Multi part Ken Burns production starts tonight on PBS. 7PM CST

This message has been edited. Last edited by: parabellum,

Thank you for the FYI, I have been looking forward. I'm glad I'm able to stream it. Thought I might have to turn on the old rabbit ears.

https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-american-revolution

So, did PBS make it appear we owe the Brits and apology? Heck, libTards insist we should apologize to everyone else.

^This is Ken Burns' story, not PBS. 2 episodes in and I don't see anything resembling what you're talking about. Of course, Paul Giamatti had to be the voice of John Adams. It's also on Prime through the PBS app. Granted, this will probably be the only thing I watch on the app. Can't wait till they get to Cowpens.

I’ve just seen the first episode (recording others when shown for later viewing), and I too haven’t seen anything overtly left-wing. Yes, the “slavery issue” does show up (how could it not, as it’s part of the whole History of USA), but it’s not like that “1619 Project” bullshit.

As has been stated in the show, the founding of the USA was a unique experience in History. It’s not based on language, religion, ethnicity, or any other such factor, but upon the belief in a concept of individual human rights and dignity.

Only the English language was the common factor, but that’s because of who settled here and why they came. Others speaking different languages quickly learned the language, but retained their individual heritage and melded it into the greater whole.

I started to watch but decided Peter Coyote wasn't the guy to tell me about American history.

I saw part of it and it looked good. Just now re-reading the first of the Atkinson trilogy on the Revolutionary War so the timing is perfect.

I don't find it overly biased. You have to consider who makes such shows and the historians and authors are all going to be a bit to the left.

https://x.com/Geiger_Capital/s.../1990978365893857541

"The 2nd episode was awful.

Every good thing said about George Washington was essentially followed up with "but… he still owned slaves".

Maybe 1/3 of the entire episode was focused on racial issues, even while covering major events like Bunker Hill, the Battle of Quebec and Common Sense. Of course racial issues existed and should be included, but the constant and forced input feels like peak woke era. Horrible presentism pushed onto some of the most important events of the American Revolution."

So Ken Burns is immune to White Savior criticism?

I figured it would be as the review in Para's post. Ken Burn's doc. on the Civil War from years ago I thought was worthwhile. Not so much anything after that, though.

I like it, but there is a lot of "yeah, it was about liberty BUT" in there.

For example, I guess there was some treaty between England(?) and some of the Indian nations about no expansion west of the Appalachians? Washington and others made bank off of land sales, so they hint at that being a motivation to cast off English rule. I'm sure like in all things that the potential for personal gain went through the Founding Fathers' minds, but does anyone really think that we would not have pushed west regardless of whether there was a treaty or not??

Some of the historians seem wildly naive to. One was going on about how we have this impression that the Revolution was old white guys in wigs sitting around arguing and drafting documents and in reality it was a bloody war. No shit, sister! What idiot thinks otherwise?!

Anyway...I'm gonna finish it.

All in all, I thought it was excellent. I have studied American history for 60 years and I learned some new things.

I look forward to watching it again.

quote:

Originally posted by AllenInAR:
I like it, but there is a lot of "yeah, it was about liberty BUT" in there.

For example, I guess there was some treaty between England(?) and some of the Indian nations about no expansion west of the Appalachians? Washington and others made bank off of land sales, so they hint at that being a motivation to cast off English rule. I'm sure like in all things that the potential for personal gain went through the Founding Fathers' minds, but does anyone really think that we would not have pushed west regardless of whether there was a treaty or not??

Some of the historians seem wildly naive to. One was going on about how we have this impression that the Revolution was old white guys in wigs sitting around arguing and drafting documents and in reality it was a bloody war. No shit, sister! What idiot thinks otherwise?!

Anyway...I'm gonna finish it.

I have not watched the series yet,

however my Patriot Ancestor served a tour that was stationed on or near Long Island TN,
the British was in cahoots with the local Indians up an down the western borders and causing trouble,

he did another stint at a Fort (I cannot remember the name) that is near what is now Pearisburg VA,

Rick Atkinson ( one of the commentators in this series ) has two very good books on the Revolution. More background and politics as well as the battles. The first is "The British are coming" and the second is "The Fate of the day". His third one ( the finale ) has not yet been published. His three books covering the Us Army in Europe during WW II is also very good.

Just watched the first episode.
The history going back more than a decade before it started was informative and I learned a few things, maybe some that I had forgotten.
I grew up in New England where a lot of history is all around you and have visited many places that are mentioned.
Looking forward to seeing how the next episodes go.

Rewatched the first episode to reacquaint myself how the whole series was to unfold and to remember how much time they spent on The Currency Act of 1764. GB basically screwed the pooch on the whole thing by destroying commerce and their money-making engine in the colonies. And despite their experience during the 7 years war, the Natives, deciding to ally with Loyalist factions, appeared to have chosen poorly.

In addition to Rick Atkinson, I'm also looking into Bernard Bailyn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Bailyn

It all only re-emphasizes that all wars are bankers wars.

I grew up watching Ken Burns starting with Brooklyn Bridge and truly enjoyed it.

It wasn't until the last few years I truly realized what a left-wing nut he actually is.

When you go back and re-watch a lot of what he made before you see it much clearer. It's like you are a frog being slowly cooked in the pot. Little bits of left wing narrative here and there with it ever increasing until the present.

So if you look at the totality of his work in the last forty years (mind you I own a lot of it) you would come to the conclusions that:

- White men are bad and kept down the black population and killed off the native population
- Christianity is bad
- Conservatives are evil war mongers (and racist too)
- Big government (specifically the federal government) is the solution to most problems(see Teddy Roosevelt and FDR)
- America was fundamentally imperialist and racist during the 19th and 20th century and anything good we did was almost by accident or an unintended consequence

It's sad, but I'm basically done with him. I don't really have any desire to the see the Revolution because I'm nearly the certain the aforementioned themes will be present.

^^^^
Welcome to the club.