Liberty!

This article is about the miniseries. For the soundtrack, see Liberty! (album). For the play, see Liberty! The Saga of Sycamore Shoals.

1997 TV series or program

Liberty!

Written by| Ronald Blumer
Directed by| Ellen Hovde
Muffie Meyer
Music by| Mark O'Connor
Original language| English
Production
Producers| Ellen Hovde
Muffie Meyer
Cinematography| James Brown
Robert Elfstrom
Boyd Estus
Tom Hurwitz
Joel Shapiro
Joe Vitagliano
Editors| Eric Davies
Donna Marino
Sharon Sachs
Running time| 360 minutes
Production company| Middlemarch Films [1]
Original release
Network| PBS
Release| November 23 (1997-11-23) –
November 25, 1997 (1997-11-25)

Liberty! The American Revolution is a six-hour documentary miniseries about the Revolutionary War, and the instigating factors, that brought about the United States' independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. It was first broadcast on the Public Broadcasting Service in 1997.[2][3]

The series consists of six hour-long episodes. Each episode is introduced by Forrest Sawyer and narrated by Edward Herrmann.[4] Period photographs and location filming are intercut with stage and screen actors in appropriate period costume reading as figures of the time, including Campbell Scott (Thomas Jefferson), Philip Bosco (Benjamin Franklin), Victor Garber (John Dickinson), Alex Jennings (King George III), Roger Rees (Thomas Paine), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Joseph Plumb Martin), Terrence Mann (Gen. John Burgoyne), Colm Feore (Alexander Hamilton), Sebastian Roché (The Marquis de Lafayette), Donna Murphy (Abigail Adams), Austin Pendleton (Benjamin Rush) and Peter Donaldson (John Adams). Stephen Lang read the words of George Washington, but is not seen on camera.[5][6][7]

British and American historians and authors, including Carol Berkin, Bernard Bailyn, Ron Hoffman, Claude-Anne Lopez, Pauline Maier, George C. Neumann, Richard Norton Smith, Gordon S. Wood (U.S.) and Jeremy Black, Colin Bonwick, John Keegan, and N.A.M. Rodger (U.K.) add historical background, explaining life and society of the time while interpreting events from the perspectives of the two sides of the conflict. Historical perspectives also include the status of black slaves and freemen, the participation of American Indians, and the strivings of American women as events progress.[8][9]

## Episodes

[edit]

1. "The Reluctant Revolutionaries" (1763-1774): Introduction of the major players, life as British colonists, the Stamp Act, The Declaratory Act, the Boston Massacre, taxation without representation, The Boston Tea Party
2. "Blows Must Decide" (1774-1776): The Coersive/Intolerable Acts, military reinforcement of Boston, the first Continental Congress, the battles of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill, loyalists and the Olive Branch Petition, Common Sense, The Declaration of Independence[8]
3. "The Times That Try Men's Souls" (1776-1777): The British army arrives under General Howe, Washington's formation of an American army, division of colonies as patriot or loyalist, the defense of New York, fall of New Jersey, The American Crisis, the crossing of the Delaware River and the Battle of Trenton[7]
4. "Oh Fatal Ambition!" (1777-1778): Benjamin Franklin appeals for French assistance, Gen. Burgoyne's incursion from the north and the fall of Fort Ticonderoga, the war in New England, the Battle of Brandywine Creek, the Battle of Saratoga and Burgoyne's surrender, America signs a treaty with the French[5]
5. "The World Turned Upside Down" (1778-1783): The French alliance, Gen. Clinton's campaign in the south, the siege of Charleston, Gen. Cornwallis's strategy to conquer the south, Benedict Arnold joins the British, French troops under Gen. Rochambeau reinforce Washington's army, Gen. Nathanael Greene reclaims the south, the Battle of Yorktown, the British surrender[9]
6. "Are We to Be a Nation?" (1783-1788): Creating the new nation, Washington resigns his commission, Noah Webster standardizes American English, Shays' Rebellion, the Confederation Congress, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison envision a new system of government, the Constitution, Bill of Rights and formation of a central government[6]

American singer-songwriter James Taylor sings the traditional song "Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier" during the end credits. Original music was composed by violinist Mark O'Connor, who accompanies Taylor; the score, which blends new and traditional music, was performed by O'Connor, Taylor, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, trumpet player Wynton Marsalis[1] and the Nashville Symphony.[3] A collection of the music from the soundtrack was released as a companion album in 1997.

