Documentary Review: American Experience: We Shall Remain: After the Mayflower

In this first episode at a series looking at Native American history after the coming of the Europeans deals with the Pilgrims and their relationship with the Wampanoag people.  The Wampanoag had gone through a devastating plague just before the English arrived at Plymouth Rock.  This plague was likely brought to them by European fishermen who had started to have contact with the Native Americans along the coast.  As a result, the English found a territory underpopulated.  The disease had taken a great many lives.  Chief Massasoit watched the Pilgrims with caution.  It wasn't for three months after they landed that the Native Americans finally decided to make contact with them.  Because they had brought their children and wives, it was felt they could be trusted.
This story deals with the many years of peaceful relationships between the British and the Massasoit.  This helped the Pilgrims get established.  The story of the first Thanksgiving is fascinating, as Massasoit attends with many of his warriors.  The bring five deer to contribute to the feast.
There is a period where Massasoit falls ill, and he is nursed back to health by a friend from amongst the pilgrims.  By the first year of the Pilgrims coming to America there was a peace treaty in place between the two peoples.
Before Massasoit passed away he asked the British to give his sons Christian names.  His older son was given the name Alexander, and the younger Phillip.  The peaceful relations between his people and the British would last even beyond his death in 1661.  His son Alexander continued the peace.  However when his next son, Phillip, took over as chief things began to deteriorate.  Phillip (Metacomet) could see that the British intent was to take over, and that his people would only be second class citizens in their own country.  The British tried to extend their laws to his people, and it just didn't fit.  He felt disrespected, and no longer an equal.  Finally he formed an alliance with several neighboring tribes, and initiated a war against the British.  It was very effective against those communities that were not well defended.  Many towns were burned, and many settler had to retreat to larger communities.  However, the Mohawk aligned with the British, and killed 500 of his warriors in an attack.  After that Phillip and his people did not have the strength to carry on.  Phillip visited the community of his youth, where he was killed.  His body was dismembered, and parts given to different people for their part in his death.  His head was mounted on a pike and placed at the entrance to Fort Plymouth as a warning against others who may attack.  His wife and son were captured and sold as slaves in Bermuda.

Documentary Review: World War II In Colour 2: Lightning War

Lightning war refers to a tactic employed by the Germans.  Blitzkrieg, or lightning war referred to moving fast with armored columns, bypassing the strongest positions, and letting the infantry follow and mop up.  Such was the strategy used by the Germans in Poland in 1939.  Germany used its superiority in air power and in tanks to take territory quickly.  And so it was that Poland was conquered quickly.  With this the British and French troops prepared for invasion of France, thinking the Germans would use similar tactics to the invasion in WWI, through Belgium.  In this they were fooled.  First the Germans attacked north rather than into France.  They conquered Norway, and then other Scandinavian countries, one after the other using similar tactics.  When it came to France, the expected attack was along the coastal areas.  However Germany attacked with their panzer division south and just north of the heavily defended areas considered impenetrable.  The attack was not expected over the rough terrain.  The German's were able to get behind the French and English forces, forces them back so as to avoid being cut off.  German air superiority again played a key roll.  The French and British armies were able to fight their way to Dunkirk, but there they were cut off.  The only hope for the forces was removal.  Churchill mustered a flotilla of any available vessel, but these were kept from the port by the many dive bombers.  He then recruited even smaller vessels who could go and gather the men, and take them to the larger vessels for transportation to Great Britain.  In this way the British Arm was save, as well as many of the French.   However the country of France was lost, and the Germans marched almost unopposed into Paris.

