Funnily enough... 1776 honestly made me think even higher of the founders as fallible men somehow miraculously assembling a nation that is still is working to achieve the ideals they put into writing.

One thing I think that 1776 the musical deserves credit for is that they WENT there. The whole song about the slave trade and the point (which I can attest Bostonians STILL don't want to discuss) is just how much of the North's wealth was based on shipping enslaved people. In fact, the majority of the wealth of early white colonists was based on the sales and shipping of enslaved people.

@johnhallett5846

4 күн бұрын

would you care to show some data to back up your claims? Because the economy of the colonies had very little to do with trade overall; and there were simply not that many slaves back then.

I was involved in my community theater's production of 1776 a few years ago (I was Jefferson). I think this show needs way more attention for theater folks and history buffs. One thing I love about this show is it's descension from a sanitized golden age musical to a more melancholic critique of the founding fathers. When I was playing Jefferson I really felt the evolution of how the show portrays him as a benevolent golden-boy to directly calling out his hypocrisy and involvement in slavery. I didn't think much of the show before I did it, but in the end it I appreciate that it portrayed the historical event with more chaos and nuance. And yes, that 40 minute scene with no songs is in the stage version.

@carldamacion3740

Жыл бұрын

It was a favorite of mine after having seen it on local television in the mid-70s. As a poor kid i not ever expected to be able to see it live on stage, and I also never expected to ever see it performed on local theater. Because one thing I wondered from being in high school musical theater - how are you going to cast a musical production requiring an ensemble numbering 20+ male roles. Surely you would have to cast some female actors in some of the male roles. I was incredibly surprised when I was in my thirties to find a local community theater taking on the musical. I auditioned and got the Ensemble role of George Reed of Delaware. And, Yes that director did have a difficult time, until nearly the last week of rehearsal, in filling out all the male cast. There are only two females cast that production.

@alanburk9714

2 ай бұрын

Just saw this and yeah I had the same experience you did with this show. It was actually the FIRST show i ever saw when I went to Broadway back in 1997, with Theatre friends who were in school with me at Eastern Michigan University. I ended up seeing the revival with Brent Spiner as Adams. Not super sure of the show before I saw it, but it was fun, and I enjoyed it (even though, as others have stated, it WAS inaccurate at various points, but it captures the spirit of the debates and problems to try and GET to independence!) A few years later, I got the chance to do the show as well in Ann Arbor, MI. at the Michigan Theatre. Very cool...played Roger Sherman (The delegate from Connecticut), and I love how EVERY member of Congress got decent dialogue, or had some business or characterization, or a song...and yes Act 1, Scene 3 is 40 minutes of dialogue introducing the Congressmen themselves up until the Committee of Five is decided!

@johnhallett5846

4 күн бұрын

Jefferson is a strange story; he was definitely anti slavery very much; but then seemed to think it less and less important. Some historians thing the death of his wife really had a huge impact on him.

The letters between john & Abigail show Johns human side.

Love your content! This was a very thought-provoking video. As someone about to hit (legal) adulthood, looking back on how I was taught about the US in schools is crazy, and comparing that to how it’s portrayed in media is very interesting.

@nicholastosoni707

Жыл бұрын

The tendency, I find, is to not teach about history so much as *History,* a fairy-tale land where everyone knows they're working toward building Our Great Nation, and where everything seems to happen all at the same time--we get our flag, our anthem, all of it, on July 4th, 1776, and it's all treated with such reverence.

Most people seem to remember William Daniels in his supporting roles as Kitt in Knight Rider and Feeny in Boy Meets World. I guess nobody ever watched him in his starring role as Dr. Mark Craig in St. Elsewhere which ran for 6 years in the eighties.

@4200connor

Жыл бұрын

To me, he will always be John Adams and Dr. Mark Craig.

@ElleCee62978

Ай бұрын

Been a fan of his for the past 40 years. I was a little young for St. Elsewhere, a little old for Boy Meets World.

@mrmoofle

18 күн бұрын

@carldamacion3740 even more interesting are the connections to John Adams in both shows. There was an episode of St Elsewhere in which Dr Craig reveals that he is related to John Adams. In BMW, Mr Feeny is on the faculty of John Adams High School.

@ElleCee62978

18 күн бұрын

@@mrmoofle You know he played John Adams more than once, Sam Adams once, and John Quincy Adams twice?

Great video! I find this sort of discussion interesting to no end!

I was first introduced to 1776 when I was in 8th grade history class. (My mom even had to fill out a permission slip to watch it as it had an R-rating 😂 ) The class assignment was to compare and contrast what was presented as fact in the film and what was actually true. The whole class was into it, even the “bad” kids, and we all were humming the songs after class. I remember we were bummed when the movie was over, as we watched it over 4 sessions. Even after middle school ended, I would listen to the soundtrack. I still watch it from time to time because the actual content is interesting and I still pick up on details I’ve missed. Honestly, this film is a severely underrated gem.

Don't forget him as KITT from Knight Rider in addition to Boy Meets World

I first saw this movie in the mid 80s (I was born in 1978). My cousin was a relatively known tenor in my city of Philadelphia (the one and the same). He was doing 1776 in NJ. I wanted to see it before we went to see his show. Long story short, I love this movie.

