How the States Got Their Shapes

Brian Unger explores how America's States got their borders and how they continue to change today.
Red State vs. Blue State
S2 E1

How the U.S. is divided politically and what happens to the states caught in the middle.

White Collar vs. Blue Collar
S2 E2

The division of labor and how it shapes U.S. states and cities.

Hillbilly vs. Redneck
S2 E3

Rural cultures clashed and shaped states.

Hatfields vs. McCoy
S2 E4

The Hatfield and McCoy feud almost launched a war between two states.

North vs. South
S2 E5

War is needed to close a divide in the country.

Battle of the Bible Belt
S2 E7

Religion through U.S. history.

Vice vs. Virtue
S2 E8

Vices such as drugs and gambling by state.

Midwest vs. the Rest
S2 E9

Hidden features of the Midwest.

City vs. Country
S2 E10

States changed by urban expansion.

Is West Best?
S2 E11

The future of the conquered American West.

East vs. West
S2 E12

Rivalry between east and west coasts.

Rebels & Outlaws
S2 E13

Rebels and outlaws shaping states.

Mess With Texas
S2 E14

Texas is the largest state.

State vs. State
S2 E15

Individual U.S. states make power plays throughout history.

Rich vs. Poor
S2 E16

How the pursuit of wealth has shaped the U.S.

Bigfoot vs. Aliens
S2 E17

Different states fear different supernatural phenomena.

Big vs. Small
S2 E18

Large states and small states.

The United Shapes of America
S2 E19

Unique American values that make up the nation; how the map has shaped Americans.

A River Runs Through It
S1 E1

A mistake made by the Founding Fathers affects the Georgia-Tennessee border; why Maine has so much water.

The Great Plains, Trains and Automobiles
S1 E2

Why Chicago could have been in Wisconsin; why are states out West so big and boxy; Forgottonia.

Force of Nature
S1 E3

How an asteroid created the border for three states; how glaciers that plowed the Great Plains altered the map.

State of Rebellion
S1 E4

Why Montana looks like it took a bite out of Idaho; why Texas was broken up into five states; why are there two Carolinas.

Use It or Lose It
S1 E6

If you thought our borders were set in stone, you'd be wrong.

Church and States
S1 E7

Could Utah have been bigger than Texas?; how religion shattered New England into little shapes; the Civil War's origin in Kansas.

A Boom With a View
S1 E8

How Green Bay helped carve the border with Canada; what football has to do with fur; is North Carolina the real Golden State; why everyone should move to North Dakota.

Culture Clash
S1 E9

World War II preserves the shape of California; part of Maine becomes northern Massachusetts; Florida's cowboy tradition.

Mouthing Off
S1 E10

Why southern accents didn't exist until after the Civil War; California athletes coin new words; pop versus soda; an accent that may cause New York to break up.