History

The Roosevelts

The Roosevelts: An Intimate History chronicles the lives of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, three members of the most prominent and influential family in American politics. Available with English audio, English captions, Spanish audio, Spanish captions, and Audio Description.

A Strong and Active Faith (1944-1962)

1h 51m

Frail and failing but determined to see the war through to victory, FDR wins re-election and begins planning for a peaceful postwar world, but a cerebral hemorrhage kills him at 63. After her husband’s death, Eleanor Roosevelt proves herself a shrewd politician and a skilled negotiator in her own right, as well as a champion of civil rights, civil liberties and the United Nations.

Episodes

  • A Strong and Active Faith (1944-1962): asset-mezzanine-16x9

    A Strong and Active Faith (1944-1962)

    S1 E7 - 1h 51m

    Frail and failing but determined to see the war through to victory, FDR wins re-election and begins planning for a peaceful postwar world, but a cerebral hemorrhage kills him at 63. After her husband’s death, Eleanor Roosevelt proves herself a shrewd politician and a skilled negotiator in her own right, as well as a champion of civil rights, civil liberties and the United Nations.

  • The Common Cause (1939-1944): asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Common Cause (1939-1944)

    S1 E6 - 1h 55m

    FDR shatters the third-term tradition, struggles to prepare a reluctant country to enter World War II and, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, helps set the course toward Allied victory. Meanwhile, Eleanor struggles to keep New Deal reforms alive in wartime and travels the Pacific to comfort wounded servicemen.

  • The Rising Road (1933-1939): asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Rising Road (1933-1939)

    S1 E5 - 1h 56m

    FDR brings the same optimism and energy to the White House that his cousin Theodore displayed. Aimed at ending the Depression, his sweeping New Deal restores the people’s self-confidence and transforms the relationship between them and their government. Eleanor rejects the traditional role of first lady, becomes her husband’s liberal conscience and a sometimes controversial political force.

  • The Storm (1920-1933): asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Storm (1920-1933)

    S1 E4 - 1h 56m

    Franklin Roosevelt runs for vice president in 1920 and seems assured of a still brighter future until polio devastates him. He spends seven years struggling without success to walk again, while Eleanor builds her own personal and political life of. FDR returns to politics in 1928 and acts with such vigor during the first years of the Great Depression that the Democrats nominate him for president.

  • The Fire of Life (1910-1919): asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Fire of Life (1910-1919)

    S1 E3 - 1h 56m

    Theodore Roosevelt leads a Progressive crusade that splits his own party, campaigns for American entry into World War I — and pays a terrible personal price. Franklin masters wartime Washington as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, while Eleanor finds personal salvation in war work. Her discovery of Franklin’s romance with another woman transforms their marriage into a largely political partnership.

  • In the Arena (1901-1910): asset-mezzanine-16x9

    In the Arena (1901-1910)

    S1 E2 - 1h 56m

    Murder brings Theodore Roosevelt to the presidency, but in the seven years that follow, he transforms the office and makes himself perhaps the best-loved of all presidents, battling corporate greed, preserving American wilderness, carrying the message of American might around the world. FDR weds Eleanor Roosevelt, and jumps at the chance to run for the New York state senate.

  • Get Action (1858-1901): asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Get Action (1858-1901)

    S1 E1 - 1h 54m

    A frail, asthmatic young Theodore Roosevelt transforms himself into a champion of the strenuous life, loses one great love and finds another, leads men into battle and then rises like a rocket to become the youngest president in American history at 42. Meanwhile, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, brought up as the pampered only child of adoring parents, follows his older cousin’s career with fascination.

Extras + Features

  • Battle of the Bulge: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Battle of the Bulge

    S1 - 2m 19s

    FDR remained calm when hearing of the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944.

  • February 14, 1901: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    February 14, 1901

    S1 - 3m 20s

    Theodore Roosevelt lost both his mother and his wife on Valentine's Day, 1901.

  • Eleanor Roosevelt: South Pacific Visit: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Eleanor Roosevelt: South Pacific Visit

    S1 - 4m 2s

    Eleanor embarked on a humanitarian trip on behalf of the president to the South Pacific to see the troops in hospitals. The Navy’s top command believed it was a publicity stunt, but her actions there quickly changed their minds.

  • Director Ken Burns discusses The Roosevelts: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Director Ken Burns discusses The Roosevelts

    S1 - 1m 30s

    Ken Burns’s seven-part documentary weaves the stories of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, three members of one of the most prominent and influential families in American politics. The 14-hour series marks the first time their individual stories have been woven into a single narrative.

  • Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Visit To Ebbets Field: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Visit To Ebbets Field

    S1 - 3m 45s

    The weather can't stop Franklin Roosevelt. When his 1944 Campaign through four of the five New York City boroughs was compounded with torrential downpours, FDR insisted that it carry on as scheduled, despite the protests from his physician. The tour concluded with a speech at Ebbets Field, home of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

  • Rough Riders WWI: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Rough Riders WWI

    S1 - 3m 45s

    Theodore Roosevelt asks to form a 'rough riders' regiment to fight in World War I.

  • Booker T. Washington at the White House: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Booker T. Washington at the White House

    S1 - 3m 18s

    Theodore Roosevelt invites Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House. Both men respected each other and wanted each other’s support. The dinner went well, but the political backlash took Roosevelt by surprise. Note: This video includes strong or potentially offensive language. Viewer discretion is advised.

Schedule

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