Second film: ”Patriot”

Historical accuracy of the film

There are many reviews about the film ”Patriot”, but the majority of people who watched it agree that it’s rather fictional than realistic. The film is continuing to decrease in popularity, as many people have negative feelings about the stereotypical characters portrayed in this historically inaccurate screenplay.

’’ This ‘rose tinted’ view of history is at its worst during the church-burning scene where a British Army officer ordered the murder of many innocent civilians by locking them in a church and setting it alight. ’’

https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0631721/?ref_=tt_urv

I totally agree with this argument, proving that not all scenes in this movie are portrayed accurately. The church-burning scene never took place during the Revolutionary war, and even though war can lead to horrendous acts of violence, it wasn’t the British Army who burned a town full of people to ashes, but the Nazis during the second World War. (The only well documented instance of this actually happening was when the German SS burned the village of Orudur in France in 1944 with all of its inhabitants). During the Revolutionary War, the British were mostly protestant. Even if a higher ranked soldier ordered a protestant church to be burned, he would be sentenced to death for treason against the church. 

’’One scene that I really despise is when Gibson and his two sons fight a squad of British troops who are taking a prisoner away. His sons have dead accuracy, and Mel displays super-human strength, as he kills over 10 British troops – including their officer – without taking a scratch.’’

https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2055877/?ref_=tt_urv

I find this argument to be fairly accurate. In reality, it would have been unimaginable for one man and two little boys to kill a whole squad of armed soldiers on their own. The boys’ shooting accuracy was quite surprising to me, as well as the British soldiers’ inability to defend themselves. When the shooting began, it would’ve been essential for the British to run to cover, but they continued to cluelessly stand in the middle of the trail, trying to locate the whereabaouts of their assaulters.

’’Another scene I hate is when Tavington kills an innocent civilian for no reason.’’

https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2055877/?ref_=tt_urv

Tavington – the General of the Green Dragoons, was a character based on a real-life Colonel named Banastre Tarleton. Tarleton was the birgade major of cavalry during the Revolutionary War, and can’t be compared to the cold-blooded, sociopathic Tavington who mostly stepped into war without having given the order to do so, killed hundreds of innocent civilians, and burned down villages full of people.

Visual

This picture represents the Battle of Bunker Hill, which took place on June 17, 1775 between the colonial and British troops. It was the first major conflict of the American Revolution that was fought for the control of Breed’s Hill and the Charlestown Peninsula. The British ended up winning the battle, and the high price of their victory made them realise that the war with the colonies would be long, tough and costly.  It demonstrated the ability of inexperienced militia to stand up to regular army troops in battle, which was thought otherwise before. The unfortunate loss of the Americans forced them to retreat. Despite losing their strategic positions, the battle was a significant morale-builder for the inexperienced Americans. More than 1,000 British and about 450 American soldiers died during the ferocious battle.

Notions

Origin and Essence of conflict between England and the colony

• In the 1770s, Great Britain had established a number of colonies in North America. The colonists relied mostly on British trade for economic success and on British protection from other nations with interests in North America. In 1756, the French and Indian War broke out between the two dominant powers: Britain and France.  The primary targets of the British colonists were the Royal French forces and the various American Indian forces allied with them.

• The conflict between Britain and its colonies was mainly economic. Britain adhered to the idea of mercantilism – a country’s wealth was measured in the amount of gold and silver it possessed. 

• The colonies were only existent to support Britain economically by providing goods and a market for British exports. The colonies became became rebellious due to the heavy taxes, the unjust acts forced upon them, violence, and their lack of representation in British monarchy.

Boston Tea Party of 1773

• The Boston Tea Party was a political protest that occurred on December 16, 1773, at Griffin’s Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. American colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians, frustrated and angry at Britain for imposing “taxation without representation,” dumped 342 chests of British tea into the harbor. The event was the first major act of defiance to British rule over the colonists. It showed Great Britain that Americans wouldn’t take taxation and tyranny sitting down, and rallied American patriots across the 13 colonies to fight for independence.

• It happened in defiance of the Tea Act (The tea sent to the colonies was to be carried only in East India Company ships and sold only through its own agents, bypassing the independent colonial shippers and merchants).

• The perception of monopoly drove colonial merchants into an alliance with radicals led by Samuel Adams and his Sons of Liberty.

Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776

Document that was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, and that announced the separation of 13 North American British colonies from Great Britain. With the Declaration, these new states took a collective first step toward forming the United States of America. It was originally written by Thomas Jefferson. The final draft of the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 2, 1776, but the actual signing of the final document was on August 2, 1776.

Revolutionary War 1775-1783, reasons, outcome

American War of Independence

• Arose from growing tensions between residents of Great Britain’s 13 colonies and the colonial government, which represented the British crown.
• Colonies protested against taxes, lack of representations in Parliament
• Protests escalated into boycotts and culminated with the Boston tea party.
• The Patriots responded by setting up a shadow government that took control of the province outside of Boston. Twelve other colonies supported Massachusetts, formed a Continental Congress to coordinate their resistance, and set up committees and conventions that effectively seized power. 

• France entered the American Revolution on the side of the colonists in 1778, turning what had essentially been a civil war into an international conflict.

• After French assistance helped the Continental Army force the British surrender at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781, the Americans had effectively won their independence, though fighting would not formally end until 1783. 

Articles of Confederation of 1781

• The first written constitution of the United States.
• Its drafting began in 1776, it was completed in 1777 and ratified in all states by 1781
• Under these articles, each state acted as an independent country
• Established a weak central government and placed most powers in the hands of the states. 
• The national government was underfunded, becasue only the state governments were allowed to levy taxes
• To pay for its expenses, the national government had to request money from the states. The states, however, were often negligent in this duty
• By the end of 1786 governmental effectiveness had broken down.

Constitutional Convention of 1787

• Took place from May 25 to September 17, 1787, in the old Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia.
• The delegates devised a plan for a stronger federal government with three branches—executive, legislative and judicial—along with a system of checks and balances to ensure no single branch would have too much power.

• The result of the convention was the United States Constitution.

US Constitution and the Bill of Rights

• The US Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It was created in 1787 and is still in use to this date. It was ratified in 1788. Originally, it composed of seven articles and delineates the national frame of the government. The first three articles cover the doctrine of the separation of powers( legislative, executive, judical). Articles Four, Five and Six describe the rights and responsibilities of state goverments. Article seven establishes the procedure used by the 13 states to ratify it

• The United States Bill of Rights comprises the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. It spells out Americans’ rights in relation to their government.The Bill of Rights also guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, press, and religion.

• The delegates (who also became known as the “framers” of the Constitution) were a well-educated group that included merchants, farmers, bankers and lawyers. Many had served in the Continental Army, colonial legislatures or the Continental Congress (known as the Congress of the Confederation as of 1781). In terms of religious affiliation, most were Protestants. Eight delegates were signers of the Declaration of Independence, while six had signed the Articles of Confederation.

The role of George Washington

George Washington was raised in colonial Virginia, as the son of a prosperous planter. As a young man, he worked as a surveyor and fought in the French and Indian war. He led the colonial forces to victory over the British during the American Revolutionary War and served two terms as the first US president (1789-1797). George handed down a legacy of strength, integrity and national purpose and died at his Virginia plantation, Mount Vernon, at age 67.

The role of Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence and served as the third US president for two terms (1801-1809). He was the governor of Virginia and served in the Virginia legislature and the Continental Congress during the American Revolutionary War. Thomas promoted individual liberty, owned slaves and helped found the University of Virginia after leaving office. He died on July 4, 1826.