Documentary Review: Civil War: America Divided: Two Nations

This documentary does a good job of explaining just how divided the country was before the Civil War.  The Mexican American War proved a training ground for Civil War officers.  However it resulted in a dilemma, What to do with the territory gained as a result of the war.  This territory covers California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, most of New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming.  Should the territories by slave or free.  Kansas was one of the places where this decision turned bloody.  John Brown took advantage of the situation to carry out bloody murders.  However Southern sympathizers, many from Missouri, performed their own acts of bloodshed.  John Brown found he took his act too far when he attacked the arsenal at harper's Ferry.  He was captured and hung.  two of his sons died in their capture.  The election of 1860 was really a two part election.  Abraham Lincoln  (Republican) and Stephen Douglas (Democrat) competed in the North.  John Bell (Constitutional Union) and John Breckinridge (Southern Democrat) campaigned in the South.  Lincoln won by taking the entire North.  He was not even on the ballot in many Southern states.
His election spurred the South to action, and many states seceded even before Lincoln took office.  The stage was set for war.

WWII in Colour 1: The Gathering Storm

This is a very good documentary using colorized film from WWII.  It also uses maps and explains very well the process of this war.  It explain that WWII starts with the Treaty of Versailles, and only 20 years after the treaty, Germany is ripe for dictatorial leadership and find this in Adolf Hitler.  the treaty set Germany up for economic depression due to the  steep reparations required.  Economic downturn is bad for the current leaders.   Other countries are in the same boat, Spain and Italy as well as Japan.  We have Benito Mussolini in Italy and Francisco Franco in Spain.  This film also shows the first steps, and Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain hoping beyond hope he had achieved peace, but being fooled badly.  The Germans under Hitler have an expansionist mindset, and start with lands that were part of Germany before the treaty of Versailles.  They reoccupy the Rhineland, and move into German areas controlled by the French since the treaty.  Nobody does anything.  The next step is to annex Austria, which is set to have election, but the Germans move in before the election.  Then he moves to repatriate parts of Czechoslovakia, where many German speaking people live, who became part of Czechoslovakia when the country was formed.  This is where Chamberlain was part of the negotiation, and basically told Hitler he could have the country for a guarantee of peace.  Russia seeing the German expansion have two choices, align with Britain and France, or with Germany.  They choose the latter, and have already made agreements of how to split up Poland.

Historical Reenactment: The Mountain of the Lord

The Mountain of the Lord, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  Salt Lake (1993)
This video is a reenactment of the construction and dedication of the Salt Lake Temple using the journal of Wilford Woodruff as its guide.  It indicates some of the dialogue is directly taken from the journal.  It particularly follows a stone cutter and his apprentice.  While they are diverted to working on the railway the stonecutter is injured and loses an arm.  however He continued with his work for the temple despite this.  (The movie points out that completion of the railroad was essential to the temple effort.  After rails were laid to the quarry sight, the transportation of granite blocks become much easier.  This movie portrays the covering of the temple when Johnston's army came through Salt Lake City.  It looked like nothing more than a plowed field.  The foundation had been buried.
There was a struggle when the foundation is uncovered, and they discover cracks in the foundation.  This was found to be the mortar, so it was redone without mortar.
The Salt Lake Temple was a real struggle to build, and it took 40 years to do so.

Documentary Review: Eva Peron (1963)

