Ken Burns' The American Revolution

trappedslider · 2025-11-22T17:54:17+0000

So, this past week Ken Burns' newest film was released

I watched all of the a six episodes this past week, which are up on the PBS website for watching for free until mid December. Burns basically takes a hammer and breaks a lot of the long standing myths and recent reframing of the war that at least when I was taught about the The American Revolution. For the first time in his filming career he uses reenactors, but they are never the actual focus along with a star studded collection of voice overs. I learned a lot more than I had learned on my own since I left college.

Burns' film covers a 20 year time span from 1756 up to 1780 along side covering all views of it, not just the rebels and British but Indians and slaves.

Micah Sweet · 2025-11-22T18:03:51+0000

trappedslider said:
So, this past week Ken Burns' newest film was released

I watched all of the a six episodes this past week, which are up on the PBS website for watching for free until mid December. Burns basically takes a hammer and breaks a lot of the long standing myths and recent reframing of the war that at least when I was taught about the The American Revolution. For the first time in his filming career he uses reenactors, but they are never the actual focus along with a star studded collection of voice overs. I learned a lot more than I had learned on my own since I left college.

Burns' film covers a 20 year time span from 1756 up to 1780 along side covering all views of it, not just the rebels and British but Indians and slaves.

Just heard about this recently. Looking forward to watching it myself.

MGibster · 2025-11-22T18:04:37+0000

As an undergraduate, I remember getting into a rather heated, uh, let's say debate, with an Englishman over whether the Colonies were justified in breaking away from Great Britain. I haven't watched the documentary yet, but I intend to.

Zaukrie · 2025-11-22T18:23:38+0000

I saw about an hour the other day, and learned an insane amount! I will likely watch the whole thing soon.

Jahydin · 2025-11-22T19:12:48+0000

MGibster said:
As an undergraduate, I remember getting into a rather heated, uh, let's say debate, with an Englishman over whether the Colonies were justified in breaking away from Great Britain. I haven't watched the documentary yet, but I intend to.

What was your stance? Or would that be crossing the political guidelines here, haha?

Growing up in the US, I feel like I've been taught in a way that I would never even considered the question, so now intrigued.

MGibster · 2025-11-22T20:59:36+0000

Jahydin said:
What was your stance? Or would that be crossing the political guidelines here, haha?

As an American, my stance was it's sometimes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which had connected them to another.

Jahydin said:
Growing up in the US, I feel like I've been taught in a way that I would never even considered the question, so now intrigued.

I didn't really get a in depth education about the subject until I was an undergraduate and it was the first time I had gotten the British perspective on the subject. While I think the colonists were perfectly within their rights to separate from Britain, I can't really look at them as the bad guys in a traditional sense. Apparently neither did the Americans, as they were quite keen to resume trading with the British as soon as the war was over.

Kaodi · 2025-11-22T21:16:52+0000

One interesting thing is that at the time of the American Revolution the party enjoying a long period of dominance in British politics was in fact the party that was more sympathetic to the Americans. The focus on the King is also a bit odd to me considering this was quite a while after the idea of parliamentary supremacy had been adopted.

MGibster · 2025-11-22T21:38:48+0000

Kaodi said:
The focus on the King is also a bit odd to me considering this was quite a while after the idea of parliamentary supremacy had been adopted.

The American colonies were in an odd place in that they were established by royal charters rather than any act of Parliament. When petitioning Parliament proved to be ineffective, the colonists tried petitioning George directly. And they'd suck up to George, telling him they're loyal subjects and while they're no fans of Parliament they love him. George basically replied, "I rule through Parliament, so if you love me then just do what they tell you." While some folks hated the monarchy for years, Thomas Payne I'm looking at you, anti-royal sentiment really didn't take off on the colonies until shortly before the fighting.

MGibster · 2025-11-23T00:06:47+0000

Post made in wrong forum.

Zardnaar · 2025-11-23T00:13:24+0000

Ah the Great American Tax dodge where Good King George was betrayed by the mad George Washington.

Nothing could go wrong establishing an oligarchy republic. Nothing whatsoever.

Ken Burns' The American Revolution

trappedslider

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Micah Sweet

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Zaukrie

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Jahydin

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Kaodi

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MGibster

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Zardnaar

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