Films on American History and Culture

This short film presents the story of Eli Whitney, the notorious inventor of the cotton mill, who also developed the process of interchangeable parts production, which was an important step towards the modern assembly line and the factory system. He used this method to produce 10,000 muskets for the U.S. Army.

This film is a biography of Sam Houston, culminating with the battle of San Jacinto. Sam Houston fights beside his friend Andrew Jackson and is wounded. Not long thereafter, Jackson is elected President of the United States and appoints Houston as governor of Tennessee. Houston is married to Eliza Allen, but his lifestyle as a politician does not appeal to her. Their divorce is somewhat scandalous for the time, and Houston decides to accept Jackson's suggestion that he become ambassador to the Cherokee tribe instead. On a trip to Washington, DC, to put forth his argument how the Indians are being mistreated in their own land, Houston falls in love with Margaret Lea at a presidential ball. She returns with him to Texas, where the next mission for Houston is to free the territory from the rule of Mexico, either by diplomacy or on the battlefield. Stephen F. Austin disagrees with Houston's methods, preferring peaceful negotiations, but when the army of Santa Ana heads toward The Alamo in tremendous numbers, Houston knows no peaceful settlement is possible. He arrives too late to prevent the carnage there, but then leads the Texans in their fight for freedom and statehood.

This is the earliest film about the siege of the Alamo in existence, produced 76 years after the events themselves.

This film is a 1950's color biography of Sam Houston. Sam Houston, a lawyer and former governor of Tennessee, travels to San Antonio, Texas to begin a new life. He encounters Jim Bowie, who is determined to free the territory from Mexico's rule. Bowie is tried for treason. Houston represents him in court and successfully argues that the charge against Bowie must be dismissed because Mexico was not under martial law at the time. Katherine Delaney comes into Houston's life. He still is married back home, but separated and dictates a letter requesting a formal divorce. Katherine will not become involved with Houston unless he changes into the man she wants him to be and not become actively involved in the fight to free Texas. Davy Crockett relays a message from U.S. president Andrew Jackson, who wants Houston to lead the revolution. There are not enough troops at the Alamo to hold off General Antonio López de Santa Anna and the large Mexican army and the Alamo falls. Later. when Houston appears to be in full retreat, some of his men begin to feel he must be replaced. It turns out Houston was planning a surprise attack. His forces are told to "remember the Alamo," and they proceed to overwhelm Santa Anna and his men. Texas is declared a free republic, and Sam Houston its first president, a movement that eventually will lead to statehood.

LITTLE OLD NEW YORK tells the story of the hardships of the engineer Robert Fulton in financing and building the first successful steam-powered ship in America, which would revolutionize river transportation and then ocean commerce around the world. Engineer and inventor Robert Fulton comes to New York City in 1807, where he meets tavern and inn keeper Pat O'Day (. O'Day comes to strongly believe in Fulton and his dream after he lodges at her establishment. He pursues the investment capital he needs to build his visionary steam-powered ship. O'Day's longtime suitor, Charles Browne, opens his own shipyard to assist the dapper engineer in building his steamboat after Fulton receives initial financial investment from Chancellor Robert L. Livingstone. After a shipwright named Regan (Ward Bond) has a run-in with Fulton, Regan attempts to turn every local deck hand and sail-powered passenger boat operator against the engineer, exploiting their fear of losing their livelihoods to a steam-powered vessel. In the end, despite adversity, bad luck, and additional interference from Regan, Fulton is able to complete the steamboat, now named Clermont, at Charles Brown's shipyard. She is successfully launched on her first voyage, silencing the local critics and doubters who had previously labeled the venture "Fulton's Folly".

