Friday, September 18, 2009
Last of the Mohicans open blog
During the course of the next two nights, post at least three comments in regards to the film Last of the Mohicans. While a fictional tale, the film nevertheless offers a somewhat accurate portrayal of the period you are learning about. In your posts, explain how the film addresses any of the issues that we've either discussed in class or you've read in the textbook, namely the military and relationship ones. Be specific in your examples. As always, be sure to comment on your classmates' observations.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The Last Mohicans depicts the way in which the British regarded the colonists. The British felt that they were superior and expected the colonists' subordination. In the movie, when a British man first visits the colonies he is most surprised to find his men negotiating with the colonists because he expects that they will automatically obey. The British might have felt this way because they viewed the colonies as a way for them to obtain more power and exploited them to benefit their own nation. They looked down on the colonies and did not care how its inhabitants felt so long as they were profiting from them. Other examples of this in the movie include lack of respect for their opinions and the threat to kill anyone who tries to leave to protect civilians rather than fight with the British.
ReplyDeleteThe Last of the Mohicans succeeds in portraying the relationship between the colonists, the British, and the Indians. The British never thought highly of the colonists. They mistreated them, and seldom upheld their promises. For example, the colonists were given the right to leave the militia if their homes were under attack. When the colonists learned that their settlements had been attacked (from Hawkeye), they demanded to be released from the army. However, General Monroe didn’t keep his promise, and forbade any colonists from leaving. Similarly, the Indians have developed a potent hatred towards the Brits. General Monroe’s men killed Magua’s (the Huron leader) family. Ever since then, Magua wanted revenge. In an ambush, Magua avenged his family after he killed Monroe. This bitter relationship could have been avoided if the British army wasn’t so aggressive or violent.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dana’s view about the British; they thought they were better than everyone, and they could get away with mistreatment. If the Brits had treated the colonists and Indians better, some of these altercations could have been avoided.
The Last of the Mohicans - what a cool movie! I mean, a bit idealized, but hey, it's entertaining, and even more so when it's watched at home (you know, when you can actually hear what's going on). I actually heard it was on TV this week. But even though this movie's no Pocahontas (which, I must say, has some of the best music ever courtesy of the very talented Alan Menken), I found it interesting, and it had plenty of historical parallels, most of them having to do with relationships.
ReplyDeleteLet's start with the British. The British might have been overdone in this film. Or not. I can't be sure; I wasn't around during the Seven Years' War, but the British in this movie were haughty, prim, obnoxious, and most of all, they were "better than everyone else". I put that in quotes there, see, because it's not true. But that's what they thought, anyway. And the colonists were treated as inferiors by the British fresh from overseas, and this bothered them. They wanted the same respect, and they didn't get it.
This minor mistreatment separated the colonists from the British in a way nothing else could. It isolated the colonists; it was what made them a unique people of their own. In a way this could be considered the foundation of America, how the British became a separate entity from the colonial body. There are signs of this throughout the movie.
Exhibit A: when General Webb is approached by Jack Winthrop and some of his colonial militiamen, he negotiates with them, agreeing to let them pull out of the war to defend their families if need be. Once Jack leaves, Major Duncan Heyward expresses his astonishment at the crown making (gasp) negotiations.
As if that doesn't go to show how highly the British think of themselves, here's Exhibit B: General Webb responds to Major Heyward, "I know. One has to reason with these colonials to get them to do anything. Tiring, isn't it? But that's the lay of the land." What the heck is that? The colonists came from Britain; they're British too. Yet General Webb references them as "colonials", and also implies that they are merely tricky little tools that need to be enticed in order to do as they're told. Like children, almost. And a conniving, not-so-great parent.
The relationship between the Indians and the British seemed to resemble the relationship between the Indians and the French, except the French had more Indians. Basically, both European bodies were using their corresponding Native American allies, making the best use of their knowledge of the land and they're guerrilla war tactics. There are plenty of Native American war scenes, and the pattern is the same; wait for the gunshots, then dash out from your cover (shrub, tree, bush) and shoot/axe in half/beat with a thick club. Simple enough, but it did a lot of damage. Especially to the poor British, with their ostentatious red coats and drums.
There is also the scene with the French General Montcalm speaking to Magua, which shows that it wasn't only the British that were taking advantage of the Native Americans. Magua tells Montcalm that he wants to kill Colonel Munro and rip out his heart and eat it or something of that nature, but only after he kills his children, to make sure nobody else of his blood will live on (he's a genuine nutcase, that Magua). Montcalm gave Munro and his troops generous surrender terms that included safe passage from their fort, and so that he wouldn't have to break the terms, Montcalm gave Magua the (nonverbal and implied) okay to go 'n slay some redcoats as well as eat some Munro heart, om nom nom.
