Kaz I got a comment under my comment pretending to be you saying I won a prize and blah blah. I’ve gotten similar on other channels. I reported it but definitely wanted you to know.
Yes! Learn real and true American history! I’m Native American from the Oglala Lakota tribe and I meet non-Natives all the time who have such a minuscule understanding of America’s indigenous people. I’ve even heard people say we don’t exist anymore! Keep encouraging knowledge, Kaz, you have such a good channel!!!
As a white Australian who grew up being told Tasmanian aboriginal people no longer existed I can only apologise for the parade of nonsense and ignorance we participate in. I only really acquired any real depth of understanding as an adult, from a work program designed by Aboriginal people to educate non-native staff in community organisations. Ignorance among the population here is widespread too. The shift away from these rubbish old ideas is much too slow. Yes schools have a role to play but so does media. So do individuals who see this stuff perpetuated. Call it out. Especially if you're white. Challenge your friends to seek out the truth and, if you can, campaign for better education in this area.
For me it’s a confusing thing when people bring up lineage. I have Cherokee great grandparents on both sides, but they were married to white people and as a result I ended up pale and the only way people believe me is when they take a closer look at the shape of my bone structure rather than just my outright appearance. There’s also a chance of Crow blood in my line but we haven’t been able to confirm that, we CAN confirm the Cherokee though. I’ve always been too broke and too “oh god” to take a dna test to see what kind of hodgepodge of genes I am 🤷♀️ it’s a confusing little tangle of family history
Isn't the final conflict of this movie and the treasure itself at Mt. Rushmore? Because, yeah, as an African American I was horrified to learn the real history of the sacred Black Hills and the KKK monument builder behind the creation of that national crime. If the new movie addresses the broken treaty and KKK connection to that site, I'll be absolutely impressed.
@@kobaltkween YES! I’m Oglala Lakota, and Mt. Rushmore is one if the most singular representations of the historical disrespect of the Lakota Nation (and all Native American people) the US perpetuated. There’s a deep history there, and American families flock to it every summer because, to them, it’s a US symbol of “freedom” and it’s “founding fathers.” Americans definitely need a whole and complete history of the US, and not just the legit propaganda based history it receives. But when lawmakers are hell bent on even erasing it’s history of Black slavery, how are we ever going to get to the part where it’s indigenous people were hunted by Anglo Americans as part of it’s government social welfare programs? America’s history curriculum needs an overhaul.
It’s always funny to me when people think the Masons are super secretive - where I live, they have a clearly marked building just down the street from a bubble tea shop, which always struck me as… not very discreet, lol. I also know of a Masonic old folk’s home, which I asked my dad about once, and he described it as “just a bunch of old men hanging out”. Great video as always! 😊
Interesting... my town's masonic lodge is ALSO right next to a bubble tea place 🤔 secretly controlling the bubble tea industry so they have a steady supply??
@@XanderPGK You know people would pay good money to see National Treasure if it had a scene of Nicholas Cage jumping and dancing around in an old 1700s era peruke abruptly cut in the middle of it
I'm surprised that you didn't add that Paul Revere also invented forensic dentistry in the US (as in this wasn't the 1st time it was ever used, but he independently figured it out and then started it in the US). Because of his dentistry and silver smithing skills, he was able to identify a dead soldier by the silver fillings that he previously did for the soldier. This was the start of the concept of forensic dentistry.
I unironically adore and have fun with how goofy and interesting this movie series is. Nick Cage to me is underrated as an actor because he completely goes for it and no matter what the man looks like he is willing to do whatever the scene calls for. The fact that we all love Jim Carrey but hate Nick Cage baffles me 😂
Can't stand Jim Carey movies. Dumb humor insults my intelligence, so I put him on the same level with Adam Sandler or similar. Just not my thing. Nick Cage is definitely underrated!! The National Treasure movies finally made knowledge of history fun and cool!! Similar to Dan Brown novels/ movies, even though they are not true history. Both series give people things to research and the idea that being smart will get one far!!
@@kimberini6465 Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler are interesting because while they obviously have movies they like doing; The Mask and Eight Crazy Nights come to mind, they're also capable of turning in very good dramatic performances. I know everyone was talking about Uncut Gems a while back, but Carrey had the lead in The Truman Show. I dunno. I guess I can respect the idea of an actor with a wide range who has a preference for a particular style of film.
I was adopted into the Carroll family and my mom is a direct descendant, no one ever believes us until we bring out the paperwork it's kind of crazy that he was portrayed in the movie!!
Would you ever do a video on the history of American Girl dolls? I feel like so many people (including me lol) got into history and historical fashion because of them.
@@KazRowe I think a look back at Addy specifically merits attention. I cannot remember where it was, but I listened to a podcast where they used interview clips from Connie Porter (who wrote the Addy books) and it's really interesting how Addys story came to be.
@@cheyenne6913 cheers for this. Addy was such a turnabout from the others, I was very familiar with Felicity's world having grown up in tidewater VA and having been to Williamsburg many times, I'll admit I had a very different appreciation for the ubiquitous tobacco fields also in the area after reading Addy's books (and while in school we got into some of the history of the indigenous peoples of the area in addition to the colonists, that particular topic was still mostly a no-go)
I’d love that!! Same here. I had Kaya and Samantha. I read all the books. Would be interesting to see their framing, accuracy, etc. Even the corporation itself!
It is honestly both interesting and heartbreaking to learn the history of preservation of...well...history. important documents, important buildings, important locations, even important cultural languages, traditions, and what have you have had major ups and downs with many not surviving to the modern day. And even if the intent wasn't there, even the best attempts of preservation can befall to accidental happenstance (Like many photographs of D-Day in WWII for example were lost when they were accidentally dropped in the sea during a cargo transfer). It is what makes what we have remaining all the more special, even if we can grieve for the lost.
Omg, a fellow restauration student! And yeah, early restauration/conservation philosophy and history (so like 18th-19th century to the 60s, up to 90s in USSR) can get hella spooky. Here's a couple soviet habits I have learned about that are particularly scary and strange: The trend of soaking absolutely every textile piece, including heavy ass tapestries, in flour glue in order to make them stiff. Cutting out pieces of older, worse preserved tapestries to put them into tapestries that were better condition, with no regard for not only ethics but also aesthetics, putting eyes into trees and such. Transferring paintings on wood onto canvas (like, literally shaving down the original wood and attaching the paint onto canvas for not reason) was also really fashionable and also the most common type of restauration work in order to qualify for a painting restauration license back then
Am I the only one who didn't know there was a National Treasure prequel coming out or was I just supposed to learn that from a well-timed Kaz Rowe video?
I'm a (former?) member of The Massachusetts Lodge - the 2nd or 3rd oldest Freemason lodge in the Western hemisphere. Our 250th anniversary was in 2020 (I think). I have a background in volunteering and philanthropy, and I wanted to join a community that shared those values. While I *did* meet some admirable men there, I ultimately was pretty underwhelmed by the experience. I was a member for 3 years and did all the secret rituals to become a 3rd degree Mason. The lodge brings on a handful of candidates per year, and in my experience, only maybe one becomes a full 3rd degree Mason and stays on for more than a year. Kaz is right - it's largely conservative, older men in Freemasonry. I think they fail to retain new members because the values they extol are more effectively manifested in other groups that are more inclusive and demand less of their members. A lot of Freemasonry is memorizing rituals. And the lodges I know in Boston generally require formal clothing at every event - I was personally scolded for wearing no-show socks with my suit. And, ultimately, I found Freemasonry to be more of a drinking club than a charitable org.
I was invited to join the lodge in my hometown because my grandfather was a Mason and their numbers in rural Missouri towns are... dwindling to say the least. I showed up to one event that was some sort of meet and greet, introduced myself, one of the old white men recognized my name and went "Isn't your dad a Catholic?" at which point I was exposed to some anti catholic rhetoric straight out of the 60s lol I've always heard that Lion's, Rotary, and other groups were better at actual charity and often more accepting.
I'm from the detroit/ann arbor area and i have found similar sentiment, they'll even put on a progressive veneer but they can be shockingly regressive at times.
Only third degree? Bro , you were very misinformed if you thought you would find ANYTHING out at the literal 3rd lowest level 😂 gotta get up those numbers rookie 😱
Was it the lodge on Boylston street? I went to college next to it. They kept trying to get students from my college to join, my very liberal, very gay college. Something like 40% of students identified as not straight, and we were regularly trading the number one spot with NYU to be America's most gay friendly college.
I'm Australian, so I have no skin in the game, but I always enjoyed National Treasure as a fun adventure romp. I didn't really think most of what they showed was true but it's cool to see what the actual history was and, also, finding that knowing the truth really doesn't make the film less fun.