This documentary was first produced for CBS.  It has later been played on A&E and the Biography Channel.  This documentary tells the life of Eva Peron.  The musical Evita could very well have been based on this documentary.  She has born illegitimate and was poor.  She escaped poverty by using a man, Augustin Magalda, a Tango singer who had visited her home.  She then uses other men, to get into advertising, and acting.  She was never a very good actress, and would order all her films be destroyed.  She went from Colonel to Colonel, until landing with Colonel Peron.  She met him in 1944 at a benefit in Luna Park for victims of an earthquake in Eva was good at politics.  She was successful to portray herself and Juan Peron as supporters of the people.  Peron quickly rose to power, and became vice president.  However  some felt he has headed to dictatorship, and had him arrested.  Eva Peron was able to rally the working class which resulted in riots and demonstration for Peron's release.  When he was released he was more powerful than ever. 
Peron followed this with winning the election for President.  The election had many shenanigans, including possible voter manipulation through threats, which included violence and gun shots towards his opponents.
After coming to power, Peron ruled with an iron fist, and Eva increased in power.  Peron used his power to force higher taxes and controls on business.  He used increased money for his own benefit, as well as paying back his "descamisados" with public works, many of which was never completed.
Evita used her power to get even with past enemies, forcing the exile of an fellow actress who had criticized her.  She also managed a charitable society.  This she would use to award others with items such as a house, or clothing.  Somehow she also was able to own $15 million in jewels and extravagant wardrobe.  
She toured Europe, and was heartily received in Spain.  However her receptions in Italy and France were not so enthusiastic.  She returned home disappointed. 
Eva's big political blunder was to pursue the vice presidency in Peron's reelection.  The military indicated that this was not acceptable.  They would not take orders form a woman.  She was forced to decline the vice presidency, saying it was due to her young age. 
After this her health turned.  She was diagnosed with cancer and passed away at age 33.  She was granted her last wish; that of a state funeral.

Documentary Review: * No End In Sight: Iraq's Descent Into Chaos

This documentary is about the occupation of Iraq after it was conquered.  The film makes the point that the conquest was too fast to allow those who would follow up could get organized.  I must admit, I did not enjoy this movie.  It just seemed like a bunch of whiners complaining about anything they could think of, and a lot of back chair quarterbacking going on.  I am sure Iraq is much better with out Saddam and his sons.  I guess some wanted the force to be twice as big, and to do more to stop looting.  I could not get to the end.  However, I must agree, the destruction of the national library, museum and archives was tragic.

Documentary Review: Underground Railroad: History Channel

This documentary is well done.  It doesn't rely on historical reenactmenty, but research, and lets the story tell itself.  It starts off by pointing to the myths.  The underground railroad was not a railroad and it was not underground.  However it was a network of people helping people who were seeking freedom.  The message was spread through song, such as "Follow the Drinking Gourd" which gave instruction on the trail to follow, the drinking gourd being the big dipper which pointed to the north star. http://whilhelmsthoughts.blogspot.com/2014/03/poetry-i-like-follow-drinking-gourd.html "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" was a song used by Harriet Tubman to warn of danger. "The Gospel Trains A' Coming" would let people know they were preparing to run. 

This film also talks about the people of the under ground railroad.  This is called the first civil rights movement, with white people and black people working together.  Frederick Douglas, a former slave, was an outspoken voice against slavery.  Harriet Tubman was also African American, had fled to freedom, but went back and helped at least 200, many relatives, reach freedom.  She had been beaten by a slave owner when young, which resulted in a seizure disorder.  She bragged of never losing anyone on her "train."
Ripley, OH was a city just north of the Ohio River from Kentucky.  This city was to goal for many fleaing slaves.  John Rankin's home in Ripley was used as a safe house.  Another individual, John Parker, who was a former slave, would cross the river nightly, and search for fleeing slaves to ferry them across the river.  He would take them home, or to the home of John Rankin. 
Anthony Burns had escaped slavery, but as a result of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, when he was captured and taken to jail, and tried, his return to slavery was a forgone conclusion.  He was not allowed to talk in his own defense.  In Boston they were near riot with regards to the recapture of Anthony Burns.  The government had to spend almost $100,000 between preventing the riot by hiring guards and the trial.  When he was returned to slavery in Virginia, his owner wold him for $900.  Eventually his freedom was purchased by those in the North. 
Dread Scott had been living free for sometime, and sued for his own freedom.  He felt sure he would win, but when his case was heard by the Supreme Court, which had many members appointed by presidents form slave states, the court ruled against him.  This two cases infuriated citizens of the North.  Roger B, Taney, the Chief Justice presented the outcome, indicating the slaves were property, no people.
Antislavery sentiment in the North was further fostered by a novelist.  Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin" which was published in 1852.  One abolitionist who put his sentiments into action was John Brown.  John Brown was raised in an abolitionist home, and carried this sentiment.  He hoped to carry the underground railroad to all the slaves, by provoking an uprising.  He was able to take the armory at Harper's Ferry, but the federal government reacted harshly.  Many of Brown's men were killed, and Brown was tried and hung.
It was an important battle of the Civil War which lead to the Emancipation Proclamation and freedom of the slaves.  This was a long time in coming.

