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500 Nations
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500 Nations is an eight-part documentary on the Native Americans of North and Central America. It documents from pre-Columbian to the end of the 19th century. Much of the information comes from text, eyewitnesses, pictorials, and computer graphics. The series was hosted by Kevin Costner, narrated by Gregory Harrison, and directed by Jack Leustig. It included the voice talents of Eric Schweig, Gordon Tootoosis, Wes Studi, Cástulo Guerra, Tony Plana, Edward James Olmos, Patrick Stewart, Gary Farmer, Tom Jackson, Tantoo Cardinal, Dante Basco, Sheldon Peters Wolfchild, Tim Bottoms, Michael Horse, Graham Greene, Floyd Red Crow Westerman, Amy Madigan, Frank Salsedo, and Kurtwood Smith. The series was written by Jack Leustig, Roberta Grossman, Lee Miller, and W. T. Morgan, with Dr. John M. D. Pohl.
"The truth is, we have a story worth talking about. We have a history worth celebrating. Long before the first Europeans arrived here, there were some 500 nations already in North America. They blanketed the continent from coast to coast, from Central America to the Arctic. There were tens of millions of people here, speaking over 300 languages. Many of them lived in beautiful cities, among the largest and most advanced in the world. In the coming hours, 500 Nations looks back on those ancient cultures, how they lived, and how many survived.... What you're about to see is what happened. It's not all that happened, and it's not always pleasant. We can't change that. We can't turn back the clock. But we can open our eyes and give the first nations of this land the recognition and respect they deserve: their rightful place in the history of the world." Kevin Costner
Castfull cast & details
Episodes by season
Season01
- S01E01
The Ancestors: Early Cultures of North AmericaApril 20, 1995—This volume takes a look at the massacre of the Sioux at Wounded Knee then flashes back to examine societies of Native Americans prior to th - S01E02Mexico: The Rise and Fall of the AztecsApril 20, 1995—The rise and fall of the Aztec Empire is examined from their defeat of the Toltec regime to Cortez's ultimate conquest of the Aztecs and all
- S01E03Clash of Cultures: The People Who Met ColumbusApril 21, 1995—Columbus' arrival and the subsequent defeat of the Caribbean tribes are chronicled, along with De Soto's destruction of the Southeast tribes
- S01E04Invasion Of The Coast: The First English SettlementsApril 21, 1995—An examination of the Native Americans of New England and their experiences with the British who settled at Jamestown and Plymouth. Includes
- S01E05Cauldron Of War: Iroquois Democracy And The American RevolutionApril 27, 1995—Hostilities between Native Americans and European settlers erupt across the eastern part of the continent as the colonists prepare for revol
- S01E06Removal: War And Exile In The EastApril 27, 1995—After Tecumseh's Shawnee people side with the British in the War of 1812, President Andrew Jackson signs the Indian Removal Act, forcing all
- S01E07Roads Across The Plains: Struggle For The WestApril 28, 1995—The twin gold rushes in California and Colorado bring hordes of settlers into the Western Territories where such Native American leaders as
- S01E08Attack On Culture: 'I Will Fight No More Forever'April 28, 1995—The Indian resistance of the late 19th-century is examined, including Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce, the Apache leader Cochise and Geronimo,
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