Have you see the History Channel's 30 sec. 'Accurate Thanksgiving' ad?

[Philosoraptor]

http://www.history.com/

On the right, under "today's clips", scroll down to the kid in the pilgrim hat and click, funny as hell.

More and more, old fairy tales get shot down, like Columbus, and thanksgiving dinner with the Indians, and George Washington and the cherry tree.

[msongs]

1. where the terrorists give smallpox blankets to the "natives"? nt

[happyslug]

5. That was BRITISH General Amhurst in the 1750s.

To my knowledge No American Officer EVER proposed, let alone did, issue small pox blankets to the Native Americans. Now British General Amhurst did proposed (and I believe did) issue such blankets in the 1760s as the French and Indian war came to an end, but most Americans were afraid of Small pox as any Native and wanted nothing to do with spreading Small Pox.

Now for his success during the French War, Amhurst was promoted to be Commander In Chief of British Forces during the American Revolution. He never left England, but the fact Amhurst was the Commander in Chief is believed by many historians why George Washington had his Army immunized against Small Pox (The US Army was the First army ever completely immunized against Small Pox). Basically, having served with Amhurst in the 1750s, Washington knew if Amhurst was willing to give Small Pox to Native Americans, Amhurst would give it to anyone who was fighting the British Army.

My point is while the Colonists (Especially after King Phipps War) would give thank to God for Small pox outbreaks among the Native Americans, they made no effort to do it themselves. Now one of the largest outbreak of Small Pox among native Americans occurred after the Fall of Fort William Henry (Whose fall is the background for the Novel "The Last of the Mohican's") but that was do to the Native Americans digging up dead bodies (who had died from Small pox just weeks before) for Scalps (Which the French paid them for). This act spread Small Pox among the natives so that for the rest of the war they were just a minor factor (And how fast Small Pox hit the Native might be how the idea of giving Small Pox Blankets to the Natives came to General Amhurst).

While a lot of people have heard of Small po blankets being given to Native Americans, my point it was the BRITISH who did it, and Washington believe the British would do it to Whites as while as Native Americans.

.

[bicentennial_baby]

7. Isn't it spelled Amherst?

Or did they fuck up when they named Amherst, MA after him?

[happyslug]

8. You probably right, but he was still a baby-killer, but that is what I get from going on Memory

More on Amherst:
http://www.militaryheritage.com/amherst.htm

Amherst’s dislike and contempt for the Indians are amply reflected in his journals and correspondence, though it may perhaps be doubted whether he was more bigoted than the average official of his time. As soon as active hostilities with France were over, he had begun to economize on presents to the tribes, though people closer to the problem (notably Sir William Johnson) believed that continued generosity would be better policy. Amherst wrote Johnson that he did not believe in “purchasing the good behavior, either of Indians, or any others”; “When Men of What race soever, behave ill they must be punished but not bribed.” As commander-in-chief Amherst was responsible for Indian policy, and his attitude doubtless contributed to producing the outbreak of 1763.... He did however make to Colonel Henry Bouquet the “detestable suggestion” (Francis Parkman’s phrase) that smallpox might be introduced among the dissident Indians. Bouquet cheerfully offered to try to infect them with blankets, and perhaps as a result of Bouquet’s orders an attempt was indeed made to do so with infected blankets and handkerchiefs....

[Vorta]

2. There is no telling what will make me laugh

But this didn't. I don't think I am being a humorless PC type here. I just have a 12 year old niece being educated by "progressives" (I wouldn't call them that) whose style runs a bit toward respecting every culture but ours. I have a tenant who grew up in an all white Stepford township in New York who "teaches" kids about slavery and the underground railroad, himself being incredibly ignorant on that particular subject and history in general.

So I didn't laugh. I have a difficult time imagining anyone, much less Indians themselves, interupting a traditional Indian feast which is defined more by its present meaning than any version of its past, to "teach" the children about the more unpleasant aspects of Stone Age people from modern hindsight.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. We thought it was great

You can't learn anything from history when it's been re-written.

[whistle]

4. Henry Ford said "History is more or less bunk"....and the full text

...to that quote is as follows:

"History is more or less bunk. It's tradition. We don't want tradition. We want to live in the present and the only history that is worth a tinker's damn is the history we made today."


Henry Ford also said:

"There is one rule for the industrialist and that is: Make the best quality of goods possible at the lowest cost possible, paying the highest wages possible."

Now that makes a great deal of sense although Henry Ford ended up supporting Hitler and fascism which is totally unAmerican IMHO.

[JoDog]

6. I watched the program

the commercial advertises. I thought it was pretty good. It at least tried to be fair to the Native Americans and their viewpoint. It made it clear that the local tribes were not helping the English out of generosity, or because they were afraid of them. The tribes lent a hand because they knew the firearms of the English could change the balance of power in the area and wanted them as allies. It also touched on Squanto's even more complex emotional reaction to the settlers--he was the last survivor of the group that had lived on the land the English chose to settle on. So he felt connected to that area, and wanted to stay to continue mourning his people according to tradition. Squanto also wanted the English's backing so he could become a council leader in the future, too.

Near the end, it also showed how the settlers got called on their food stealing, and were made to pay everything back. They didn't get away with it.