Liberty! was produced for Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) by Twin Cities Public Television (TPT), and won a George Foster Peabody Award.[1] The directors were Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer,[7] who also collaborated on the 2002 TPT production Benjamin Franklin.

## See also

[edit]

* List of television series and miniseries about the American Revolution
* List of films about the American Revolution

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "LIBERTY! The American Revolution". The Peabody Awards. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
2. ^ "LIBERTY! The American Revolution". www.pbs.org. Archived from the original on February 10, 1999. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
3. ^ a b Baenen, Laura (November 21, 1997). "PBS' 'Liberty!' takes fresh look at Revolutionary War". New Bedford Standard-Times. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
4. ^ Carman, John (November 21, 1997). "PBS picks worthy fight in `Liberty!'". Deseret News. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
5. ^ a b "Liberty! The American Revolution: Episode 4: Oh Fatal Ambition! (TV)". www.paleycenter.org. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
6. ^ a b "Liberty! The American Revolution: Episode 6: Are We to Be a Nation? (TV)". www.paleycenter.org. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
7. ^ a b c Winslow, Harriet (November 23, 1997). "The American Revolution". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
8. ^ a b "Liberty! The American Revolution: Episode 2: Blows Must Decide (TV)". www.paleycenter.org. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
9. ^ a b "Liberty! The American Revolution: Episode 5: The World Turned Upside Down (TV)". www.paleycenter.org. Retrieved June 30, 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Liberty! at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette

Principal author|

* Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789)

American Revolution|

* French frigate Hermione
* Battle of Brandywine
* Battle of Gloucester
* Valley Forge
* Battle of Barren Hill
* Battle of Rhode Island
* Battle of Monmouth
* Battle of Green Spring
* Siege of Yorktown
* Franco-American alliance

French Revolution|

* Assembly of Notables (1787)
* Estates General of 1789
* National Guard (France)
* Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
* Women's March on Versailles
* Society of 1789
* Fête de la Fédération
* Day of Daggers
* Champ de Mars massacre
* War of the First Coalition
* July Revolution (1830)

Other events|

* 1824–25 Grand Tour of the United States
* New York City parade
* Philadelphia parade
* USS Brandywine

Life|

* Château de Chavaniac (birthplace and home)
* Château de la Grange-Bléneau (home and museum)
* Lafayette Land Grant
* Picpus Cemetery

Honors and
memorials|

* List of places named for the Marquis de Lafayette
* Fayetteville, North Carolina
* Lafayette, Louisiana
* Fort Lafayette
* Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania
* Lafayette College
* New York City statue (1876)
* LaFayette Fountain (1887)
* Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C.
* 1891 statue
* Lafayette Square Historic District
* Lafayette dollar (1899)
* Mount Lafayette
* Lafayette Memorial (1917)
* Lafayette College statue (1921)
* Los Angeles statue (1937)
* Lafayette Escadrille
* USS Lafayette

Legacy|

* 1825 Samuel Morse painting
* "Lafayette (We Hear You Calling)" (1918 song)
* La Fayette (1961 film)
* Valley Forge (1975 film)
* La Révolution française (1989 film)
* Jefferson in Paris (1995 film)
* Liberty! (1997 documentary miniseries)
* Liberty's Kids (2002 television series)
* Hamilton (2015 musical, 2020 film)
* Lafayette in the Somewhat United States (2015 book)
* Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution (2021 book)
* Franklin (2024 miniseries)

Family|

* Adrienne de La Fayette (wife)
* Georges Washington de La Fayette (son)
* Michel du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette (father)

Related|

* Order of Lafayette
* Honorary U.S. citizenship (2002)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template