Pop Culture Bias on History

Popular Culture’s Bias on American History

American popular culture does not give society the entire truth about the events of the American Revolution. The Liberty’s Kids’ video “The Boston Tea Party” suggests that all American colonists were equal and unified in support of the Revolution. While this supports the vision of American history as strong and patriotic, it is not an accurate representation of individuals or events at the time. The Patriots were greatly divided by their different opinions in social, economic, and political matters throughout the Revolution.

In one scene of “The Boston Tea Party”, a cartoon depiction of Sam Adams makes a motivational speech to the rest of the bar in Boston, Massachusetts, announcing that it is “time to band together” against the common enemy of British Parliament. All of the characters in the bar respond positively to Sam Adam’s call to action by “boo-ing” Parliament in unison and raising their mugs. Sam Adams concludes his speech by asking, “Are you with me?”, at which point the entire bar empties, forming a patriotic mob to run through the streets of Boston to the Dartmouth ship in the Massachusetts Bay.

The author of the video is honest in some aspects of this portrayal of the Boston Tea Party. In his speech, Sam Adams mentions the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Boston Massacre and the recent Tea Tax as justifications for their rebellion. This supports the American vision that colonists were treated unfairly and were the innocent victims of an oppressive English bully. While it is true that many American colonists were indeed frustrated with British rule and taxation without representation, it is incorrect to suggest that all Americans supported the Revolution.

The Liberty’s Kids video portrays all Americans as being Patriots; however, colonists were divided into many factions other than just Patriots. The video does not include the Loyalist faction that still supported English authority. During the Non-importation...