ReplyDeleteThe colonists' relationships with the Native American seemed iffy, but only because there weren't really that many interactions between them that the movie's shown, except for one. Chingachgook and took in Hawkeye when he was young and raised him as one of his own alongside his son Uncas. When they are through trapping in the forest, they stay with a family of former indentured servants living deep in the wilderness since the land there is cheaper. All of them get along very well; they regard each other fondly and as equals. So perhaps some colonists had civil relationships with the Indians, some didn't.
All in all, I have to say this movie's pretty great and it relates a lot to our current historical topic. Perhaps we should watch Pocahontas and point out the twists it adds to history as we know it; that would be a constructive assignment, too. Plus, it would be a pleasant film to watch, along with multiple musical interludes including the song "Just Around The Riverbend" which is one of my favorites, no lie.
Ahoy me hearties. Have ye selves a mighty fine Talk Like A Pirate Day, arrghh!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNSWctIKOSM
I agree with Carly that the British attitude towards the colonists might have been exaggerated a bit too much. Yes, the English did regard Americans as inferior, but were they really that direct? I find it hard to believe that they would make their contempt for the colonists that apparent, unless they thought the colonists were not only inferior but inhuman as well.
ReplyDeleteThe lack of cooperation between the two groups was interesting, though. I thought their inability to agree in many circumstances fit in with what our textbook said about how the British felt about the colonists after the war: that they were impossible to cooperate with and couldn't fight at all. Throughout the movie, how dysfunctional the relationship was between British army and the colonists certainly became clear.
No one's talked about the military yet, though. I thought the movie showed the British's inability to adapt to warfare in the Americas quite clear. Actually, the British military tactics were almost laughably pathetic, and their arrogance was quite clear. In the beginning, they marched through the woods without worrying about keeping their drummers quiet. That, added with the bright red, made them an easy target for the guerrilla warfare that the French and Indians were shown to utilize against them. Even once they fell under attack, the British didn't react immediately. They had to stand there, surrounded by the enemy, listening to orders before responding. And when they responded, they responded by staying where they were with each line taking a turn to fire. They really had no clue how to use the woodlands of America to their advantage, or at least how to neutralize the disadvantage.
ReplyDeleteThat military incompetence was worsened by their arrogance, which refused to let them adapt. At the end, those young British officers tried talking their superior out of surrendering to the French. They couldn't believe in anything but the superiority of the British army.
None of the British in that movie would have survived to the end if it weren't for Hawkeye and his magical accuracy with an 18th century musket.
Whoa, Scott, good point! The military is definitely huge in his; didn't I say the British were obnoxious? They so are! They march around in their bulls-eye coats and make so much noise that you could hear them for miles, plus they always ran around waiting for orders before they did anything remotely productive. I thought it was hilarious when they all lined up in their little formation and shot at the Indians, and then they were just standing there, perfectly arranged to be picked off by bullets. They pretty much formed their own human dart board. Could they make it easier for the Native Americans to win? No way!
ReplyDeleteI also think Chris is right; if the British were nice to the Native Americans and the colonists, they could've avoided all this crazy trouble, and we might've ended up a lasting part of the British Empire. Maybe we would've ended up with British accents...
And speaking of obnoxious people... :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P99grcBer30
Scott makes an excellent point about the portrayal of Britain's military tactics in the movie. The British army refused to adapt to their environment in any way. In the film, we see that they made no effort to conceal themselves or engage in guerrilla warfare even when it was being used against them. They did everything very systematically despite the new tactics that were being utilized. This was perhaps one of Britain's greatest weaknesses and it was revealed to the future leaders of the American Revolution.
ReplyDeleteCarly and Scott make an interesting argument about the over-exaggeration of Britain's disrespect for the colonists in this movie. I think that this is true but that it was done for a reason. The relationship between the colonists and the British was an extremely important part of American history. If the British did not regard the colonists with such disrespect, there may not have been a successful American Revolution. For example, George Washington, who played a huge role in the success of the revolution, might not have fought on the colonial side had he not been mistreated by the British. Therefore, in the film Britain's attitude was exaggerated in order to make the relationship between the colonists and Britain more evident. It could have also been done to emphasize its significance.
ReplyDeleteTruth. The exaggeration of the British/colonial divide was kinda what made the movie dramatic; plus it really brought out how crucial it was to future events. Also things like that are intensified in order to make the "good" characters (Cora, Hawkeye, Jack) more "good". You feel more for them if they're being pursued by "bad" characters.
