In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America

In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America is a ten-part documentary series that examines the history of American democracy through the lens of Philadelphia, the city where the nation’s founding ideals were first debated, tested, and contested. Spanning more than four centuries, the series explores how struggles over freedom, power, belonging, and self-government have shaped both the city and the country.

Episode 2: Land (1700–1763) examines the forces that shaped early Pennsylvania as Philadelphia expanded into a growing colonial hub. At the center is a fundamental clash between Indigenous understandings of land as shared and European systems of ownership, culminating in the Walking Purchase, a pivotal moment that altered the region’s future.

Following the screening, Dr. Lucy Fowler Williams, exhibition curator of the Native North America Gallery, engages in conversation with series writer Nathaniel Popkin, along with local on-screen experts Aislinn Pentecost-Farren and Dwight Dunston. They will explore how the history presented in the film connects to the stories and perspectives highlighted in the Museum’s collection, offering deeper context on the enduring impact of these early decisions.