History vs. Hollywood Syllabus - Maranacook Community High School

Instructor: Mr. Gower (ext.373) 

Room: 154 

Period: Gold Period 2 

e-mail: shane_gower@maranacook.org 

Web: http://hs.maranacook.org/gower 

The Course: It has been asserted that Americans get most of their 

knowledge about historical events by viewing films that are a part of the 

mass entertainment industry. Studies show that for the most 

part Americans believe that what is depicted in these films is an 

accurate presentation of history. If these 

generalizations are true, several questions come 

immediately to mind. First of all, how accurately does 

Hollywood portray historical events and 

characters? What dangers exist for American 

democracy if many people believe in and understand a 

history that never happened? 

To find out the answers to these and other questions, the History vs. 

Hollywood course is asking students to be critical film viewers and 

reviewers. Using the films, and primary and secondary sources, students will 

be asked to analyze the accuracy and impact of Hollywood films about 

History.

The Moving Image as Evidence for Social and Cultural History. Popular 

culture often reflects the social and cultural environment of its times more 

accurately than it reveals its subject. Laurence Oliver's "Henry V" (1945), 

made in England during the dark days of World War II, was a stirring 

tribute to patriotism. Later versions stressed the horrors of war. Films 

involving national and folk heroes, in particular, often act as ritual myths 

illuminating contemporary conflicts as they reenact a familiar story. The 

classic American conflict between Wyatt Earp, the Clanton gang, and Doc 

Holliday has been told as a mythic western, "My Darling Clementine" (1946), 

a psychological drama, "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" (1957), and a revisionist 

put-down, "Doc" (1971). While film can serve as an engaging introduction to a 

subject, students should be aware of the constant shading and biases, why 

these occur, and what they accomplish. Filmmakers involved in recent 

biographies of George Wallace and Larry Flynt admitted to seriously 

sanitizing their subjects to fit narrative formats and audience expectations. 

Movies we will watch (These choices are mine, deal with them!!!!): 

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari 

1919 67 minutes Rated N/A 

Directed by: Robert Wiene 

Production Company: Decla-Bioscop AG 

Writing Credits: Han Janowitz and Carl Mayer 

Starring: 

Werner Krauss as Dr. Caligari 

Conrad Veidt as Cesare 

Freidrich Feher as Francis 

Lil Dagover as Sergeant Jane Olsen 

Plot Outline: Dr. Caligari's somnambulist, Cesare, and his deadly predictions.

Glory 

1989 122 minutes Rated PG-13 

Directed by: Edward Zwick 

Production Company: TriStar Pictures 

Writing Credits: Robert Gould Shaw, Lincoln Kirstein, Peter Burchard, and Kevin Jarre 

Starring: 

Matthew Broderick as Capt. Robert Gould Shaw 

Denzel Washington as Private Trip 

Cary Elwes as Major Cabot Forbes 

Morgan Freeman as Sergeant Major John Rawlins 

Plot Outline: Robert Shaw leads the US Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices 

of both his own Union army and the Confederates. 

Schindler’s List 

1993 197 minutes Rated R 

Directed by: Stephen Speilberg 

Production Company: N/A 

Writing Credits: Thomas Keneally and Steven Zaillian

Starring: 

Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler 

Ben Kingsley as Itzhak Stern 

Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth 

Plot Outline: Oskar Schindler uses Jews to start a factory in Poland during the war. He witnesses the 

horrors endured by the Jews, and starts to save them. 

JFK 


Directed by: Oliver Stone 

Production Company: Warner Brothers 

Writing Credits: Jim Marrs, Jim Garrison 

Starring: 

Kevin Costner as Jim Garrison 

Gary Oldman as Lee Harvey Oswald 

Tommy Lee Jones as Clay Shaw 

Jay O. Sanders as Lou Ivon 

Plot Outline:Details the actions of New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison, who takes it upon himself 

to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, in 1963. Garrison is 

extremely suspicious of the official story presented by the FBI, and what he already knows and what he 

subsequently learns lead him to suspect that there is more to the story than the public is being told. 

Born on the 4 th of July


Directed by: Oliver Stone 

Production Company: Ixtlan Corporation 

Writing Credits: Ron Kovic, Oliver Stone 

Starring: 

Tom Cruise as Ron Kovic 

Kyra Sedgwick as Donna 

Stephen Baldwin as Billy Vorsovich 

Plot Outline: The biography of Ron Kovic. Paralyzed in the Vietnam war, he becomes an anti-war 

and pro-human rights political activist after feeling betrayed by the country he fought for. 