ReplyDeleteOne of the many things that the Last of the Mohicans shows about the French and Indian was was the relationship with the Native Americans that the French an British had. In the movie you can clearly see how most of the Indians supported in French. This support for the French is greatly due to how each nation treated the Native Americans. The French saw the Indians generally as trading partners. Because of this view the French didn't build many large settlements, so most of the Indians kept their land. On the other hand, the British came to the Americas to settle. this met the Native people on the east coast were either sold as slaves, killed, or relocated west. Now because of this difference in handling the Native Americans, most of the Indians fought for the French, because the French treated them better. And this vast difference in Indian support is depicted very well in the movie because in the movie most of the battle scenes are between the British and the Indians.
ReplyDeleteThis hatred is also shown by Magua which Chris discusses.
I completely agree with Dana's statement. In the film, the colonists were treated horribly and completely disregarded by the British. The British only wanted them to fight, which ultimately was so that they could exploit more of the land in America. In The Last of the Mohicans, many of the colonists were concerned about joining the war and leaving their families back home defenseless. Under General Webb's reassurance that they would be able to go back to their homes should it come under French attack, the colonists joined in the fight. However later in the movie, when their homes are under French attack, he forbids anybody leaving. That did not gain him popularity among his colonist militia. Although like everyone has said, it is a bit over exaggerated, that relationship was a crucial part to the war. And even more importantly, to after the war, when the colonists wanted to separate from England and the American Revolution took place. Had the English given the colonists more of a reason to trust and respect them, like Carly said, their might still be a British empire (and we might have British accents ;) ). Even though it was exaggerated, the movie was making a point about how this relationship was so determining in America's future.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, like Scott and Carly have pointed out, the British could not have made themselves easier targets. Unfortunately, unlike the relationship between the colonists and the British, that part is not exaggerated. This all plays into British's lack of intelligence and experience concerning the environment... and since they thought they were so superior to the Native Americans, they refused to adapt to their surroundings. Perhaps bright red coats and drums worked in England, but they certainly weren't helpful in the american wilderness. The Native Americans, on the other hand, knew the lay of the land, and were sneaky in the forests, and wore animal skins that did not draw attention to themselves. They had killed a bunch of British soldiers, before the General was even aware that they were there. Guerilla warfare was definitely a winning tactic that the English needed to learn in the future.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn the film the Last of the Mohicans the British army’s fighting style was portrayed in a certain way. The British soldiers were not able to adapt to the natural environment of North America. In the film like in history the British wore bright red coats because they were “proud”, but all this did in the Americas was made them easy targets. There fighting style was terrible too. In the film when Magua attacks the small British brigade the British did not try to hide behind trees or anything they just stood in a line in the open, firing on the Indians who were hiding behind trees. Also the British were very caught off guard when the Indians would charge them with tomahawks. The British would just stand there stunned. These kind of tactics lead to most of their defeats in the French and Indian War.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Scott’s idea of the British’s arrogance. Scott was right in saying that this was the main factor for why the British were not able to adapt to there surrounding. Without this feeling of superiority the British would have been able to come up with better woods tactics.
One relationship that is shown through the Last of the Mohicans was the relationship of the Native Americas and the French and the British. The relationship between the Indians and the French was a fairly good one. In history they were strong trading allies and did not step on each others toes too much. For example in the movie Magua and his men were allies with the French, and the movie shows how the French treated the Indians as humans compared to the British. The British had a hostile relationship with most of the Indians. The British thought the Indians were just barbarians who were savage. In the film the relationship between the Indians and the British is portrayed with the fact that Magua wants to take revenge on the British by attacking them when they are leaving the fort because the British sold Magua and his people into slavery at one point. This film does an excellent job in portraying this relationship.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jimmy’s point in saying that the relationship between the nation and the Indians all depended whether or not the nation treated the Indians well.
I agree with what many people have said, the the British were stubborn when it came to changing their tactics. When the British came to the colonies they thought they were superior to the Indians and the colonists. Because the British troops thought of themselves as superior they refused to change their tactics because they were "better" than the Indians.
