America: The Story of US

[handy]

This is a good show. It's put out by the History Channel (OK, not always the best when it comes to history but...). The graphics get a little too much for me, but the there are things in the show that I had never known before.

And, it's generally a positive show about our nation. It doesn't turn a blind eye to our past, but it doesn't act as if America is the biggest evil on the face of the planet either.

It's available on NetFlixs.

 

[Former Christian]

Handy

The History Channel does tend to promote that which is culturally of interest. And is thus sometime biased in that direction. Their thinking is monetary primarily. We must be discerning and knowledgeable to watch what they produce. But that being said, most of what they produce is accurate and interesting in spite of the bias.

This particular piece is also on YouTube if anyone wants to watch it. It’s very long and apparently comprehensive. There are several sections. Much too long for me to watch at this time. Perhaps you could give a few highlights of some things you found interesting.

FC

 

[Mike]

I'm watching it now, Dora. It's up my alley, but I have to say, I'm real turned off watching documentaries when they do reenactments along the way. I'd much prefer they just showed sketches. I listened to Tom Brokaw's "The Greatest Generation" on CD years ago. I thought that was very well done and lifted up men and women who deserve much respect. The CD's have music and sound bites that you wouldn't get from a book.

Oh, and just a question as I'm watching... Why is Donald Trump being asked to comment on historical figures?

 

[handy]

I have to admit, I get a little annoyed by the graphics and reenactments as well...but Thomas and Viola love them and they are eating the series up! Which is always a good thing, to get them interested in history.

Some of the things that I've gotten out of it so far:

I never knew how much the invention of the cotton gin spurred us to war. The cotton gin really increased the monetary value of a slave. I knew of the gin of course, and that slavery was the issue of the day...but the creation of the gin meant that one slave could process far more cotton than ever before.

Also, how much of an impact the mini ball had on the fatalities of the Civil War. It reminds me a lot of Agincourt and Henry V's famous win over the French. Same story of new war technology being used in old style fighting...resulting in a blood bath.

Anyway, I do like it over all...it handles America's "warts" honestly without losing sight of America's accomplishments and essential nobility.

 

[handy]

As for Trump...love him or hate him...he is part of an American success story. His grandfather was a German immigrant, his father rose to millionaire success in real estate and Trump took it to the next level.

With all the money, you'd think he could buy better hair.

 

[Mike]

Well, these things are like wall-paper I suppose. We have different kinds because people have different preferences. If others like this, great. But there were too many reenactments for my taste. I also prefer to have historians comment on people or events in history. If Donal Trump or other celebrities were used to explain how events created an atmosphere for them to thrive, okay, but don't have them in the place of historians, telling us about people and events.

Oh, and I've always heard the argument that our war was all about cotton. The South needed cotton production to sustain it's economy. It was crucial.

One of the best books I've ever read about American history was "George Washington: A Life" by Ron Chernow. This gives a very thorough account of the man who never, ever aspired to lead his country. He was asked to do it, so he reluctantly did out of obligation to the country he believed in. (When's the last time we had a leader who didn't aspire greatly to be in his position?) It also describes how close we were to losing the independence of our country. It's mind boggling to think that we were so close to never becoming what we did. Incredibly out-numbered, having a thin army of malnourished soldiers who didn't have adequate protection from the winter cold, Washington's strategic decisions resulted in a very improbable outcome.

Sorry, I didn't mean to get off topic like that.