Plot Synopsis

MAKING NORTH AMERICA, a three-part series shown as episodes of NOVA, presents a bold and sweeping biography of North America, as host Kirk Johnson, the Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, embarks on an epic road trip to uncover the clues just beneath its people's feet. The series opens with a journey into the deep past to discover the mighty forces that shaped the continent. The second episode explores the story of life and land, from origins to dinosaurs to an ancient primate invasion. And the series concludes by discovering the human story of vast wealth -- and lethal risks -- hidden in North America's landscape.