ReplyDeleteThe British treatment of the colonists and the Indians succeeds in accurately portraying how the British looked down on and thought less of everyone else but themselves. They thought themselves superior to the others, as Jimmy pointed out. This is demonstrated through the scene where the Indians attacked the British as they were traveling through the woods and the British went through the steps of a formal battle, which the Native Americans obviously did not honor. The British refused to change their tactics to adapt to their surroundings because they did not feel like they should be the ones that should have to almost lower their standards.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Jimmy said that the English felt it wasn't necessary to make any changes in their military tactics. The English probably also felt that the Indians wouldn't even attack them again. The British remained unprepared for the type of war they were in, and were once again practically wiped out because of the Native American's use of surprise and man to man combat while on their journey out of Fort William Henry. The British are portrayed as being quite obnoxious in the movie, which demonstrated their attitude towards both the Native Americans and Colonists. The militia were treated like dirt and just being used by the British. Majority of the colonist, if not all, did not want to fight for the British. In the movie, the colonists didn't want to leave their homes behind to fight, but eventually they "negotiated" with the British for protection, but of coarse, the British didn't meet the agreement, and felt it didn't matter. The colonists were growing stubborn, which would only become worse by the time the war ends. The British were too focused on themselves to consider anything else. They see their enemy as the French, and practically forget about the French's connection with the Native Americans. So although they made an agreement with the French at Fort William Henry, the French were still able to use the Indian's against them. (Hence the reason they remained unprepared for another attack by them)
ReplyDeleteBasically the British need to take a step back and look at their surroundings instead of being trapped inside their own British bubble.
Another relationship that is important and is shown in the movie is that of the British and the colonists. The British had a sense of them being better than the colonists. This led to a bad relationship. In the movie the militia could not get there ideas out about what to do in the war because the British thought that they were only right. Also in the movie when the British were gathering people to fight they did not care about the colonists’ homes because to the British the colonists’ well being was not important. This leads to the ultimate injustice in the film when the militia men hear that their homes and families are being attacked by the French the British leaders at the fort will not let the colonists leave the fort to go defend their homes. To the British the colonies were just a “cash cow” they did not care about the colonists. They just cared about profit and the British were willing to defend their profit at all costs, but not the colonists.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dana in saying that the British believed that the colonists would just be subordinate and let the British make all the decisions. This kind of thinking led to resentment between the two parties which would eventually escalate later on into a rebellion known as the American Revolution!
The movie's clearest point was that the English believed they were superior to everyone else as most of my classmates pointed out. It is one thing to read it in a book, but to see how the English took advantage and degraded the colonists was upsetting. After the British did not honor their promises to the militia and did not let them leave the fort, I am not surprised the American Revolution took place. I would actually go as far as to say I am surprised the revolution did not take place sooner.
ReplyDeleteIf the British were willing to change their style of battle, they might have had an easier time fighting the French and Indians, and could have beaten them earlier. I am in accord with everyone who said the Brits failed to adapt to the Indian and the French fighting style. In some ways, it wasn't necessary to change for this war (because they eventually won), but they failed to adapt in later conflicts (the American Revolution), and that contributed to their downfall in America.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with what Scott mentioned about how the British arrogance led to further problems because they continuously refused to adapt. That scene where they were banging on their drums wearing their bright red coats proves that they had no idea what their were doing militaristically in the Americas.
ReplyDeleteAlso the lack of exposure to Guerrilla warfare led to the loss of battles for the British. This, once again, comes back to the British not adapting to their surroundings.
This sense of superiority shows in their military tactics and treatment of the colonists and the Indians
The military decisions of the English contributed to their downfall. Not only were their tactics outdated and inappropriate for the American terrain, but they also mistreated the colonists whom they could have used to their advantage. Since the colonists knew their homeland better than the British, many skills could have been utilize. Instead, the Englishmen looked down upon the colonists. George Washington was a general in the French and Indian war, and the English did not give him commission which was the deciding factor for who he fought with in the Revolution. The British dug their own grave.
ReplyDeleteIn the film, the British were very formal in their military tactics. When they would attack the Indians, they would use such time consuming methods such as announcing when to fire and kneeling while doing so. This horrible plan allowed the Indians time to hide behind trees in order to not get shot, which then resulted in less casualties. It also illustrated that the British were very prideful to their country due to their elaborate red coats and so on. However, their bright clothing didn't adapt very well to the environment causing them to be easily seen among the forest. I agree with Justin and Scott in the fact that they were therefore easily seen as targets.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I agree with Dana because the British treated the colonists with much disrespect. They believed in their authority and felt that the colonists were subordinate to them. For example, while negotiating, the British general immediately chose to handle the situation by threatening the colonists if they tried to defend civilians other than the British soldiers. This made the colonists angry and portrayed the British with a sense of great arrogance.
