Films on American History and Culture

A television film adaptation of James Fenimore Cooper's THE DEERSLAYER, with the same cast as the following year's THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS.

A made-for-television film of James Fenimore Coopers' THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS.

An East German version of James Fenimore Cooper's THE DEERSLAYER in which Chingachgook is the main figure and the natives are seen as being exploited by the Europeans

Another German-made cinematic version of James Fenimore Cooper's THE DEERSLAYER. Frontiersman Deerslayer and his Mohican blood brother Chingachgook are attacked by a scout for a Huron war party. Dispatching the Huron, they hear war cries from the river and help white trader Harry March, who is being chased by the war party in canoes. Deerslayer and Chingachgook, cannot understand why the Hurons have gone on the warpath so far west of the white settlements. Harry tells them that he is making for a floating fort moored in the middle of Lake Otsego, on which old Tom Hutter and his two daughters, Judith and Hetty, live. Harry needs the help of Deerslayer and Chingachgook to deliver the girls to safety in Albany. When they arrive at the fort, Deerslayer and Chingachgook offer their help because a band of Hurons is coming down the river, but they are shunned by Tom, who knows why the Hurons are about to attack but is also trying to hide a sinister secret.

This is the first major sound feature version on the THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS, which has recently been AI colorized.

An American silent version of the second of the Leatherstocking Tales.

A early German-made filmed version of James Fennimore Cooper's first novel of the Leatherstocking Tales. The silent German version of THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS is unavailable.

The story of John Peter Zenger who fought British rule in the American colonies and printed materials against King George III. This case is important to American historians and champions of the First Amendment because it represented a strong repudiation of British libel law and also marked an important fissure in the relationship between the American colonies and the mother country. Our own government today, together with corporations, are limiting our press/media by labeling it "misinformation".

The revivals of the Great Awakening shook Britain's North American colonies from spiritual slumber during the 1730s-1750s. In Virginia it touched men and women whose spiritual needs had been too long neglected by the legally established Anglican Church. In homes, meeting houses, and in open fields, rich and poor, black and white, men and women mingled to hear emotional messages of a personal God and salvation. The Great Awakening rattled and cracked the foundations of hierarchal authority and official religion from Georgia to New England, reverberating through the decades to the Revolution and the collapse of British rule.

A different view of African slavery in the first part of an American TV miniseries, in which Europeans conduct their own slaving raids in Africa. In 1750, in Gambia, West Africa, Kunta Kinte, son of Omoro and Binta, distinguishes himself among his tribesmen in manhood training rituals. But he does not enjoy his new status long: slave traders sweeping the countryside seize him. Chained with other captives, Kunta begins an agonized odyssey to the New World.

This film is a different account of African slavery from that of ROOTS. In West Africa during the late 17th century, King Adanggaman leads a war against his neighboring tribes, ordering his soldiers to torch enemy villages, kill the elderly and capture the healthy tribesmen to sell to the European slave traders. When his village falls prey to one of Adanggaman's attacks, Ossei manages to escape, but his family is murdered except for his captured mother. Chasing after the soldiers in an effort to free her, Ossei is befriended by a fierce warrior named Naka.

The film depicts the life of the Quaker founder of Pennsylvania, William Penn. The film portrays his struggle to be granted a colonial charter in London and attracting settlers to his new colony as well as his adoption a radical new approach with regard to the treatment of the Native Americans. Also known as PENN OF PENNSYLVANIA.

MAID OF SALEM combines story elements from the THE SCARLET LETTER and the Salem Witch Trials of 1692-93. In Salem, Massachusetts, 1692, a young woman has an affair with an outsider. She is ostracized and sentenced as a witch, but saved but her lover saves her.

This short film recreates the conflict of Roger Williams with the Puritan leaders of New England, including his attempts to achieve separation of church and state, freedom of conscience, and protection for minority groups; the heresy trial resulting in his banishment from the Massachusetts Bay Colony; and his decision to establish the new colony of Rhode Island.

An American made-for-television historical adventure film dramatizing the Pilgrims' voyage from Plymouth, England to Cape Cod in New England aboard the Mayflower in 1620. Like 1953's PLYMOUTH ADVENTURE, it also focuses on romantic interactions between the passengers and crew

