Viewing American History With Sturge: 1780s

Welcome to the first of many tragically underrepresented decades in American History.

First, the Revolution is over! (almost). So let’s all take a quick minute to do what Continental soldiers probably did and sing Amazing Grace, which became a widely recognized hymn in the 1780s.

That was pleasant… Now put all such soothing notions aside because there’s no reason to feel overly happy when discussing the 1780s or its virtually nonexistent filmography.

Its lack of cinematic representation is a real loss both for Hollywood and the decade itself. Though there are more missed opportunities than I can count, a few notable omissions include: Shay’s Rebellion, life under the Articles of Confederation, slavery’s demise in several Northern states, Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists, and- with a few exceptions hardly worth mentioning- nothing about the Federalist Papers of crafting the Constitution.

Though plenty of things went down in 1780s America, unfortunately, the build-up to the French Revolution remains the decade’s most magnetic…