Although we only saw one example of Native American enslavement, I believe it is a serious topic that should be noted as another example of how the British mistreated the natives. The indian from the movie said that the English general killed all of his children and made him a slave and consequently his wife married another man. The English people came in, ruined and ended thousands of lives. The cruelty of the British should not be over looked.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Liz who said that the lack of guerrilla warfare in Europe really hurt the British troops in the colonies. In Europe, war was much more formal and the British fighting style that was seen in the movie was the common style of fighting in Europe. In Europe, warfare was very "flashy" which is why the British had red uniforms. But the when the European fighting style with bright uniforms, loud drums, and formal fighting; was not suited against the Indians in the American Woodlands.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Michelle that the British formalities restricted them, and basically told the Native Americans to go attack them. I also agree with what Chris said that if the British were more willing to change their style of fighting then maybe they would have been more successful. Also they British still did not learn from their mistakes later on in the American Revolution.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAs many people have already stated, the film Last of the Mohicans effectively portrays the relationships between the Native Americans, British, and colonists as well as the military tactics they used. From the beginning of the movie, it’s clear that the relationship between the British and the colonists is rocky. The British look down upon the colonists, believing that they are the superior group, the faultless people. They see the colonists almost like an immature younger sibling, one that they must do everything for. The colonists in return have no extreme contempt for the British however; they do not look up to the British either. The colonists wish that the British would live their own lives in their home country, leaving the colonists alone to live their lives the way they desire. The colonists only want to protect their homes, families, and lands but the British’s selfish desires continue to interfere.
ReplyDeleteThe military tactics and knowledge among the three groups differ as well. The Native Americans used guerilla warfare in their attacks against the British and colonists, using unorganized raids to shock and surprise the enemy. The British on the other hand, continued to use their structured military marches in their defense against the Native Americans. The drums that they used to dictate their marches were a poor decision in the new wooded environment that they had to fight in, giving away their location and leaving them vulnerable to the enemy.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Justin’s statement that the British did not even bother to hide behind trees or camouflage themselves, standing in the line of open fire. The British’s tactics were definitely not intelligent or adaptive, and the fact that they did not learn from their mistakes just helped add to continuous defeats during the beginning of the war.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with everyone else’s statement, especially Michelle who stated that the British used unnecessary tactics like kneeling and lining up before firing at the enemies. During one scene of the film, the British take unnecessary time to line up and be commanded by their general to fire at the opposing army. The time it takes to line up in formation and fire at the same time could be better used. The British's beliefs that everything must be exact and structured was a mindset that did not adapt well to the war.
The British in this movie are so pompous and arrogant that it looks like the British are completely oblivious. They will not change because they are too proud. Maybe if the british didnt go around beating a drum and being heard miles away they would have had an easier time winning battles. Instead they were ambushed. This movie definitly shows how the British dont get along with any other people exept if they are British. It shows clearly with the colonists that they do not respect anyone or anything besides other europeans. They cannot even put themselves in the colonists shoes to attempt to understand why they so many are hesitant to leave their homes behind. It would seem as if the colonists were expendable; they were suprised that they had to actually reason with the colonists.
ReplyDeleteI think that the French and Indians were an interesting contrast to the british and the colonists. When they were at camp it seemed so much more peaceful. there were girls singing, white tents, and people were not angry. While the Colonists were mad at the British all the time in their camp and during the movie they were discussing leaving the fort. THis did not happen at the french camp. The french and the indians were peacful with eachoter.
ReplyDeletethat part made me wonder about if the french had won the war how history would have turned out. would there be more inidans?would the land not be so destroyed? would there be an american revolution?
From this movie i feel bad about the colonists, but the worst for the indians. they are trapped in this war and depending on what tribe they are from says what side they are on. They are the biggest losers from this war. They have manipulating British and french. Although they were getting along with the french Magua was manipulated by the frenchmen who still wanted the war to continue. The british did not imply what they wanted from the native americans, they commanded it. The native americans are, in my opinion, harder to reason with than the colonies because it is not easy to know what side they truly are. (exibited by the native american who started the gorilla warfare ambush to the british. he took a hammer and just suprised the british by hitting the soldier in the head) The native americans have a smaller focus in the movie but are just as important as anything else that goes on.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Chanel's opinion about who was harder to reason with. I think the colonists would be more difficult because the colonists were a little more intelligent, and they had a better understanding of what was going on. While both sides knew that they were being used, the colonists spoke up for their rights more often than the Indians did. This can be seen when the colonists ask General Munro to leave the militia and return home (because they had been attacked). They were persistent in their argument but couldn't persuade the Brits to let them go. The Indians rarely objected the British jurisdiction, thus making it easier for the Brits to command them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Emily's statement about how the British used formal warfare and the Indians used guerrilla warfare. The surprise of the attacks gave the Indians an advantage in killing more of the British. It was a very effective tactic to go by and as a result the Indians killed a greater amount of their enemies.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with carly in the fact that the colonists didn't want to fight with the British. They wanted to protect their families and had to negotiate with the British to do so and even then they didn't win that argument due to the British's audacity.
Throughout this movie, the relationship between the British and colonists was defiently shown. The British beleive that they are superior to the colonists and have complete power over them. England has an immense amount of nationialism which is portayed by the people and how they put themselves above everyone else.This mindset that the British have puts a constant strain on their relationship with the colonists. The colonists just want the controlling forces to be lifted off their shoulders and for them to do things the way they would like to.
