Ken Burns' The American Revolution

In 2025, The American Revolution, a film by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, was released and Maine Public created two memorable experiences around the series.

Maine Public challenged high school-aged students across Maine to create a 1-to-3-minute video following the “Day In My Life” vlog format showcasing what they thought a day in their life would look like during the American Revolution. They were required to do research to help inform their video content as they had to submit their completed video with Works Cited and a short 1-2 page write up.

The students with the best videos were featured at two The American Revolution screenings conducted by Maine Public and winners took home cash prizes. The students who came in first, second, and third also won small stipends for their classrooms to be able to use on supplies and classroom needs.

Take a look at some of the winning submissions!

Maine Public held two community preview events of The American Revolution in 2025 replete with post-viewing panel discussions featuring educators and community activists from Maine.

Screening One was held in Auburn at Edward Little.

Panelists included:

• Liam Riordan, PhD, Adelaide and Alan Bird Professor of History, Department Chair at UMaine
• Joseph M. Hall Jr., PhD, Associate Professor of History at Bates College
• Mihku Paul, BA, MFA, Wolastoqey Poet & Activist “Core Advisory Council at Atlantic Black Box”
• Strother E. Roberts, PhD, Associate Professor of History at Bowdoin College

Screening Two was held at Hannaford Hall on the campus of the University of Southern Maine.

Panelists included:

• Darren J Ranco. PhD, Professor of Anthropology and Coordinator of Native American Research at UMAINE
• Ashley Towle, PhD, Associate Dean, CAHS, Associate Professor of History and Women & Gender Studies at USM
• Libby Bischof, PhD, Professor of History, University Historian, Executive Director, Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education at USM

Funding credit: Corporate funding for THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by The Better Angels Society and its members Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine with the Crimson Lion Foundation; and the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Major funding was also provided by David M. Rubenstein; The Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Family Foundation; Lilly Endowment Inc.; and the following Better Angels Society members: Eric and Wendy Schmidt; Stephen A. Schwarzman; and Kenneth C. Griffin with Griffin Catalyst. Additional support for THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was provided by: The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; The Pew Charitable Trusts; Gilbert S. Omenn and Martha A. Darling; Park Foundation; and the following Better Angels Society members: Gilchrist and Amy Berg; Perry and Donna Golkin; The Michelson Foundation; Jacqueline B. Mars; Kissick Family Foundation; Diane and Hal Brierley; John H. N. Fisher and Jennifer Caldwell; John and Catherine Debs; The Fullerton Family Charitable Fund; Philip I. Kent; Gail Elden; Deborah and Jon Dawson; David and Susan Kreisman; The McCloskey Family Charitable Trust; Becky and Jim Morgan; Carol and Ned Spieker; Mark A. Tracy; and Paul and Shelley Whyte. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was made possible, in part, with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.