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Anchored by interviews with descendants of ancestors whose stories are featured throughout the event series and geographical imagery that showcases the history of how America was populated, “America: Promised Land” uncovers the great forces that set mankind in motion.
“America: Promised Land” is a two-part movie by the History Channel. How did this country of immigrants come to be? What countries represent the millions of people in America? This three hour DVD will answer these questions and more. The package does not have a lot of bonus material but it does come with a Digital HD copy.
Spanning from the 1700s to now, “America: Promised Land” follows the migration of other nations to the land of the free. Listing names of progressive immigrants who helped to pioneer this great nation, the movie made the history of the country personal. The film pointed out who your ancestor could be based on past race and location in America. The map visuals were equally stunning, as they displayed colored pixels in dense areas for each culture that moved to America along with the dates.
From trailblazer Harmon Van Den Bogaert in the 1700s, of Dutch descent, to the first Italian cop to fight the mafia in 1906, this film will help Americans to understand how their ancestors came to be where they are. With dates and statistics, find out how the English Quakers came to America for Religious freedom, as did a group of Mennonites from Russia. Many came over for jobs and the chance at wealth. Others brought over supplies that helped to finance growth in America, including cattle from the Spanish and Wheat from Russia. The United States grew because of people from everywhere. The Chinese immigrants helped to build the railroads, while others came to cut down trees, and others still came to help forge steel buildings.
Along the way, slavery was abolished and the first anti-immigration acts were enacted. Migrants brought illness and disease to the country. Many fought the harsh elements to settle in the west following the Oregon trail, and more followed after the Louisiana Purchase. With the invention of stamps, migration thrived as migrants could send money and information home. Many more future citizens came when Ellis Island was finished along with the symbol of our great nation, the Statue of Liberty.
This documentary was a personal look into the history of the country. By showing people, real people who improved the nation, and linking them to citizens in the country, the History Channel found a way to allow Americans now to empathize with the country’s ancestry. They managed to find direct descendants for many of the people they focused on. What a beautiful tribute to those who have helped to engineer America. The writers did not focus more heavily on any one culture or nationality but showed a large scope of the impact of all nations in creating America. This broad stroke glance into America’s past is like a cliff notes version of history.
I was nervous there would be a political agenda with the timing and nature of this documentary but am happy to report politics took a backseat if it was even in the vehicle. Essential pieces of the American puzzle were displayed without focusing on any one nationality. Both the good and the bad were recorded without bias as far as I could tell. I would play this film for my children. Not that they would watch or enjoy it, as the younger generations have very little interest in the past. Their loss. I hope schools across the country will show this movie to the future of America, to show them some of the wonderful people who helped to create everything they now enjoy.
Available on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD Tuesday, October 17th
