How the States Got Their Shapes

Season 2

TV-PG

Follows correspondent Brian Unger as he criss-crosses the country reporting on the tales behind the boundaries. Think: Why does Montana look like it took a bite out of Idaho? Or how are flying fish threatening to re-draw the lines of Illinois?

Where to Watch Season 2

19 Episodes

Red State vs. Blue State
E1
Red State vs. Blue StateIt's a rivalry that tears us apart every four years, but how did our nation divide into red states vs. blue states, and what happens to the states caught in the middle?
White Collar vs. Blue Collar
E2
White Collar vs. Blue CollarDeep in the Rust Belt the white collar and blue collar divide has shaped our cities and our states. How did this rivalry change the way we all bring home the bacon?
Hillbilly vs. Redneck
E3
Hillbilly vs. RedneckTwo underdogs of American culture go head to head to prove how hillbillies and rednecks have shaped our states.
Hatfields vs. McCoys
E4
Hatfields vs. McCoysAmerica's most iconic rivalry was more than just a feud between families. The fight between the Hatfields and McCoys nearly launched a war between two states.
North vs. South
E5
North vs. SouthIt's America's original rivalry, a divide that was so wide it took a war to close the gap. But have we really reunited, or are we still fighting a culture war?
Bigfoot vs. Aliens
E6
Bigfoot vs. AliensAmerica is a nation under siege by unexplained phenomena. Whether you're afraid of Bigfoot or alien invasion might depend on what state you call home.
Great Lakes, Big Stakes
E7
Great Lakes, Big StakesBattles over access to lakefront property have made the Great Lakes region the most contested land on the entire map, and even pushed the states to a border war.
Battle of the Bible Belt
E8
Battle of the Bible BeltWith 85% of Americans affiliated with an organized religion, we're a nation of believers, but have we always practiced what we preached?
Vice vs. Virtue
E9
Vice vs. VirtueAmericans have a lot of vices and they don't just stay in Vegas. From drugs to gambling, the state you live in may shape how bad you can be.
Midwest vs. The Rest
E10
Midwest vs. The RestIt's the glue that holds our map together and feeds America, but the Midwest is more than just state fairs and flyover country.
Is West Best?
E11
Is West Best?Americans have been racing to tame the West since they first set foot on the continent, but now that the West has been won, what's next? Is the West still the best.
City vs. Country
E12
City vs. CountryIn the battle between city and country, it looks like the city is coming out ahead in population, but is there something about the country that all the city slickers are missing? And how has the move from rural to urban changed the shapes of our states and cities?
East vs. West
E13
East vs. WestThe squabble between east coast and west coast leaves the rest of the country stuck in the middle. It's a rivalry that has made its way into our popular culture, but is there any common ground in this continental tug of war?
Rebels & Outlaws
E14
Rebels & OutlawsWe may be a law-abiding nation but we also admire the outlaw, and the clash between rebels and the rules has shaped our states. Which states like to make their own rules, and which do the heat have on lockdown?
Mess with Texas
E15
Mess with TexasEverything is bigger in Texas. It's the only state that acts like a country, but has it grown too big for its britches? We'll mess with Texas to settle this ten-gallon rivalry.
State vs. State
E16
State vs. StateWe're the United States, but sometimes, it's every state for itself. Nearly every state has pulled a power play that gamed the system and changed the map. How much can you get away with when it's state vs. state?
Rich vs Poor
E17
Rich vs PoorMoney makes the world go 'round and in America, the pursuit of fortune and riches has shaped our states. Some states have built enormous economies on resources like gold, oil, or timber, but they first had to draw their borders around all the riches in order to stake a claim. In the race to grab up all the country's treasures, which states were the slowest on the uptake, and which came out on top?
Big vs Small
E18
Big vs SmallDoes size matter when you're a state? While the giants like to throw their weight around, there are some scrappy underdogs that have made their mark on the map.
The United Shapes of America
E19
The United Shapes of AmericaAfter three years on the road, host Brian Unger is taking a different look at just how our states got their shapes. We'll hear about the unique American values that have made this country what it is today, and travel from coast to coast and everywhere in between. Along the way, Brian reveals that just as we shaped the map, it has shaped us.