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America: Facts vs. Fiction

America: Facts vs. Fiction

Filling in the holes, debunking the myths and making whole the half-truths of history is the essence of "America: Facts vs. Fiction." Hosted by former naval officer and actor Jamie Kaler, the series digs deep into many myths and legends to explore how and why historical details are sometimes altered to produce a more compelling narrative. Paul Revere, for example, didn't gallop through Middlesex County shouting, "The British are coming!" to warn residents of the impending war, and similarly juicy details tied to other events and people have been lost, distorted, covered up or simply ignored as years passed. Kaler, by the way, is best known as an actor for his role in the TBS comedy "My Boys."
4 seasonsDocumentary, HistoryTV-PG
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Season 18 of 8 Episodes

  • How Apollo 11 made it home because of a pen; Air Force One is a code name.

  • Learn who else rode with Paul Revere; George Washington wasn't the first President.

  • The Pilgrim Thanksgiving was about fasting; the only witchcraft in Salem was done by young girls.

  • The origins of Halloween; the truth behind Edgar Allan Poe.

  • Thomas Edison and the light bulb; Ben Franklin and electricity.

  • Franklin Roosevelt may not have had polio; Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy don't have much in common.

  • Christopher Columbus never stepped foot in North America; Hernán Cortés didn't defeat the Aztecs by himself.

  • A woman is the driving force behind completing the Brooklyn Bridge; Route 66 wasn't built from scratch.

Record to Watch Later

57 episodes will be broadcast over the next two weeks

    Bonus Round: Epic Inventions
    Bonus Round: The Truth Will Set You Free
    Bonus Round: America Celebrates
    Moments That Changed History
    The Civil War
    Bad Medicine
    Bonus Round: Cowboys vs. Hollywood
    Bonus Round: Science or Sci-Fi?
    No Liars Allowed
    Bonus Round: Yankees, Rebels and World War II
  • Bonus Round: Epic Inventions

    Stories behind history's most famous flying devices and the truth about America's most influential inventors.
    Upcoming
  • Bonus Round: The Truth Will Set You Free

    A reality check on the stories of Pocahontas and America's renowned explorer's, Lewis and Clark; explore the truth behind the Women's Suffrage Movement.
    Upcoming
  • Bonus Round: America Celebrates

    The spotlight is on amusement parks and world's fairs to separate fiction from truth; explore the myths of two of our favorite holidays, Christmas and New Year's Eve.
    Upcoming
  • Moments That Changed History

    Myths and misconceptions surrounding four pivotal historic moments: the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962; the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C.E.; the Boston Tea Party in 1773 and the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
    Upcoming
  • The Civil War

    Myths cloud the real facts of America's Civil War. The North's biggest city tried to secede; the Union didn't go to war to end slavery; most deaths weren't caused by battle wounds, and Grant and Lee didn't end the conflict; two other generals did.
    Upcoming
  • Bad Medicine

    America's medical history is infected with myths. George Washington's doctors may have inadvertently killed him; Abraham Lincoln used a toxic remedy that warped his mind; and heroin was once a best-selling cough suppressant.
    Upcoming
America: Facts vs. Fiction

More about America: Facts vs. Fiction

Filling in the holes, debunking the myths and making whole the half-truths of history is the essence of "America: Facts vs. Fiction." Hosted by former naval officer and actor Jamie Kaler, the series digs deep into many myths and legends to explore how and why historical details are sometimes altered to produce a more compelling narrative. Paul Revere, for example, didn't gallop through Middlesex County shouting, "The British are coming!" to warn residents of the impending war, and similarly juicy details tied to other events and people have been lost, distorted, covered up or simply ignored as years passed. Kaler, by the way, is best known as an actor for his role in the TBS comedy "My Boys."

Starring

Jamie Kaler

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