As I understand it, most of the words spoken between John Adams and his wife were from the letters they wrote to each other. So the author just didn’t invent the dialogue.

@filmfreak1994

9 ай бұрын

Indeed. One of the nice little touches the musical has

The title already had me going "I'M SORRY, WHAT?", this will be fun.

One of my top 10 favorite movies. Love it! Thank you for posting

This is also a movie I’ve watched around 4th of July like Hamilton! Love your discussion of history! Keep up the great work, really enjoying your channel! :D I’ve watched your Owl House, Amphibia, Infinity Train, and Tangled vids!

Truly a banger

The big one that got my many times watching is North Carolina portrayal. We was very much for independence through and through, first to victory and independence with the Halifax Resolves and possibly a even early document. The Mecklenburg declaration, and out right victory early that same year at the Battle of Moore's Creek bridge. It was full steam support for the Independence from England.

I love 1776! I first saw it in high school in the 70s. My history teacher showed it to the class. I watch it every July 4th.

I respect the fuck out of all that was said during the AC3 segment🤣🤙As for who has an American flag in their living room? I have one…but it’s my AC3 collectable flag. It’s dope af😂😂😂

@filmfreak1994

Жыл бұрын

A fellow AC3 enjoyer, cheers.

whoa this is mythical

Very insightful 👏

Underrated

John Dickinson was a Quaker and against violence. He was a patriot. The representative from Pennsylvania who was a loyalist, whom Dickinson sat next to, was Joseph Galloway. Galloway was the head of the Pennsylvania delegation. The First Continental Congress was divided between Loyalists and Patriots. John Rutledge was also a patriot. He ultimately wanted to protect his plantation and interests, so he was cautious about supporting a rebellion against the Crown. Both sides unanimously agreed that the Coercive or Intolerable Acts were a step too far. However, the Loyalists of course never supported a rebellion or revolution. The Patriots were divided on the issue but ultimately decided in favor of a declaration of independence. Movies like 1776 or series such John Adams do not want to go into the issue because it creates an uncomfortable truth. The Patriots were in the minority, not everybody wanted a rebellion against the Crown and the colonists ended up fighting against each other during the Revolution. Instead of encountering this seriously problematic piece of American History the public is time and again instead left with this miserable mythology that contains stuff like Dickinson fighting John Adams. Neither the argument happened nor did a fist fight break out. Adams was also a patriot and surprisingly voted in favor of rebellion, but perhaps not since he was from Massachusetts the very place that was affected by the Intolerable Acts.

@isabeljanes8230

6 ай бұрын

On what do you base your statement that the Loyalists outnumbered the Patriots?

@mikeoyler2983

6 ай бұрын

@@isabeljanes8230 I meant the colonies at large and not the First Continental Congress itself. At the time John Adams said that the colonies could be divided into three-thirds. 1/3 was for the Revolution, 1/3 was against it or loyal and 1/3 was undecided. Most historians agree that this was a very arbitrary reckoning at the part of Adams. No actual survey exists from that time to support that conclusion. However, that statement shows an image that is wildly different than the one most Americans understand nowadays. It is worthy of investigation. After looking into it, Historian Gary B. Nash has a more realistic five-fifths model. 2/5s supported the Revolution, 1/5 opposed it or remained loyal and 2/5s were undecided. Thus, the patriots did not make up a majority. Even after 1783, what is one to make of Daniel Shay's Rebellion and after the ratification of the Constitution the Whiskey Rebellion?

@isabeljanes8230

6 ай бұрын

​@@mikeoyler2983 Shay's Rebellion and the Whiskey Rebellion didn't indicate any residual Loyalist sentiment rather they prove the point that Americans didn't like paying taxes.

I’d like to hear you’re update to this piece considering the 2022 revival with the all female cast who enters in modern day clothes and puts this on as a “play”, and particularly as they add back in the battle field song “Mama, look sharp” after “Cool, considerate men”

As someone who used to take votes, literally nothing is unanimous yes. Petty squabbles are what stops literally everything. Also I watched a lot of History Channel in regards to the American Revolution and lots of it are very mystical and these men have no faults.

I love this movie

The Quaker practice of pacifism definitely caused many of them to be viewed as villainous to much of the populace during this time period. Quakers who refused to pick sides in the war often suffered at the hands of both opposing parties.

In just about every debate on our "Founding Fathers" keeping and freeing of slaves, I find the " Well they owned slaves themselves . . . to which a quick answer . . . Well, they FREED them when they died ". It seems nobody wants to address the FACT, by most laws, if a person FREED his slaves, he was legally responsible for ALL ACTIONS by that FREED slave. Therefore, most who were against but still holding slaves had the FREEDOM of said slaves written into their will. Thus, protecting them from responsibility of their actions.

Your ending comment about all races, genders, etc bespeaks your modern world view. “All men” should encompass that. The inconsistency and hypocrisy between the aspirational statement of that ideal and the cobbled together compromise required to achieve the union of the separate states led to the inevitable tension that led to the Civil War. Similarly the growth of federal power post-Civil War has led to inconsistency with the ideals of the founding. Testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.

I'm not sure you understand American history in the slightest.

@filmfreak1994

13 күн бұрын

@@GrandFunker Well I understand they probably didn't sing their way through ratifying the declaration of independence at least