A fictionalized account of the Pilgrims' voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to North America aboard the Mayflower. During the long sea voyage, Capt. Christopher Jones falls in love with Dorothy Bradford, the wife of William Bradford. The love triangle is resolved in a tragic way at the film's conclusion. Ship's carpenter John Alden—said to be the first person to set foot on Plymouth Rock in 1620—catches the eye of Priscilla Mullins, one of the young Pilgrims following William Bradford. Alden ultimately wins Priscilla in another, if subtler, triangle with Miles Standish.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH tells the story of Jamestown colony to the court of King James I. In 1607, the colonists have found more hardships than gold in Jamestown and Captain Wingfield is making plans to abandon the settlement. Smith, locked aboard the Godspeed escapes and swims to the river bank. He warns the camp of an Indian attack. The colonists repel the first attack. The Indians fire burning arrows into the camp then Smith orders John Rolfe to swim across the river swim and warn the ships. The settlers take cover during the second Indian attack which is repelled cannon fire from the ships. Smith is elected as leader of the colony and the settlers build a wooden stockade for protection. Rations are running out and it is discovered that the ships have gone. Smith goes on an expedition to make peace with Chief Powhatan where he meets Pocahontas briefly but is later captured by warriors. Before his execution, Pocahontas saves him. She is married to Smith to keep a peace between the settlers. The following day, a settler finds gold and tells Wingfield. He plans to fail the colony so that the gold will not be given to The Virginia Company. Smith returns with Indians who bring supplies and teach them how to grow crops. The next day, Macklin spots Wingfield hiding gold and giving guns to Opechanco's warriors but Turnbull kills him and Nataquas is blamed. Nataquas is lashed and given the blame for his death until Smith arrives. Wingfield tells Opechanco to attack and wipe out the colonists but to spare himself. The colonists repel the attack amid the fight Turnbull is killed by an arrow. Opechanco kills Nataquas, who planned to tell Chief Powhatan, and Pocahontas runs to Jamestown and tells Smith. To avenge Nataquas, Smith decided to fight Opechanco and kills him. Wingfield kills Davis for the gold and sets the gunpowder storehouse on fire. Smith fights him and escapes out of the hut as it explodes. The ships arrive and the doctor sends Smith to rest aboard the ship. Smith leaves Jamestown to sail back to England, leaving Rolfe in charge. After telling his story, Smith leaves the court of King James I, having told his story. The films ends with the statue of Pocahontas in London. "A great lady - a princess of her people

The film is an adaptation of the 1945 best-selling novel Captain from Castile by Samuel Shellabarger. The film's story covers the first half of the historical epic, describing the protagonist's persecution at the hands of the Spanish Inquisition and his escape to the New World to join Hernán Cortés in an expedition to conquer Mexico.

Aware that the world is round, Christopher Columbus lobbies for a trip westward to Asia, but lacks a crew and ship. The Catholic theologians at the University of Salamanca heavily disapprove of Columbus's plan, not being keen on ideas that go against the writings of Ptolemaeus. Columbus is approached by Martín Pinzón, a shipowner from Palos, who introduces him to the banker Santángel, to whom Queen Isabella I owes money. Columbus meets with the queen, who grants him his journey in exchange for his promise to bring back sufficient amounts of riches in gold. Columbus deceives many crewmen by telling them that the voyage will only last seven weeks. Three ships depart. Nine weeks go by with no sign of land. The crew becomes restless and edges toward mutiny. He tries to reinvigorate them with an inspiring speech, coinciding with a fast wind, which goads the men to return to their duties. At night, Columbus notices mosquitoes on the deck, indicating that land is not far off. Suddenly, out of the mist they see the lush vegetation and sandy beaches of Guanahani. The Europeans befriend the local natives, who show them gold they have collected. Columbus teaches one of them Spanish so that they are able to communicate. He then informs them that he will return to Spain, which will be followed by the arrival of many more Europeans. Columbus leaves behind a group to begin the colonisation of the Americas. Back in Spain, he receives a high honour from the queen and has dinner with the council. They express disappointment with the small amount of gold he brought back, but the queen approves of his gifts. On the second expedition, Columbus takes 17 ships and over 1,000 men with him to the island; however, all the crewmen left behind are found to have been killed. When the tribe is confronted by Columbus and his troops, they tell him that another tribe came and killed them. Columbus chooses to believe them, but his commanding officer Moxica is not convinced. They begin to build the city of La Isabela and eventually manage to hoist the town bell into its tower. Four years later, the natives are being forced to mine for gold. Moxica punishes one who fails to find any gold by cutting off his hand. The word of this act of violence spreads throughout the native tribes and they all disappear into the forest. Columbus begins to worry about a potential war, with the natives heavily outnumbering them. Upon return to his home, he finds his house set ablaze by Moxica and his followers, confirming his unpopularity among a certain faction of the settlers. Soon, the tribes arrive to fight the Spaniards and the island becomes war-torn, with Columbus' governorship being reassigned with orders for him to return to Spain. Columbus is accused of nepotism and offering administrative positions to his personal friends, thereby injuring the pride of the nobles such as Moxica; he is replaced by de Bobadilla. Columbus returns to Castile to be imprisoned, but is bailed out by his sons. When he is summoned by the queen, she is reluctantly convinced to allow him to make another voyage, with the proviso that he neither take his brothers nor return to the colonies. As an old man, Columbus is virtually forgotten in Spain, with the discovery of the New World being credited to Amerigo Vespucci. Columbus's son Ferdinand asks his father to tell him his story so he can transcribe it.

A Genoese navigator overcomes intrigue in the court of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain and gains financing for his expedition to the East Indies.

Christopher Columbus, an explorer from Genoa, Italy, arrives in Spain with his son seeking funds for a trip to India. He obtains an introduction at court from Father Perez, the former confessor for Queens Isabella. Columbus is opposed by Francisco de Bobadilla, who uses Beatriz to distract Columbus, However eventually the Queen agrees to finance Columbus's ships, the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria, on its journey. On the trip over, the crew threaten mutiny. Columbus promises to turn back if no land is found in three days. On the third night, Columbus sees a light and they reach the New World. Columbus returns to Spain a hero but continues to face opposition at court, even as his discoveries help turn Spain into a rich country.

A retelling of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday, and the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

John Wayne's first starring western. This is a spectacular film about a wagon train heading for Oregon.