Series 1776: American Independence — 1 season, 2 episode

Story

When fighting breaks out between Britain and the American colonists, the Native peoples of North America are forced to pick a side. The war reaches beyond the armies fighting for independence and puts Indigenous communities in a difficult position, where every choice carries serious consequences. This episode looks at that dilemma and at what it meant for people drawn into a conflict that was reshaping the continent around them.

Overview

1776: American Independence is a 2025 documentary series made for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Directed by Daniel Sharp, it presents the stories, heroes, and villains of the War for Independence, travelling across the Atlantic and into the American West to widen the familiar picture of the Revolution.

The second episode, running about 44 minutes, turns to Native North America. It considers how the fighting between Britain and the colonists confronted Indigenous communities with the need to choose a side, and what that pressure meant in a time of war and shifting loyalties. For viewers interested in American history, it offers a view beyond the usual focus on the colonists and the Crown.

Cast and Characters

As a documentary episode, it has no credited acting cast. Its central subjects are the Native peoples of North America, seen alongside the British forces and the American colonists whose conflict forces communities to weigh their options. The episode places these groups within a contested historical landscape and gives attention to the pressures and consequences surrounding their decisions.