500 Nations

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[edit] General Information

History Documentary hosted by Kevin Costner, published by CBS in 1994 - English narration

[edit] Cover

[edit] Information

500 Nations is an eight-part documentary that 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 and the subjugation of the Plains Indians of North America. 500 Nations utilizes historical texts, eyewitness 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' desperate attempts to retain their way of life against overwhelming odds.

Originally shown as a CBS miniseries, the eight-part 500 Nations program was directed by Jack Leustig and executive produced by Academy award-winner Kevin Costner. The documentary program traced the history of the Native American tribes of North and Central America, from the centuries of prosperity before the arrival of Western settlers, up through the late 19th century. Produced in 1995 and hosted by Costner, the programs were narrated by Gregory Harrison and featured the voice talents of actors such as Wes Studi, Patrick Stewart, and Edward James Olmos. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

500 NATIONS CBS, Jack Leustig, creator, director and senior producer; written by Mr. Leustig, Robert Grossman, Lee Miller, W. T. Morgan and Dr. John M. D. Pohl; Dyanna Taylor, Terry Hopkins, William B. McCullough and Gary Steele, directors of photography; Robert Grossman, series producer; Lisa Sonne, co-producer. Produced by Tig Productions in association with RCS Film and TV and Majestic Film and Television International; Ralph Tornberg and Bernd Eichinger, co-executive producers; Jim Wilson and Kevin Costner, executive producers; Gregory Harrison, narrator; Kevin Costner, host. WITH THE VOICES OF: Tim Bottoms, Tantoo Cardinal, Gary Farmer, Graham Greene, Castulo Guerra, Amy Madigan, Edward James Olmos, Tony Plana, Eric K. Schweig, Patrick Stewart, Wes Studi, Gordon Tootoosis, Floyd Red Crow Westerman and Sheldon Wolfchild.

[edit] The Ancestors - Early Cultures of North America

The Ancestors - Early Cultures of North America portrays America's original inhabitants. The film begins with a segment on the massacre at Wounded Knee, then flashes back in time for a look at the Anasazis, as well as the early cultures of Mesa Verde and Cahokia.

[edit] Mexico - the Rise and Fall of the Aztecs

Mexico - The Rise and Fall of the Aztecs starts in 650 A.D. and Aztec Empire is examined from their defeat of the Toltec regime to Cortez' ultimate conquest of the Aztecs and all of Mexico.

[edit] Clash of Cultures - the People who Met Columbus

Clash of Cultures provides an in-depth look at Columbus' arrival in the New World, the conquering of Caribbean nations by the Spaniards, and Hernando de Soto's conquests in Florida and the Mississippi Valley.

[edit] Invasion of the Coast - the First English Settlements

Invasion of the Coast - The First English Settlements portrays America's original inhabitants before and after the Europeans arrived. The film begins in the Arctic where the Inuit culture - during the search for the Northwest Passage - is examined. Also featured in the film are the stories of Pocahontas, the Pilgrims, Samoset, Captain John Smith, and the Powhatans.

[edit] Cauldron of War - Iroquois Democracy and the American Revolution

In this episode, the origins and development of the French and Indian War are examined. The English and French fought for economic control of the New World. Native Americans had established trade with the French, and took their part in the war against England. When the French were defeated, the tribal forces were left without allies. Set on location, with computer re-creations,that story is told. Of great interest is the look at the oldest democracy on the North American continent: that of the Haudenosaunee -or Iroquois- Nation. Their leader was Pontiac, a man that Benjamin Franklin came to admire.

[edit] Removal - War and Exile in the East

In this episode, the subject is the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which forced Native Americans from their ancestral lands. It was another in a long line of broken promises by the U.S. Government to the nation's First Americans. After President Andrew Jackson signed the Act, all tribes were required to relocate westward along the infamous "Trail of Tears." The film uses on-location filming, photographs, reenactments, interviews, and first-person accounts to tell this story of betrayal and hardship.

[edit] Roads Across the Plains - Struggle for the West

This episode examines the fate of the Plains Indians, with the arrival of white invaders during the gold rushes in California and Colorado. The Sioux, or Lakota, Nation is particularly noted for its resistance to incursions by white settlers and to mining claims on native land. Sitting Bull, of the Hunkpapa Lokota, and Crazy Horse, of the Oglala Sioux, were two leaders revered then and today for their bravery in seeking an end to European American aggression. They and their peoples fought and defeated General George Custer at the Little Bighorn. The film chronicles the struggle of their resistance and hardship, and subsequent capture, betrayal, death, and displacement of their people onto reservations. Poignant excerpts from the writings of Indian leaders are read by actors Patrick Stewart, Edward James Olmos, and Wes Studi.

[edit] Attack on Culture - I Will Fight No More Forever

This is the final volume in the series produced by Kevin Costner, star of Dances With Wolves, that chronicles the history of the Native Americans. The many battles waged by the first settlers of this country appeared to never end as host Gregory Harrison recalls the travails of the late 19th century. The lives and battles fought by such figures as Cochise, Geronimo, and Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce are examined. The government's ongoing "war" against the Native Americans and their separate culture continued unchecked, eventually leading to the massacre at Wounded Knee. Many of the events that led up to and contributed to that terrible event at Wounded are reviewed by historians and others.