History Buffs: The Patriot

Hello and welcome

history

lovers. My name is Nick Hodges and I'm finally ready to give the

patriot

a chance when it comes to poorly made historical movies. There are some better examples. Is here. Hollywood's attempts to rewrite

history

are the most obvious details. changed or completely ignored, anything that might reflect poorly on the United States does not appear in this film because that is not its goal, however, it is to present us with a romanticized depiction of American history and glorify American

patriot

ism to such an extent that it is condescending. . intended audiences are some of the things I really hate in a movie because it deliberately promotes ignorance and leaves viewers with a false impression of the story.

This is the patriot, so the movie begins in 1776, just before the declaration of independence was signed. These were difficult times and tensions were high. Something was happening that had never been done before. The very idea of ​​separating from the king and establishing a new nation was truly revolutionary but also controversial. Not all Americans wanted independence from Britain and a line had been drawn. between rebels who believed in freedom and colonists loyal to the crown, America was anything but united back then, what started as a small revolt in Boston quickly turned into a civil war, yes I said, civil war since the loyalist point of view, the British soldiers.

They were legitimate government troops, in fact, many loyalists joined the army out of the same sense of patriotism that the rebels felt for their cause. Only a third of Americans actually supported independence back then, but The Patriot makes very little mention of this. In fact, I think we're just introduced to a loyalist throughout the movie and made to feel a certain way about him. Those neighbors of mine who oppose England deserve to die as traitors in case you didn't understand, you're supposed to. I hate this guy, he's Judas, he's the traitor, let's not explore his motivations, his political beliefs or his reasons for fighting his countrymen, you're supposed to dismiss him and label him a traitor, so anyway, how Did this war start well if we let it? to the patriot to explain if you mean patriot, am I angry about taxes without representation?

Well, yes, I am. Should the American colonies govern themselves independently? I think they can and they should, and that's it for the rest of the movie, they just keep talking. and more about freedom, but freedom than now, of course, taxation without representation was an important factor, but this only begins to scratch the surface of a much larger picture in 1763, the British had won a great victory at the end of the seven years war, securing more land and wealth for their colonies, although this left Britain in the position of being the world's first superpower, it was not a war they wanted to fight and it left them with a huge debt , we now see how the British subjects in the United States are the ones who benefited the most from this costly war with more land and more resources, the government thought it was fair that they were the ones to help with the bill, however, this would not be the case since many Americans simply refused to pay these new taxes, surprisingly Britain did not even do so.

To collect these new taxes, they went back again and again until they finally had enough, the famous tax on tea was the only tax they were going to apply and that was when the colonists rebelled, they insisted that they did not want taxes without representation, but rather The British government already considered them British subjects and therefore they were represented. However, I believe another factor was at play and that was the British government regulating colonial expansion in 1763. A line of royal proclamation was issued prohibiting settlement beyond the Appalachian Mountains. This angered the Americans. The settlers came to America and found new lands to call their own.

It was the goal of coming there. There is a scene in the movie that contradicts this where we see the British planning to take over new lands after the war when this war is over here in the colonies the new aristocracy will be landowners tell me about Ohio but Ohio wouldn't be on the agenda because the royal proclamation line reserved Ohio and all western lands for Native Americans. This was issued to reconcile with the Indians for past fences and prevent future hostilities. Now I'm under no illusions that this would have been a permanent thing and that western expansion was inevitable, but having the British plan so early is premature at best, so there is no immediate opportunity for future expansion. or for an American representation in the parliament revolution. he escalated rapidly into war the character of benjamin martin is loosely based on several historical figures, but in my opinion the most relevant is francis marion francis marion was also known as the swamp fox and operated in south carolina during the revolutionary war his base of operations was Snow Island, which is located in the middle of the swamps of South Carolina, not so much like how Benjamin Martin operated from the old Spanish mission;

He is generally considered one of the fathers of guerrilla warfare and his militia was brutally effective against the British, but unlike Martin Marion he had no children and did not even marry until after the war. The decision made to give Benjamin Martin's character a family was not only to allow the audience to sympathize with him, but also to give him something to fight for when Tavington shot his son. provides the catalyst for him to organize a militia and fight, however these changes do not bother me, it is this little scene that fulfills the order of his majesty king george, all the slaves of the american colonies fighting for the crown You will receive your freedom with our victory sir we are not slaves we work this land freed me well then your freed men who will have the opportunity and privilege to fight in the king's army right?

