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Madelyn Divino
Mrs. Hope
Honors World Literature and Writer Workshop
15 January 2016
Analysis of a Documentary

The American Revolution documentary on the History Channel, from America: The
Story of Us, describes key events of the Revolutionary War and its effects on Americans, Native
Americans, the British and the French, who were all in some way involved. The Revolutionary
War, which was inspired by Enlightenment ideals, is evidence of how colonists began to question
their traditional authority (the King) and fight for what they believed in to make a change in their
society for the better. I learned from this documentary exactly how this new way of thinking
affected people involved in the war and how it changed our society forever.
To state the obvious, the colonists changed their society because of how they went from
being an unorganized group controlled by the King of England, to being a strong, dedicated
group of people who created a whole new, free country. Back when the colonists were under the
rule of King George, they were unfairly taxed and were tired of being ruled by a monarch who
did not care about their well-being. Because of the colonists dedication and their courage to
fight for what they believed in, after six long years, they were able to free themselves from
Britain and form the United States of America. Clearly, this completely changed society! If the
Revolutionary War had never occurred, then the United States would simply not exist- it would
just be a British colony. It is quite strange to think about what our life would have been like
without a president, or congress. For this reason, I also think that the Revolutionary War changed

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society in another way, which is how it changed the mindset of American people. In the
beginning of the war, Americans were considered the underdogs. They were not accustomed to
fighting against an elite force such as the British, and did not have a government to unify them.
However, their perseverance allowed them to continue to fight even when times were difficult,
such as when they endured the long, cold winter spent in Valley Forge. Now, the mindset of
many American people is something along the lines of we can do it!, both optimistic and proud
of what this country has accomplished and what it still can.
The specific characters in the documentary were also individually affected by the war.
For example, George Washington, who started out as just a man with a fair amount of military
experience, moved on to become one of the most famous American military generals and our
first president. The war made him step up to become the leader of the American rebels, and his
task was not easy- he had to inspire them and train them to become an elite fighting group.
However, he succeeded as a leader, so much so that he became the president of the new country
he helped create. In addition, the war had a major impact on soldiers and the colonists. It united
all of them for one cause, and it inspired them to stand up for what they believed in. While many
of them died and had to make tremendous sacrifices, they remained optimistic and passionate
because of their dream to build their own, free country.
To conclude, the documentary on the American Revolution from America: The Story of
Us describes how the colonists freed themselves from Britain to create their own country,
known as the United States. This inspiring part of American history influenced the lives of many,
especially the colonists, and has shaped American society to be how it is today. This revolution
was inspired by Enlightenment ideals, because of how the colonists questioned their authority
and stood up for themselves, making a positive change to their society.