I’m actually so relieved that Liberty Kids (this American Revolution animated show) got Paul Revere’s ride accurately because otherwise I would have lost faith in one of my favorite shows 😅 if you haven’t watched it, I highly recommend it.
I'd love to see you break down the historical inspirations/inaccuracies behind "The DaVinci Code." I never realized til now that two massive franchises both concerning secret European societies released around the same time. 😅
As someone who didn't watch National Treasure or The Da Vinci Code when they came out (I was a kid, but also Canadian and thought that U.S. colonial history seemed really boring), but was aware of both I've always kind of equivocated the two accidentally, even though apparently National Treasure is appropriate for kids. 😅
Colonial Williamsburg has gotten much better (at least in my experience) at talking about and acknowledging slavery. The last time I was there, the majority of tours and programs included a section on the involvement of slavery within the particular topic the programs covered. There was a very interesting house tour where one of the historical interpreters talked a lot about how broader colonial law about slavery and biracial parentage affected individuals. There was another program I attended where the interpreter discussed the affects of religion on slavery and POC in colonial America.
When I was at nearby Jamestown in 2019, the actual historic site was prominently promoting the anniversary of 1619, aka the beginnings of slavery in the US (and the namesake of the 1619 Project).
I did a summer program down at the college next to colonial Williamsburg in 2022 and they heavily acknowledged slavery. They did an entire event on Juneteenth too. Both Jamestown sites also talked about slavery (the actual site more than the recreation). Several other sites such as Bacon's castle include sections on slavery throughout the tour including visiting the old slave quarters. Historical sites have gotten much better at acknowledging our dark history and do include that the founding fathers owned slaves at places like Monticello.
My middle school history teacher had this great bit in class where he said if Henry Wadsworth had instead wrote: “It was of great cause, That midnight ride of William Dawes” then Paul Revere would’ve never become famous and I’ve never forgotten about the second rider since.
My mom's side of the family has a bunch of Masons so I grew up around it and every time I hear conspiracy theories about them, I can't help but laugh. Seriously, they hang around and drink beer and talk about sports but they do it with funny hats and titles.
@TheAbstruseOne Yea you probably don't understand how they work. I mean there's a conspiracy around them for a reason and it's officially on the top lists of secret societies. Note, secret societies doesn't mean that they have to be 100% concealed from public view. In fact it works in their favor if they aren't.
As someone who works in billing, having your videos to look forward to right around the time I have to do all my month-end tasks (the busiest time of the month) is such a comfort. This channel is quickly becoming my favorite on the whole platform. ❤
I wanted to chime in and expand on your comment relating to colonial Williamsburg and the lack of commentary on slavery at the sites. I work in the area’s museum industry and we have close ties with the Jamestown-Yorktown foundation and the CW foundation, and while they have gotten better about it recently one of our issues is this battle between the “old guard” so to say and the younger historians. The older people are really uncomfortable with discussing the topic and fight quite hard to avoid it. My location has a staff member who has road blocked any discussion of slavery or the civil war if it’s not interpreted with a confederate lost-cause lenses. It’s a huge issue that we cant get around until these people retire (or more likely pass away). Some places (like JYF) are better then others but in general it really sucks. P.S.: recently some guests have begun to complain about “woke history” or other nonsense if you try to interpret or bring up these topics.
I feel like some (maybe more than some suggests I don’t know) only want to go to these living history locations/historical places to indulge in a white antebellum fantasy that either erases or romanticizes slavery. It’s so gross.
@@midgey50 that is definitely an issue, there’s a weird fixation on plantation houses and it’s causes a LOT of money to be poured into relatively insignificant historical buildings. I hate having to work with those sites personally, especially since many love to gloss over the treatment of slaves on the property.
I remember a Woman complaining recently that a Museum used "b.c.e." and "c.e." instead of b.c. and a.c. because "they are trying to appease the wokes". We're in the UK. I almost doubled over laughing. that Woman cant havr paid attention to archaeology in a long Time if she seriously thought people stopped using "before Christ" Out of wokeness. Cant be because its a field of science and trying to avoid religious influence, that would be too easy🤦🏻♀️
@@annabeinglazy5580 Having spent a decent amount of time around people like that woman, I can offer some explanation. Avoiding religious (specifically whatever denomination of Christian she calls herself) influence is the "woke" part. Anything that upsets the status quo they were born into (or were told was part of the "good old days") is "crazy woke stuff". I suppose they aren't exactly wrong about it being woke. It's sad they see it as a bad thing.
@@annabeinglazy5580 however the name change without a change in the time reference is obviously an academic silliness. If the vulgate or pre vulgate time was switched to the assassination of Julius Caesar or the reign of Augustus or a Chinese emperor then a new name would be meaningful...however it is just a name change for the same guess at the birth of Jesus of Nazareth (30 years prior to the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius). The same thing happens in constant renaming of cultural terms for supposed sensitivities. Colored People used to be an English and American phrase for all non caucasions. It became offensive as it supposed that being non Caucasian was a slur. People of Color is great new and completely different. No it is the same. All people who are not Caucasian. Negro (latin language terms for the word black) suddenly offensive and is to be replaced with black....same term. And the lunacy goes on. It is right out if 1984 to keep renaming things that are the same thing to keep people in line. It liberates no one.
It makes me so happy to see historical content with this cozy almost story time feel to it do well for your channel. I greatly enjoy your videos and all the topics and nuance you bring to the conversation.
I was at Mt. Vernon a couple years ago, I think they have improved with the slavery history. The slave quarters were on the tour, there were a lot "a day in the life" stories of the enslaved people, as well as other more general stories of some of their lives, and they had actors playing enslaved people that you could interact with and ask questions, and a lot of artifacts in the museum, including purchase records ect. Obviously there's always room for improvement, but it sounds to me like they've at least improved a little since you were there 😁
My family and I (black -American descendants of enslaved people) went when I was a kid and I do remember there was an awkwardness around addressing slavery there. I think my mom or dad asked about it and they told us they were doing work on the enslaved people’s quarters. I’m glad to hear at least that was true and more improvements are being made.
@birds people have debated the ethics of this and I'm personally undecided. While it's apart of our history that very much deserves to be humanized and children should be able to understand and connect with the enslaved African Americans of the past it's certainly a big ask of the actors and of the community as a whole.
@@SoulDevoured The first really big presentation I remember at Colonial Williamsburg that even attempted to grapple with the legacy of American enslavement was a re-creation of an auction of enslaved people. Maybe thirty years ago or so now? The presentation wasn't lengthy, and it was definitely more of a sketch than a full presentation of the type that Colonial Williamsburg is famous for, but even that tiny little snippet of a massive part of that history was enormously controversial, fiercely debated, cautiously planned, and emotionally wrenching for the creators and performers, to say nothing of how traumatizing it must have been for the people who just showed up that day to watch some docent in a pretty skirt make cheese and card wool. Colonial Williamsburg has built on that initial experiment since, to their credit, and now has a vigorous, high-profile emphasis on the lives and experiences of the marginalized, disappeared, and disregarded. They're not alone; living history museums have definitely upped their game when it comes to getting honest about one of the foundational sins of the U.S. It's common now to have presentations centering the presence, oppression of, and experiences of the enslaved. This is particularly controversial in the South, where a certain class of artless person has always yearned for the fantasy of the Plantation Wedding (TM), and gets pissed when they roll up for the introductory tour of the wedding venue and see that it includes a row of tumbledown shacks intended to represent housing for the enslaved inhabitants. Having said that, at least one former plantation, Whitney Plantation in Louisiana, is now almost entirely dedicated to the memory of the enslaved, paying next to no attention to the enslavers.
@@SoulDevoured It is a big ask...but the actors decide if they're comfortable with it, they're not forced into a role like that. (Personally I still think it's...yeah, a big ask. But I'm not the one who's going to be acting it, you know.) Some of the other historical channels on RUclips include people who portray enslaved historical 'characters' to educate people. One that really stuck with me was a few years ago on Townsends, a woman who portrayed one of her own ancestors and said she saw it as a chance to tell her family's story rather than leaving it to be told by strangers.
LOVE this video!!! Also, listen to the Dolls of Our Lives for hilarious and critical and wonderful American Girl content. They talk about what we learn about history, girlhood, identity, and friendship from these books. It's hosted by two American history historians, and I feel like Kaz's audience overlaps so much. AND they start with Felicity.
Kaz, I really think you should do a video on the phenomenon of the impact of those same things you mentioned at the beginning of your video on history people. Because I will tell you, all of those things impacted me too, especially the Magic Tree House books and American Girl Dolls. I work in a museum and I can tell you that every other person raised as a girl loved American Girl Dolls too! These media raised a generation of history folks!
I love your channel. History is filled with myths, omissions, and straight up lies that it’s hard to know the truth and the real lessons that could be learned. Your commitment to research and video production makes learning and unlearning history so engaging and insightful. Keep it up Kaz!
