Native American History Documentary 

500 Nations

This review is based on John McClain’s write up on IMDb and on my own thoughts about the movie.

500 Nations is an eight part documentary which explores the history of the indigenous peoples of North and Central America, from pre-Colombian times, through the period of European contact and colonization, to the end of the 19th century.

500 Nations relies on historical texts, eyewitnesses accounts, pictorial sources and computer graphic reconstructions to explore the magnificent civilizations which flourished prior to contact with Western civilization, and to tell the dramatic and tragic story of the Native American nations’ heroic attempts to retain their way of life against overwhelming odds.

For anyone who have not studied Amerindian history, this movie will be an avalanche of new information for you. From the title alone we can tell that there is more to Native American history then most of use were taught in school.

Not teaching new generations about the greedy and murderous invasion of the Americas is a crime in itself. Withholding the information in this movie from each new generation is oppressing the knowledge of each new generation. Americans have a duty to inform themselves and their children of the truth of what happens when a culture becomes greedy for the land and resources of others. The American holocaust was a reality that is swept under the rug by the U.S. majority.

It’s important to face the demons in our past so we know the level of malice that our American culture is capable of. We would do well to hold ourselves accountable for the oppressive nature of American culture.          

Check it out from your local Library or rent from Netflix or buy it from Amazon.  

If you know of other online rental stores that offer this movie, please let me know.