How to Teach American Nautical History with Popcorn

Early American history can seem really dry and uninteresting to school-age children. There is a way to spark their interest in our country's early history without making them watch documentaries of the History Channel. There have been dramatic and somewhat accurate movies made about the early nautical days of the United States. These films will spark your child's interest in the story and the real history behind the story.

There are present era films about early American nautical history. Many times downfall of these films is they are meant to appeal to an adult audience. Many times new historical filmscontain inappropriate material for school aged kids. Amistad is a great example. It is a wonderful film , but not something most of us want our ten year old to see. If you stick to older films you can avoid the seamy side of cinema depiction of early American life.

Some of the older films that you might want to consider renting are those made before 1960. Corny by adult standard; these are films that will hold your child's attention and are more realistic than cartoons. The Buccaneer made by Anthony Quinn in 1958 feature an all star cast of Yul Brynner, Charlton Heston, Claire Bloom , Charles Boyer, and Inger Stevens. In August of 1813 British backed Creek Indians murdered 533 people in the Samuel Mims Alabama stockade. This type of British backed Indian attacks and other underhanded behavior on the part of the Brits ,had lead to Congress declaring war on the British on June 18, 1812.

The movie itself is full of Hollywood fiction. The romantic attachments are far from accurate. Heston plays a Jackson being much older of a person than he actually was. Brynner's Laffite is far less civilized than he actually was and his important brother Pierre never even appears in the film. Still historians say that depiction of the Battle of New Orleans is accurate, and it definitely has shock and awe appeal.

Another film worth viewing for its sea adventure and fairly accurate depictions is John Paul Jones made by John Farrow also in 1959. This film starred Robert Stack, Charles Coburn, Peter Cushing , and the ever glorious Bette Davis. The nautical sets are said to be historically accurate. Coburn's portrayal of Franklin is said to be very close to being historically accurate.

A film that portrays the often less exciting sea voyage related settlement of this country there is one that may be of interest to parents looking for something historically accurate , but child viewing appropriate. Plymouth Adventure was directed by Clarence Brown in 1952 . Plymouth Adventure starred Spencer Tracy, Gene Tierney, Leo Genn, Dawn Addams, and Lloyd Bridges. The depiction of mid - Atlantic storms and text book accurate time lines make this movie an excellent portrayal of the journey to the new land. Some liberties were taken in this film; including Tracy's Jones intense dislike of the Pilgrims or Dorothy Bradford's suicide. The romance between Bradford and Jones is pure fiction . Still, this film is viewed as an accurate dramatic presentation of the voyage to Plymouth and is worth watching.