ReplyDeleteMilitary is another aspect that is portayed by the film. It is visible that both the British and Indians have different ways of fighting during battle. The British wear matching red uniforms and fight with traditional and strict mannerisms. It is very orderly and rarely is changed. The way the Indians chose to defend themselves was far different. They did not do anything too complex or upscale but rather used guerilla warfare. Raids and ambushes are what defines this type of tactic. Guerilla warfare is very opposite from what the British are accustomed to, lacking orginization and rigidness.
ReplyDeleteLike what Jenna and Emily said, I also agree with the differences between the British and the Native Americans in their military tactics. Native Americans wore more camouflaged outfits than the British, who wore bright red uniforms making it very easy to find them. Also, they presented their entrance with loud drums, so the Indians clearly knew that their enemy was approaching. Furthermore, the British announced before each shot was made making it easier for the Native Americans to run away or to duck from being shot to death. The British clearly had an ordered form of fighting, while the Native Americans were more spontaneous, willing to act and adapt to different situations.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Chanel in that the British did not understand where the colonists were coming from and what their feelings were at that time. The British beleive it is second nature for the colonists' to obey them but they do not realize they are human beings too. The British did not care if children and wives were left begind, all they knew was they were getting one more man to fight for their sake.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Chris and I agree with Chanel, the Native Americans in my opinion were harder to reason with. They DID object to British jurisdiction, they fought for their lands. It just didn't seem like it because they usually lost due to various factors. And like Chanel said, you could never tell which side the Native Americans were on, it was hard to tell. For example, when hawkeye, chingachgook and uncas saved heyward, cora and alice, heyward almost shot hawkeye, but cora stopped him. The British also didnt trust the words of the Native Americans, like when hawkeye spoke out. Hawkeye was later sentenced to hang for sedition.
ReplyDeleteThe colonies were under the rule of the British, and like Jenna said, they had to obey their rulers. When the colonist wanted to go home to protect their lands and families, they were forced to stay at the Fort and fight or else be shot for desertion. This doesnt mean they didnt try of course. And even if they were more intelligent, they were easier to manipulate, for example when the British recruit the colonists they scold them for rejecting the crown, and not fighting for the crown etc...
This movie clearly portrayed a lot of hatred aimed towards the British. Especially Magua's situation which represents similar mistreatment of other Native Americans. Magua was willing to do anything to avenge his family and right the wrongs done toward him. He even infiltrated British inner circle. He played the double agent, very well risking his life.
ReplyDeleteThe colonists as well, did not like to be treated the way they were. They openly questioned the militia and negotiated with them. This was the beginning of the American attitude towards the British. Their constant degradation kindled a fire of hatred for the British, their mistreatment and British control over them.
Chanel's point about the Native Americans being swept into the war without really a choice is possibly the saddest part of the war. Even if they didn't want to be involved, they were constantly affected by it, and it was difficult to stay out of all of the British/ French drama. The Native Americans were constantly being pushed out of their land, and they lost trading partners as the British and French battled for complete control of the Atlantic Basin. In the film, it shows how much of an influence the Native Americans had on the war. In the first half of the war, when the French had the majority of the Native American allies, the British were completely clueless concerning guerilla warfare and tactics that were appropriate for the forests. The French had a major advantage, being helped by the Native Americans. Additionally, the war caused dispute within tribes, and between neighboring tribes, depending on what side of the war they fell on.
ReplyDeleteI also agree about Chanel's point of the Native Americans. The war may be called the French and Indian War, but really, it is a power struggle between France and Britain, in which the Native Americans are used as pawns. They're forces that they try to take advantage of to win the war with, but I doubt that the victors would ever follow up on any promises with the Native Americans (well, maybe the French would, but not the British). The English couldn't even keep the promises they made to the colonists; if they didn't even consider the Native Americans human at time, how would there be any chance of the British doing a favor for them?
ReplyDeleteI agree with what several people have said about the relationship between the Indians and the French. The Indians were mostly seen as trading partners with the French and the French treated them better than the British did. Therefore, they sided with the French because of the poor treatment such as enslaving and killing the Indians once the British settled in the New World.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Scott’s statement about the irony of the French and Indian War. It WAS a power struggle between France and Britain, not a struggle between France and its consistently loyal Native Americans. The Native Americans did not constantly disagree with the French but rather were always ready to fight by their side. Unlike the British and colonists, the French did not treat their comrades as extremely inferior people but as like individuals. However, this does not disregard the idea that these Native Americans were used as pawns in the war like Scott also stated. These Native Americans provided additional men with little to no cost, to fight and although the French would probably repay the Native Americans’ efforts during the war, the British would most likely forget as they did with the colonists.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Rebecca and Chanel stated about the relationship between the British and the French. The Native Americans were forced into the war because of the British and the French, and consequently, the Native Americans lost much of their territories. The British treated the colonists and the Indians with an act of superiority, making sure that they make it known that they are greater and more powerful than them. As Rebecca stated, I also believe that this type of relationship will only cause the colonists' anger to fester into the eruption of the American Revolution.