Ghosts of Mississippi 


Directed by: Rob Reiner 

Production Company: Columbia Pictures 

Writing Credits: Lewis Colick 

Starring: 

Alec Baldwin as Bobby DeLaughter 

James Woods as Byron De La Beckwith 

Whoopi Goldberg as Myrlie Evers 

Plot Outline: The widow of murdered civil rights leader Medger Evers and a district attorney struggle to 

finally bring the murderer to justice 30 years later. 

Flight 93


Directed by: Peter Markle 

Production Company: Twentieth Century Fox 

Writing Credits: Nevin Schreiner 

Starring: 

Jeffrey Nordling as Tom Burnett 

Ty Olsson as Mark Bingham 

Kendall Cross as Deena Burnett 

Plot Outline: Four terrorists wanted to turn flight 93 into a weapon. On September 11, 

2001 forty brave passengers and crew stopped it from reaching its target. 

Gran Torino 


Directed by: Clint Eastwood 

Production Company: Matten Productions 

Writing Credits: Nick Schenck and Dave Johannson 

Starring: 

Clint Eastwood as Walt Kowalski 

Bee Vang as Thao Van Lor 

Ahney Her as Sue Lor 

Plot Outline: Disgruntled Korean War vet Walt Kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, 

a young Hmong teenager, who tried to steal Kowalski's prized possession: his 1972 

Gran Torino.

. 

Five Basic Classroom Rules: 

1. Be Respectful 

No leaning back in chairs, unless you want to pay to have them repaired 

No writing on desks, unless you’d like to pay to have them cleaned 

No putting feet up on desks, unless you would like to sterilize your desk at the 

end of the period. 

Only water is allowed during class, NO OTHER BEVERAGES!! Abuse of this 

privilege will result in no drinks during class! 

Food may only be consumed during the first few minutes of the period, or only on 

special occasions authorized by me! Abuse of this privilege will result in no food 

during class! 

Take care of all trash and your things left behind. Keep your desk area clean!! 

2. Be Responsible 

Once you “choose” a seat, stick to it! (Seats will be assigned based on where you 

are sitting on 9/8) 

You must arrive within 1 minute of the late bell, or you will be marked tardy. 3 

tardy’s results in a detention with me. 

I recommend you don’t bring backpacks or book bags to class! Use you lockers 

and put a lock on them!!!!! 

Leaving the room during class is NOT a right, but a privilege. I only allow one 

person out of the room at a time unless you have a pass, and sometimes I don’t 

allow anyone out unless it is an absolute emergency. 

Treat others in the room with respect at all times!! 

3. Hands & Feet To Self 

Respect the space of others. 

Be appropriate in displays of affection 

4. Follow Directions 

Whenever you leave the room, you must sign out with the time. Sign in with the 

time when you return. If you were gone more than 5 minutes and don’t have a 

pass, you make up the time with me that you missed either before or after school. 

(Hint, if your bathroom emergency takes longer than 5 minutes, get a pass from 

the Health Center!!!!) Repeat offenders will receive an ISB and detention 

regardless. 

3 bathroom breaks per quarter are allowed. If you need to go more then 3 times 

per quarter, you will make up the time you are out of class with me either before 

or after school. Failure to comply results in an ISB and detention. Use the 5 

minutes between classes wisely!!!!!!!! Repeat offenders will receive an ISB and 

detention regardless. 

Pay attention and listen carefully.

5. Be There- Be Ready 

Come to class with a Notebook, a pen, & a pencil everyday!! 

Come to class with the Homework done neatly. 

Participate in class discussion & activities. 

Don’t bring uneccessary things that are likely to distract you! If it ends up 

distracting you, I will confiscate it for the rest of the class. 

Goals: 

Sources: 

provide students with the opportunity to study 

topics in depth (posthole) as an alternative to 

typical survey classes in History. 

provide students with an opportunity to use 

contemporary media and technology in their study 

of History. 

provide students with the opportunity to raise and 

answer significant historical questions. 

allow students to explore and use the Internet. 

use primary and secondary sources to provide data 

to help answer significant historical questions. 

help students to communicate with other young 

historians about their studies. 

help students to assemble and publish historical film 

reviews. 

make history more meaningful by providing images, 

in addition to written words as messages of 

interpreting history. 

help students to understand the role of film in 

influencing popular conceptions of historical figures 

and events. 

History Channel’s History vs. Hollywood Series 

Teaching History with Film and Television: Discussions on Teaching no. 2 

Edited by John E. O'Connor

Cortes, Carlos F., and Tom Thompson. "Feature Films and the Teaching of 

World History." SOCIAL STUDIES REVIEW 2 (Winter 1989-90): 46-53. EJ 

414 

080. 

