Leading up to the country’s birthday this summer, I’ve been thinking about all of the movies and TV shows I’ve seen that explore different eras of the United States of America, not just its founding. I’ve tried to compile a personal list that I would recommend to anyone for either first-time viewing or repeat watching, and since there are plenty that I know I’ve missed already, please let me know what your favorites are! I’m always looking for films and shows to watch that I haven’t seen yet!

Part 1: The Revolutionary War and Civil War Periods

Turn: Washington’s Spies

I want to re-watch Turn: Washington’s Spies as well as read the book it’s based on for the first time, Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring by Alexander Rose. The show aired on AMC from 2014 to 2017 and covers events from 1776 to 1781, mainly on Long Island in New York but also in other parts of America’s founding colonies. Turn follows the members of the Culper Ring, a network of spies including a group of childhood friends and their growing number of allies. The series has a fantastic ensemble cast that covers numerous character perspectives, not only those of the patriot and loyalist sides.

John Adams

I saw the HBO miniseries John Adams about eight years ago now and wrote a review about it back then. It’s another piece of media that I’d like to revisit and also read the biography it’s based on, John Adams by David McCullough. The show was broadcast in 2008, acting as both an extensive biopic of Adams himself and an account of the first 50 years of the United States. While you won’t see much of the Revolutionary War itself, you’ll see all of the fascinating people and their intense negotiations going on among the turmoil. John Adams was such a surprising show about one of the country’s most underrated statesmen.

The Patriot

This won’t be the last movie on my list featuring Mel Gibson. The Patriot follows his character, Benjamin Martin — a composite of several historical figures —, and his family as they fight and suffer during the Revolutionary War. Unlike the above mentioned TV shows from the time period, this movie is the violent piece that displays the war at its goriest and most overtly patriotic. But, there’s just something about Mel Gibson doing a war movie in the 1990s and 2000s. While The Patriot took maybe more creative liberties than most, there’s no doubt that it captured the raw grit and true sacrifice of the men who fought.

Lincoln

I’ll be honest, I don’t remember much about this film, so it definitely deserves another viewing; however, the impact of Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance as Abraham Lincoln has stayed with me. Lincoln was released in 2012, and there most likely hasn’t been a more profound portrayal of the 16th president before or since. The movie takes place toward the end of the Civil War and, subsequently, during the last months of Lincoln’s life. In both his personal affairs and political maneuvering, especially around the subject of slavery, Lincoln is played thoughtfully and powerfully.

Hell on Wheels

Another show on AMC, which aired from 2011 to 2016, Hell on Wheels takes place from 1865 to 1869 and features the building of the transcontinental railroad. It’s a story that has both real and fictional characters, explores the aftermath of the Civil War, and highlights the rivalry between the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad. As the series goes on and the main character, Cullen Bohannon, traverses more of the western United States, more diverse perspectives emerge, and one man’s journey becomes synonymous with the struggle and promise of an entire country.