Twelve hours is a lot of film for me. Still, I’d recommend The American Revolution, the six-part series directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt. My 2 cents — or 4 bits:
• First, even if you’re a historian, you’ll probably find something you hadn’t seen in quite the same light. I’d never been able to picture the thousands of enslaved people who sought shelter in British lines in the southern colonies. And I’d guess that if you asked which British colony was the first to be lost during the war, few people would come up with West Florida.
• Second, it’s good to be reminded that Americans have had trouble in governing themselves from the beginning. I’m talking about the problem of basic competence. How’s this for a low bar for judging competence? In an eight-year war, can you find anybody in America who can make sure that the soldiers are fed, clothed and paid? The answer: No.
• Third, the film has some weak points. The battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the war. The American victory led the French to intervene. I understand why Britain’s overly complicated plan for the invasion failed. I don’t understand why, after the fight at Bemis Heights on Oct. 17, 1777, the British army under John Burgoyne had to surrender.
• Fourth, the film’s weak points will make you go to the library. The best way to watch the film is with a pencil in hand. Burns and company interviewed historians for their viewpoints. Every time one of them said something interesting, I wrote down the historian’s name and promised to look for one of his or her books. My list has more than 20 names.
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