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I always loved reading about him...that abysmal film The Patriot was ostensibly based on him, though I always positively loathed and deplored that movie as grotesquely inaccurate, except for the final battle scene, which was apparently reasonably accurate, though God only knows how....
Francis Marion - Wikipedia
Posted from en.wikipedia.org
World History
American History
Military History
Movies
Posted >1 y ago
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Capt Daniel Goodman
Yeah, his was a REALLY interesting story, honest, it's just always been lamentable to me the film totally bollixed up the whole account of it, ya know?
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Mel Gibson's The Patriot: An Historian's View
Mel Gibson's epic film, The Patriot, can be used as a teaching tool in the classroom. In general, the movie highlights well two important themes about the Am...
Respectfully sir, as a South Carolina History teacher, The Patriot is a relatively accurate film (*caveat) for South Carolina in the 1780-1781.
Before I'm shut down, take a listen to Dr. Walter Edgar's historical review of The Patriot (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXWQlPQZ59Q). Dr. Edgar is a Professor Emeritus at the University of South Carolina, and has several other lectures on youtube on the Southern Theater of the Revolution (highly advise for those interested in the Southern Theater).
Essentially, Gibson's role in the film is a mix of Marion, Thomas Sumter (The Gamecock, of the middle areas of SC), Andrew Pickens (Wizard Owl, upstate SC), and Elijah Clarke (northeast GA guerilla leader). Some of the events echo Marion, some Sumter, etc.
In teaching SC History, I'm required to teach about how the French and Indian War prepped us for the Revolution, differences between upcountry and lowcountry, Patriots vs Loyalists, the fall of Charles Towne, battles of Camden, Cowpens and Kings Mountain, experience of the war for American Indians (there was one in the film, in the widescreen shots of the British marching up to Benjamin Martin's home, through the cornfield), women, African-Americans, etc. If you do an internet search for "South Carolina supporting document social studies" and find 8th grade, go to standard 8-2, and that gives you all the information I have to teach the students. You'll find The Patriot matches the majority of SC History, quite accurately.
So, an accurate reflection of the American Revolution? No. Accurate of Francis Marion? No. Accurate of the violent, intense, civil war that was the backcountry of South Carolina from 1780-1781 between Patriots and Loyalists? Absolutely yes.
For additional film, I'd personally recommend the historically accurate (but perhaps less than Hollywood production quality) "All For Liberty", currently on Amazon Prime. The lead actor is playing his ancestor, a Swiss South Carolinian named Henry Fielder. Also, Fox News had an interesting and useful "Legends and Lies: Francis Marion" episode. Finally, though not perfectly historically accurate, I show my students the old Walt Disney "Legend of the Swamp Fox" episodes starring Leslie Neilson, as opposed to History Channel's show "Sons of Liberty". Far as I'm concerned, and as far as my research goes, 1950s Disney is more accurate than 2010s History Channel. (Disney even has SGT William Jasper serving with Marion!)
Sorry for the length. History teacher mode now turning off. Respectfully Submitted.
Before I'm shut down, take a listen to Dr. Walter Edgar's historical review of The Patriot (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXWQlPQZ59Q). Dr. Edgar is a Professor Emeritus at the University of South Carolina, and has several other lectures on youtube on the Southern Theater of the Revolution (highly advise for those interested in the Southern Theater).
Essentially, Gibson's role in the film is a mix of Marion, Thomas Sumter (The Gamecock, of the middle areas of SC), Andrew Pickens (Wizard Owl, upstate SC), and Elijah Clarke (northeast GA guerilla leader). Some of the events echo Marion, some Sumter, etc.
In teaching SC History, I'm required to teach about how the French and Indian War prepped us for the Revolution, differences between upcountry and lowcountry, Patriots vs Loyalists, the fall of Charles Towne, battles of Camden, Cowpens and Kings Mountain, experience of the war for American Indians (there was one in the film, in the widescreen shots of the British marching up to Benjamin Martin's home, through the cornfield), women, African-Americans, etc. If you do an internet search for "South Carolina supporting document social studies" and find 8th grade, go to standard 8-2, and that gives you all the information I have to teach the students. You'll find The Patriot matches the majority of SC History, quite accurately.
So, an accurate reflection of the American Revolution? No. Accurate of Francis Marion? No. Accurate of the violent, intense, civil war that was the backcountry of South Carolina from 1780-1781 between Patriots and Loyalists? Absolutely yes.
For additional film, I'd personally recommend the historically accurate (but perhaps less than Hollywood production quality) "All For Liberty", currently on Amazon Prime. The lead actor is playing his ancestor, a Swiss South Carolinian named Henry Fielder. Also, Fox News had an interesting and useful "Legends and Lies: Francis Marion" episode. Finally, though not perfectly historically accurate, I show my students the old Walt Disney "Legend of the Swamp Fox" episodes starring Leslie Neilson, as opposed to History Channel's show "Sons of Liberty". Far as I'm concerned, and as far as my research goes, 1950s Disney is more accurate than 2010s History Channel. (Disney even has SGT William Jasper serving with Marion!)
Sorry for the length. History teacher mode now turning off. Respectfully Submitted.
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