15:45 as a nova scotian i know VERY WELL how longfellow’s poems affected popular history. we have monuments to evangeline despite her never existing outside of his poem.
My favorite video of yours so far. This was SUCH a fun watch. Please take a humble watchers request of doing the second movie or maybe the davinci code? Thank you so much Kaz for always re-inspiring my love of history, and I’m doing to follow you on the clock app, I hope you’re well!❤❤❤
You always look fabulous but I seriously love the leaf tie. ❤🍁👔 Also National Treasure definitely helped spark my love of history, even if the facts are generally less ~mysterious~ than the movie made them seem. Thanks for the nostalgia trip!
This is unironically one of my favorite movies of all time, I genuinely went to D.C. 18 days ago for my birthday to recreate scenes from the movie. It formed possibly too much of my interests as a tiny child.
Kaz, you should do a video on the dreaded Bowie knife. The (historically) barbaric nature of the weapon alone is impressive enough (and the stigma against it at the time is fascinating); whether it was used for combat or political leverage, it was erroneous to take it lightly.
Easily one if my favorite videos of 2022! I also have fond memories of watching this movie growing up. Looking back on it as an adult, I can so easily see the ways American history and figures get mythologized and the problems that entails. It was very refreshing to learn about the actual history behind these bits thrown into the film, and the parts they did accurately portray!
One of my favorite facts about Freemasons is that their German offshoot started accepting women into their ranks because one of their members came out as a trans woman and their code prohibited them from kicking her out so they had to change the rules to allow women
One thing I actually appreciate about a lot of American history is that compared to what movies and television show you, so many events were so mundane and (relatively) uneventful.
I live in Southeastern VA, about an hour away from Williamsburg, and have gone to Colonial Williamsburg dozens of times over my lifetime. As a child they most definitely didn't mention or address slavery in Williamsburg and the surrounding area, but in the last few years they've started to include mentions in various tours and even have an entire tour from the perspective of a household's slaves. I believe they still have a long way to go, but they're not ignoring it anymore.
Fascinating...I grew up in Chesapeake and have to ask- when were these experiences for you? The only reason I ask is whenever I went to Williamsburg or Jamestown in the late 90's and early-mid 2000's, they always addressed Slavery (though I will agree that they've improved and are leaning into it, going more into the details of it presently).
@@AthenianOwl237 we were there two days ago and on the Palace tour they now tell how certain slaves would have experienced life in the Palace. I went through one of the houses off the "main" road (I believe it was the Randolph house but it's been a while since we went to it) a few years back and the tour was entirely from the perspective of an enslaved person, and led by a Black man. We usually go at least once a year, when they have free admission for military (my spouse serves), and when we can afford it we get annual passes and try to go once a month or so. I grew up going, and have watched it evolve quite a bit.
@@laurendisney That's incredible!! The last time I was there was 2005 but those last two visits sound like really good tours. I hope schools are still going there and they're getting that experience too! Edit: my friend who went last year mentioned that they were covering some of the slaves experiences in wealthier homes-that's the last I'd heard anything about it till now.
the last section. period! thank you for mentioning that and always being someone who tells history for what it is, and in this video specifically reminding us that there is hope that it doesn’t have to repeat as long as we learn from it.
I'm so happy you've correct the popular history nonsense of Paul Revere's ride (even if the New Englander in me shuddered every time you said "Con-Cord"). Thank you, Kaz!
🤔How's it supposed to be pronounced? Accent on 1st syllable? Cun-kerd'? Conk-kurd? None of the above? (I'm from WI. When I go back to my hometown in CA, they claim I sound like I walked off the set of "Fargo"😉)
Another stellar video. Thank you for promoting the pursuit of real history, not just the reinforcement of grade school fairy tales. Also, I appreciate your reminder to “wash thy hands and wear thy mask.” COVID isn’t gone, as much as we wish it were. 🇺🇸❤️😷
Conspiracy theorists: "The freemasons are in league with aliens. They rule the world. Such a secretive society" Freemasons: "Hey here's our phone number if you want to chat. Or you can come by our building and walk around, we're also recruiting for members if you're interested" CT: "SO SECRETIVE I TELL YOU"
As someone who grew up in a heavily Masonic family, I appreciate your debunk. What do I mean by a Masonic family? Well, I was raised by my grandparents, my Gram was an Eastern Star and my Pop was a SF Crocker Lodge Mason for 60yrs. His mom was an Eastern Star and his dad was a 32nd degree Mason, or a Shriner. Both of my grandparents kids--my mother and my aunt--were Job's Daughters. I was both a Rainbow Girl (heavy foreshadowing for being gay? I was hidden deep in the closet but internally laughed every damn time) and an elected DeMolay Sweetheart. I have amazing pics of when my Pops brought a bunch of trout into Shriners Hospital and put them in the therapy pool so the kids could fish. Even with such a level of Masonic influence in my life, no one has EVER asked me to control any part of society or the U.S. government. Not one time ever. Trust me, my anarcho-commie ass would change a whole lot if they did, and LGBTQ+ rights wouldn't be being stripped away on the daily. Free health care for all! UBI!!! A year paid parental leave!!! No more billionaires *ever*!!! That being said, y'all are NOT wrong to deeply distrust the hidden power structures, concentration of wealth, and crony capitalism which makes most of our lives infinitely worse. It just isn't done by a bunch of people in funny hats and who think riding Go-Karts in parades is the height of group representation.
So, a whole lot of the Templar/Mason connection really is the fault of the Masons. In DeMolay, the young men's organization, there are these "talks" that being able to give from memory is considered this huge accomplishment and honor. At least one of these heavily leans into the Templar connection....as does the name, DeMolay. It's just taught to us from a super young age.
I loved both of the original National Treasures movies growing up. On a recent re-watch as an adult I had a similar experience of still really enjoying them while simultaneously being much more aware of the history they erase, especially the second one. Thanks for making this video. I didn't even know a third one was coming out until you made me aware. I honestly don't have high expectations because there is no way it can live up to the feeling of the originals in the mid 2000s, nor is it likely their presentation of history will have changed.
Wow, I did not know that the Free Masons were literally just a group of really talented masons. It's like finding out that a super-secret club call the Free Minecrafters is just a simple club of really creative minecraft players
Just to clarify one thing mentioned: The Old Patent Office does indeed house the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery. But it also houses the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM). The entrance for one is on G St NW with the other entrance is on F St NW. It's easy to pass from one to the other, especially through the shared courtyard. The Old Patent Office is served by the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro Station. They are an easy 10 minute walk to the National Archives, the National Gallery of Art, and the National Mall. For more details, visit the respect websites for the Portrait Gallery and SAAM. Bonus: The old 1908 Masonic Temple in DC - located at 1250 New York Avenue NW - now houses the National Museum of Women in the Arts. This is located several blocks away from the Old Patent Office, near H Street and New York Avenue.
The amount of historic ships that end up lost off the coast of Newfoundland is honestly wild. (also as a Newfoundlander, in case the island comes up again it's pronounced "NOOFN-land". Think of the cadence of the word "understand")
As a Canadian, I was truly fascinated, horrified, and baffled how this movie reinforced and requires the mythology of the nearly divine origins of the US, the *men* who codified it, and the modern fashion of the sacredness of its artifacts. It makes almost no sense and just seems so bizarre to those of us who aren't steeped in it.
Love how you described the life of The Declaration of Independence as “buckwild”! Made me laugh out loud. Excellent content, so well researched as always Kaz Rowe!
I think my favorite thing about your channel is how you hold space for us to enjoy the fun parts of what we grew up loving AND push us to ask questions, reframe, and be inclusive. I'm guessing that I'm 10-15 years older than you, and it is inspiring to me to watch you say what needs to be said without weaponizing your intelligence. A lot of us late Gen-Xers have a hard time with that. I also really enjoy your production value. I found your channel because someone on TikTok referred to you as one of "The Big Three" with Jenny Nicholson and Rowan Ellis, and I must say I have come to agree with them.
@Kristofer Wood I second this. Of the "So Bad It's Good" movie genre I'd say neither make the list. The first one is a great adventure film (for kids), as well as having the occasional adult joke. The second one is much the same but easier to criticize because ultimately they were more trying to capitalize on the first films success, than trying to make a good story. But still suspend your disbelief and skeptic sensibilities to pre 15y/o and it's not hard to enjoy or even gain a passion for history. Or just an admiration for the Cage.
