The first part of the History Channel's six part series "America The Story of US" became the most watched and highest rated program in the network's history. Sunday's episode was watched by 5.7 million total viewers and drew a 4.0 household rating, the network announced on Monday.
The 12-hour series story looks at America's relationship with technology over a 400-year period, from the development of the transcontinental railroad to the dawn of the Internet.
Sunday's kick-off featured an introduction by President Barack Obama and focused on Plymouth Plantation and the cultivation of tobacco in Jamestown.
The show also featured commentary by a diverse range of talking heads such as actors Meryl Streep and Michael Douglas and General Colin Powell -- part of what has been characterized as an attempt to draw a younger crowd and broaden the typical audience for the network's programming.
Based on last night's ratings, the gambit paid off.
