SLAVERY AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA

Liberty in the Air Spanning the 1740s through the 1830s, the second hour explores the continued expansion of slavery in the colonies, the evolution of a distinct African-American culture and the roots of the emancipation movement.

SLAVERY AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA

The Downward Spiral The first hour covers the period from 1619 through 1739 and spotlights the origins of slavery in America, focusing on Dutch New Amsterdam (later New York City).

SLAVERY AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA

Seeds of Destruction The third hour looks at the period from 1800 through the start of the Civil War, during which slavery saw an enormous expansion and entered its final decades.

SLAVERY AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA

The Challenge of Freedom The final hour follows the life of Robert Smalls, a South Carolina slavea, s it takes viewers through the Civil War, Reconstruction and beyond.