America - The Story of Us flubs!

[fort fireman]

I watched it the other night. Did I think it was great, no. Did I think it was good, yes and I will tell you why. It did have alot of things that were not right. It did have some things that were correct. It was ultimately a cliff note of history. They are trying to hit 200+ yrs of history in 6, 2 hour episodes. Of course things are going to be missed.

Where I am looking at it as a positive is it may light a fire in some kid or adult that has never given much thought to history. i have read sveral posts on this forum or others that i am on about what got guys into the histoical trekking, BP, and other parts of this obsesion. One at the top of the list was the Davey Crockett show with Fess parker. Daniel Boone episodes with Fess Parker. Movies like Jerimiah Johnson, The Last of the Mohicans, The Patiriot. All of which have their historical short comings.
The point is they lit that fire from alot of you guys and myself to go out and learn the history. The real history.

Maybe this miniseries that the history channel is doing will do the same for the next group of young guys and girls to get started. Maybe it won't , we'll see.

It is a far cry better than the manure they've been showing, I.E UFO's, The world without people, Armaggedon week,Monsterquest, Ax men, Ice road truckers. Interesting ,yes history absolutely not.

Just my 2 cents and worth every penny :v

ANDY

 

[Tumblernotch]

I watched it the other night. Did I think it was great, no. Did I think it was good, yes and I will tell you why. It did have alot of things that were not right. It did have some things that were correct. It was ultimately a cliff note of history. They are trying to hit 200+ yrs of history in 6, 2 hour episodes. Of course things are going to be missed.

Where I am looking at it as a positive is it may light a fire in some kid or adult that has never given much thought to history. i have read sveral posts on this forum or others that i am on about what got guys into the histoical trekking, BP, and other parts of this obsesion. One at the top of the list was the Davey Crockett show with Fess parker. Daniel Boone episodes with Fess Parker. Movies like Jerimiah Johnson, The Last of the Mohicans, The Patiriot. All of which have their historical short comings.
The point is they lit that fire from alot of you guys and myself to go out and learn the history. The real history.

Maybe this miniseries that the history channel is doing will do the same for the next group of young guys and girls to get started. Maybe it won't , we'll see.

It is a far cry better than the manure they've been showing, I.E UFO's, The world without people, Armaggedon week,Monsterquest, Ax men, Ice road truckers. Interesting ,yes history absolutely not.

Just my 2 cents and worth every penny :v

ANDY

I hope you're right. But I work as a bus driver for the county school system and am in contact with quite a few kids from grade school to high school. The kids I haul every day (just over 150) live in a rural/suburban area. Grade school kids are interested in just about anything they haven't seen before so I really can't count them. But middle school and higher couldn't care less about history. Oh, sure, there's gonna be a few out there, but even when I was a kid in high school, I was the only one shooting black powder and studying the Civil War and other early history. But as you say, it may spark some interest. I just hope it doesn't end there and those young people come away believing that it happened like obamma and michael douglas said it did.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I for one agree that History is what I watch the history channel for. Do I know who won the civil war, WW1 and WW2 Etc. ? Sure but there are times when we need to be reminded of what happened in these wars and why they were fought. Even if the details aren't always right.I watch the channel less and less because they have tried to bring new stuff in to draw more viewers. But they are losing many true history viewers. :v

 

[trent/OH]

I THOROUGHLY enjoyed it. Slept likely a baby after about 30 minutes.

 

Movies like Jerimiah Johnson, The Last of the Mohicans, The Patiriot. All of which have their historical short comings.


The point is they lit that fire from a lot of you guys and myself to go out and learn the history. The real history.

Excellent point. It seems that many people got interested in muzzleloading, due to "inaccurate" movies, but now that they are "into it", they are the experts who criticize anything that they deem not worthy of their expertise.

They all forgot where they came from now that they are looking down from that lofty perch. :wink:

 

[redwing]

Who the hell will be better off lied to? Oh, hell I'ed say Jack Wilson

 

[MikeChapin]

I passed on it in favor of a better history show, "The Pacific". The more I hear about it now the less I want to see it. It sounds like an analog to all the Science Channel stuff shrieking about global warming.

