BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The Vermont Historical Society and Vermont Public hosted a screening on Wednesday ahead of the broadcast debut of Ken Burns’ new documentary on the American Revolution.
New Hampshire filmmaker Ken Burns’ latest documentary, “The American Revolution: An Intimate History,” examines how revolutions that win are propelled by ideas that connect people.
Michelle Mathias, a former school principal from Burlington, said the documentary reminded her of the importance of standing up for change.
“If you truly want change, you have to stand up and be willing to fight,” Mathias said. “These people had some real legitimate complaints against the crown and against the British government, and they took action.”
Mathias said the government’s mission outlined in the Constitution’s preamble — justice, peace, safety, general welfare, and freedom is worth fighting for.
The Vermont Historical Society’s Eileen Corcoran said history shows similarities between people today and 250 years ago. “We can see how other people approach the same difficulties and the same issues of the past that we are dealing with today, and help that sort of guide us on what might be the thing that we want to do in the future,” she said.
The six-part series, six years in the making, uses reenactments, paintings, and first-person history alongside interviews with historians and narration, as Burns works without photographs from the era.
“That’s something that we as a nation need to be reminded of — that we work together and help each other, and it makes it better for everybody in the long run,” Mathias said.