In 1789, Rachel Donelson Robards meets Tennessee's attorney general, Andrew Jackson, for the first time when he seeks room and board at her mother's farm near Nashville. John Overton, Andrew's law partner and Rachel's cousin, had recommended Andrew, and Mrs. Donelson welcomes the young attorney, who also has experience fighting Indians. Andrew becomes infatuated with the lovely Rachel and is disappointed when her moody husband, Lewis Robards, comes from Harrodsburg to ask her to return home. Lewis apologizes for his jealous, antagonistic behavior, but upon their return, Rachel discovers that Lewis has been having an affair with a slave girl. The sympathetic Mrs. Robards writes to Mrs. Donelson, telling her that Rachel wishes to go back to Nashville, and Mrs. Donelson sends Andrew to retrieve her. Infuriated, Lewis pulls a gun on Andrew, but Andrew easily disarms him and leaves with Rachel. The couple evade a band of Indians, then stop for the night at an inn to avoid further danger. When they arrive at the farm in the morning, they learn that Lewis has arrived before them. Lewis demands that Rachel leave with him, and when she refuses, he threatens to return the following morning with gun-toting relatives. Desperate to protect Rachel, Mrs. Donelson asks flatboat owners Capt. and Mrs. Stark to take Rachel to Natchez, but the Starks refuse to accept the responsibility unless a man accompanies Rachel. Andrew volunteers, and after they fend off an Indian attack, the couple kiss and realize that they have fallen in love. In Spanish-controlled Natchez, Andrew tells Rachel that she could obtain an annulment there and they could marry, but that their marriage would not be legal in the United States. Rachel refuses to let Andrew give up his career and asks him to return to Nashville to obtain a divorce for her. Before he leaves, however, Andrew receives a letter from John announcing that Lewis has gotten a divorce, charging Rachel with adultery. Although she is crushed by the accusation, Rachel marries Andrew, and after they return to Nashville, the couple spend two happy years together. Rachel is sad that they do not have children, but is content to be with Andrew. One day, John arrives with news that he had been mistaken, as Lewis had only petitioned for a divorce without actually obtaining one. Now, however, Lewis has divorced Rachel on grounds of adultery. Rachel begs Andrew to marry her again, although he believes that holding another ceremony will be an admission that they were in the wrong. After the wedding, Rachel and Andrew go to town, where Lewis' cousin Jason makes a crude remark about Rachel. Andrew almost beats Jason to death before being pulled away, then, during the drive home, Andrew and Rachel learn that Rachel's brother has been killed by Indians. Heading a militia troop, Andrew leaves to fight the Indians, and Rachel and her slave Moll work the fields alone for a year and a half until Andrew returns. Rachel is delighted to see her husband, and overjoyed that he has brought her an orphaned Indian infant, whom they name Lincoya. Though Andrew was forced to sell their home to equip his men, he soon builds Rachel a fine new home in Nashville, which they call "The Hermitage." Rachel spends the next eight years happily, although Andrew is often gone fighting Indians or serving in Congress. One day, Rachel is invited to join a ladies' club, but is upset to learn that most of the women, still believing that Rachel is an adulteress, have refused to allow her admittance. Humiliated, Rachel returns home, where she is horrified to discover that Lincoya has died suddenly during her brief absence. Andrew finally comes home, and soon makes a large gentleman's wager on a horse race. Rachel is thrilled when Andrew wins and is told that he has been appointed the general of the state militia. Jealous Charles Dickinson makes a cutting remark about Andrew stealing another man's wife, however, and Andrew again loses his temper and challenges Dickinson to a duel. Rachel begs Andrew not to fight, but he insists on defending her honor. During the duel, Andrew is seriously wounded but manages to kill Dickinson. Although she is glad to have her husband home, Rachel is heartbroken that their lives have again been disrupted by scandalmongers. Andrew promises Rachel that he will lift her so high that no one will dare whisper a word against her, but his promise is delayed by the war of 1812, during which he is away fighting for two years. Andrew returns home a hero, but when politics call again, he returns to Washington, leaving Rachel home alone. Finally, in 1825, Andrew is persuaded to run for president, although John warns him that his enemies will run a virulent campaign against him and he will have to control his temper. Rachel, who is in failing health, sneaks out one night to listen to Andrew speak at a rally, and is crushed to hear the jeering crowd yell out that they will not have a murderer for a president or a prostitute as the first lady. Rachel collapses as she stumbles through the streets, and Andrew stays by her bedside night and day. When Andrew receives word that he has won the election, Rachel tearfully acknowledges that he kept his promise to raise her to grand heights. She then tells him that she will not be able to accompany him, and with her dying breath, asks him not to carry spite with him. Soon after, in Washington, just before his inaugural speech, Andrew gazes at a miniature of Rachel and vows that his memories will keep him company for the rest of his life.

These chapters deal with the career of John Quincy Adams as a diplomat and Secretary of State under the James Madison and James Monroe administrations, 1809-1825.

These chapters deal with the career of John Quincy Adams as President (1825-1829) and Congressman (1830-1848).

In this Technicolor short, lawyer Francis Scott Key believes the government is not doing enough to protect the country from the warring British. He is not afraid to air his views, unpopular amongst the military/political circle in which he travels, especially as it is coming from a civilian. His views embarrass his wife, Mary Key, who believes they are unpatriotic. As such, those views unknowingly threaten their marriage. Francis believes someone or something needs to bring the nation together as one, but doesn't yet know who or what that is. After a night-long battle where the British attacked Fort McHenry, the still flying American flag at the fort "by the dawn's early light" and comments made to that fact representing the resilience of Americans inspires Francis to write a poem which his friend Col. John Skinner thinks could be the means to bring the nation together. That poem would become the lyrics to "The Star Spangled Banner".