ReplyDeleteIt was cleary evident throughout the movie that the Biritish never respected the colonial mitlitia. This was aparent when the British never kept any promises they made to the colonists. The difference between the two was also showm in their clothing, where the British wore elegant red coats while the colonist wore regular clothing. This relationship between the Colonists and the British was the starting point of a hindered relationship that would last till the revolution.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the people that said that the British military was unable to adapt to the fighting styles that were brough upon them by the Indians. The Native American Guerrillia fighting tatics really suprised the British on all fronts and was evidnet in the movie when Magua got revenge on the British militia with his group of Natives.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Liz said about the accurate portrayal of the film, but I’d like to comment on it as well. To my personal understanding, the so called “rules of war” were not very well respected in the “Seven Years War” and this follows through in the years to come. Two of the three conflicting groups come from traditional and war-accustomed societies, however, when they are blended into their new environment with the Native American people such as traditions are almost impossible to sustain. No Native American will be foolish enough to stand up in a straight line only to be blasted away, their fates would obviously be of death, due to the weaponry that the English and French possessed. The Seven Years War was a very powerful introduction for the war to come. No longer would lines of soldiers march into war together, but instead, the entire nation would become one giant battleground, something we will later read I am sure.
ReplyDeleteThe Last of the Mohicans does successfully portray several key components of the Seven Years War, or the French-Indian War. I would like to point out one of those being as there is no audio pointing out these things throughout the course of the movie. One thing that is very important to realize is that the Native Americans of our lands were extremely cunning. Not all were so wise, but nonetheless, they were all very capable of using their environment to their advantage. The types of people in this movie are so vastly different, the competing French and English who wish to only glorify themselves, the English more than the French in my opinion, but going on. And then you have the Natives, people who have inhabited this land for so long, and so with this advantage of knowing their geography, and knowing how to survive in the environment which they are all captured within. They truly do have the upper hand in combat. Their fighting does not rely on organization and weaponry, it simply relies on skill, cunning, speed, and intelligence. Things which may have shown at some points in the movie, as the British clearly underestimate them at some points. The Native Americans were, in my opinion, the key to winning the battles of the French and Indian War because of their knowledge of the natural environment in which they were all surrounded by. It surely made a massive difference, especially towards the end of the war, or even in the final scene we viewed on Friday.
ReplyDeleteSomething else which I find very interesting about the British in the movie, relating to what Dana and Scott, and also Carly stated earlier on in the blog... The British actually refuse to adapt to this environment I had just mentioned. To me this highlights upon the strict and traditional customs which the British are equipped with. (Some of these "strict" behaviors pass through within the Puritans, as they are very religiously strict, you would think!) Going on, the British simply do not take advantage of the strategies that are revealed right in front of them, surely they couldn't believe that the Native Americans were going to line up next to them and try to match their war power. Guerilla Warfare is not the type of war you can organize yourself into fighting with. It is simply not organized, it is brutal and very much scattered. With small battles occurring everywhere, and masses coming in from every direction, a small-or-large troop of soldiers cannot organize themselves into resisting and returning attacks which are coming from directions they simply are not aware of. I don't mean to pick on these battle strategies but if one places themselves in some of the situations that we have learned about in the French-Indian War then you can get an idea of the emotional stress the British had thrown themselves into, and even the French.
ReplyDeleteHistory is a lot easier to remember and understand when you can relate to the common ideas and terms that are scattered throughout it. It simply helps connect the ideas and events.
There were many relationship issues presented in this movie. The British troops enlisted in the war to help the militia. Even though the British presented help, the relationship of these sides were very bad. the British were very arrogant in the entire movie. they never trusted the militia, and also they thought the militia were lousy war fighters. This is why the Mohicans didnt want to enlist in the militia because they wanted the freedom they deserved. The movie portrays these struggles very well compared to reality. These assumptions made by the British would lead to the revolution of the colonists. The other present relation issue were the Native Americans. The Natives had to side with the French or the British. in the movie the Naives were normally fighting with the French which is accurate compared to reality. The reason for this is probably because the English gave the Natives more conflict than the French ever did.
