The American Revolution was one of the most profound moments in history, a war for independence that turned the world on its head and influenced millions around the globe. From its neighbors on the green mountains of Vermont to the swamps of South Carolina and across the Atlantic to the Great Lakes and Gibraltar, America's untold story is an essential part of the American experience and continues to impact people today.
Whether you're looking for an engaging history documentary to watch with your kids, or want to learn more about America's untold story before you start school, there are a variety of different options available. From classics like Ken Burns' "The Civil War" to modern works like Ava DuVernay and Marlon Riggs', here are some of the best American history documentaries to watch now.
Ken Burns's 1990 film "The Civil War" remains to this day, the most popular history documentary aired on PBS. Garnering scores of awards, it has since shaped generations of Americans' perceptions about slavery and the Civil War, and remains a staple in history classes around the country.
But while "The Civil War" is a must-watch for anyone who wants to understand the events of the Civil War, it isn't without its flaws. While it does a great job of providing historical context and making the war seem inescapable, it also plays up a number of myths about the Civil War that may not be true.
Its most prominent example of this is its use of a Confederate apologist, Henry Foote, to provide the Civil War's final word in each episode. While Foote has a well-known anti-slavery agenda, and his quotes aren't entirely accurate, he is able to use the documentary's narrative to promote his views in an effective way.
For instance, during the film's closing scene, Foote claims that if President Lincoln had won the election instead of Andrew Jackson, slavery would still have been legal. In a sense, the film's use of Foote's quote was a psychological pass, as it helped Americans believe that the Civil War was inevitable and based on slavery alone.
Despite these flaws, it is still considered an important historical documentary for its insights into the Civil War and slavery. But while it has certainly helped shape America's beliefs about the war, its failure to provide an adequate account of the facts has left it vulnerable to scrutiny and criticism from historians.
Another great way to get more accurate and challenging accounts of the Civil War is through contemporary filmmakers who are not trained as historians. Ava DuVernay and Marlon Roggs, for example, have created powerful and relevant documentaries that delve into topics like Black power, gender, and the African Diaspora.
Likewise, Exterminate All the Brutes is a hybrid docuseries that uses rich archival footage and animation to challenge the very notion of how we write history. Its four episodes offer an incredibly visually arresting journey into the darkest hours of humanity, delving deep into the exploitative and genocidal aspects of European colonialism, from America to Africa and its implications for our society today.
FAQ
What is the most fascinating fact about the human body
We have two eyes and two ears, two nostrils each, four limbs, four limbs and a penis. That's right, we have more than 50 parts of our bodies, but one thing is missing. A heart.
A heart is a pump that circulates blood throughout the body. The blood moves through the veins. It transports oxygen and nutrients to your cells. It also removes carbon dioxide.
The heart pumps out approximately 5 liters of blood per minute. This is equivalent of an adult drinking 2 to 3 cups of coffee each day.
The blood flows throughout the heart 24/7, 365 days a calendar. Your heart beats nearly 100 times a minute while sleeping.
The color of someone's skin can tell if they are healthy or not. Looking closely at the skin's surface, you can see tiny blood vessels called capillaries. These vessels carry blood back to the heart from the large blood vessels beneath the skin. The skin turns blue or violet when blood flow becomes blocked.
Red blood cells are missing in people with sickle-cell disease. They become very sick when their blood becomes hardened and sticky.
To stop bleeding from a cut, you can apply a bandage to the wound. For the wound to heal properly, blood must continue to flow. Doctors place a needle in the wound and insert it through the skin. This allows blood flow to the area that has been injured.
The doctor may also insert catheters (catheters), into the artery at the site of the blood clot. This keeps patients alive until the clot has broken up naturally.
Is there any Hollywood blacklist for actors?
There is a Hollywood blacklist.
The list is not made public. The names are not known to us. But here's why it matters.
The reason for the secrecy is that the blacklisted actors and directors wouldn't be able to find jobs. They would go out of business which would mean that studios would lose their money. They would also cut back on their spending on movies. The blacklisted filmmakers would have fewer chances. They would then go bankrupt.
This could eventually lead to more victims.
In other words, if someone is trying to make an Oscar winning movie, they might have to sign a contract that says they won't speak openly against their employers. Any director or producer who would like to be nominated for an award is subject to the same rules.
That's why you hear stories about how producers pressure directors to remove scenes from their films. Directors may threaten to quit projects that don’t align with their vision.
This is why Hollywood has a blacklist. If you make negative comments about your employer, it's likely that you will be unemployed. It's not good for anyone.
Many people have been wrongly accused. They've had the toil to clear their name.
We need to stop this kind of thing before it starts happening again. Everybody should be able to freely express themselves.
Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate the Hollywood blacklist.
What is your most secretive community?
This question might surprise you. It could even make you uncomfortable, because it challenges how reality is perceived and lived. There is a reason this place exists and it's not as you might expect.
The City of God was its name by the ancient Greeks. According to the Bible, it was called the City of Destruction.
It's also known as Kashi (Kashmir) in India. It's known in Russia as Novgorod.
It is known as The Town That Disappeared in America.
One small community in western New York State with 1,200 residents vanished without a trace. There were no bodies, cars or houses left behind, but a road sign that pointed to the former location was all that was left.
This little town disappeared, leaving no clues about where it went or when. Some claim the earth swallowed it. Others believe it was destroyed by a meteorite. Some believe that it was taken by aliens.
The people of this once-thriving community, however, are positive that the town won't disappear forever. They had just moved from one town to the other.
A website is available to track the disappearance and recovery of Zugspitz, which was lost in the Great Depression.
So, where exactly did this town go? It's actually in Switzerland!
Zugspitze lies on the border between Austria and Germany. The lake Lake Zugspitze is just beyond the mountain's summit.