Kaz: Believe it or not, the Declaration of Independence has had kind of a buckwild life. Ad immediately following that sentence: HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Me: Okay who wants the Declaration of Independence for Christmas
I've said this before abd I'll say it again: they should have made the second movie "international treasure" and restore various lost artifacts from various locations to their countries of origin, and the third move should have been "interstellar treasure" and included Ancient aliens
thank you!! Especially for that last bit. i had an argument with my family this thanksgiving actually about this same topic. about how a lot of our founding fathers, george washington specifically, we’re slave owners and we’re certainly not perfect; but in schools we’re taught to put them on a pedestal and the darker parts are often ignored. You put into words perfectly the point i was trying to make, although i’m not nearly as eloquent and i’m not so sure i got my point across
As the daughter of a Grand Master I'm laughing until the tears roll down my face at your description of Freemasons. What I will add to your excellent and amusing definition is that until about the 1960s it could be to a man's benefit to be a Mason as it was an old boys club that opened doors to you in business. A few of our founding fathers were Masons and plans to oust England from the colonies sometimes took place in lodges. Today they are a club that fund raises to support crippled children's hospitals where the treatment is free of charge. They are still men only. The motto is that it makes good men better. I am inclined to agree from all the Masons I know.
In the early 2000s, it was still highly promoted by various individuals of rank when I was in the military. Primarily it was promoted that to Join not only the Marines but the Freemasons also comes with many benefits. And these guys were NCOs and officers in their 20s, alot of them black also, Prince Hallers I guess. I didn't notice masons as much when I was in the Army but when I was in the Marines almost my entire chain of command had masonic stickers on their vehicles, it was blatant since we're were in a smaller special unit where the majority of the NCO and officers all parked their cars in the same place in front of the HQ building. There is still a thing. There are also Eastern Star, the females, and Co Masonry, male and female lodges, which are bigger in Europe.
ooooo just based off the thumbnail i am so excited to hear you explain some history about the freemasons! I've become interested in learning a bit about them after seeing their symbol on graves and car stickers living in dc
i live down the street from a free mason meeting center and it drives me crazy because it’s such a big building and so much land taken up for a dying organization and ive never seen a single person enter or exit the building. i love national treasure but upon rewatching especially the second one they go a bit too hard into american exceptionalism with the second one conflating many indigenous cultures, saying some truly horrorific fairytales about how mount rushmore, a famously desicrated native american holy site, was actually desired by indigenous people to hide treasure and having the premiere scholar of a native language being a white woman. also referring to an enslaved woman as someone who “”worked for”” a historical figure. truly a wild viewing experience as an adult.
I can't remember the source, I think it was a show on the history channel......back when they had actual shows about history. I heard that the superstition of Friday the 13th came from when the Templars that were arrested were executed on a Friday, on the 13th of the month.
That's correct, the Templars(who mind you were protectors of the Christians coming to the holy land) were executed because they had served their purpose(of course the lies about them "worshipping the baphomet" were just that lies).
Love all of your videos- they sustain me when I’m having a bad day, or feeling stressed; they make me feel both comforted and educated… also where did you get that leaf tie? I love it and would like to acquire one
ive no idea what national treasure is but this is a kaz rowe video so by the end im going to know 😌😌 also that leaf ornament on their shirt?? i need it
Hello, this is your first video I've watched and I was glued all they way through. I'm from the southern hemisphere, so kudos on the research, storytelling and tone - even appealing to non-americans. I'm going to watch more of your videos now, while I draw.
Hey Kaz, love your videos, literally so hype when I see a new one come through. Any chance you could do a video on free masons? You touched on the topic a bit here and now I’m eager to learn more through your lens!
My grandfather and great-grandfather were masons, and my dad was almost initiated, but he apparently started laughing during the ceremony, and they wouldn't let him in. I don't think he cares that much that he broke the tradition!
I loved this movie and sequel growing up watched it multiple times by now and would rewatch - and quite frankly gelped me to come love history (along with my childhood books) even more so thank your for these facts I appreciate them
Another great video Kaz and I do like you talking very briefly about some other facets of Paul Revere's life. I'm not much of a military history nerd but I'll admit that the story of the Penobscot Expedition in Maine during the American War of Independence has always fascinated me totally. Paul Revere was commander of the artillery and actually got court martialed for cowardice after the Expedition!
Each time you say [the treasure the Knights Templar] “accrued” I 😂 because that’s a verrrrry kind word to ascribe to plunder, theft and murder Agreed on the ending points! The rosy and yet somehow unabashedly racist, sexist, and classist history of the founding of this country was on full display growing up and in this movie. I also remember being SO into the archival peeling back of the curtain, it fed my idea that there was a magical world hidden within archives as a bookworm interested in organization and puzzles ☺️💛 Thanks for another amazing video! My sister and I watch them together and have enjoyed them all 😁
Men often don't have a lot of options for socialization outside of work past college age. Growing up in my small town all the old guys who were former vets could hang out at the American Legion lodge, all the guys who were volunteer firemen (active or retired) would hang out at the fire hall, etc. My dad was a firefighter, so I spent a lot of time there as a kid. Guys would stop by after work and sit around yakking for hours. I read a reddit thread about the Freemasons and everyone seemed to know someone who was a member. Every story sounded exactly as mundane as you described, and exactly what the orgs in my town were like. A bunch of old dudes with nothing better to do hanging out, drinking beer, shooting the shit, etc.
I watched this movie with a housemate years ago. During the movie they turned to me and said "This is why I want to go to America, their history is so interesting ".... I couldn't help but laugh out loud
Click here sbird.co/3MYMCtd and use my code KAZROWE to get 55% OFF your first month at Scentbird. What’s your favorite fragrance? Comment below!
Dragon's blood or moon flower
Awesome video
🙂🐿❤️🌈
Kaz I got a comment under my comment pretending to be you saying I won a prize and blah blah. I’ve gotten similar on other channels. I reported it but definitely wanted you to know.
@@MegCazalet Thanks for the heads up. Trying to get them reported + removed now.
@Meglet Montrose-Cazalet Sadly them bots are everywhere on RUclips.
Yes! Learn real and true American history! I’m Native American from the Oglala Lakota tribe and I meet non-Natives all the time who have such a minuscule understanding of America’s indigenous people. I’ve even heard people say we don’t exist anymore! Keep encouraging knowledge, Kaz, you have such a good channel!!!
As a white Australian who grew up being told Tasmanian aboriginal people no longer existed I can only apologise for the parade of nonsense and ignorance we participate in. I only really acquired any real depth of understanding as an adult, from a work program designed by Aboriginal people to educate non-native staff in community organisations. Ignorance among the population here is widespread too. The shift away from these rubbish old ideas is much too slow. Yes schools have a role to play but so does media. So do individuals who see this stuff perpetuated. Call it out. Especially if you're white. Challenge your friends to seek out the truth and, if you can, campaign for better education in this area.
For me it’s a confusing thing when people bring up lineage. I have Cherokee great grandparents on both sides, but they were married to white people and as a result I ended up pale and the only way people believe me is when they take a closer look at the shape of my bone structure rather than just my outright appearance. There’s also a chance of Crow blood in my line but we haven’t been able to confirm that, we CAN confirm the Cherokee though. I’ve always been too broke and too “oh god” to take a dna test to see what kind of hodgepodge of genes I am 🤷♀️ it’s a confusing little tangle of family history
Isn't the final conflict of this movie and the treasure itself at Mt. Rushmore? Because, yeah, as an African American I was horrified to learn the real history of the sacred Black Hills and the KKK monument builder behind the creation of that national crime. If the new movie addresses the broken treaty and KKK connection to that site, I'll be absolutely impressed.
@@kobaltkween YES! I’m Oglala Lakota, and Mt. Rushmore is one if the most singular representations of the historical disrespect of the Lakota Nation (and all Native American people) the US perpetuated. There’s a deep history there, and American families flock to it every summer because, to them, it’s a US symbol of “freedom” and it’s “founding fathers.” Americans definitely need a whole and complete history of the US, and not just the legit propaganda based history it receives. But when lawmakers are hell bent on even erasing it’s history of Black slavery, how are we ever going to get to the part where it’s indigenous people were hunted by Anglo Americans as part of it’s government social welfare programs? America’s history curriculum needs an overhaul.
Yo fellow natives in the comment section! I see you cousins ❤
It’s always funny to me when people think the Masons are super secretive - where I live, they have a clearly marked building just down the street from a bubble tea shop, which always struck me as… not very discreet, lol. I also know of a Masonic old folk’s home, which I asked my dad about once, and he described it as “just a bunch of old men hanging out”.
Great video as always! 😊
This Masonic temple in my city is a popular venue for entertainment like music and theater and shit. Like, they definitely aren't trying to hide.
Interesting... my town's masonic lodge is ALSO right next to a bubble tea place 🤔 secretly controlling the bubble tea industry so they have a steady supply??
