'The American Future' on BBC America

British historian Simon Schama never expected Barack Obama to so thoroughly wipe out the Democratic competition during primary season. But as he watched history unfold while filming his latest documentary The American Future: A History, Schama prepared for the unexpected.

“This was not going to be an election of business as usual," he said. “Very likely this was going to be an election where Americans would ask themselves, 'How did we get into this sorry mess?' “

Using the elections as a backdrop, Schama set out to answer that very question in his latest project, which airs as a two-part series today and Tuesday on BBC America. The DVD hits stores Tuesday.

The American Future weaves through the nation's interior, exposing conflict and trepidation in a country still fighting to understand itself. Schama traveled the United States over nine months, digging deep into American history and deciphering what is at stake for the future.