NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
"The American Revolution," the latest work from filmmaker Ken Burns, begins this Sunday on PBS. The six-part, 12-hour history of the war of independence from Britain and the beginnings of the American experiment in democracy comes at a moment of deep divisions. Jeffrey Brown has our look for our series Art in Action, exploring the intersection of art and democracy as part of our CANVAS coverage.
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- When were the first shots heard of the Revolutionary War?
- Who are Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein?
- How was the American Revolution also a civil war and global war, according to the directors?
- Why does Burns say it was pivotal to include Native history in "The American Revolution" documentary?
- What aspect of the film does Burns say he thinks will resonate with the public?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
"You can't water it down. It is really complicated and you have to tell that complication," said Ken Burns, "Everyone is drawn to the stories that are real and complicated. And any idea of boiling it down to simplistic slogans is not American."
- What factors in history make the American Revolution complicated, according to Burns?
- Why do you think Burns says it is un-American to boil U.S. history down to simple slogans?
Media literacy: Why do co-directors Burns and Botstein say those chose to use re-enactors? What do you think of their decision?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Watch the first 10-minutes of "The American Revolution."
Why do you think Burns and Botstein chose to start the documentary with Native American voices? If you would like to know more about the Great Law of Peace, or the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Constitution, check out News Hour Classroom's Journalism in Action's case study on the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
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