As the War of 1812 breaks out between the United States and Britain, Captain James Marshall is asked to undertake a mission of running the blockade of the US coast being operated by the British, for the purpose of collecting a war loan in gold obtained from private citizens in France. The purpose of the loan is to assist a build up the fledgling US fleet against the mighty British Navy. Marshall asks Ben Waldridge, a former Royal Navy captain who was cashiered by the Navy, to be his First Officer on board the Concord which is purported to be fastest ship the United States has. Waldridge helps Marshall by pulling a crew together that consists mostly of his loyal former gun crew and is led by two men named Hook (has a hook for one of his hands) and Redlegs. They both make the assumption that Waldridge will be their captain and are a bit surprised and suspicious to learn that he won't be. The crew is not made aware of the true purpose of the mission. However, early on the journey to France, Redlegs lowers Hook over the side of the ship in order to eavesdrop outside the window of the Captain's quarters. He overhears Marshall and Waldridge talking details of the $10 million in gold they are to bring back to the US. Realizing that there will be gold coming on board, Hook and Redlegs immediately plot mutiny and count on Waldridge to go along with them to captain the ship just like the old days. They privately reveal to Waldridge that they know the purpose of the mission to France is to bring back gold. Surprised at what they know, he swears them to secrecy. But they immediately betray by telling their crew mates who then all begin to try and figure out what their individual shares will be. After arriving off the coast of France at Le Havre, Leslie, Waldridge's former sweetheart, is brought on board after Marshall and Waldridge make an excursion into the town in a small boat. Hook and Redlegs immediately assume the gold is hidden in her luggage and when Waldridge leaves the room search it right in front of her. They are flummoxed at not finding it. Instead of being angry or crying for help, Leslie's response to their bold and callous search of her things reveals her to be just as gold-loving and mutinous as they are. As additional motivation, she arrived on board assuming Waldridge was Captain of the ship and is indignant to learn that he is merely serving as Marshall's First Officer expressing that such lower status is unbecoming of him and of her own ambitions. Leslie suggests to Hook and Redlegs that the gold might have been brought on board in the form of a large anchor. They sneak to the front of the ship and secretly scratch the surface of the anchor which reveals the gold. With the discovery of the actual gold, mutinous plot is back on, but first the ship has to escape the English Channel and make it back to the United States. After evading one British Man-o-war (during which Waldridge's life is saved by Marshall after having been dragged overboard by a rope attached to a cannon) it's smooth sailing toward the Bahamas. Until just before turning north toward Salem, Massachusetts, when the plot is sprung.

This film is a somewhat anachronistic account of Tecumseh and Tippacanoe. In the Indiana Territory of the early 19th century, conflict arises between the United States and Great Britain over territory and boundaries. Each side endeavors to gain the support of the Shawnee Indian tribes in the area. Governor William Henry Harrison enlists the aid of Steve Ruddell, whose friendship with the Shawnee chief Tecumseh goes back to childhood. Tecumseh's leadership of the Shawnee is contested by his brother Tenskwatawa, known as The Prophet, who sides with the British. Tecumseh, who grew up as a childhood playmate of Steve and of Laura McGregor, loves Steve as a brother and hopes to marry Laura. But Laura is in love with Steve. Laura's father, Shayne McGregor, secretly leads local support for the British against the Americans, even though it risks the life and love of his daughter. Everything comes to a head at the Battle of Tippecanoe.

This is second iteration of the tale of Jean Lafitte and his role in the defense of New Orleans in 1815.

In the midst of the war of 1812, a British frigate fires upon a peaceful, unwitting mercantile ship. In the attack, the trader's captain is killed and the British take the surviving crew prisoner, including sailor Dan Marvin and the late captain's willful daughter Corunna Dorman. In captivity, Marvin and Corunna form an uneasy alliance and, along with the other prisoners, plot an escape. Their goal: Reclaim their ship and avenge the murder of their captain. Corunna helps Dan take command of the ship to fight the British during the war.

