American Experience (1988)

Episode Overview

Anderson Hatfield and Randolph McCoy, the leaders of the infamous feud, were determined entrepreneurs striving to rise above their difficult circumstances, which had been upended by intense economic rivalry and swift technological advancements. When family members from both sides brought their conflicts into the courtroom, what began as a dispute transformed into an all-out war between the two families and a larger struggle involving two states. The Feud goes beyond a mere tale of rural passion and violence; it encapsulates the underlying tensions of a nation grappling with rapid industrialization in the post-Civil War era.