Documentary Review: American Experience: Death and the Civil War (2012)

After the initial fuss was over, the North and the South settled into real war, and the casualty figures were such that neither side was prepared to death with the slaughter, with the dead.  There was no way in tact for getting bodies home, nor was there proper burial details to inter the bodies where they were.  Bodies lying battlefield, and subsequent photographic essays of these bodies brought the carnage home to the citizenry. 
Even though the paper would publish military records of the deceased, often these were incomplete, or mistakes were made.  If it listed someone as wounded, they often later died.  There were demands for change.  This started with volunteer societies, including Clara Barton's, which brought some relief.  Still many bodies were interred in mass graves, and many were left unburied.  There were some improvements, and a Union organization helped with some reclamation of bodies, but even at the end of the war there was much to do.  On the Union side, Clara Barton published stories in papers.  Sometimes this lead to closure.  Money was expended for the recovery of bodies and a commission set up, after convincing the government that they were responsible to see the bodies were returned home.  These efforts lead to the ability to locate many bodies, and the establishment of National Cemeteries on battlefields throughout the country.  Those of Southern extraction, noted that Confederate troops were left out, and eventually provision was made for the search of these bodies as well.  on the Union side 55 percent of the deceased were identified.  The statistics were worse for the Southern soldiers.  Many were left in unmarked graves.
You may also want to review this essay by Walt Whitman
http://bwardlehistory.blogspot.com/2014/02/walt-whitman-prose-of-dead-of-civil-war.html
or this previous post on death and the Civil War.
http://bwardlehistory.blogspot.com/2013/11/us-civil-war-people-became-acquainted.html
The American attitude toward death, and military death in particular changed as a result of the war.  Since there has been greater effort to get the remains home.  Also Memorial Day was established as a time to remember our fallen soldiers. 
This movie can be graphic, but it does make you stop and think.

Mormon Historical Video: Organization of the Church

This is a short video  shows a historical depiction of the events around the reestablishment of the Church in the Peter Whitmer home April 6, 1830.  It includes the events leading up to the restoration, including the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and the First Vision.  The original movie was produced by the Church in 1982.  The original is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4B_BTjpG8o&list=HL1380777606

 It truly was a marvelous day.  It included voting to accept Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery as their spiritual leaders, baptisms of all now that they were baptized into the church, the sacrament for the first time in this dispensation, confirmations and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and priesthood ordinations.  President Kimball's message from the 150 year anniversary is provided at the end of the video.  He was addressing the church from the Peter Whitmer home.  The Church which started with six members, as per the law of the state of New York, then numbered millions. 

Mormon Historical Movie: Restoration of the Priesthood (1982)

This is part of a series of Church History movies I am viewing.  This movie tells the stories of the restoration of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods.  In 1839, as Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery translated the Book of Mormon, they came across scripture talking of the need for baptism.  However, at that time they did not have the authority to baptize, so they took to nearby woods to pray.  They were close to the Susquehanna River.  John the Baptist appeared to them, and confirmed the priesthood on them. They then baptized each other in the river.  This movie also presented Peter James and John and the restoration of the higher priesthood.  It concludes with Boyd K. Packer talking about the importance of having the proper authority.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4B_BTjpG8o
The first ten minutes of this movie show the same video minus the Boyd K. Packer addition.

