The History Channel Presents 'FOUNDING MOTHERS'

The History Channel Presents 'FOUNDING MOTHERS'

Based on a New York Times Bestseller by Veteran News Journalist Cokie Roberts

March 6, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT

NEW YORK, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- You've heard of the Founding Fathers and Founding Brothers, but it's time to tell the story of the Founding Mothers. Based on the amazing tales of women such as Abigail Adams, Martha Washington, Esther Reed and others, it's safe to say that most of the men who wrote the Declaration of Independence, fought the Revolution, and formed the United States government couldn't have done it without the strong women behind them. The women of colonial America influenced the Founding Fathers in ways not always captured by the history books, doing everything from encouraging amiable discourse amongst themselves to defending their homes against British soldiers while the men were off at war. They were special women living in extraordinary times, and now, in honor of Women's History Month, The History Channel(R) brings you FOUNDING MOTHERS, hosted by Cokie Roberts and airing Sunday, March 6, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

FOUNDING MOTHERS, based on the New York Times bestseller by veteran news journalist Cokie Roberts, explores the contributions of the many women who helped shape the United States of America. During the early days of civil unrest in the colonies, the women insisted that the men come together for civilized conversations at dinner parties, helping keep the fragile new country from falling into fatal partisan discord. In short, the women made the men behave. Some took even more active roles, like Benjamin Franklin's wife Deborah, who tended to the family's print shop in Philadelphia while her husband played politics for years at a time in England. Later, at age fifty- seven and in defense of her home and children, she would face down an angry mob upset at her husband's perceived support for British taxation.

The individual stories of courage during trying times are many, but FOUNDING MOTHERS also brings to light the incredible way that American women banded together to support the revolution in every way they could. When the British sought to impose taxes on its tea in the colonies, the women gave up their favored drink for months at a time. When British goods necessary to make clothing were boycotted throughout the colonies, the women took up sewing and made their own, eschewing comfort and fashion to support the pursuit of liberty. During the war, Esther Reed led cost-cutting and fund-raising efforts that raised more than $300,000 in a few short weeks to aid the starving and under-equipped rebel troops. John Adams made no secret of his reliance on them in the struggle against the British. He wrote to his wife Abigail, "I must entreat you, my dear partner in all the joys and sorrows, prosperity and adversity in life, to take part with me in the struggle."

Perhaps most inspiring of all, though, are the tales of bravery on the battlefields during the eight-year-long Revolutionary War. Martha Washington left her sprawling Virginia estate to work tireless hours tending to sick soldiers during the long winters at Valley Forge and Moorestown. Deborah Sampson and Molly Pitcher even earned full military pensions for their efforts, a huge departure from the norms of the time. FOUNDING MOTHERS shares these and other tales of bravery and dedication that deserve the same recognition that our Founding Fathers have earned through history. The men have gotten their due ... and now the women will, too. Join us for FOUNDING MOTHERS on The History Channel.

Executive Producer for The History Channel is Margaret G. Kim. FOUNDING MOTHERS was produced for The History Channel by ABC News Productions.

Now reaching more than 87 million Nielsen subscribers, The History Channel(R), "Where the Past Comes Alive(R)," brings history to life in a powerful manner and provides an inviting place where people experience history personally and connect their own lives to the great lives and events of the past. In 2004, The History Channel earned five News and Documentary Emmy(R) Awards and previously received the prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network's "Save Our History(R)" campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education. The History Channel web site is located at http://www.history.com/.


Source: The History Channel

CONTACT: Jenna Farkas, +1-212-210-9184, jenna.farkas@aetn.com

Web site: http://www.historychannel.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information and photography please visit us on the web at http://www.historychannelpress.com

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