I may watch it later when it is on the weekend and there is nothing else on.

 

[Stophel]

It used to be "The Hitler Channel"...all Hitler, all the time. Now it is the "since we know the Bible can't be true, here's what 'really' happened" channel. No thank you. :barf:

I even have recorded some of the 18th century shows that they did several years ago...Rev War stuff, King's Mountain, Boone and Crockett, etc. As I understand it, it was a separate production company that did all those. At any rate, those are all OK, and I dust them off and watch them again from time to time, but they haven't done anything worth watching since.

 

[brubincam]

-----silly me--I saw the TC rifles in the JIM BRIDGER special----- :v -----will you forgive me??-----

 

[Emet Huntsman]

You are correct that we all got started somewhere.
I am a member of a group that meets monthly at the local NPS site with the sole purpose of being historically accurate in what we do so the younger generation can get started on the right foot. The kids eat it up.
I just have to ask, with all that the producers of these programs for the History Channel have available to get it right the first time, why do a shoddy, h-a job?

 

[Pigman]

Some times what is historicaly accurate varries. Years ago I read an interesting article about how current popular thought influences historical accuracy in movies. If you are doing a movie about a time period you may have several options for correct hats or clothing. The producers chooce the one they like based upon the likes of the current time. Movies made at different times can be historicaly accurate but different and a product of their time.

Foster From Flint

 

[tg]

Damn, you guys are getting hardup for things to fight about, why not revisit some of the classics like the traditional position of the maxi ball, ventliners in trade guns or Virginia rifles made in 1969 by .....Hell, I cannot recall the name :grin:

 

[John Wasmuth]

Traditional position of a maxi-ball? I didnt think that one could "Traditionally" positionsomething that was traditional? But I been wrong afore.

 

[redwing]

Yes, like missing the point. Maybe you should reread TGs post. :shake:

 

[Heavy Eagle]

:hmm: When they were talking about Morgan's Riflemen, every long gun they showed were smoothbore musket by their look and then told the audience that they were rifled. I also always thought the shoot that killed General Frazier was shoot form 300 yds, but they said 500 yds which would almost a third of a mile. For us who life have been filled with all the history of our country and to see this sloppy redetion make us ill. THis would be expected back when they made "Last of the Mohican" with Randolph Scoot and "Northwest Passage", but now with all the research that has been done in the last 25-30 years there is no excuse. Historyt Channel has done better in the past and should be ashame for passing this joke as history.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Yes, like missing the point. Maybe you should reread TGs post. :shake:

You dont recognize sarcasim when you see it? TG will know exactly what I am refering to. :thumbsup:

 

[Fullstock58]

It was a re-writing of History, nothing more, and the TV coma crowd will now think there more educated.

 

[preston cook]

Movies like Jerimiah Johnson, The Last of the Mohicans, The Patiriot. All of which have their historical short comings.


The point is they lit that fire from a lot of you guys and myself to go out and learn the history. The real history.

Excellent point. It seems that many people got interested in muzzleloading, due to "inaccurate" movies, but now that they are "into it", they are the experts who criticize anything that they deem not worthy of their expertise.

They all forgot where they came from now that they are looking down from that lofty perch. :wink:

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :thumbsup:

 

[Vaino]

Any and all events in history are "viewed" though the "eyes" of many different "chroniclers" and includes all their biases and then when read, are further distorted by the biases of the many different readers. So....what are the actual historical facts of any event or history in general as judged by any individual? Don't think anyone will ever know for certain because we all want to believe what we want to believe. So, what is the conclusion....history is all in the "eye of the beholder" and isn't factual but an illusion of fact. That's just the way humans are....Fred

 

[redwing]

Yes Fred thats what the Left wing preachs to our children. Americans have no true history. Our forefathers were greedy liars and killers. There was never a real American Revolution with real American heros. Washington to Jackson were all just fakes of American imagination. American History is not real its only what you want to believe. Geees I hate that left wing thinking. :cursing: