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IMDbPro

How the States Got Their Shapes

  • TV Series
  • 2011–2012
  • TV-PG
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
756
YOUR RATING
How the States Got Their Shapes (2011)
How The States Got Their Shapes
Play trailer0:21
1 Video
39 Photos
AdventureDocumentaryHistory

Host Brian Unger travels the United States explaining the weird shapes on the map.Host Brian Unger travels the United States explaining the weird shapes on the map.Host Brian Unger travels the United States explaining the weird shapes on the map.

  • Stars
    • Brian Unger
    • H.W. Brands
    • Mark Stein
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.2/10
    756
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • Brian Unger
      • H.W. Brands
      • Mark Stein
    • 9User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Episodes29

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    Videos1

    How The States Got Their Shapes
    Trailer 0:21
    How The States Got Their Shapes

    Photos39

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    Brian Unger
    Brian Unger
    • Self - Host
    • 2011–2012
    H.W. Brands
    H.W. Brands
    • Self - University of Texas at Austin…
    • 2011
    Mark Stein
    • Self - Author, How the States Got Their Shapes…
    • 2011
    Seth Stein
    • Self - Northwestern University
    • 2011
    George Wunderlich
    • Self - National Museum of Civil War Medicine
    • 2011
    Richard Stewart
    • Self - Bureau of Reclamation
    • 2011
    Robert Rosen
    • Self - Author, A Short History of Charleston
    • 2011
    Peter Merlin
    Peter Merlin
    • Self - Aerospace Historian
    • 2011
    Bart Crattie
    • Self - Land Surveyor
    • 2011
    Tom Lowe
    • Self - Bannack State Park
    • 2011
    Travis Wallbaum
    • Self - Fisherman
    • 2011
    Chonda Pierce
    Chonda Pierce
    • Self - Christian Comedian
    • 2012
    Jennifer Stefano
    • Self - Tea Party Activist
    • 2012
    Sonya Race
    • Self - Mother
    • 2012
    Ricky Gonzalez
    • Self - U.S. Citizen
    • 2012
    Rhettman Mullis
    • Self - Bigfoot Expert
    • 2012
    Doug Walker
    • Self - Self-Proclaimed Hillbilly
    • 2012
    Ted Gambordella
    • Self - Republican Father
    • 2012
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews9

    8.2756
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    Featured reviews

    10johnwiu

    1st episode turns into you watching them all!

    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.
    8btillman48

    Good concept except...

    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.
    funwithstardestroyers

    Finally something on the History Channel that doesn't involve Ice Road Truckers, or Swamp People!!

    When I first heard about this series, I was excited for many reasons. One reason was that it was actually something that involved history on The History Channel. It seems that for the last few years, The History Channel has pursued a policy of forsaking almost anything that has to do with history in favor of stupid, unoriginal reality shows, "ancient aliens" and other things that just don't belong on a channel about history.

    Another reason is that, each of our states have such a rich, deep history that's unique to every single state. It's good to learn about that kind of thing. I mean, it's our own country for cryin' out loud! We should want to learn more about it! A show that teaches us that is okay with me.

    Not only is the show educational, but it's entertaining. We follow Mr. Unger as he visits all fifty states and along the way he'll visit some interesting sites (some that have been almost forgotten), speak to some experts and even talk to the residents of the various states where he asks them questions about their own state, as well as others.

    The quest goes far beyond geography, because the show explores the deep history and eccentricities of each state, such as the battle over BBQ, the different accents around our country and other cultural differences. It even shows us some states that were lost, such as Franklin and Deseret.

    If you've ever seen and enjoyed Stephen Fry's America, you'd enjoy this as well. If you've never seen either, you'd still enjoy this, because it's a deep, but fun look at the history of our country.
    9drjgardner

    Educational

    This series is very educational and you will learn many things that you never knew about, things that are commonplace but you never thought about them. The visual aides are good and you get a chance to visit all the places under study. Most interesting are the states that didn't get organized. Definitely a must-see for history buffs
    8balefulregards

    Very Entertaining Series

    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.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      If you notice, most camera shots involving host Brian Unger and the people he is interviewing are actually flip-flopped. This way, people can draw states and lines from their perspective which is later reversed in the editing room for television viewing.
    • Connections
      Referenced in The Middle: The Wisdom Teeth (2016)

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    FAQ15

    • How many seasons does How the States Got Their Shapes have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 3, 2011 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Die Entstehung der US-Bundesstaaten
    • Production company
      • Half Yard Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h(60 min)
    • Color
      • Color

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