Liberty Amer.Revol.

As this series shows, the seeds of the American Revolution were planted long before the actual conflicts began. This was not an overnight decision on the part ofthe colonists or the British; intense negotiations and political attempts were made for years prior to the outbreak of hostilities. The colonists largely came from Britain; the leadership certainly looked to Britain for political, moral and cultural guidance, as well as primary trade and security vis-a-vis the Spanish, the French, and the Native Americans. American leaders were, by and large, British leaders too -- George Washington held a commission and fought with the British in the French and Indian War.

This was a family break-up in many ways -- the series' astute use of the actual words of the people of the time show the emotions that conflict, the love-hate relationship both sides embodied. The first episode shows the beginnings of discontent on both sides, with the colonists beginning to be stressed over being ignored by the British leadership, and the British leadership, in the form of George III, newly ascended to the throne, and various high-powered ministers, feeling that the colonists were rather ungrateful toward their (so-they-considered-themselves-to-be) rightful lords.

Liberty, ironically, was what George III and his first minister, William Pitt, were all about. The Seven-Years War was won as a fight for liberty; the colonies in America and elsewhere were won over to Britain, who had a parliamentary democracy (however poorly enacted) as opposed to absolute monarchy (such as in France). So, the break-up between Britain and the American colonies becomes all the more troublesome -- not only were the opposing sides practically family, but largely believed the same things.

The series never makes the direct comparison, but one can get the sense of Jonathan Swift here, that the battles are fought over relatively minor things (like which side of the egg to crack) -- in the scheme of world politics then and now, the controversies were relatively slight. However, the issues of taxation, governance and respect were important, not perhaps so much for what they were, but for what they did portend as future treatment, and the colonists did not like being second-class citizens in a British-dominated world, even if, to the British leadership, being second-class British was better than being almost anything else. There was also the spectre of the Irish tyranny, perpetrated by the English, that loomed large as a possibility. Sadly, one cannot say that these fears were unjustified.

The series is intriguing, introducing sides to the conflict that one doesn't recall from grade-school and high-school civics classes -- the conflicts among the colonies themselves; the dissent among the colonies who often wanted a repair rather than a break with Britain; and the personal reflections and fears of the founding fathers and mothers (yes, there were many women involved in this process). Using diaries, correspondence, official documents and media reports of the time, the show weaves together a narrative history that achieves a good popular balance between historical detail and narrative reporting.

The writers' admiration for the founding Americans, their bravery and their intelligence, is very apparent. Their concern to present the British in a fair and balanced light is also apparent, and often portrayed as trying to be reasonable and responsive to many of the colonial concerns, if not always pleasant and courteous to the colonial leaders themselves. The writing is interesting and thoughtful, and done in a popular tone that gives personality to the people who figure in the events.

The final episode looks at the aftermath of the war, and the struggle for unity as a nation. George Washington's statement that liberty could be both a blessing and curse was taken to heart -- when the Constitutional Convention met to amend the Articles of Confederation, it went far beyond its original mandate, and it was telling that not all colonies sent representatives, and not all that were sent agreed to stay through the proceedings.

A great series in many ways, it makes a great gift for anyone (or to oneself) with an interest in history. It also has a companion volume available,

Especially compelling was the portrayal of Abigail and John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Lafayette, and the English Gen. Bergoyne... and not to forget the French General (whose name eludes me, at the moment). Very well done.

I would also highly recommend to anyone who has been very satisfied with the documentary to obtain the companion book, which I thought went above and beyond in giving an even better view of how conditions were in England, as this conflict approached. I came to the conclusion that the Revolution also played a big part in the British Government reforming itself to the benefit of the nation, post-Napoleon. Check your local library for the volume, it's worth the read.

As a companion to this series, also check out the followup documentary on Benjamin Franklin. Work like this needs to be commended to others, and supported by satisfied viewers... so if you are wondering if it is worth the money and the effort to obtain a copy to view, it is, very definitely! By all means, buy a copy and donate one to your local library or high school. Every public library, every school library, and every home school family, needs to include this documentary in their collection!

• Genres > Television
• Genres > Documentary

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