Cecil B. DeMille's first production of the tale of the pirate Jean Lafitte, Andrew Jackson and the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. The film begins with the closing stages of the War of 1812, as Dolly Madison evacuates the White House as the British Army arrives and burn Washington. Jean Lafitte asks a young woman of good family, Annette de Remy), to marry him but she asks him to give up his piracy first. He and his pirates set up a trading post in Louisiana in the swamp to sell luxury goods to New Orleans society that they have seized from foreign ships but have to suspend their sales when the governor, Ferdinand Claiborne, who has put a bounty on his head, appears with troops. Senator Crawford (Ian Keith) tells him that the British will offer him money to help them. Laffite leaves for the sea where he finds one of his captains, Captain Brown has seized the Corinthian, an American ship, contrary to his orders not to attack American ships, burning the ship and killing the crew and passengers. Laffite's man Dominique You, saves the sole survivor Gretchen, who had been made to walk the plank by Brown so no witnesses remained, and Lafitte hangs the captain for disobeying orders. Lafitte spares Gretchen despite her potential as a hostile witness and Gretchen works as his maid and falls in love with him, despite You being in love with her. The British, who are planning to attack New Orleans, offer Laffitte position and wealth if he will guide them through the swamps to the city and threaten to attack his stronghold if he will not. Although his men are willing, Lafitte's loyalty is to Louisiana and he delays answering the British, instead warning the city authorities of the British plans. On Crawford's advice, Brevet Major General Andrew Jackson, who leads the available American forces, does not trust Lafitte and instead attacks his stronghold in order to prevent him aiding the English, capturing or killing his men, whom Lafitte has ordered not to resist. Meanwhile, Jackson determines to defend the city, though he has limited forces, despite Crawford's advice to surrender the city. Lafitte, who escaped from the attack, perseveres, appearing before Jackson in person and offering to supply him with flints and powder and provide experienced gunners to help defend the city if he will pardon his men. Jackson agrees to grant pardon after the forthcoming battle, although he will only promise to give Lafitte an hour's start from pursuit. Lafitte releases his men, in the process killing Crawford in a sword fight. The entrenched American forces, with the help of Lafitte's artillery and gunners, mow down the advancing ranks of disciplined but over confident British troops. At the victory ball, Gretchen is recognized as a passenger on the Corinthian and as wearing clothing and jewels from Annette's sister, who was a passenger on the ship. It is consequently revealed that Lafitte's men had sunk it, killing Annette's sister along with the other passengers and crew. Lafitte accepts ultimate responsibility for the tragedy and is only saved from a lynching by Jackson, who keeps his promise of giving Lafitte an hour's start. With Annette heartbroken, Lafitte leaves, reaching his ship safely, where he finds that Gretchen has stowed away.

The two available parts of this docudrama cover the early years of the war, concentrating on the abortive U.S. attempts to invade Canada.

This film narrates the role of the U.S.S. Constitution in the Barbary War, the first foreign war of the United States in North Africa. Early in the 19th century, USS Constitution is launched as part of an effort to stop piracy in the Mediterranean Sea. Meanwhile, a young man is determined to go to sea (Farrell) is befriended by the bos'n of the merchant ship Esther, and he joins its crew. When the Esther reaches the Mediterranean, she too, along with the Constitution, become involved in the battle against the pirates.

THE FAR HORIZONS is about the early 19th century Lewis and Clark Expedition, which was sent by President Thomas Jefferson to survey the territory that the United States has just acquired in the Louisiana Purchase from France. They are able to overcome the dangers they encounter along the way with the help of a Shoshone woman named Sacagawea. This is currently the only major American motion picture on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The historic attempt to explore and document an untamed American frontier unfolds in this rousing adventure drama. In 1803, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, with President Thomas Jefferson's blessing, embarked on the government-sponsored Lewis and Clark Expedition – an attempt to discover a water route connecting St. Louis, Missouri, with the Pacific Ocean. After meeting the Shoshone woman Sacagawea in what has since become the state of North Dakota (but which was at the time unexplored territory) their trek takes them through the magnificent, danger-filled territory of the Pacific Northwest, with guidance from Sacagawea.

This is the second part of a biography series dealing with George Washington from the end of the revolution, through the Constitutional convention and his presidency (1789-1797), and his retirement and death.

A dramatization of Patrick Henry and his famous speech before the house of Burgesses of Virginia in the early revolution.

This technocolor short that depicts the origins, the evolution and promulgation of the Bill of Rights in 1789.

The film depicts events surrounding creation of the United States Constitution, and is focused mainly on James Madison, who wrote most of that document and took extensive notes during the convention's discussions and proceedings. The period immediately following the American Revolutionary War was marked by intense political unrest, owing to huge debts, the interruption of trade and business, shortages of labor, and personal turmoils, all created by the War. It soon became evident that the Articles of Confederation were insufficient to address the country's needs. A movement soon emerged to upgrade or replace the Articles, and Madison was foremost in the movement. However, he needed the support of George Washington, and needed to show that a new government would be sufficient to address such challenges as Shays' Rebellion and the growing trade problems between the independent States. Madison was strongly opposed by those who feared a strong central government, people known either as States Rights Advocates or as Anti-Federalists, such as Roger Sherman and John Dickinson. Madison was in favor of a bicameral congress, but envisioned both houses being elected according to proportional representation. In this he was opposed by the States Rights Advocates, and he eventually accepted the compromises necessary to address their concerns. The film highlights the basis for these compromises. The film also depicts the convention delegates' debate about the slave trade

A fanciful and fictional account of the events surrounding the battle of Saratoga based upon a play by George Bernard Shaw.