The American Revolution S1E2 — An Asylum for Mankind (May 1775 – July 1776)

8.2

The American Revolution•Season 1•Episode 2

An Asylum for Mankind (May 1775 – July 1776)

8.2/10 · 359 votesNov 17, 2025124 min

Ranked #2 of 6 in Season 1•+0.1 vs season avg

Discussion

Congress puts George Washington in command of a new Continental Army; Congress declares American independence in July 1776.

Directed bySarah Botstein, Ken Burns, David P. Schmidt

Written byGeoffrey C. Ward

Previous episodeE1 · In Order to Be Free (May 1754 – May 1775)Next episodeE3 · The Times That Try Men's Souls (July 1776 – January 1777)

Seasons1

All 1

Season 1 Episodes6

E1 8.3

In Order to Be Free (May 1754 – May 1775)

E2 8.2Now viewing

An Asylum for Mankind (May 1775 – July 1776)

E3 8.1

The Times That Try Men's Souls (July 1776 – January 1777)

E4 8.1

Conquer by a Drawn Game (January 1777 – February 1778)

E5 7.9

The Soul of All America (December 1777 – May 1780)

E6 8.2

The Most Sacred Thing (May 1780 – Onward)

Cast1

Peter Coyote

Narrator (voice)

Crew5

Jacquelyn Chin

Assistant Sound Editor

Sarah Botstein

Director

Ken Burns

Director

David P. Schmidt

Director

Geoffrey C. Ward

Writer

Discussion

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Episode Summary

"An Asylum for Mankind (May 1775 – July 1776)" is episode 2 of The American Revolution season 1. It scored 8.2/10 from 359 votes, ranking #2 of 6 episodes this season (season average 8.1). Directed by Sarah Botstein, Ken Burns, David P. Schmidt and written by Geoffrey C. Ward, it aired on November 17, 2025.

Next: E3 · The Times That Try Men's Souls (July 1776 – January 1777)Best of Season 1