Parents' Guide to

The Men Who Built America

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Some violent images in well-done business tycoon miniseries.

TV History Educational 2012
The Men Who Built America Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 9+

Based on 2 parent reviews

dtmarc
dtmarc Parent of 8, 9, 10 and 11-year-old
March 18, 2022
age 10+

You can accomplish anything with hard work! The American Dream is alive!

Very good series! Young people need to learn about these amazing role models and men who changed the world.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
t S.
t S. Adult
April 4, 2020
age 8+

We enjoyed this series very much, with some caviats..

I am weary of The History Channel which tend to sensationalize and have less substance than some others. This one was also narrow in content. However, it brought history to life for my 8 and 11 year olds, who were learning about these tycoons for the first time. They asked to watch it every night. There was some violence.. I remember a gun scene (Pinkertons, Carnegie workers' strike) and another scene of close-range gun shot with graphic imagery of blood splattered. That was a poor choice, in my opinion, but a small part to the whole series. For reference, I gave one star/16+ for violence and sensationalism to "America: The Story of US" (by History). I now choose to generally stay away from films by History.
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What's the Story?

THE MEN WHO BUILT AMERICA is a documentary miniseries that tells the stories of the innovators and entrepreneurs who helped build the contemporary American financial and industrial landscape. Each episode tells the life story of men like Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie (Adam Jonas Segaller), J.P. Morgan (Eric Rolland), and Henry Ford, offering details about how they were each able to go from modest means to financial greatness. Actor-portrayed reenactments show how these men took small ideas and made them revolutionary, struck smart business deals, and engaged in underhanded tactics designed to put the competition out of business. Interviews with current business people like Charles Schwab, Carly Fiorina, and Donald Trump, innovators like Ted Turner and Steve Wozniak, and financial experts like Donny Deutsch and Alan Greenspan, offer their insight into the long-term impact the intelligence, ingenuity, and hard work of these early businessmen continue to have on the nation and on themselves.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (5 ):

The series highlights the key people who pursued post-Civil War financial investments in infrastructures like the transcontinental railroads, oil pipelines, and automobile manufacturing, while finding innovative ways to make them more lucrative. It also underscores the significant role these individuals have had on America's corporate and social world, despite the fact that some of their names have become synonymous with greed and corruption in today's mainstream media.

Despite the fact that women and individuals from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds are missing from series' conversations, there is still a lot to be learned here. It offers an interesting chance of to gain a basic understanding of how America's current business landscape got its start, and why it is the way it is today. No doubt that history and business buffs will find it a worthy viewing choice.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about significant events in American history that have had led to new inventions and businesses. What lasting impact did these things have on the nation? Is the impact of these things all positive?

  • Why are most of the featured people white males? Does this reflect the reality of who was in power during these times, or is it an oversight on the part of the producers?

  • Can girls still be inspired by male role models? How does seeing yourself reflected (or not) in portrayals of powerful people affect your self understanding?

TV Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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