Documentary Review: ***^The Flight that Fought Back: United Flight 93

This is a very good documentary which deals with flight 93, which crashed into a field in Pennsylvania on 9/11.  This documentary was made for Discovery Channel and was narrated by Keifer Sutherland.  My only complaint, is being made for television, in sometimes repeated itself, like before commercial and after.  However other than that it was very good. 

It used interviews with surviving family members, and historical reenactment to tell its story.  They had also review airline tape, which is generally confidential.  Family members had been allowed to listen to some which was not accessible to the public.  They concluded that the passengers had breached the cockpit which resulted in the ship crashing into the field. The people on this flight, were in every sense of the world heroes.  They knew there was not much chance of survival, but even so the attacked their terrorist hijackers, and caused enough confusion that the terrorist were not able to achieve their objective. 

National Geographic: The New World: Nightmare in Jamestown

This documentary has a lot to share and a lot to tell.  Jamestown was not an ideal place to live, and several times the colony was almost wiped out be Indians, disease, famine etc.  Without reinforcements and resupply from England, it would not have succeeded.  It tells several stories from the bones found in the area.  First is a body with a musket ball in his leg.  They conclude this ball would have killed him as it would have severed an artery.  By examining the wound, the concluded it could not have been self inflicted.  This left accidental shooting by another (from about 15 feet) or a Native had stolen a weapon.  As the Indian threat was pervasive, and they drilled considerably, with men who were not sure around guns, the accidental shooting looking probably.  Another body exhumed, which was buried outside the fort, and placed in a position of respect, with a captain's staff, was concluded to be Bortholomew Gosnold.  I had never heard of him, but he historically was the energy behind the expedition to Jamestown.  He recruited backers, and people, including his cousin John Smith.  The only problem was he died just five months after they landed in Jamestown.  With pending starvation, the demise of the company was imminent.  John Smith took over leadership with the death of Gosnold.  He did something bold.  He went to the Indians with beads and trinkets, to trade for something to eat.  The Indians had killed many of the company, but with the intervention of Pocahontas, John Smith was successful.  Pocahontas intervened and turned the heart of her father Powhatan, chief of the Indian Confederation.  However, it is very unlikely there was a romantic relationship between them.  Pocahontas was ten to twelve, and John Smith a grown man, possible 30. 
They have been able to excavate the fort, because of the decaying wood.  There was a triangular fort, with turrets for canon in each corner.  They arrived in a period of drought, and the river would have been down, and backed up.  Consequently the men would have been drinking salt water, which likely cause salt poisoning.  It wasn't until there was a good rain that conditions improved.
John Smith returned to England for medical attention.  His powder bag exploded.  It likely was the cause of a murder attempt, although could also have been accidental.  At any rate, he returned to England, which likely saved his life, as most of those in Jamestown had a short life expectancy.  It is likely famine continued to take its toll.  The settlers ate anything they could, their pets, their horses, and even perhaps exhuming graves to eat the bodies.  The dying season, as it was called, about 1610, was caused by the bubonic plague, likely brought by a resupply ship.  During this time, bodies were buried quickly, often two to a grave.  They were buried inside the fort.
The colony very nearly failed.  They came looking for gold, which they did not find.  It wasn't until they found a stable crop--tobacco, that they began to prosper.