...my town's Masons are also near Bubble tea, clearly we're investigating the wrong conspiracies 🤣
Same here in small town Florida 😂
Dang do we live in the same town, bc same 😂😭
Fun Fact: On the DVD, director Jon Turteltaub says the initial rough cut was around four hours long
Disney give us the Turteltaub cut
@@hazey_dazey LMFAO plz
Maybe it includes a scene where Nicholas Cage dresses as Benjamin Franklin and just jumps around, doing weird shit 😂
@@XanderPGK You know people would pay good money to see National Treasure if it had a scene of Nicholas Cage jumping and dancing around in an old 1700s era peruke abruptly cut in the middle of it
Is his name really 🐢🛁?
I'm surprised that you didn't add that Paul Revere also invented forensic dentistry in the US (as in this wasn't the 1st time it was ever used, but he independently figured it out and then started it in the US). Because of his dentistry and silver smithing skills, he was able to identify a dead soldier by the silver fillings that he previously did for the soldier. This was the start of the concept of forensic dentistry.
Such a cool fact! Thanks for the info @thespookycore4344
I think it was actually some kind of gold wiring that he used, but yes you’re right about everything else
@@aceofspades1987 That's fair, I was writing this from memory of a travel channel documentary I watched in a motel like 2 years ago
I unironically adore and have fun with how goofy and interesting this movie series is. Nick Cage to me is underrated as an actor because he completely goes for it and no matter what the man looks like he is willing to do whatever the scene calls for. The fact that we all love Jim Carrey but hate Nick Cage baffles me 😂
I generally dislike both Jim Carrey and Nicholas Cage, but I can't imagine anyone else playing his character in National Treasure and I love it, lol.
I love them both, but I appreciate a wild, energetic performance
Can't stand Jim Carey movies. Dumb humor insults my intelligence, so I put him on the same level with Adam Sandler or similar. Just not my thing. Nick Cage is definitely underrated!! The National Treasure movies finally made knowledge of history fun and cool!! Similar to Dan Brown novels/ movies, even though they are not true history. Both series give people things to research and the idea that being smart will get one far!!
Nick cage is a national treasure
@@kimberini6465 Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler are interesting because while they obviously have movies they like doing; The Mask and Eight Crazy Nights come to mind, they're also capable of turning in very good dramatic performances.
I know everyone was talking about Uncut Gems a while back, but Carrey had the lead in The Truman Show.
I dunno. I guess I can respect the idea of an actor with a wide range who has a preference for a particular style of film.
I was adopted into the Carroll family and my mom is a direct descendant, no one ever believes us until we bring out the paperwork it's kind of crazy that he was portrayed in the movie!!
Thats really cool
Would you ever do a video on the history of American Girl dolls? I feel like so many people (including me lol) got into history and historical fashion because of them.
Absolutely!
@@KazRowe You would seriously get a lot of views for this topic. I believe that.
@@KazRowe I think a look back at Addy specifically merits attention. I cannot remember where it was, but I listened to a podcast where they used interview clips from Connie Porter (who wrote the Addy books) and it's really interesting how Addys story came to be.
@@cheyenne6913 cheers for this. Addy was such a turnabout from the others, I was very familiar with Felicity's world having grown up in tidewater VA and having been to Williamsburg many times, I'll admit I had a very different appreciation for the ubiquitous tobacco fields also in the area after reading Addy's books (and while in school we got into some of the history of the indigenous peoples of the area in addition to the colonists, that particular topic was still mostly a no-go)
I’d love that!! Same here. I had Kaya and Samantha. I read all the books. Would be interesting to see their framing, accuracy, etc. Even the corporation itself!
As a student conservator-restorer, hearing how such an important document was treated made me physically shiver jfc. Great video as always!
It is honestly both interesting and heartbreaking to learn the history of preservation of...well...history. important documents, important buildings, important locations, even important cultural languages, traditions, and what have you have had major ups and downs with many not surviving to the modern day.
And even if the intent wasn't there, even the best attempts of preservation can befall to accidental happenstance (Like many photographs of D-Day in WWII for example were lost when they were accidentally dropped in the sea during a cargo transfer). It is what makes what we have remaining all the more special, even if we can grieve for the lost.
@@TheOnlyBongo I mean I know it isn't exactly relevant, but this made me think of the ENTIRE bloody room the Nazi's stole from Russia
Omg, a fellow restauration student! And yeah, early restauration/conservation philosophy and history (so like 18th-19th century to the 60s, up to 90s in USSR) can get hella spooky. Here's a couple soviet habits I have learned about that are particularly scary and strange:
The trend of soaking absolutely every textile piece, including heavy ass tapestries, in flour glue in order to make them stiff.
Cutting out pieces of older, worse preserved tapestries to put them into tapestries that were better condition, with no regard for not only ethics but also aesthetics, putting eyes into trees and such.
Transferring paintings on wood onto canvas (like, literally shaving down the original wood and attaching the paint onto canvas for not reason) was also really fashionable and also the most common type of restauration work in order to qualify for a painting restauration license back then
Im a bit of a collector of old books and cameras made from cardboard. I was screaming when I heard how it was treated
At least it could be worse, the Golden Horns in Denmark were literally stolen and melted down. At least we have surviving copies.
Am I the only one who didn't know there was a National Treasure prequel coming out or was I just supposed to learn that from a well-timed Kaz Rowe video?
THANK YOU! Me too. Sadly I can't find proof online :/
@@irgendeinname5871 Its there, Catherine Zeta Jones is going to be in it too!
@@irgendeinname5871 I did find something on IMDb for but know idea if it’s real or not
I thought she said "three-quel"
@@amandahealey2216 She did.
I'm a (former?) member of The Massachusetts Lodge - the 2nd or 3rd oldest Freemason lodge in the Western hemisphere. Our 250th anniversary was in 2020 (I think). I have a background in volunteering and philanthropy, and I wanted to join a community that shared those values. While I *did* meet some admirable men there, I ultimately was pretty underwhelmed by the experience. I was a member for 3 years and did all the secret rituals to become a 3rd degree Mason. The lodge brings on a handful of candidates per year, and in my experience, only maybe one becomes a full 3rd degree Mason and stays on for more than a year. Kaz is right - it's largely conservative, older men in Freemasonry. I think they fail to retain new members because the values they extol are more effectively manifested in other groups that are more inclusive and demand less of their members. A lot of Freemasonry is memorizing rituals. And the lodges I know in Boston generally require formal clothing at every event - I was personally scolded for wearing no-show socks with my suit. And, ultimately, I found Freemasonry to be more of a drinking club than a charitable org.
Depends on what lodge you belong to, some are more fancy, some are in smaller farming towns, where people come to lodge in their farming clothes
I was invited to join the lodge in my hometown because my grandfather was a Mason and their numbers in rural Missouri towns are... dwindling to say the least. I showed up to one event that was some sort of meet and greet, introduced myself, one of the old white men recognized my name and went "Isn't your dad a Catholic?" at which point I was exposed to some anti catholic rhetoric straight out of the 60s lol I've always heard that Lion's, Rotary, and other groups were better at actual charity and often more accepting.
I'm from the detroit/ann arbor area and i have found similar sentiment, they'll even put on a progressive veneer but they can be shockingly regressive at times.
Only third degree? Bro , you were very misinformed if you thought you would find ANYTHING out at the literal 3rd lowest level 😂 gotta get up those numbers rookie 😱
Was it the lodge on Boylston street? I went to college next to it. They kept trying to get students from my college to join, my very liberal, very gay college. Something like 40% of students identified as not straight, and we were regularly trading the number one spot with NYU to be America's most gay friendly college.
I'm Australian, so I have no skin in the game, but I always enjoyed National Treasure as a fun adventure romp. I didn't really think most of what they showed was true but it's cool to see what the actual history was and, also, finding that knowing the truth really doesn't make the film less fun.
😂
"grandpas everywhere are whooping and hollering over bifocal lenses" may i, a 23 year old join the grandpas ??? A blessing to my blind ass
I’m actually so relieved that Liberty Kids (this American Revolution animated show) got Paul Revere’s ride accurately because otherwise I would have lost faith in one of my favorite shows 😅 if you haven’t watched it, I highly recommend it.
I'd love to see you break down the historical inspirations/inaccuracies behind "The DaVinci Code." I never realized til now that two massive franchises both concerning secret European societies released around the same time. 😅
As someone who didn't watch National Treasure or The Da Vinci Code when they came out (I was a kid, but also Canadian and thought that U.S. colonial history seemed really boring), but was aware of both I've always kind of equivocated the two accidentally, even though apparently National Treasure is appropriate for kids. 😅
Colonial Williamsburg has gotten much better (at least in my experience) at talking about and acknowledging slavery. The last time I was there, the majority of tours and programs included a section on the involvement of slavery within the particular topic the programs covered. There was a very interesting house tour where one of the historical interpreters talked a lot about how broader colonial law about slavery and biracial parentage affected individuals. There was another program I attended where the interpreter discussed the affects of religion on slavery and POC in colonial America.
