I am a student at New York University, and an American history major. I plan on getting my doctorate so I can teach at a university level, but I would like to teach high school for a few years. The problem with American History in our public schools is that it is too focused on names and dates. We have to remember that most American History students are NOT going to be professional historians. Hell, when I was in high school I didn't know I wanted to be a historian. What is the point of drilling dates and names into a child's head when they are not going to come into use? It is much more important to give them ideas and have open discussions. The person that really knows history is not the one who can give you the date of every battle of the Revlolution, but can tell you why they occured, what the effects were. I hope I can bring some of this into my classroom.
Also, regarding the Patriot. I am actually going to go see it tonight, and I'm keeping an open mind. Listen, it may seem as though it is completely "Hollywood", but maybe less than you think. There were people with no slaves in the south, there were more people in the south against the institution. True, they often also had slaves, but it was a very hypocritical time. In terms of Mel Gibson's character, I've heard he is against fighting in the movie. This is the more realistic depiction. When the revolution began, only 1/3 of the people supported it. It was NOT a people's war! People often joined up when something personal happened to them, not because they were interested in this idea of Liberty. It didn't matter if men in wigs ruled them from home or across the seas. Case in point, Mel's character states, "Why should I trade one tyrant 300 miles away for 30 tyrants one mile away".
In terms of the depiction of the British, this is a way of looking at things. You'd look at them like devils if you're family was a victim of the Wyoming Valley Massacre, during which British troops led by Butler slaughtered 360 defenseless men, women, and children. But compared to the slaugher of Indians by Americans, this seems like a moot point.
History is great because it is so open to discussion and rival opinions. Sure, Patriot may not be the best historical lesson--but when was the last movie about the Revolution made? Besides, if more Americans picked up a damn book and learned a little about history, it wouldn't really matter if a movie was inaccurate. That's the problem, we're depending on a movie to teach us! We have to let people know that the whole point of tomorrow is not fireworks!