Ken Burns: The West: 4, Death Runs Riot

Black Kettle

This is the fourth in this series on The West, meaning the American West.  This presentation touches on Kansas a couple of times, and takes its title from that struggle.  It talks of how Missourians crossed to Kansas, to effect the elections, and of John Brown taking his revenge by hacking to death five slave supporters.  Bleeding Kansas Slave vs Abolitionists lasted from 1854 to 1861.
During the election of 1856 Republicans ran on a platform of eliminating the dual barbarisms of slavery and polygamy.  The Mormon issues gave the new Democratic, President Buchanan something to use to get away from the topic of slavery.  Instead he sent 3500 troops to march against U.S. citizens.  This effort fizzled with a peace treaty, and pardon of all Mormons who may have participated.  The issue that hung over everyone was that of Mountain Meadows Massacre.  This was basically the killing of a group of immigrants by local Mormons and Paiute Indians.  It has remained a stain against the church to this day.
In Texas, Mexican Americans, were treated like second class citizens, even though most of the property had originally belonged to this group.  The justice system was applied unfairly.  Cortina had enough, and decided to take matters into his own hands, and became the Robin Hood of the Rio Grand.
John Brown made another uprising, at the arsenal ofHarper's Ferry.  His group killed ten people, before they were captured.  Brown was sentenced to hang.  As he went to the gallows he said, "The crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but by blood."
The slavery question spilled over into open conflict after the 1860 election of the first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln.
In 1862, 3500 Confederate soldiers were determined to invade the West, and separate the Federal government from its riches.  They had initial success, were stopped by Captain Chivington, known as the Colorado Fighting Parson John Milton Chivington, and his men of Federal Volunteers at Glorieta Pass. While his men held the Confederates at bay, others slipped around behind, and rappelling down the mountain, got into the rear of the Confederates, destroying 70 wagons of provisions, and bayoneting 500 horses and mules.  With their supplies nearly destroyed, they tried to make it back to Texas, traveling through dessert.  Of the original 3500, 1500 never returned.
Returning now to Kansas and Missouri, guerrilla parties fought back and forth.  William Quantrill lead the confederates on the infamous  Lawrence Kansas Massacre.  The difference with fighting in the West, is that civilians were often the target, and many were killed, or their homes burned, or ransacked.  No civilians would suffer more than the people of Kansas and Missouri.
Samuel Clemons  24 years ole, and his older brother, decided the war was not for them.  They headed west, and is was during this time Samuel Clemons became Mark Twain, writer for a newspaper in Virginia City.  "Nevada Territory is fabulously rich in gold, silver, lead, coal, iron, quick silver, thieves, murderers, desperadoes, lawyers, Christians, Indians, Chinamen, Spaniards, gamblers, sharpers, coyotes, poets, preachers, and jackass rabbits."  He also wrote of the three virtues of the constitution. "Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Conscience and the prudence to never practice either of them."
The movie then focuses on the Peace Chief, Black Kettle, of the Southern Cheyenne. "We are for peace, and we have made peace."  However even in making peace, he was not immune from attack.  Chivington lead a group of federal volunteers against them at Sand Creek.  Chivington responded to talk of peace saying he was not authorized to make peace.  On November 29, 1864 700 men, drunken on whiskey they had drunk to keep warm attack with Chivington's instructions,  "Kill and scalp all, big and little; nits make lice."  200 were killed, mostly women and children.  Black Kettle escaped, but then a few years later, Nov 27, 1868, was killed by a group lead by General George A. Custer.
My biggest disppontment with this movie was the exclusion of the Bear River Massacre, which if measured by loss of life, was more significant than Sand Creek.

Movie Review: Ken Burns: The West: Speck of the Future

Vallejo

For the most part this movie tells the story of the California Gold Rush.  First off, I did not like the way they explained the discovery of fold, only giving credit to James Marshall, and leaving out the contribution of the Mormon laborers.  It also does not tell the trepidation John Sutter had at the thought of the gold rush, nor that the family of Caleb Rhoades had been mining gold for at least six months before the official discovery of gold.  However, it does talk about the role of Sam Brannon in the gold rush.  It was he that spread the news verbally in San Francisco and sending copies of his newspaper with news of the discovery, to the East in hopes of increasing financial prospects in California.  His plans worked better than he expected. San Franciso was a community of maybe three families when Brannon arrived with the Ship Brooklyn.  Within five years it was a community of some 50,000.  This show does not talk about the fate of John Sutter, but does talk about General Mariano Vallejo.  Both had large land holdings, which were lost to squatters.  Basically their financial empires were destroyed as a result of the Gold Rush.  The show also mentions White/ Native American relationships.  It talks of the Lakota, who finally signed a peace treaty.  (Treaty of Fort Laramie 1851)  However it wasn't but a few years until the treaty was violated and the Lakota representative who signed the treaty had been killed in a battle.  This created an atmosphere of mistrust.  However the story of the California Indians is even worse.  At the start of the Gold Rush, 1849, there were 150,000 thousand Native Americans in California.  There was a policy of extermination, some cities paying a bounty for an Indian scalp or head.  They were often reimbursed by the state.  Within twenty-five years the Native American population in California was 30,000.