ReplyDeleteReligion and core beliefs were very different between the Native Americans and the Europeans. In the movie an example that exhibited this was when Hawkeye, Uncas, Chingachgook, Cora, Alice and Heyward were hiding from their enemies - the French and Magua's tribe - in a burial ground. The Native Americans wouldn't trespass on what they considered to be sacred grounds. The French were confused at this custom and Magua had to pull them back and stop them from proceeding.
ReplyDeleteAnother example from the movie was when the friends of Hawkeye, Uncas, and Chingachgook were killed, Cora demanded that they bury them, who she thought to be strangers. When they refused, Cora - whos values were based on Christianity - didn't understand and viewed the three as savages.
the Last of the Mohicans supplys the viewer, in my opinion, with a very accurate depiction of the fighting tactics. For example, the British were always in a certaint formation for marching. They also always had there drums beating and they were dressed in there matching uniforms. on the other hand the militia, natives, and French were more wild and seemed more uncontrolled. If i knew nothing about this war and never viewed this movie, i would think that the British fighting styles and cooperation would win a war over the sloppy guerrilla fighting tactics. But, this movie shows that my assumption would be far from correct. this is because there are so many other factors than just coopertaion. for example, the militia, natives, and French new the area better so they were able to use the Guerrilla tactics to sneak up and fire all around which caused a lot of difficulties for the British. A great example of this in the movie is when the british were marching and the guerrilla fighters attacked them and all the British were doomed right there. when the opposition attacked the british, all the British did was set up in formation and waited for commander to signal. These guerrilla tactics would not help the French win the war though. but, this is only because of the size differents of the 2 armies.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe film, The Last Mohicans, demonstrated many qualities of the colonial period that we discussed in class including frontier life and the relationship the British and the Americans had with each other. Frontier life was harsh and consisted of mostly poor families who had come up as indentured servants. The movie accurately described this with the family that was living in the cabin in the middle of the forest. In addition, their deaths were also historically accurate because many of these frontiersmen were unwelcome guests to the Native Americans and therefore were often killed when the Indians attacked. The relationship issues between the British and the colonists were also successfully depicted during the movie. The movie clearly showed in some scenes that the British military believed that the colonists were a giant uncivilized mob who could care less about their country and more about their homes on the frontier as was in real life. The American view of the British was also historically accurate as the viewed them as oppressors of basic rights and more interested in the wealth of Britain than that of the colonies.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I did some research on the Battle of Fort William Henry and it turns out that the French really did not want the British to get massacred while leaving. The French had sent a small escort party to accompany the retreating British towards Fort Edwards. However, the Indians had no concept of surrender as it was a new way of fighting for them and they attack the column in order to get their “fair share” of scalps and slaves.
I have written this before reading any other posts so I can develop my own ideas for now… though likely most of these have already been stated at this point. In the Last of the Mohicans, the movie gives a relatively accurate portrayal of how war was like during the time of its setting. Militaries were quite different than the militaries today. For example, they could not communicate instantly over large distances, which was a major plot point because it caused armies to use messengers. Also, the British warfare was like traditional British warfare with the army marching around in brightly colored blatantly-red uniforms without any attempt to camouflage into the surroundings. Contrasting this, the Native Americans used guerilla warfare, such as both being sneaky and actually avoiding bullets by hiding. The British were not accustomed to guerilla warfare at all and got severely defeated by the Native Americans because of this. Also, siege warfare was pretty big at the time.
ReplyDeleteThe relationships between the British, Native Americans, the French, and the colonial militia and the colonists portray the time relatively accurately. The Native Americans were able to change alliances between the British and the French depending on who benefited them most. They had no strict loyalty to one or the other. Also, the British did not take the militia seriously, and used them like British soldiers and expected them to fight for Britain, and not for America or their families. Also, the militia showed signs of disdain towards the British military for this reason. Mongo (Or whatever the Native American leader guy’s name was) was treated quite badly by the British before, and it was not abnormal for the British to mistreat the Native Americans. In general, the movie’s portrayal of relationships and warfare was accurate enough so one doesn’t have to suspend their disbelief at all, which is quite nice!
I agree with everybody who posted about the Native Americans. The Native Americans had to deal with all of the conflicts of the English and the French. This is very unfair because even though they have nothing to do with this war, they were forced in. and as a result, many Natives dies would slowly lead to decline of population.
ReplyDeleteI like how David talked about the military of the time and not just the relationship issues shown in the movie. I did not even think about the messengers until I had read his post. I also agree with his view of the British fail tactics against the Native American's guerilla warfare, such as their red uniforms and platoon firing system. While he was at it, he could of also mentioned the columns they marched in through the forests which would have made them easy targets.
ReplyDelete