The American Future: A History
Encyclopedia
The American Future: A History is a four part documentary series written and presented by Simon Schama
which aired on BBC Two
in the UK during October 2008, in the run up to the 2008 US presidential election. The first episode was broadcast on BBC Two at 9:00pm on 10 October 2008, and it was shown over four consecutive Fridays.
The series saw Schama travelling through the United States
as he investigated the conflicts from its past in order to understand the country's contemporary political situation. Schama presents and discusses both presidential candidates, Democratic Barack Obama
and Republican John McCain
from a historical point of view, emphasizing strongly the former. The documentary takes viewer to an epic journey through the history of the modern United States
, but it also arguments carefully why Barack Obama
would be the ideal choice as the next president of the United States.
and Australia
, this programme aired with the re-worked title, The American Future: A History By Simon Schama:
Simon Schama
Simon Michael Schama, CBE is a British historian and art historian. He is a University Professor of History and Art History at Columbia University. He is best known for writing and hosting the 15-part BBC documentary series A History of Britain...
which aired on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
in the UK during October 2008, in the run up to the 2008 US presidential election. The first episode was broadcast on BBC Two at 9:00pm on 10 October 2008, and it was shown over four consecutive Fridays.
The series saw Schama travelling through the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as he investigated the conflicts from its past in order to understand the country's contemporary political situation. Schama presents and discusses both presidential candidates, Democratic Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and Republican John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
from a historical point of view, emphasizing strongly the former. The documentary takes viewer to an epic journey through the history of the modern United States
History of the United States
The history of the United States traditionally starts with the Declaration of Independence in the year 1776, although its territory was inhabited by Native Americans since prehistoric times and then by European colonists who followed the voyages of Christopher Columbus starting in 1492. The...
, but it also arguments carefully why Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
would be the ideal choice as the next president of the United States.
List of episodes
| Episode | Date | Title | Details |
| Episode 1 | 10 October 2008 | American Plenty | A look at America's waning belief in the infinite possibilities of its land and resources. |
| Episode 2 | 17 October 2008 | American War | A look at how different the US attitude to war is from what outsiders assume it to be. |
| Episode 3 | 24 October 2008 | American Fervour | How faith has shaped American political life. |
| Episode 4 | 31 October 2008 | What is an American? | The bitter conflict over immigration in America. |
International Broadcast
In the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, this programme aired with the re-worked title, The American Future: A History By Simon Schama:
- US viewers saw all four episodes combined into two parts on BBC AmericaBBC AmericaBBC America is an American television network, owned and operated by BBC Worldwide, and available on both cable and satellite.-History:The channel launched on March 29, 1998, broadcasting comedy, drama and lifestyle programs from BBC Television and other British television broadcasters like ITV and...
at 8pm ET/PT from 19 January until 20 January 2009. - Australian viewers saw these episodes in their original four parts on ABC1ABC1ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
each Thursday at 9:30pm from 27 May until 17 June 2010.
External links
- The American Future at the BBC AMERICA