Biracial parentage? Idk why but it has caught my interest, time for Google.
When I was at nearby Jamestown in 2019, the actual historic site was prominently promoting the anniversary of 1619, aka the beginnings of slavery in the US (and the namesake of the 1619 Project).
I did a summer program down at the college next to colonial Williamsburg in 2022 and they heavily acknowledged slavery. They did an entire event on Juneteenth too. Both Jamestown sites also talked about slavery (the actual site more than the recreation). Several other sites such as Bacon's castle include sections on slavery throughout the tour including visiting the old slave quarters. Historical sites have gotten much better at acknowledging our dark history and do include that the founding fathers owned slaves at places like Monticello.
My middle school history teacher had this great bit in class where he said if Henry Wadsworth had instead wrote:
“It was of great cause, That midnight ride of William Dawes”
then Paul Revere would’ve never become famous and I’ve never forgotten about the second rider since.
I think Kaz Rowe is actually about to find the treasure and trying to make sure nobody get to it first.
👀👀
My mom's side of the family has a bunch of Masons so I grew up around it and every time I hear conspiracy theories about them, I can't help but laugh. Seriously, they hang around and drink beer and talk about sports but they do it with funny hats and titles.
@TheAbstruseOne Yea you probably don't understand how they work. I mean there's a conspiracy around them for a reason and it's officially on the top lists of secret societies. Note, secret societies doesn't mean that they have to be 100% concealed from public view. In fact it works in their favor if they aren't.
As a Freemason, I must say…
This was one of the best summaries of actual Freemasonry I have seen on RUclips.
As a freemason you should know the org is different based on where you are. UK, US,NZ, Nordic Europe etc... all absolutely different experiences.
As someone who works in billing, having your videos to look forward to right around the time I have to do all my month-end tasks (the busiest time of the month) is such a comfort. This channel is quickly becoming my favorite on the whole platform. ❤
I wanted to chime in and expand on your comment relating to colonial Williamsburg and the lack of commentary on slavery at the sites. I work in the area’s museum industry and we have close ties with the Jamestown-Yorktown foundation and the CW foundation, and while they have gotten better about it recently one of our issues is this battle between the “old guard” so to say and the younger historians. The older people are really uncomfortable with discussing the topic and fight quite hard to avoid it. My location has a staff member who has road blocked any discussion of slavery or the civil war if it’s not interpreted with a confederate lost-cause lenses. It’s a huge issue that we cant get around until these people retire (or more likely pass away). Some places (like JYF) are better then others but in general it really sucks.
P.S.: recently some guests have begun to complain about “woke history” or other nonsense if you try to interpret or bring up these topics.
I feel like some (maybe more than some suggests I don’t know) only want to go to these living history locations/historical places to indulge in a white antebellum fantasy that either erases or romanticizes slavery. It’s so gross.
@@midgey50 that is definitely an issue, there’s a weird fixation on plantation houses and it’s causes a LOT of money to be poured into relatively insignificant historical buildings. I hate having to work with those sites personally, especially since many love to gloss over the treatment of slaves on the property.
I remember a Woman complaining recently that a Museum used "b.c.e." and "c.e." instead of b.c. and a.c. because "they are trying to appease the wokes".
We're in the UK. I almost doubled over laughing. that Woman cant havr paid attention to archaeology in a long Time if she seriously thought people stopped using "before Christ" Out of wokeness. Cant be because its a field of science and trying to avoid religious influence, that would be too easy🤦🏻♀️
@@annabeinglazy5580 Having spent a decent amount of time around people like that woman, I can offer some explanation. Avoiding religious (specifically whatever denomination of Christian she calls herself) influence is the "woke" part. Anything that upsets the status quo they were born into (or were told was part of the "good old days") is "crazy woke stuff". I suppose they aren't exactly wrong about it being woke. It's sad they see it as a bad thing.
@@annabeinglazy5580 however the name change without a change in the time reference is obviously an academic silliness. If the vulgate or pre vulgate time was switched to the assassination of Julius Caesar or the reign of Augustus or a Chinese emperor then a new name would be meaningful...however it is just a name change for the same guess at the birth of Jesus of Nazareth (30 years prior to the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius).
The same thing happens in constant renaming of cultural terms for supposed sensitivities.
Colored People used to be an English and American phrase for all non caucasions. It became offensive as it supposed that being non Caucasian was a slur.
People of Color is great new and completely different. No it is the same. All people who are not Caucasian.
Negro (latin language terms for the word black) suddenly offensive and is to be replaced with black....same term.
And the lunacy goes on. It is right out if 1984 to keep renaming things that are the same thing to keep people in line. It liberates no one.
It makes me so happy to see historical content with this cozy almost story time feel to it do well for your channel. I greatly enjoy your videos and all the topics and nuance you bring to the conversation.
I was at Mt. Vernon a couple years ago, I think they have improved with the slavery history. The slave quarters were on the tour, there were a lot "a day in the life" stories of the enslaved people, as well as other more general stories of some of their lives, and they had actors playing enslaved people that you could interact with and ask questions, and a lot of artifacts in the museum, including purchase records ect. Obviously there's always room for improvement, but it sounds to me like they've at least improved a little since you were there 😁
Colonial Williamsburg has a very similar display now. Along with several replica slave quarters.
My family and I (black -American descendants of enslaved people) went when I was a kid and I do remember there was an awkwardness around addressing slavery there. I think my mom or dad asked about it and they told us they were doing work on the enslaved people’s quarters. I’m glad to hear at least that was true and more improvements are being made.
@birds people have debated the ethics of this and I'm personally undecided. While it's apart of our history that very much deserves to be humanized and children should be able to understand and connect with the enslaved African Americans of the past it's certainly a big ask of the actors and of the community as a whole.
@@SoulDevoured The first really big presentation I remember at Colonial Williamsburg that even attempted to grapple with the legacy of American enslavement was a re-creation of an auction of enslaved people. Maybe thirty years ago or so now? The presentation wasn't lengthy, and it was definitely more of a sketch than a full presentation of the type that Colonial Williamsburg is famous for, but even that tiny little snippet of a massive part of that history was enormously controversial, fiercely debated, cautiously planned, and emotionally wrenching for the creators and performers, to say nothing of how traumatizing it must have been for the people who just showed up that day to watch some docent in a pretty skirt make cheese and card wool.
Colonial Williamsburg has built on that initial experiment since, to their credit, and now has a vigorous, high-profile emphasis on the lives and experiences of the marginalized, disappeared, and disregarded. They're not alone; living history museums have definitely upped their game when it comes to getting honest about one of the foundational sins of the U.S. It's common now to have presentations centering the presence, oppression of, and experiences of the enslaved. This is particularly controversial in the South, where a certain class of artless person has always yearned for the fantasy of the Plantation Wedding (TM), and gets pissed when they roll up for the introductory tour of the wedding venue and see that it includes a row of tumbledown shacks intended to represent housing for the enslaved inhabitants.
Having said that, at least one former plantation, Whitney Plantation in Louisiana, is now almost entirely dedicated to the memory of the enslaved, paying next to no attention to the enslavers.
@@SoulDevoured It is a big ask...but the actors decide if they're comfortable with it, they're not forced into a role like that. (Personally I still think it's...yeah, a big ask. But I'm not the one who's going to be acting it, you know.) Some of the other historical channels on RUclips include people who portray enslaved historical 'characters' to educate people. One that really stuck with me was a few years ago on Townsends, a woman who portrayed one of her own ancestors and said she saw it as a chance to tell her family's story rather than leaving it to be told by strangers.
"...and his gay friend Riley"
I fuckin' choked on my lunch because you're SO RIGHT
national treasure and indiana jones: making archaeologists everywhere cry since they came out
As an optician, the number of people that genuinely ask for the Ben Franklin bifocals brings me joy 😊
LOVE this video!!! Also, listen to the Dolls of Our Lives for hilarious and critical and wonderful American Girl content. They talk about what we learn about history, girlhood, identity, and friendship from these books. It's hosted by two American history historians, and I feel like Kaz's audience overlaps so much. AND they start with Felicity.
Dolls of Our Lives is fantastic and so well done!
Literally just found their pod this week! They’re so entertaining
Kaz, I really think you should do a video on the phenomenon of the impact of those same things you mentioned at the beginning of your video on history people. Because I will tell you, all of those things impacted me too, especially the Magic Tree House books and American Girl Dolls. I work in a museum and I can tell you that every other person raised as a girl loved American Girl Dolls too! These media raised a generation of history folks!
I love your channel. History is filled with myths, omissions, and straight up lies that it’s hard to know the truth and the real lessons that could be learned. Your commitment to research and video production makes learning and unlearning history so engaging and insightful. Keep it up Kaz!