That is by far the most disgusting thing I have ever heard in my life. A historical film, it's no surprise that Benjamin Martin's character is only loosely based on Francis Marion because Francis Marion was a slave owner, in fact, Frances Marion's slaves escaped from his plantation to fight for the British, which It says a lot about the current type just because, by modern standards, slavery is repugnant to us today does not mean we should accept a retelling of history that is afraid to address it. I think it would give the audience the benefit of the doubt to accept the main protagonist if he were a slave owner.

Never underestimate your audience. In general, we are intelligent, sensitive people, who respond positively to quality entertainment, good friend, and what is worse is that this scene seems to be an attempt to villainize the British by making them kidnap these black workers just to oppress these poor people plantation owners that the British are simply using. slaves as tools of war, but in another seed we see the Americans do exactly the same thing that says take note by order of General George Washington and the Continental Congress to all bound slaves who provide a minimum of one year of service in the Continental Army They will be granted their freedom and will be paid a reward of five shillings for each month of service.

Did you hear that they will be released first and then paid only for another six months? What the hell are you going to do with freedom? Can you see the difference here? the soft rise of the music and the look of hope and determination in his eyes has a totally different tone than before. Here the film is twisting the American proclamation of freedom to be noble and just, while the British version is the exact opposite. The truth of the matter is that when the British first declared their promise of freedom to slaves, it scared Americans, so when they made their offer it was out of desperation, not noble sentiment.

Both sides were equally cruel in the way they used. and they manipulated African Americans for their cause, so why the patriot bias between one side and not the other, especially if they are both doing the same thing? I think there is one moment in particular in the film that is worth watching: shortly after the scene in which Benjamin Martin and his sons ambush the British convoy, his son confides in his father about his personal feelings about killing the British soldiers I killed those men you did what I told you to do you did what you had to do there was nothing wrong with it.

I'm glad I killed them. I'm glad now that I know it's not safe to jump to conclusions, but I can't shake the feeling that the Patriot has very anti-British sentiments. Every damn redcoat deserves to die. kill me some redcoats where else do I get a chance to kill a few redcoats maybe some wounded once when you're not looking for the love of God this is murder? Well, with his redcoats they burned him but that could be my interpretation, however, the goal of the film is clear and it is to villainize the British as much as possible as antagonists.

They are comically portrayed as brutal, bloodthirsty thugs. Every imaginable negative stereotype attributed to the British is amplified. Pompous, conceited and arrogant, to name a few. These rustics are so inept that they almost take away the honor of victory. Far be it from me to suggest that the British never committed atrocities, as in every war that was committed by both sides, you only have to look at the historical figure that Tavington is based on. on railing tarleton, who earned a reputation among patriot rebels as a butcher, more specifically due to his involvement in the wax hall massacre in south carolina, what happened is now the subject of much debate during the heat of battle Continental Army Colonel Buford raised a white flag. flag calling for quarter At some point a musket was fired and hit Halton's horse, incapacitating him in a fit of rage, his loyal cavalry believing the call to surrender was a trick, charged Buford's men and cut them down, including many who were still trying to surrender.

The 400 Virginians, more than 100, were killed and this is where Tarzan's reputation as a butcher prevailed. The fighting and subsequent battles grew in ferocity on both sides and Tarleton's Quarter became a common expression for his refusal to take prisoners, for which it was nicknamed the Bloody Ban. his belief in total war and was used by American propaganda to fuel British resentment in the patriot, however, Tavington's cruelty and malice are turned up to 11. If killing prisoners of war doesn't make you hate him, then surely killing children He will be a stupid boy now. I'm sure the filmmakers will insist that these are the actions of one man, but that's not the impression it leaves the audience.

