The history of the United States

tangoflash

Wanting to learn a bit more about the history of the country just for my own curiosity, Starting from Columbus discovery to the modern day.

So I was wondering if anyone can recommend any DVDs that would cover this? Books are also an option but would prefer to watch something to get started with.................

Charltonparklane

There was a series on History channel a little while back which was very good, exactly what youve mentioned.
Keep an eye out as they always repeat it.

Ormiston_Addick

tangoflash said:

Wanting to learn a bit more about the history of the country just for my own curiosity, Starting from Columbus discovery to the modern day.

So I was wondering if anyone can recommend any DVDs that would cover this? Books are also an option but would prefer to watch something to get started with.................

The best one is America - A Personal History of the United States by Alistair Cooke of 'Letter From America' fame, its a four-disc DVD pack and you should get it easily via Amazon or whatever.

It covers the discovery of the US by Columbus right through to about 1970 and was mandated by President Reagan to be part of the US education syllabus for history.

harveys_gardener

Do these histories explain when most of the population became absolute tw@ts?

fatrob

Did you know that the red stripes on the American flag was originally taken off the St Georges Cross.

Ormiston_Addick

harveys gardener said:

Do these histories explain when most of the population became absolute tw@ts?

Actually, if you watch the series I mention you do get a much, much better understanding of the American mentality, not just towards guns but their totally different way of viewing the world.

UrbanChupacabra

I visited the civil war battlefields and the Jamestown settlement in Virginia in 2006 (missed Curbs last game) and it certainly gave me a much better understanding of the country. Bit more expensive than a box set but if anyone ever gets the chance to go id 100% recommend it.

ChicagoAddick

Ormiston Addick said:

tangoflash said:

Wanting to learn a bit more about the history of the country just for my own curiosity, Starting from Columbus discovery to the modern day.

So I was wondering if anyone can recommend any DVDs that would cover this? Books are also an option but would prefer to watch something to get started with.................

The best one is America - A Personal History of the United States by Alistair Cooke of 'Letter From America' fame, its a four-disc DVD pack and you should get it easily via Amazon or whatever.

It covers the discovery of the US by Columbus right through to about 1970 and was mandated by President Reagan to be part of the US education syllabus for history.

I would double that recommendation.

Absurdistan

Wiki

Jints

I liked Hugh brogan's Oxford history about 400 pages, very digestible and balanced.

colthe3rd

harveys gardener said:

Do these histories explain when most of the population became absolute tw@ts?

I do enjoy a nice casual bit of xenophobia on CL now and again, thanks!

redcarter

fatrob said:

Did you know that the red stripes on the American flag was originally taken off the St Georges Cross.

I thought it was an adaption of the British east India company flag

sidcup-red

Try Eric Foner's Give me Liberty, I'm using that at uni now

fatrob

redcarter said:

fatrob said:

Did you know that the red stripes on the American flag was originally taken off the St Georges Cross.

I thought it was an adaption of the British east India company flag

That's what I was told in a history museum in Boston.

Greenie

harveys gardener said:

Do these histories explain when most of the population became absolute tw@ts?

Sad!

Henry Irving

colthe3rd said:

harveys gardener said:

Do these histories explain when most of the population became absolute tw@ts?

I do enjoy a nice casual bit of xenophobia on CL now and again, thanks!

Careful. Pointiing our such uncomfotable truths often leads to personal abuse. : - (

Back on topic Studs Terkel's American Century (or anything by him) give a broader insight into the US.

Hugh Brogan is also good.

Dee Browns' Bury my head at Wounded Knee is a must read.

Ken Burns has done some award winning TV series. The Civil war is my favorite. PBS shows them ocer here if you have that channel.

cafcfan

I could be wrong here and I'm not going to look it up but did Columbus have anything at all to do with the US? I thought he discovered first the Bahamas and later Hispaniola, now Cuba. Wasn't it some Norwegian bloke that actually landed in what is now the US and much earlier than Columbus?

Addickted

I didn't know the US was lost.

Haven't they now proved the Vikings got there long before any others.

se9addick

Addickted said:

I didn't know the US was lost.

Haven't they now proved the Vikings got there long before any others.

Native Americans "discovered" it before any of the above

CAFCBourne

LLTS

BIG_ROB

se9addick said:

Addickted said:

I didn't know the US was lost.

Haven't they now proved the Vikings got there long before any others.

Native Americans "discovered" it before any of the above

Thanks for pointing that out.

Curb_It

colthe3rd said:

harveys gardener said:

Do these histories explain when most of the population became absolute tw@ts?

I do enjoy a nice casual bit of xenophobia on CL now and again, thanks!

Now I thought this comment was quite funny but knew you and your pal would pick up on it.

For the record, I love Americans and America.

colthe3rd

Curb_It said:

colthe3rd said:

harveys gardener said:

Do these histories explain when most of the population became absolute tw@ts?

I do enjoy a nice casual bit of xenophobia on CL now and again, thanks!

Now I thought this comment was quite funny but knew you and your pal would pick up on it.

For the record, I love Americans and America.

Me and my pal?

se9addick

BIG_ROB said:

se9addick said:

Addickted said:

I didn't know the US was lost.

Haven't they now proved the Vikings got there long before any others.

Native Americans "discovered" it before any of the above

Thanks for pointing that out.

No worries

BIG_ROB

Xenophobia is not permitted on CL unless it's towards the British, especially the English.

Henry Irving

BIG_ROB said:

Complaining about Xenophobia is only permitted if it's towards the British, especially the English. Otherwise it's left wing twonks being PC

Corrected for you : - )

BIG_ROB

Henry Irving said:

BIG_ROB said:

Complaining about Xenophobia is only permitted if it's towards the British, especially the English. Otherwise it's left wing twonks being PC

Corrected for you : - )

Thanks, point still stands.

Henry Irving

BIG_ROB said:

Henry Irving said:

BIG_ROB said:

Complaining about Xenophobia is only permitted if it's towards the British, especially the English. Otherwise it's left wing twonks being PC

Corrected for you : - )

Thanks, point still stands.

Yes, it does. xenophobia is wrong regardless but some seem to only complain if it's themselves in the firing line.

Anyone else and it's "PC gone mad" Strange that.

Jints

Addickted said:

I didn't know the US was lost.

Haven't they now proved the Vikings got there long before any others.

Not to the (modern day) US - only the tip of Newfoundland.

BIG_ROB

Henry Irving said:

BIG_ROB said:

Henry Irving said:

BIG_ROB said:

Complaining about Xenophobia is only permitted if it's towards the British, especially the English. Otherwise it's left wing twonks being PC

Corrected for you : - )

Thanks, point still stands.

Yes, it does. xenophobia is wrong regardless but some seem to only complain if it's themselves in the firing line.

Anyone else and it's "PC gone mad" Strange that.

Glad you agree

se9addick

I don't think it's possible to be xenophobic towards ones own nationality