Incredible to think about the range Nic Cage has. In two years, he went from this performance to Wicker Man and bees. Amazing.
15:45 as a nova scotian i know VERY WELL how longfellow’s poems affected popular history. we have monuments to evangeline despite her never existing outside of his poem.
My favorite video of yours so far. This was SUCH a fun watch. Please take a humble watchers request of doing the second movie or maybe the davinci code? Thank you so much Kaz for always re-inspiring my love of history, and I’m doing to follow you on the clock app, I hope you’re well!❤❤❤
Girl - you want a name??? My paternal great-grandfather's name was George Washington Napoleon Bonaparte Davidson. True.
Thats the most "I wanna be patriotic" name ever
The census takers sometimes just listed him as G.W.N.P Davidson…. LOL. Can’t say I blame them.
💀💀💀
You always look fabulous but I seriously love the leaf tie. ❤🍁👔 Also National Treasure definitely helped spark my love of history, even if the facts are generally less ~mysterious~ than the movie made them seem. Thanks for the nostalgia trip!
RIGHT!?! I love all of Kaz' videos and I love National Treasure, and I had trouble concentrating because I was so obsessed with that fabulous tie!
Yeah. I like the tie too.
This is unironically one of my favorite movies of all time, I genuinely went to D.C. 18 days ago for my birthday to recreate scenes from the movie. It formed possibly too much of my interests as a tiny child.
Kaz, you should do a video on the dreaded Bowie knife. The (historically) barbaric nature of the weapon alone is impressive enough (and the stigma against it at the time is fascinating); whether it was used for combat or political leverage, it was erroneous to take it lightly.
Easily one if my favorite videos of 2022! I also have fond memories of watching this movie growing up. Looking back on it as an adult, I can so easily see the ways American history and figures get mythologized and the problems that entails. It was very refreshing to learn about the actual history behind these bits thrown into the film, and the parts they did accurately portray!
The entire preservation section had me clutching my chest
the sheer number of Market Baskets on the map at 18:30 warms the cockles of my New England heart.
One of my favorite facts about Freemasons is that their German offshoot started accepting women into their ranks because one of their members came out as a trans woman and their code prohibited them from kicking her out so they had to change the rules to allow women
Yoooooooo
OMG that's awesome ❤️🏳️⚧️
they cannot contain their power
One thing I actually appreciate about a lot of American history is that compared to what movies and television show you, so many events were so mundane and (relatively) uneventful.
Nostalgia is calling!! I love your expansive knowledge about a wide range of topics. Your research and presentation is extraordinary.
My nana has some of Paul Revere’s furniture and silver for some reason which is always fun to remember
I live in Southeastern VA, about an hour away from Williamsburg, and have gone to Colonial Williamsburg dozens of times over my lifetime. As a child they most definitely didn't mention or address slavery in Williamsburg and the surrounding area, but in the last few years they've started to include mentions in various tours and even have an entire tour from the perspective of a household's slaves. I believe they still have a long way to go, but they're not ignoring it anymore.
Fascinating...I grew up in Chesapeake and have to ask- when were these experiences for you? The only reason I ask is whenever I went to Williamsburg or Jamestown in the late 90's and early-mid 2000's, they always addressed Slavery (though I will agree that they've improved and are leaning into it, going more into the details of it presently).
@@AthenianOwl237 we were there two days ago and on the Palace tour they now tell how certain slaves would have experienced life in the Palace. I went through one of the houses off the "main" road (I believe it was the Randolph house but it's been a while since we went to it) a few years back and the tour was entirely from the perspective of an enslaved person, and led by a Black man.
We usually go at least once a year, when they have free admission for military (my spouse serves), and when we can afford it we get annual passes and try to go once a month or so. I grew up going, and have watched it evolve quite a bit.
@@laurendisney That's incredible!! The last time I was there was 2005 but those last two visits sound like really good tours. I hope schools are still going there and they're getting that experience too! Edit: my friend who went last year mentioned that they were covering some of the slaves experiences in wealthier homes-that's the last I'd heard anything about it till now.
the last section. period! thank you for mentioning that and always being someone who tells history for what it is, and in this video specifically reminding us that there is hope that it doesn’t have to repeat as long as we learn from it.
I'm so happy you've correct the popular history nonsense of Paul Revere's ride (even if the New Englander in me shuddered every time you said "Con-Cord"). Thank you, Kaz!
🤔How's it supposed to be pronounced? Accent on 1st syllable? Cun-kerd'? Conk-kurd? None of the above? (I'm from WI. When I go back to my hometown in CA, they claim I sound like I walked off the set of "Fargo"😉)
@@11cabadger In New England, at least, we say CON-kerd. Or, well, we probably drop the 'r' too, but....
Same
In the 18th century, it would have been different than today though.
Your pronunciation of Breedweg was actually pretty good!
Another stellar video. Thank you for promoting the pursuit of real history, not just the reinforcement of grade school fairy tales. Also, I appreciate your reminder to “wash thy hands and wear thy mask.” COVID isn’t gone, as much as we wish it were. 🇺🇸❤️😷
A fellow imperial guard player?
KAZ YOU HAVE TRULY OUTDONE YOURSELF WITH THIS ONE I'm obsessed
Conspiracy theorists: "The freemasons are in league with aliens. They rule the world. Such a secretive society"
Freemasons: "Hey here's our phone number if you want to chat. Or you can come by our building and walk around, we're also recruiting for members if you're interested"
CT: "SO SECRETIVE I TELL YOU"
I keep searching for secret tunnels and chambers in DC but so far I've only be chased by police, got bit by a dog, and made some great friends.
As someone who grew up in a heavily Masonic family, I appreciate your debunk.
What do I mean by a Masonic family? Well, I was raised by my grandparents, my Gram was an Eastern Star and my Pop was a SF Crocker Lodge Mason for 60yrs. His mom was an Eastern Star and his dad was a 32nd degree Mason, or a Shriner. Both of my grandparents kids--my mother and my aunt--were Job's Daughters. I was both a Rainbow Girl (heavy foreshadowing for being gay? I was hidden deep in the closet but internally laughed every damn time) and an elected DeMolay Sweetheart.
I have amazing pics of when my Pops brought a bunch of trout into Shriners Hospital and put them in the therapy pool so the kids could fish.
Even with such a level of Masonic influence in my life, no one has EVER asked me to control any part of society or the U.S. government. Not one time ever. Trust me, my anarcho-commie ass would change a whole lot if they did, and LGBTQ+ rights wouldn't be being stripped away on the daily. Free health care for all! UBI!!! A year paid parental leave!!! No more billionaires *ever*!!!
That being said, y'all are NOT wrong to deeply distrust the hidden power structures, concentration of wealth, and crony capitalism which makes most of our lives infinitely worse. It just isn't done by a bunch of people in funny hats and who think riding Go-Karts in parades is the height of group representation.
So, a whole lot of the Templar/Mason connection really is the fault of the Masons. In DeMolay, the young men's organization, there are these "talks" that being able to give from memory is considered this huge accomplishment and honor. At least one of these heavily leans into the Templar connection....as does the name, DeMolay. It's just taught to us from a super young age.
National Treasure is basically just Disney discovering that they can milk the Dan Brown thing too.
I loved both of the original National Treasures movies growing up. On a recent re-watch as an adult I had a similar experience of still really enjoying them while simultaneously being much more aware of the history they erase, especially the second one.
Thanks for making this video. I didn't even know a third one was coming out until you made me aware. I honestly don't have high expectations because there is no way it can live up to the feeling of the originals in the mid 2000s, nor is it likely their presentation of history will have changed.
Wow, I did not know that the Free Masons were literally just a group of really talented masons. It's like finding out that a super-secret club call the Free Minecrafters is just a simple club of really creative minecraft players
Ah, perfect timing, I was just about to start doing actual productive work when I got the notification. Dodged a bullet, there!
Just to clarify one thing mentioned: The Old Patent Office does indeed house the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery. But it also houses the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM). The entrance for one is on G St NW with the other entrance is on F St NW. It's easy to pass from one to the other, especially through the shared courtyard. The Old Patent Office is served by the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro Station. They are an easy 10 minute walk to the National Archives, the National Gallery of Art, and the National Mall. For more details, visit the respect websites for the Portrait Gallery and SAAM. Bonus: The old 1908 Masonic Temple in DC - located at 1250 New York Avenue NW - now houses the National Museum of Women in the Arts. This is located several blocks away from the Old Patent Office, near H Street and New York Avenue.
The amount of historic ships that end up lost off the coast of Newfoundland is honestly wild.
(also as a Newfoundlander, in case the island comes up again it's pronounced "NOOFN-land". Think of the cadence of the word "understand")
As a Canadian, I was truly fascinated, horrified, and baffled how this movie reinforced and requires the mythology of the nearly divine origins of the US, the *men* who codified it, and the modern fashion of the sacredness of its artifacts. It makes almost no sense and just seems so bizarre to those of us who aren't steeped in it.