What Tavington does reflects how the characters and the audience see. Brits see there is a difference between taking creative liberties in driving. from the plot of a historical film to simply making it up which leads us to what is perhaps the most controversial part of the entire film. This city received aid for Benjamin Martin and the rebels from him. I wish to know his whereabouts so that anyone who comes forward can be forgiven. his betrayal very well you had your chance wait this man gives Martin the supplies for his men calmly takes them to the black swan for the old Spanish mission this man here yes the black swamp you say for the old Spanish mission thank you very much close the doors but you said that we would be forgiven and in fact you can do it, that is between you and God.

This is the time when the patriot can no longer claim to be based on history because there is nothing in the written records to suggest that the British ever burned down a church full of civilians, if something like this had happened it would have been recorded. in the memory of all Americans today. Can you imagine the propaganda value it would have had for the patriot movement at that time? Take, for example, the impact of the infamous Boston massacre and just five people. died there, probably making it the most unmasking massacre in the history of massacres, so what is this movie's reason for this massacre not being common knowledge?

Honor is found at the end, not memes, this will be forgotten, no one forgets things like this to find something. Similarly, you can't even look at the American War of Independence, but in World War II, on June 10, 1944, a massacre took place eerily similar to the one presented at the Patriot in the town of Oregon Segulan in France, The German troops came and put everything in order. The gathering townspeople, women and children were locked in the church with explosives, while the SS took over the garages andnearby barns to be shot. In total, 642 people died, one of the most horrific war crimes in history and somehow ends up inspiring a scene.

It's supposed to be set during the American War of Independence, it just seems like this movie is so aggressive with its anti-British hate stance that it doesn't even try to be subtle like this scene, for example, where in the final battle Peter and martin literally stabbed tavi To torture the American flag you don't have to be a symbologist to figure out what it's about, so it's no wonder this film has sparked so much controversy with accusations of being anti-British. See if you want the British to be. the bad guys then ask them to do things we know they did.

You can't create the biggest empire in history by being nice about it, so I'm sure there's plenty of material to work with, maybe make your historical epic based on history instead of leaving aside the possible hate speech, there is one last thing that needs to be addressed with the patriot now, although it's not as offensive as his depiction of slavery or fictional atrocities, it's definitely worth at least thinking about, it's pretty clear that the patriot was made to celebrate. some of the best qualities that America represents today, particularly its belief in equality, if we win this war, many things will change, the world will change, they call it the new world, it is not the same as the old, but we will have a chance. to build a new world, a world where all men are created equal under god equal sounds good, the problem is that this movie raises American ideals today, but not back then, in 1776, the declaration of independence declared in what many Americans believed and fought for, we hold these truths.

It is evident that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but unfortunately exceptions were made and the reality did not apply to all Americans Most of the African American rebels who fought for independence were never given the freedom they were promised, Native American Indians were systematically massacred to the brink of extinction, and one hundred thousand loyal Americans were expelled from their country. birth to never see the true prospect of equality again. and civil rights would continue to be ignored well into the 20th century.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created and only Recently, the promises of these great words have been fully fulfilled, this time with respect to gay rights, and I believed that discrimination due to someone's sexual orientation or gender identity went against who we are as a people and is a violation of the basic principles upon which this nation was founded, I believe that gay couples deserve the same legal rights as any other couple in this country, the The real truth that history tells us is that independence did not automatically result in a great America, but rather the beginning of a work in progress. that still continues today my problem with patriot is that it is not a true representation of american history and it is pretty clear that it is not because they didn't do their research because the battle scenes, sets and costumes are extremely well done.

The bad thing is when filmmakers distort and fabricate history when they find things they don't like, mold the truth to be what they think it should be, and in doing so promote misconceptions and ignorance to audiences around the world. Well, that's it, my name is Nick Hodges. and thanks for watching history

buffs

and remember, if you like the show, help the channel grow, don't forget to hit the like button and subscribe and let me know in the comments section what you think about the patriot and, of course, what historical film should. In the meantime, check out the history

buffs

' Twitter and Facebook pages for new updates until then.

See you next time.