Die Entstehung der US-Bundesstaaten

I grew up reading history and have never lost my interest. Having participated in several History Channel programs, it was a disappointment to see how "The Channel" (not much history) warped into such fare as Swamp People and Ice Rd Truckers.

I was unaware of. Mr. Unger until I saw a States Got Their Shapes episode. His extremely casual attire threw me: who is this with his plaid shirt unbuttoned, revealing an unbuttoned undershirt? Oh, he's the host!

Perhaps I'm a relic of the previous century, but in broadcasting and journalism classes we were taught that appearance lends credibility, and it doesn't have to be a suit and tie.

Just FWIW.

The first season was amazing, I loved it. Something very strange happened in the second season though, it adopted a cheesy game show type style and VERY centralized around the Midwest. Every episode in the second season seems to have something to do with the Midwest. What about the other states? Yeah, they are mentioned but not explored in depth. I've heard them talk about Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, etc., what about Oregon, Washington, Montana? Hell, California has only been features once or twice. Maybe the boarders are more interesting in the Midwest but you could still talk about the other states more. Maybe I'm wrong and have missed something but it just seems like the producer of the show loves the great lakes area.

Not sure if it's the title or what but cannot believe it took me 9 years to watch this show. Went way over my head. Thanks to the new History Channel App, I immediately saw it & gave it a try & then bought the whole season. So much valuable information and greatly produced. Very underrated. Everybody who is an American should watch this show.

How the States Got Their Shapes is a very informative, educational program that would be great for school-aged kids or adults wanting to learn something new. The first few episodes of season one seem to be the best, at least in my opinion. I haven't watched the second season yet, as I've read it's more of a gameshow type thing.

In the first two episodes of season one alone, we learn how at least twenty states got their shape because of water access, slavery, and transportation. The episode entitled The Great Plains, Trains and Automobiles was by far my favorite. Its depth of the railroad history and how the Civil War and slavery shaped the rail industry was really interesting. The rail system did more to shape America than anything before or since, creating the timezones we use today, which synced everyone ahead of the 2st century.

I wasn't enthusiastic about the host of the show, as I felt he was somewhat boring. They could have gotten someone more interesting and entertaining, somelone like Rick Harrison of Pawn Stars. Imagine him hosting this show, and how energetic he would be.

When we sit down to watch television as a family, we choose documentaries.

In addition, we are Americans living in Canada so it is important for us that our daughter (now 13, moved here when she was not quite 8) get some American History in addition to the Canadian and Quebecois history she gets in school.

I downloaded the first episode to gauge her reaction and interest. To my delight, she immediately requested I download the rest of the series.

Told in a fun conversational style, and using some footage that I am pretty sure was part of "The Story of US" , it takes you through different angles of just how the United States ended up looking the way it looks.

To Date we have seen the first three covering how Water, Transportation and Forces of Nature have impacted the shapes of the United States. In between the segments, I have shared stories about where I was born (Wheeling West Virgina) as well as being a little girl in Jacksonville North Carolina in the early 1970's with no air conditioning in sight - something that seems almost inconceivable today.

Listen, when you can hook a 13 year old and get her to ask for More? You are doing something right.