Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I think all of the people complaining about the lack of academic level detail and scholarship in this series are missing the point. This 12 episode series is a really fantastic overview of American History. Oftentimes when we study history in school, through long, detailed books, over the course of several months, we tend to lose the forest for the trees. This medium of learning has it's place, watching this series you get a feel through a quick succession of stories, as to how America began and developed over the last two and a half centuries. What it lacks in "legitimate" scholarship it more than makes up for by it's production quality, compelling story-telling and entertainment. Another thing to note is the populist perspective of the series. Most history textbooks and academics focus too heavily on the actions of political leaders, but this series is truly about the "story of us" as indicated by its title. I was surprised to find that there was almost no discussion about the writing of the constitution, not much talk about the Presidents and the legislation they pushed through or the policies they enacted. Instead, the series incorporates a lot of anecdotes and stories of people and movements that shaped the course of this country, from the Chinese immigrants who built the railroads to the construction workers who built New York City, to historic figures like Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman and Andrew Carnegie. If I were a school teacher I would show my students this entire series at the beginning of each year, if for nothing else but to pique their interest in history and what they're about to learn in greater detail over the course of the term.
Click Here to see more reviews about: America: The Story of Us (Limited Edition - Includes Bonus Disc with "How The States Got Their Shapes") (2010)
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