Really good if you like US history. In Episode 3, after the Battle of Long Island, it’s kind of amazing the US prevailed. Clearly the rebels are out numbered in a standup fight.
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The American Revolution (PBS Documentary 2025)
- Thread starter Huntn
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All 6 consecutive episodes were outstanding.
I wonder how many people actually watch thoughtful documentaries on PBS like this. I particularly liked (last episode, I think) concerns that an "unprincipled" leader might emerge, becoming a demagogue.
I wonder how many people actually watch thoughtful documentaries on PBS like this. I particularly liked (last episode, I think) concerns that an "unprincipled" leader might emerge, becoming a demagogue.
My parents recorded this so my wife n I could watch it. They remarked that Washington gambled with land speculators dependent on the outcome of the war and they never knew that - wasn’t taught in school that general and soon to be President Washington was a gambler lol. This sort of information is so valuable in bringing questionable morality (lol) & humanity back to historical figures who are in many ways painted as morally perfect and bigger than life.
When we have some time, my wife n I will dig into the series. They said it was absolutely fantastic and brought ALOT of new information that filled in their understanding. They spoke of Tomas Paine as well, one of my own favorites of that era. Can’t wait to dig in.
Well said and good points. Washington wasn't completely the heroic figure (as you mentioned) we're taught in schools. He was a wealthy landowner with slaves (as most of the other founders) and made much of his fortune through marriage and speculating in land (that was supposed to be reserved for indigenous nations).My parents recorded this so my wife n I could watch it. They remarked that Washington gambled with land speculators dependent on the outcome of the war and they never knew that - wasn’t taught in school that general and soon to be President Washington was a gambler lol. This sort of information is so valuable in bringing questionable morality (lol) & humanity back to historical figures who are in many ways painted as morally perfect and bigger than life.
When we have some time, my wife n I will dig into the series. They said it was absolutely fantastic and brought ALOT of new information that filled in their understanding. They spoke of Tomas Paine as well, one of my own favorites of that era. Can’t wait to dig in.
Yes, you both should watch this as we will again as available through the PBS app.
Well, Washington was a hero in the eyes of the people at the time as a British officer at the Battle of Monongahela during the French & Indian war as he managed a British regulars retreat and turned that would be failure into a victory, saving hundreds of locals & regulars lives. What I find funny is that he wanted a promotion in rank and the British army would not give it to him because of his status. That pissed him off for sure lol (would me too). If they had promoted him, they may never have had to battle him as a General of the US continental army. Hindsight is always 20-20 as they say. I am well aware of the founding fathers being slave owners; that is nothing new to me anyhow - I’m pretty sure that context is part of the US history 8th-9th grade curriculum and has been since the 90s at least.
My folks also spoke to a neat historical note where quakers went up a river (I forget which) to get big seige cannons that were in Canada and leftover from the F&I war in the middle of winter to attack/shell Boston which had been reoccupied by the British and which was ultimately successful. I look forward to that recount and all of the other interesting stories, color and context this program will bring to my understanding of the Revolutionary war.
Paraphrased: “Washington was not a genius on the battlefield, who made several serious mistakes (which might be attributed to incomplete reconnaissance or failures in subordination) , but he did one thing outstanding, he knew how to preserve his army, knowing when to run away and realized that the US won with a standoff, and the English lost under these circumstances.
It’s also very interesting that the early army was composed of land owners, people invested, but to perservere, the army came to rely on average people “with nothing” who saw this as an opportunity to improve their situation, a shakeup of the system as it existed that would open up new economic opportunities for them. I think the military has always represented this opportunity for disadvantaged people, you just have to be willing to put your life on the line.
Another element is the inherent power that existed in the colonies by virtue of their immense total size, their population, as compared to England who was militarily over stretched over the entire world for this kind of a conflict, and had to hire German mercenaries* to stand a chance in the colonies, plus England was experiencing an economic depression at the time.
*It was noted that after defeat a high % of the Germans decided to stay or returned to Germany to bring their families back.
Slavery has always been the elephant in the room with all this “Liberty talk” but without not much wiggle room in this forum to fully discuss it, it can be said that, the idea of liberty was/is appealing, yet much of the country felt trapped by the economics of slavery, and that we’ve been struggling ever since to achieve in actuality what was put in writing. Even the slave holders felt guilty to different degrees, understanding it was an institution they would never voluntarily submit themselves too on the victim side. 🤔
The marketing and release of this series is a major disappointment. PBS 'should' have started this in April to commemorate the shot-heard-round-the-world in Lexington and thereafter released ONLY one episode a week for six weeks. Sure the world has changed and there is an expectation that people want to binge the whole thing but market it to Americans as a duty and urge them to discuss and debate it. Encourage this by holding zoom sessions town halls around the country. Instead they just backed up the truck and dumped it during the middle of the NFL season.
Episode 6: It’s been a long time since this I’ve been schooled on the Revolutionary War. I really did I know how much of a civil as compared to a revolutionary war this was, did not know or forgot about abandoning New England and trying to hold the US South and in South Carolina, how much fighting went on there with patriot militias fighting The Red Coates.
The Revolution became a world war, as France, Spain and the Netherlands saw opportunity to knock England down a few pegs. France was instrumental to US success with both troops and with naval parity. Although the US had a huge fleet of privateers that helped but not for full blown naval warfare.
The US revolution was followed by 2 centuries of revolution in different parts of the world. Yet a Continental Army where the soldiers afterwards were not paid by Congress, just promissory notes.
Afterwards rebellion in most of the colonies as groups fought each other.
The Bad: Please avoid political commentary. The sad legacy of slavery, where the British offered them freedom (for its agenda) while in the US afterwards, slaves were returned to their owners, except in some, maybe Northern States where service to the cause was grounds to earn their freedom and most Northern States had abolished slavery. Washington was not a friend to slaves instructing them to be returned to owners. England afterwards, after hostility worked to live up to its promise of freedom to slaves who had joined them. 70 years later, another war over this issue. The Indians were used and taken advantage of an expanding imminent domain by a Nation of European settlers. 200 years later, we still struggle with these issues. 🤔
The Revolution became a world war, as France, Spain and the Netherlands saw opportunity to knock England down a few pegs. France was instrumental to US success with both troops and with naval parity. Although the US had a huge fleet of privateers that helped but not for full blown naval warfare.
The US revolution was followed by 2 centuries of revolution in different parts of the world. Yet a Continental Army where the soldiers afterwards were not paid by Congress, just promissory notes.
Afterwards rebellion in most of the colonies as groups fought each other.
The Bad: Please avoid political commentary. The sad legacy of slavery, where the British offered them freedom (for its agenda) while in the US afterwards, slaves were returned to their owners, except in some, maybe Northern States where service to the cause was grounds to earn their freedom and most Northern States had abolished slavery. Washington was not a friend to slaves instructing them to be returned to owners. England afterwards, after hostility worked to live up to its promise of freedom to slaves who had joined them. 70 years later, another war over this issue. The Indians were used and taken advantage of an expanding imminent domain by a Nation of European settlers. 200 years later, we still struggle with these issues. 🤔
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