It has always fascinated my that so many towns have disappeared but others still exist. What is the difference between some towns that disappear and others that survive? I decided to investigate.
I wanted to know more about the mysterious disappearing towns. What causes a town to disappear? How does one place go extinct?
There are many theories regarding the phenomenon of towns disappearing. One theory says that a town disappears when all the buildings are demolished. Another theory states that the town simply moves to another location. A third theory states that the town didn't exist at all.
Theories aside, the fact remains that dozens of towns around the globe have been swallowed up by the ground. This video looks into the history of those places and investigates their current status.
Which is the most mysterious spot on Earth?
Antarctica is home to the most mysterious and remote place on Earth.
This is why we find it so captivating. Because it is unlike any other spot on Earth.
It is difficult to access because it is remote and extremely isolated. However, there's more to this location than meets the eye.
Some of the most bizarre wildlife species can also be found in this natural wonder.
Let's look at how this extraordinary destination became so mysterious.
Antarctica: The South Pole
Antarctica is not known by anyone. Others believe it means "land with ice". Others believe it comes out of Greek mythology.
Antarktis is the name Antarktis was given to an island in ancient Greece by Zeus' twin brothers. According to some legends, one of these twins was born in winter. This is why the word "antarctic" was chosen.
Others believe that it is the Greek word anti, which means against, and tropos, which refers to turning. This would translate to land that is turned away from the sun.
Whatever the reason Antarctica has always been a fascination for people.
It is the coldest, windiest, driest and highest continent. There are no trees, plants, or animals here because it is too cold.
And yet, this frozen wasteland is teeming with life.
Here are about 90% of all the living creatures on Earth. Here are approximately 50% of all the animal and plant species in the world.
And what makes Antarctica such a unique environment? Here, water freezes in ice rather that vaporizing into the atmosphere.
This causes large amounts of ice to float above ground.
These glaciers cover more than 80% of the continent. They're getting bigger every year.
Since 1960, the Antarctic ice sheets has grown 60ft.
If the melting continues, the sea level will rise by up to 200 feet. This could lead to widespread flooding.
However, not all scientists believe this to be bad news. Some scientists claim that global warming could be good for us. According to scientists, global warming could be good for us because the melting of the ice sheets will accelerate, which can lead to floods that release toxic chemicals into our soil and bodies.
But others warn that this theory sounds like a plot from a science fiction movie.
Statistics
- The average human adult male heart rate is between 70 and 72 beats per minute, while the average for adult women is between 78 and 82 beats, which is significantly faster, according to 2014 published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. (romper.com)
- In fact, nearly 24% of U.S. women are affected with one or more pelvic floor disorders, according to research funded by the National Institutes of Health. (romper.com)
- A 2012 paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reported that people blink about 15 to 20 times each minute, meaning, if you do the math, you spend about 10% of the time that you're awake blinking. (romper.com)
- "It is estimated that 75% of people have at least mild gum disease, with the most common symptoms being bleeding when brushing, bad breath, and dark and swollen gums," Dr. Ron Baise, a London-based dentist, tells Romper. (romper.com)
- In one 2014 study published in the Archives of Medical Science that sought to study the prevalence of these mites, research showed that 41% of the people had them hanging out in their eyelashes. (romper.com)
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How To
Hollywood Actors and Actresses with PhDs
The list of people who had PhDs includes many well-known names such as Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Barack Obama, and many others. Nikola Tesla and Marie Curie are among the many famous scientists.
Some stars have Ph.D. degrees including actor Tom Hanks and singer Barbra Streisand.
All these stars earned their doctorate from different universities around the world. Many of these celebrities were successful business leaders or entrepreneurs after receiving their PhDs.
Other well-known actors/actresses with PhDs include:
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Actor David Schwimmer is a Columbia University Business School MBA. He was also an alumni of NYU's Tisch Schools of the Arts.
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Jennifer Aniston, an actor, graduated from Dartmouth College after receiving her Bachelor of Science degree. She later received her Master's Degree in Organizational Behavior & Human Resources Management from Harvard University.
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Julia Roberts was a Yale University Biology student before she received her Masters of Public Administration (Georgetown University) as an actor.
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Actor Edward Norton graduated Brown University from Brown University with a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts. He went on to earn his Doctorate from Stanford University in Molecular Biophysics, and Biochemistry.
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Maggie Gyllenhaal, an actress, graduated from Barnard College in English Literature with a Bachelor of Arts. Columbia University gave her her Master of Social Work.
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Sarah Jessica Parker, actress, received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree from Wellesley College. Columbia University gave her her master's in clinical psychological research.
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Sandra Bullock, actress, received her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of California Berkeley. After graduating from Cal Berkeley, she went on to earn her Masters of Education at UCLA.
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Actress Reese Witherspoon earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Tulane University. Her Master of International Affairs was then obtained from Tufts University's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
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Michelle Williams, actress, graduated Wesleyan University with her Bachelor of Arts degree. She then obtained her Master of Arts degrees in Psychology from Boston University.
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Actress Shailene Woolley graduated from Brigham Young University Hawaii with a Bachelor in Arts. Then she attended graduate school at San Francisco State University to earn her Master's degree in Environmental Studies.
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Will Smith, actor graduated from Howard University after receiving a bachelor's in Communications. He earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
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Actress Queen Latifah graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. From there, she received her Master of Public Hospital from the University of North Carolina.
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Actress Amy Adams graduated from the Juilliard School with her Bachelor of Music degree. She received her Master of Music from the Manhattan School of Music.
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Actress Halle Berry graduated from the American Conservatory Theater with her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from Carnegie Mellon University.
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Brittany Murphy was an actress. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Theatre Arts) from Santa Monica High School. She then got her Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from New York Film Academy.