Ken Burns: The West: Episode 2: Empire Upon the Trails

I enjoy the history of the United States, and especially the West.  Of course the story is too broad to put in a series of movies, but the stories told are interesting.  This is the second part of the series directed by Steven Ives and produced by Ken Burns available through Netflix Instant.  It tells the story of the Whitmans in Washington, missionaries to the Cayuse Indians in Washington close to Walla Walla.  They blamed the Dr. Whitman for an outbreak of measles which killed half the tribe.  They decided to kill those in the mission, and the Dr. and his wife were killed, along with a couple of the Sager children.  The Sager family is a sad story.  Both parents died on the trek, leaving the children orphans in a strange land with no family.  They were adopted by the Whitmans, and subject to the massacre. 
This episode also tells the story of Texas and Sam Houston.  There were two episodes, not just one.  The Alamo and also the Battle of Goliad, where over three hundred Texians forces were executed after they had surrendered.  This was as much a rallying call as the Alamo.  This painted Santa Ana as a cruel man.  The Battle of San Jacinto turned the tide and as a result Texas claimed its independence.
The Mormon immigration also presented, with a brief history of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith.  This concludes with the Mormons digging an irrigation ditch and planting potatoes. 
The reprehensible treatment of the Cherokee, and the other Eastern tribes that were removed to the West, and followed The Trail of Tears is also presented.  This is a sad episode in our history supervised by Andrew Jackson.  
The program concludes with a brief explanation of the Mexican American War in California (but was mostly fought in Mexico.)  We do see General Vallejo, but the story of the Bear Flag Revolt is not told very well.  However this fulfilled Polk's goal that the United States extend from one coast to the other.

Movie Review: Ken Burns: The West: The People

This is the first of eight in this series directed by Stephen Ives and produced by Ken Burns.  It was shown on PBS in 1996 and is available through instant Netflix.  This episode presents the Native peoples of the West, and their early contact with White men.  It then concludes with the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  I likes it look at Native Americans.  Native American narrators counter act the idealic myth of Native Americans.  They did some things right, but were often at war with each other.  Many tribes held honor in warlike characteristics, taking coup.  It talks about the introduction of the horse, which only made these conflicts more prevalent.  Now they had something of value to steal, but war parties could roam a greater territory.  The other myth is that the White people purposefully killed the Native Americans with disease.  True that the Native peoples had no resistance to the new germs, resulting in four or five different pandemics amongst the Native people.  However the disease usually traveled from Native American group to another after it was first introduced.  The population of the Native Americans was devastated as a result, even before the arrival of the White people.
The movie portrays the arrival of the Spanish, first from the south.  It was many years after their conquest of Mexico, that the ventured into California with the mission system which got its start in 1776.  There were a series of 14 missions, which not only provided a fort to the Spanish interest, but were used to educate, inculcate and control the Native population.  If the Natives tried to leave, the were hunted by soldiers and brought back.  It was noted that the health of the Native population deteriorated after they became attached to the mission.
The Lewis and Clark expedition was a romantic trip, which almost ended in failure and death of the party, had not they run into the Shoshone brother of Sacagawea.  The were able to obtains horses from him, to make it over the mountains.  They were again almost emaciated, but met the Nez Perce who set them on their way again, allowing them to chop down five trees for canoes, with which they were able to make it to the ocean.