America: Facts vs. Fiction
42 Episodes Available
TV-PGHistorySeason 410 Episodes
Bad MedicineS4 E12America'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.
The Civil WarS4 E11Myths 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.
Famous FeudsS4 E10Myths distort the stories of two of America's most renowned rivalries. Before their fateful duel, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr were law partners; and the conflict between the Hatfields and McCoys didn't end in the backwoods, but a courtroom.
The Atomic AgeS4 E9The real facts of the nuclear age are clouded by myth. Manhattan played a major role in the Manhattan Project; there were closer calls to World War III than the Cuban Missile Crisis; America's nuclear security hinges on a football and a biscuit.
American VillainsS4 E8Al Capone was a philanthropist as well as a hood; Benedict Arnold was a hero as well as a traitor, Jesse James was no wild west Robin Hood; Billy the Kid's nickname was wrong.
Secret SocietiesS4 E7Revealing the truth about America's infamous secret societies; the Freemasons have no evil agenda; the Mafia took root not in New York, but the South; Harvard's Skull and Bones does not control a sinister shadow government.
Space: The Final FrontierS4 E6Myths eclipse the real facts about NASA's dramatic rescue of three astronauts aboard the crippled Apollo 13 spacecraft; Hollywood movies have a hit-and-miss track record of depicting the realties of interstellar exploration.
Moments That Changed HistoryS4 E5Myths 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.
Liberty, Leprechauns and LoungingS4 E4Myths taint our knowledge of the 4th of July, St. Patrick's Day, and our favorite mini-holiday, the weekend. We should celebrate Independence Day on July 2nd, St. Patrick wasn't Irish, and the idea of a fun weekend is a recent creation.
The Real WestS4 E2Much of what we know about the old west is myth, not fact, drawn from movies and TV. Gunfights never started with a quick draw, cowboys weren't all white, and Native Americans feared enemies more menacing than settlers and soldiers.
Synopsis
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."Cast
Jamie KalerRating
TV-PG
Genres
HistoryMore Like This
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