How much of AMC's Turn is historically accurate? A discussion with Michael Troy

In this episode, I'll chat with Michael Troy from the American Revolution Podcast about thee historical accuracy of AMC's Turn: Washington's Spies.

[coolu]

This show was just too good, i enjoyed every minute of it. The costume, the characters, the plot… i just loved it all! Its hard to make me cry and the ending of this series had me teared up like a baby! It was just so good i could not put it down. I was left with a sense of pride and honor for our country. One of AMC’s best series to date!

[marquisdelafayette]

A lot of people didn’t get paid during the war and put out their own money including Washington. Also, the governor of Pennsylvania threatened to pull PA out of the war if he didn’t let the court martial go forward. Like the situation with Tallmadge yelling at Washington about Lee and being a traitor when he said “and the FRENCH can not know this!” . Washington had a balancing act of a million political, personal, and military issues that most people didn’t understand.

[AdamJWM]

I share the same sentiment as many others here. I absolutely crazy about this series. I loved my country before but this show gave me an even deeper pride and passion to learn more about our American history.

[clayb]

Me and my gf just finished it. She cried so hard at the end, we loved this video!

[axeman]

John Graves Simcoe was a creepily evil character in this story but as a real historical figure, after the revolutionary war, he became the Lieutenant Governor General of Upper Canada... where he essentially founded the city of York ( today known asToronto ). He then enacted laws to criminalize slavery in Canada and created a force to protect Canada from the militarized growth of the new USA. Canada won the war of 1812 with the USA of course. Today Canada still celebrates with a national stat holiday called Simcoe Day the first weekend in August is always a long weekend.

[marktwain]

Great series, though. Very good casting and cinema photography.

I grew up in historical New Jersey and continue to learn of our founding.

This subject and series should be paramount in our early education, for I believe we’d be free of recent departures and false theories from the freedoms we fought for and are cavalier of in light of those who died for it.

[Justin-mbbq]

16:34 not entirely true. When Robert roggers makes the trip for Abraham in the show he poses as Austin roe to get the message from the quaker

[smokinlouie]

Bought the show on Vudu and I am rewatching it.

[spiritwardiaries]

Americas history... ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

[NuNugirl]

Palisades and Tappan NY was filled with many families who were on opposite sides. An example is Mollie Sneden, who operated the ferry in Palisades or Sneden’s Landing. Mollie was ordered to stop, because she and most of her Sons were Tories. Her Son John was a Patriot, so he was allowed to run the Ferry between Palisades and Dobbs Ferry. Andrea was imprisoned in the Inn, tried at the Church and hung on Andrea Hill, in Tappan NY.

[FlowerChild]

I recently did a re-watch of the series and came to YouTube wanting to find more info about the real history. Very interesting facts here about Abe's real family. I appreciate Troy correcting the record on Simcoe here. The real John Graves Simcoe basically helped found Upper Canada, what would later become Ontario. He was a staunch abolitionist and did a lot of good things. I don't want to over sell it, because he also helped to uphold colonialism in other ways, but he wasn't the horror movie villain this show characterized him as. Some of the attributes the show gave to Major Hewlett, were actually true of Simcoe.

[cameronkim]

2:20 I watched all the seasons so I instantly knew the answer Abraham Woodhull was a real person

[MajorRobertRogersRanger]

Those Turn fans out there may recall Robert Rogers, the antagonist who first tries to hunt down and destroy the Culper Spy Ring but ends up helping them. His adventures are synopsised here -

[RS-clwg]

I don’t think these 2 paid much attention to the show. When the historian brings up certain names like Austin Roe and Cato, neither of them remember that they were also mentioned in the actual show. 16:09 16:56

[tommythompson]

It was a soap opera of sorts and I question the historical accuracy of it.

[setapart]

Why do you have the one eye on your intro?

[wolfcommander]

Dude did u even watch the show? Lol jk great podcast

[kenlandon]

A lot of it is utter nonsense. For example, the idea that John Simcoe was a raging psycopath.

[thomasmills]

The American revolution was a lot different than portrayed in this and any other TV series or movie. The only real benefactors were the founding fathers and their friends who got to keep all their money and slaves and land. The British taxes were a little unfair but not ridiculous. They were levied to pay for the French and Indian War that essentially saved the colonists. The war fir independence claimed only about 6, 000 people. It's a minor event at best that is dressed up as a major one. Everthing that happened as a result would have happened anyway. The crown was broke and fighting a number of other wars and were spread thin and there was an ocean between us. They would have left anyway.

[tmac]

Very little was historically accurate.