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Before America

26m 46s

Before America is a cinematic documentary series uncovering the Indigenous histories of Michigan long before the United States existed. From the 1763 uprising at Fort Michilimackinac to Odawa trail trees and the overlooked women of Fort Detroit, each episode reveals how Anishinaabe nations shaped Great Lakes history and helped spark the chain of events that ultimately pushed the American colonies.

Aired: 05/19/26
Extras
A 19th-century painting twisted Pontiac’s War—this episode uncovers the real story.
Michigan’s Indigenous history that helped spark the American Revolution.
The untold story of Indigenous women whose power shaped Pontiac’s War and Michigan’s history.
A 1763 lacrosse match at Fort Michilimackinac turns into a daring Native rebellion.
Reframing America’s origins through Native resistance in the Great Lakes.