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HistoryChannelAmerica:TheStoryofUSHistoryhasearnedsomeinspiringlookathowself-determinationandinnovationmadeAmerica.Now,aspecialintroductionfromthePresidentofUnitedStates.Goodevening.Overtwohundredyearsago,theworldwaitedandwatchedtoseeifanunlikelyexperimentcalledAmericawouldsucceed.Ithas.Notbecausethesuccesswascertain,orbecauseitwaseasy,butbecausegenerationsofAmericansdedicatedtheirlivesandthesacredhonortoacausegreaterthanthemselves.Thishasbeenespeciallytrueinmomentsofgreattrial,whenaragtaggroupofpatriotsoverthrewanempiretosecuretherighttolife,libertyandthepursuitofhappiness,whenanIllinoisrailsplitterprovedforalltimethatthegovernmentof,byandforthepeoplewouldendure,whenmarchers'bravebeatingsontheAlabamabridgeinthenameofequality,freedomandjusticeforall.MomentsliketheseremindusthatourAmericanstorieshaveneverbeeninevitable,thosemadepossiblebyordinarypeople,whokeptmoralcompasspointedstraightandtrue,whenthewayseemedtreacherous,whentheclimbseemedsteep,whenthefutureseemeduncertain,peoplewhowererecognizedasthefundamentalpartofourAmericancharacter.Wecanremakeourselves,andournationtofitourlargerdreams.Tonight,thoroughtheseries,Ihopeyou'dbeinspiredbytheseextraordinarymenandwomen,andthinkabouthowthisgenerationwillwritethenextchapterinourgreatAmericanstory.Thankyou,andenjoytheshow.Wearealandofmanynations.WeareNewWorldexplorers.Wearethehuddledmasses.Yearningtobreathefreedom,we'llriskitall.Wehavethecouragetodreamtheimpossible,andmakeitthetruth.Westandourground.Chargeheadlongtowardsourdestiny.Adventurerssailacrossanoceantostartanewlife.Anationisborn,whichbecomestheenvyoftheworld.Butinsearchoffreedom,friendsbecomefoes,andthesenewAmericans,willwageawaragainsttheworld'sgreatestmilitarypower.Wearepioneersandtrailblazers.Wefightforfreedom.Wetransformourdreamsintothetruth.Ourstruggleswillbecomeanation.EpisodeOneShiploadsofbusinessmenandtruebelieversarecrossingtheAtlanticOceantocreateanewworld.May1610.120yearsafterColumbus,it'sstillaperilousjourney.Oneship,TheDeliverance,carriesacargothatwillchangeAmericaforever.Allhandsoverhere.OnboardisJohnRolfe,a24-year-oldEnglishfarmer.Ambitious,self-reliant,visionary.Abornentrepreneur.Whattakesussixhourstodaybyplanewasthenavoyageofmorethantwomonths.Sevenoftheearlyadventurersoutofeverytenwillbedeadwithinayear.Landahoy!Buttherisksareworthit.NorthAmericaistheultimatelandofopportunity:Acontinentofvastuntappedwealth,startingwiththemostvaluableresourceofall---land.Whatwillbehometomorethan300millionpeopleliesunderablanketofforestcoveringnearlyhalftheland.Morethan50billiontrees.Furtherwest,9millionsquaremilesofvastAmericanwilderness.60millionbisonroamtheplains.Andunderground,therearerumorsofgems,silverandthelargestseamsofgoldintheworld.ThesettlersexpectnothinglessthanElDorado.ButwhatRolfefindsattheEnglishsettlementofJamestown,ishellonEarth.Morethan500settlersmadethejourneybeforeRolfe.“Hello?”“Hello?”Barely60remain.It'scalledTheStarvingTime.Havingfedonhorsesandotheranimals,weateboots,shoes,andanyotherleatherwecameacross.“Somebody,help!”ThreemonthsbeforeRolfearrives,amanisburnedatthestakeforkillinghispregnantwifeandplanningtoeather.TheEnglisharriveunpreparedforthisnewworldandunwillingtoperformmanuallabor.Insteadoflivestock,they'vebroughtchemicaltestsforgoldthattheyneverfind.Andthisisnottheirland.TheybuildJamestowninthemiddleofaNativeAmericanempire.60starvingsettlersamong20,000ofthePowhatanNation,armedwithbowsandarrowsthatareuptoninetimesfastertoreloadandfirethananEnglishmusket.They'resoonenemies.Onlyoneintenoftheoriginalsettlersisleft.JohnRolfedidn'tcometoplunderandleaveliketheothers.He'sgothisownplan.There'smoneyintobacco,andEnglandisaddicted.He'sarrivedwithasupplyofSouthAmericantobaccoseeds,butgrowingitislimitedtotheSpanishcolonies.TheSpanishcontroltheworldwidetrade.Sellingtobaccoseedstoforeignersispunishablebydeath.ButJohnRolfehasgothishandsonsome.Nooneknowshow.Andinthewarm,humidclimateandfertilesoilaroundtheChesapeakeBay,Rolfe'stobaccocropflourishes.Thefirstlargeharvestproducedbytheseseedsisworthmorethanamilliondollarsintoday'smoney.ThegreatstrengthofAmericaisourpeople.IfyouwannaknowwhatitisthedefiningstrengthofAmerica,itisourpeople,ourimmigranttradition,ourbringinginculturesfromallovertheworld.Iknowwhatgoesintomakingsuccess.Andwhensomebody'sreallysuccessful,it'srarelyluck.It'stalent,it'sbrainpower,it'slotsofotherthings.RolfemarriesthedaughterofthekingofthePowhatanEmpire.Hernamebecomeslegend:Pocahontas.InEngland,RolfemakesheracelebritywhenherfaceisputonaportraitthatsellsalloverLondon,advertisinglifeintheNewWorld.Shakespearementionsthecolony.England'srichinvestmoneyhere.AllofLondonknowsaboutthislandofplenty.Withintwoyears,tobaccogrowsineverygarden.Fromalivinghell,JamestownisAmerica'sfirstboomtown.Twoyearslater,nearly1,000moresettlersarrive,including19fromWestAfrica.Slaves.ButsomegoontoowntheirownlandinVirginia.12yearsafterthefoundingofJamestown,Africanswereplayingashapingroleinthecreationofthecolonies.That'sprettyincredible.30yearslater,thereareover20,000settlersinVirginia.Americaisfoundedontobacco.F