his first campaigns, while Ben Franklin's own son was arrested for plotting to aid the enemy. But as the revolutionary army gained in experience and confidence -- and the French threw their considerable financial support into the fray -- the tide slowly but surely began to turn in the rebels' direction.

3. A Healthy Constitution

After the final defeat of British forces in Yorktown, the 13 colonies found themselves in a unique and frightening situation: building a new, democratic nation with no money, few allies and no blueprint of how to proceed. The revolution's savior would turn out to be the shy, studious James Madison, the father of the Constitution. Also vital to the new nation's survival was ensuring good ties with the friends it possessed. Sent to Paris to maintain vital ties with the French, Thomas Jefferson would engage in not one but two scandalous affairs: one with a married woman and one with his slave Sally Hemings. Back in the newly independent America, the revered George Washington would decline the title of "King" -- and become the first President of the grand social experiment that came to be the United States of America.

2. Taking Liberties

In the aftermath of heavy British tax levies and the shock of the Boston Massacre, the situation in the American colonies grew more incendiary. Helping to fan the flames was the eloquent orator Patrick Henry, who rose from backwoods obscurity to marry into money and make the first open "call to arms." Meanwhile, Benjamin Franklin, actually slow to join the colonists' cause, was in London -- desperately attempting to patch things up with King George. Across the Atlantic, George Washington, a retired soldier with a spotty military record, maneuvered for command of the rebel forces, while an alcoholic essay writer named Thomas Paine published "Common Sense," one of the period's most famous, and inflammatory, tracts.

1. Rebels... With a Cause

The birth of American democracy was attended by an extraordinary cast of characters, drawn from every level of colonial society. They brought to the cause of independence a dazzling array of talents and genius -- and an equally noteworthy range of personality flaws and defects. Sam Adams was a rumpled, pugnacious man who failed at a variety of professions, before finding his niche as a revolutionary with a knack for inciting mob violence. John Hancock, a wealthy, aristocratic merchant, was also a known wine-smuggler with a major economic stake in breaking away from Britain. But the unique chemistry of this political "odd couple" would prove pivotal, combining to spark the fires of resentment which until then had been merely smoldering within the colonies.

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Where to Watch Founding Fathers & Founding Brothers

Founding Fathers & Founding Brothers is available for streaming on the A&E website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Founding Fathers & Founding Brothers on demand at Apple TV.