FILM- The American Revolution and the New

RepublicThe Crossing

Turn: Washington’s Spies1776-The Musical

This is America, Charlie Brown: The Birth of the Constitution

Time period introduction

• The era before the American Revolution 1760’s – The Early 1800’s marked a rapid change on the North American Continent. • The British attempt reassert control

over their North American Colonies ended in Revolution and the formation of a new government.• British attempted to use existing and

then new laws to regain control. When legislation proved ineffective, British Troops and hired Hessian soldiers were sent to squash the rebellion.

The Importance of New York: AMC’s show

Turn: Washington’s Spies

• http://bcove.me/md1mxjo4

What’s going on in the Colonies?

• British troops continue to

arrive throughout the 1770’s as colonial resistance to taxes increases in Boston and in small ways across the colonies. • Troops are living in the private

homes of Americans in the frontier regions of MA and in small towns in NY

George Washington Horatio Gates Ben Franklin Nathan Hale Thomas Jefferson

John Adams Marquis de Lafayette Baron von Steuben Count Casimir Pulaski John Paul Jones

King George III General John Burgoyne General William Howe

General Charles Cornwallis

GB leaders

Benedict Arnold Major John Andre

AMERICAN LEADERS in the Culper Ring

Major Historical Figures: Introduction

2nd Continental Congress• John Adams (MA)• Ben Franklin (PA)• Thomas Jefferson (VA)• John Hancock (MA)• John Dickinson (PA)• Richard Henry Lee (VA)• Lyman Hall (GA)• Edward Rutledge (SC)

The Crossing-Film Information

• 2000 film, made for TV, by Robert Harmon• DGA nominated Harmon

as a best Director twice

• A&E TV first showed the film as a TV Movie• The Crossing won a

Peabody Award for Excellence in Television

The Crossing- Basic Information

• This movie details the history of George Washington’s Army crossing of the Delaware River to attack Hessian troops stationed at nearby Trenton, New Jersey.• The only historical

disagreement is the number of casualties at the end of The Crossing.

Emanuel Leutze painting, 1851

1776-Film Information• Music and Lyrics by Sherman Edwards• Based on a book by Peter Stone. • Musical and Film Directed by Peter Hunt

• Although this is Hunt’s most famous work, he is also known for plays about Harry Truman and TV Shows like Touched By An Angel and Baywatch

• Originally a Broadway Production in 1969, it was nominated for 5 Tony Awards • Tony Award wins for Best Musical, Best

Performance by Featured Male and Best Direction• Most of the original cast from the musical were

included in the Film Version ( except Donald Madden-John Dickinson and Blythe Danner-Martha Jefferson)

1776- The Musical, Basic Information

• This film takes place in Philadelphia, PA from June-early July 1776• It discusses and

“sings” about the early debates surrounding the DOI.

1776- The Musical, Locations around

Philadelphia

These are photos from my August 2015 trip to Philadelphia

• Top Left- Liberty Bell with Independence Hall in Background,

• TR-I-Hall• Center- City

Tavern (mentioned 1776)

• BR- Selfie in Independence Hall

• BR- Inside City Tavern

Guess Whois in 1776

• Blythe Danner as Martha Jefferson (not in original

musical cast)

• William Daniels as John Adams• Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson

Major Errors in the 1776• No one actively despised John

Adams as shown in the film• Thomas Jefferson’s wife was not

in Philadelphia…she was recovering from childbirth.• Richard Henry Lee was not

Governor at the time.• John Dickinson is not really as bad

as the movie/play portrays him. He does write “Letters from a PA Farmer” which outlines an economic argument for Independence and serves in the War, and the Constitutional Convention.

This is America, Charlie BrownThe Constitutional Convention

• Details the events surrounding the ratification of the Constitutional Convention…• Missing, John Adams,

Thomas Jefferson

Constitutional Facts• The U.S. Constitution has 4,400 words. It is the oldest and shortest written

Constitution of any major government in the world.• USC- Signed on September 17, 1787• The oldest person to sign the Constitution was Benjamin Franklin (81). The

youngest was Jonathan Dayton of New Jersey (26). • John Adams says, ““the greatest single effort of national deliberation that

the world has ever seen”.• George Washington says, “It appears to me, then, little short of a miracle”.

(Describing the Constitution• William Few of Georgia was the only member to represent the farmer class

which was the majority of the population of the country at that time.• In order to preserve the Constitution at the NARA, the parchment’s quality,

the cases contain argon gas and are kept at 67 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 40 percent.

• https://www.constitutionfacts.com/us-constitution-amendments/those-who-didnt-sign-the-constitution/

Discussion Questions

• What was the biggest obstacle facing the 13th British North American Colonies in achieving independence?

• Who do you think was the most important figure in the development of the early American Nation and why?

• In what ways did the battlefield, the home front and the politics of the Revolutionary Era influence each other? Make sure your examples are from the films viewed in class and from your history class. ( if applicable)

• Why was the Constitution a necessary document and why didn’t the colonies just write it I the first place? (Make your examples relevant to the time period discussed and after you have viewed the Charlie Brown film)

• Discuss the leadership qualities of George Washington, John Adams and one other figure from the films. What characteristics made these leaders successful?

• Which film did you like the best and why?