Love how you described the life of The Declaration of Independence as “buckwild”! Made me laugh out loud. Excellent content, so well researched as always Kaz Rowe!
Damn the way she put confronting the darker parts of your history was amazing
I think my favorite thing about your channel is how you hold space for us to enjoy the fun parts of what we grew up loving AND push us to ask questions, reframe, and be inclusive. I'm guessing that I'm 10-15 years older than you, and it is inspiring to me to watch you say what needs to be said without weaponizing your intelligence. A lot of us late Gen-Xers have a hard time with that. I also really enjoy your production value. I found your channel because someone on TikTok referred to you as one of "The Big Three" with Jenny Nicholson and Rowan Ellis, and I must say I have come to agree with them.
The intro to this is so me so relatable
The tower in the North Church was pronounced bell free, not Bell fry. Loved your post and your history lessons.
I was going to comment (after checking sources) to agree.
Also Newfoundland has the accent on the first syllable.
Love history and “Ben and his gay friend Riley” absolutely killed me. And you’re right!!!
National Treasure is so bad it’s good.
tbh it's old enough i unironically love it
respectfully no, maybe the second one tho
@Kristofer Wood I second this. Of the "So Bad It's Good" movie genre I'd say neither make the list. The first one is a great adventure film (for kids), as well as having the occasional adult joke. The second one is much the same but easier to criticize because ultimately they were more trying to capitalize on the first films success, than trying to make a good story. But still suspend your disbelief and skeptic sensibilities to pre 15y/o and it's not hard to enjoy or even gain a passion for history. Or just an admiration for the Cage.
The coolest video I have watched in a while this was awesome
I can't believe Nicholas Cage stole your sword.
I can't wait to see how it will figure into the plot of National Treasure 3.
Kaz: Believe it or not, the Declaration of Independence has had kind of a buckwild life.
Ad immediately following that sentence: HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
Me: Okay who wants the Declaration of Independence for Christmas
Shout out to this movie though for the restraint to not kill Sean Bean for once
Kaz! Your tie! Amazing. Love it. *Chefs kiss*
I've said this before abd I'll say it again: they should have made the second movie "international treasure" and restore various lost artifacts from various locations to their countries of origin, and the third move should have been "interstellar treasure" and included Ancient aliens
thank you!! Especially for that last bit. i had an argument with my family this thanksgiving actually about this same topic. about how a lot of our founding fathers, george washington specifically, we’re slave owners and we’re certainly not perfect; but in schools we’re taught to put them on a pedestal and the darker parts are often ignored. You put into words perfectly the point i was trying to make, although i’m not nearly as eloquent and i’m not so sure i got my point across
As the daughter of a Grand Master I'm laughing until the tears roll down my face at your description of Freemasons. What I will add to your excellent and amusing definition is that until about the 1960s it could be to a man's benefit to be a Mason as it was an old boys club that opened doors to you in business. A few of our founding fathers were Masons and plans to oust England from the colonies sometimes took place in lodges. Today they are a club that fund raises to support crippled children's hospitals where the treatment is free of charge. They are still men only. The motto is that it makes good men better. I am inclined to agree from all the Masons I know.
In the early 2000s, it was still highly promoted by various individuals of rank when I was in the military. Primarily it was promoted that to Join not only the Marines but the Freemasons also comes with many benefits. And these guys were NCOs and officers in their 20s, alot of them black also, Prince Hallers I guess. I didn't notice masons as much when I was in the Army but when I was in the Marines almost my entire chain of command had masonic stickers on their vehicles, it was blatant since we're were in a smaller special unit where the majority of the NCO and officers all parked their cars in the same place in front of the HQ building. There is still a thing.
There are also Eastern Star, the females, and Co Masonry, male and female lodges, which are bigger in Europe.
Yes!!!! I've found my people!
Thank you for uploading today. I've been having the shittiest time with anxiety and it makes me feel so alone sometimes.
ooooo just based off the thumbnail i am so excited to hear you explain some history about the freemasons! I've become interested in learning a bit about them after seeing their symbol on graves and car stickers living in dc
i live down the street from a free mason meeting center and it drives me crazy because it’s such a big building and so much land taken up for a dying organization and ive never seen a single person enter or exit the building.
i love national treasure but upon rewatching especially the second one they go a bit too hard into american exceptionalism with the second one conflating many indigenous cultures, saying some truly horrorific fairytales about how mount rushmore, a famously desicrated native american holy site, was actually desired by indigenous people to hide treasure and having the premiere scholar of a native language being a white woman. also referring to an enslaved woman as someone who “”worked for”” a historical figure. truly a wild viewing experience as an adult.
I love when Kaz puts a new video out so I can drop everything and watch. Also, you mentioned your Joan of Arc sword, they would make a great video!
As a kid I was convinced that Free Mason were up to no good. Then I realized it's just Dads having BBQs which was a let down.
this video was handcrafted for weirdos like me, i've been overthinking national treasure since i was 8 years old
I can't remember the source, I think it was a show on the history channel......back when they had actual shows about history. I heard that the superstition of Friday the 13th came from when the Templars that were arrested were executed on a Friday, on the 13th of the month.
That's correct, the Templars(who mind you were protectors of the Christians coming to the holy land) were executed because they had served their purpose(of course the lies about them "worshipping the baphomet" were just that lies).
Wow. First show on your channel I have seen and I am already hooked.
Love all of your videos- they sustain me when I’m having a bad day, or feeling stressed; they make me feel both comforted and educated… also where did you get that leaf tie? I love it and would like to acquire one
I am a simple woman. I see Kaz Rowe upload a video about National Treasure I will drop everything (including office work) to watch it.
ive no idea what national treasure is but this is a kaz rowe video so by the end im going to know 😌😌
also that leaf ornament on their shirt?? i need it
Hello, this is your first video I've watched and I was glued all they way through. I'm from the southern hemisphere, so kudos on the research, storytelling and tone - even appealing to non-americans.
I'm going to watch more of your videos now, while I draw.
Seeing the MBMBAM TV show edited into this video made my day!
This story is giving Big Davinci Code Energy
Hey Kaz, love your videos, literally so hype when I see a new one come through. Any chance you could do a video on free masons? You touched on the topic a bit here and now I’m eager to learn more through your lens!
My grandfather and great-grandfather were masons, and my dad was almost initiated, but he apparently started laughing during the ceremony, and they wouldn't let him in. I don't think he cares that much that he broke the tradition!
I loved this movie and sequel growing up watched it multiple times by now and would rewatch - and quite frankly gelped me to come love history (along with my childhood books) even more so thank your for these facts I appreciate them
Another great video Kaz and I do like you talking very briefly about some other facets of Paul Revere's life. I'm not much of a military history nerd but I'll admit that the story of the Penobscot Expedition in Maine during the American War of Independence has always fascinated me totally. Paul Revere was commander of the artillery and actually got court martialed for cowardice after the Expedition!
Each time you say [the treasure the Knights Templar] “accrued” I 😂 because that’s a verrrrry kind word to ascribe to plunder, theft and murder
Agreed on the ending points! The rosy and yet somehow unabashedly racist, sexist, and classist history of the founding of this country was on full display growing up and in this movie.
I also remember being SO into the archival peeling back of the curtain, it fed my idea that there was a magical world hidden within archives as a bookworm interested in organization and puzzles ☺️💛
Thanks for another amazing video! My sister and I watch them together and have enjoyed them all 😁
FYI the podcast "It's Porbably Not Aliens" which is hosted by Nerdsync and Step Back cited Kaz Rowe as "The best history youtuber out there."
it isn't a Kaz video if she doesn't mention a 'future video' atleast thrice
Men often don't have a lot of options for socialization outside of work past college age. Growing up in my small town all the old guys who were former vets could hang out at the American Legion lodge, all the guys who were volunteer firemen (active or retired) would hang out at the fire hall, etc. My dad was a firefighter, so I spent a lot of time there as a kid. Guys would stop by after work and sit around yakking for hours.
I read a reddit thread about the Freemasons and everyone seemed to know someone who was a member. Every story sounded exactly as mundane as you described, and exactly what the orgs in my town were like. A bunch of old dudes with nothing better to do hanging out, drinking beer, shooting the shit, etc.
I watched this movie with a housemate years ago. During the movie they turned to me and said "This is why I want to go to America, their history is so interesting ".... I couldn't help but laugh out loud
I love when you upload! I'd love to see a behind the scenes of how you decide of the aesthetics of your background and your outfits!
0:44 Wait, Riley’s not gay. In the second movie, he literally tries so hard to use his book as a leverage to hit on girls, lol.
I knew that sounded wrong haha