Movie Jigs for American History

This is a visually pleasing and educationally useful film about the discovery of America which is sufficiently complex and comprehensive to generate relevant discussion. The film is useful to stimulate discussion of the contrasting values of individualism and communalism.

A beautifully photographed and useful historical film, which however, contains several scenes which are not appropriate for younger viewers. Teacher preview and discretion is required.

This is a well acted but long and sometimes tedious film account based on actual testimony from the Salem witch trials. Production values are modest and without adequate inspiration it may not hold the interest of average high school students. The film can, however, work well to illustrate the level of intolerance which existed in early colonial New England and can be effective in introducing the theme of a gradual increase in tolerance in the colonies during the seventeenth century.

This film is beautifully photographed and useful to provide a visual image of events of the French and Indian War. Historically valuable scenes are separated by love scenes and other scenes of personal tragedies and relationships which have little educational value and make the film choppy and difficult to use. Some scenes are not appropriate for younger viewers.

This film is a somewhat dated but is an effective treatment of early American frontier life in central New York and western Massachusetts at the time of the American Revolution. It is very useful to generate discussion about the role of women in early American History and to show the impact of both war and the frontier on the changing role of women.

This standard, somewhat humorous, reenactment of events in Virginia leading to the American Revolution is useful for its chronological rundown of key events, presentation of important personalities, and a depiction of the clash between the eastern establishment society and the frontier spirit. The film also includes a useful reenactment of the democratic process in the House of Burgesses including Patrick Henry’s famous speech.

Although long segments of this film are of little or no educational value, there are some historical recreations which may be effective if used after a study of the Revolution. The first segment of the film offers an opening to discuss the political and economic divisions in the colonies at the start of the war and to lay the foundation for a better understanding of how ethical judgments reflect group identification.

Some segments of this long and sweeping historical saga can be very useful to illustrate the revolt of Texas from Mexican rule as well as the political and economic motives for American expansion and ultimate annexation of Texas.

This film is a dramatization of the famous Harriet Beecher Stowe novel, somewhat modified to suit modern tastes, but still clearly indicating the moral struggle over slavery which smoldered in antebellum America. The film, however, is more useful in the American history classroom for what it illustrates about the roles of women in the early reform movements and in the abolitionist movement in particular.

This film is an effective rendition of the Mark Twain classic which can be useful as a background to discussion of the political climate surrounding slavery on the eve of the Civil War.

This is a captivating portrayal of Abraham Lincoln and the political scene in the years leading to the fateful 1860 election. The first half of the film, which chronicles Lincoln’s early life in Illinois, is not particularly useful; the second half, however, can be effective as background for discussion of the critical events of the 1850’s.

This is a powerful and well acted production depicting the heroic efforts of the all African-American 54th Massachusetts infantry regiment during the Civil War. The film is important for its obvious theme. It is also useful as a vehicle for exploring how changing technology altered the tactics of war as well as the nature of the plantation slave system in the antebellum American South and the value of cooperation and teamwork.

This film is a dramatization of Andrew Johnson’s life. It is particularly good for examining the early years of Reconstruction (1865-1867) and the ideological and constitutional struggle between the legislative and executive branches.

This is a well made account of a true story about a woman who passes as a man in order to carve out a life in the frontier west. In addition to the obvious role of women theme, this film can also provide an interesting overview of the 19th Century transition in western land use from mining to cattle and sheep herding to farming.

This film offers an opportunity to consider the clash of cultures which occurred between white European and Native born Americans as it was manifested in the Plains Indian Wars of the second half of the 19th Century.

Although confused by a complex tale of personal tragedy and triumph, this story, set in late 19th century Nebraska can be useful in the United States history classroom to provide background for consideration of two important socio-economic themes: the mechanization of agriculture and consequent transition from subsistence to commercial farming, and the growing grievances of farmers caught in a free market economy which went beyond their control.

This film provides an effective portrayal of the events surrounding the Nez Perces’ flight to Canada in 1877. The film illustrates the government’s attempts in the late 1800s to relocate Native Americans onto reservations and raises questions about the consequences of assimilation on cultural sub-groups within the present-day United States.

This is a generally accurate, carefully made and useful reenactment of key developments in the life of Woodrow Wilson, particularly good for its reenactment of the Democratic National Convention of 1912. The ethical themes of idealism and principle are easily explored. The use of this 1944 film as a propaganda vehicle aimed at Nazi Germany is also evident and useful.

This film is a close representation of conditions and events in the West Virginia coal fields during the 1920’s and can be used to illustrate this chapter in the history of organized labor. It also, however, presents an opportunity to put a face on the general climate of intolerance which typified the 1920’s.

This is a fictionalized account of the famous Scopes monkey trial which took place in Dayton Tennessee in 1925. The names have been changed but the characters clearly correspond to actual people. This film is very useful to consider ethical issues surrounding the separation of church and state.

This film presents a predictable love story superimposed on a semi-documentary account of the prohibition era. Since it touches clearly on the actual chronology of events it can be useful to stimulate discussion of the 1920’s. The film also offers an opportunity to consider the relationship between government regulation and the private lives of individuals. At what point is government regulation unjustified?

This a fictionalized account of the life of a populist/socialist demagogue based closely on the real life of Louisiana Governor Huey Long. It is very useful in helping to evaluate the nature of the New Deal and in making a comparative of capitalist and socialist values.

Somewhat stylized and starkly filmed screen presentation of the classic Steinbeck novel which makes a powerful statement about the terrible plight of a large segment of America’s rural farm population during the Great Depression. This film is very useful to dramatize elements of the "farm problem" and as background for discussion of New Deal efforts to structure a farm policy to correct it.

One man stage dramatization of the life and career of Harry Truman.. Excellent and entertaining but lacks production values and perhaps more concerned with showing Truman’s wit and humor than in illuminating the important events of his time. This film is probably best used to understand Truman’s motives in dropping the Atomic Bomb on Japan and to discuss its ethical ramifications.

This film provides an opportunity to consider the constitutional and ethical issues surrounding the Red Scare of the 1950s. Because the film assumes an extensive knowledge of the early years of the Cold War, a careful examination of this period is necessary before viewing.

This two part made for TV dramatization of a true story is perhaps the best Viet Nam film for high school use since it concentrates on the idealistic early years of the war and resists the urge to sensationalize.

This film is an excellent portrayal of the Washington Post’s investigation of the Watergate break-in and subsequent White House cover-up. The film also provides students an opportunity to consider the First Amendment’s protection of the press.

This is an accurate, well balanced and unemotional account of events leading up to the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. It can be an excellent tool to promote study of the United States Constitution and to tie historical study to a provocative contemporary event as well as to highlight the complexity of sensitive ethical issues.

This is a powerful yet sensitive account of two young Guatemalans, brother and sister, who leave the poverty and oppression of their mountain village to trek north in search of a new life in the United States. This film can play an important balancing role in the consideration of illegal immigration within the context of the history of immigration to America.

This film provides an interesting look at the widespread investment practices of the 1980’s which led to the S&L banking scandal as well as to the later and deeper crisis in Asian markets which plagued the world economy in the late 1990’s.

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