Costanzo, William V. READING THE MOVIES: TWELVE GREAT FILMS ON 

VIDEO AND HOW TO TEACH THEM. Urbana, IL: National Council of 

Teachers of English, 1992. ED 342 033. 

Dressel, Paula. "Films that Put Social Problems in Global Context." 

TEACHING SOCIOLOGY 2 (April 1990): 226-230. EJ 414 027. 

www.teachwithmovies.org 

Course Outline: (Subject to change) 

I. Introduction to the Course 

A. What to expect 

B. Watch The Cabinets of Dr. Caligari and write a brief reaction 

II. Essential Question: What role did Blacks play in the Civil War and how is that 

significant? 

A. Slaver and Civil War Historical discussion 

III. Glory background 

IV. Glory 

A. Watch and discuss film 

Quiz 

V. Essential Question: How did people survive the Holocaust? 

A. World War II and Cold War historical discussion 

VI. Schindler’s List background 

VII. Schindler’s List 


Quiz 

VIII. Why was JFK assassinated and why is it still a mystery? 

A. World War II and Cold War historical discussion 

IX. JFK background 

X. JFK 


Quiz 

XI. Film Magazine Presentations

XII. How did Vietnam impact American society and why? 

A. 1960’s and Vietnam Historical discussion 

XIII. Born on the 4 th of July background 

XIV. Born on the 4 th of July 


Quiz 

XV. How has the Civil Rights movement impacted the development of America today? 

A. Racism throughout the 20 th Century 

XVI. Ghosts of Mississippi background 

XVII. Ghosts of Mississippi 


Quiz 

XVI. How do the events of 9/11/2001 impact us today? 

A. Terrorist Attacks of 9/11/01 

XVII. Flight 93 background 

XVIII. Flight 93 


Quiz 

(if time) XIX. What role does racism play in 2009? 

A. Immigration issues 

XX. Gran Torino background 

XXI. Gran Torino 


Quiz 

XXII. Project Presentation 

End of Semester 

Presentations during this last week of the semester! 

Student Expectations: 

Students will be required to turn in a permission slip for watching films. 

We will be watching some films that are rated R, films may include violence, language, 

and sexual situations, it is expected that students will deal with this in an appropriate and 

respectful manner! 

Students are expected to arrive to class on time and prepared (Notebook, and pen or 

pencil ready). 

Students are expected to create and support a positive learning environment for all

students. 

Make up work is due upon return to school, this is your responsibility !! Also you must 

schedule times to make up test and quizzes. Homework is on the board and weekly on my 

Homework board. 

Students will treat everyone in the class (including me) with respect at all times. 

Please see me if and when you need extra help, don’t wait until its too late ! 

Evaluation: 

Students will be graded on each assignment out of 100%. Grade values are: 

A+ 97-100 

A 93-96 

A- 90-92 

B+ 87-89 

B 83-86 

B- 80-82 

C+ 77-79 

C 73-76 

C- 70-72 

D+ 67-69 

D 65-66 

N/C 0-64 

For the Semester student assessment will break down roughly along these percentages per 

quarter: 

6 or 7 History Quizzes 20% 

6 or 7 Film Reviews 37% 

Class participation and homework 16% 

Magazine Project 8% 

Journals 8 entries 4% 

Final 15% 

This course addresses the following Maine State Learning Results Standards for 

Social Studies: (Note: These are the revised Standards as of May 2006) 

A. Applications Of Social Studies Processes, Knowledge, And Skills - Students will apply 

critical thinking, the research process, and discipline-based processes and knowledge from 

civic/government, economics, geography, and history in authentic contexts. 

1. Students develop research questions and modify them as necessary to direct investigations 

of current Social Studies Issues, and locate, select, synthesize, present and defend 

information from multiple and varied sources. 

2. Students make collaborative decisions and take action on matters related to social studies 

using relevant information, and research, collaboration, and Ethical Reasoning Skills.

E. History - Students will draw on concepts and processes from history to develop historical 

perspective and understand issues of continuity and change in the community, state, nation, 

and world. 

1. Students understand Major Eras and Major Enduring Themes in United States and world 

history, the roots of democratic philosophy, ideals, and institutions in world history, and 

major historical influences on the present and future. 

2. Students understand the Historic influence and significance of the concepts unity and 

diversity on the development of the United States and peoples of the world

History vs. Hollywood Syllabus - Maranacook Community High School

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