Wow! History #3 - Uncle Tom's Cabin

Uncle Tom's Cabin was one of the most important books of the 19th century. In this episode, Ron Guth examines Harriet Beecher Stowe's best-selling book, Uncle Tom's Cabin to discover why Uncle Tom is so reviled today. In this week's Wow! moment, you'll discover that Tom is actually a hero. You'll learn how Uncle Tom, a black slave, gave his life rather than turn in runaway slaves that he helped escape,

[randallsnyder]

To view history from the perspective of the "eyes of the times" is the only way to truly understand history. Thanks Ron!

[devastator]

I read Uncle Tom's Cabin as character work for a couple Civil War era characters I was portraying in first person at a local museum. I tried to take it from both their perspectives - A northern "Copperhead" and a Northern idealist soldier. Of course, I also was also looking to see if it stood the test of time by putting my own 21st century lens on it. I was very surprised. It packs a pretty big punch. Its a very memorable read, easy to forget that it was written over 160 years ago. I think I was shocked by the same things you were. When the slave woman kills her own child so it does not have to face slavery, if that does not tear at the soul, there might not be one there to tear at!!... To that point, I don't think it was the fact the southerners who hated the book were without souls, they just had become very comfortable in suppressing them. Turning a blind eye to evil. It happens. It happened to German officers in World War II, it happened to American Soldiers in Vietnam. Live and breath evil everyday, and eventually it will consume you, and push down the better angels. I think that Uncle Tom's cabin worked so well, because it speaks so plainly. Not all books of that era are easy to read. I think reading, and maybe even literacy was somewhat aristocratic for much of the 19th century. So it held kind of a snooty tone, flowing with words and phrases, and less with content. Not in all books. But many books I have read are very fluffly, almost as if they are unaware of how much they like to hear themselves talk -- the authors voice as it rises from the dusty pages. Stowe's writing is clear and its powerful. Will we ever know for sure, the role Uncle Tom's cabin played in the starting of the war. Its not like the Southern governors said anything about it... But no doubt they had read it, or read the passages from it.


I think

[lewiswallace]

I shall have to buy this book again. I read it over 50 years ago, and I am sure that I would get much more out of it this time.

[louisharker]

It's a rare thing for young people/people to think outside of what they have been taught in school/college. I enjoyed your outlook.

[Mrs.TJTaylor]

I’m reading it now, as an adult. I read it in high school. Uncle Tom wasn’t serving his white master. He was serving God and he died for it. Huh, kinda reminds me of another bestselling Book. . .

[MrElimerritt]

Truly excellent work. Thank you. We need more people like you talking about history in the United States.

[babyscorpio]

Important to lean IN to learning, not OUT and away from it

[carmelstone]

Fab audio has YouTube reading of this book. Awesome

[TrishCanyon]

I recommend Uncle Tom and Uncle Tom II documentarys. It's the story of black history in America we were never told.

[MrsZnorps]

Thank you for this wonderful summary. I felt like I had to reread the book because I thought Tom was going to be the villain. I thought I missed dune details but you confirmed he's in fact the hero.
Thank you!
Wonderful channel!

[sharonhutton]

Just finished the movie, wasn't sure about the book but after watching this I am definitely going to read it. Thanks

[RoberinoSERE]

Good honest review to dispel a long lived lie.
Sadly as the saying goes:
A lie travels half way around the world before the Truth can get its trousers on.

[TachyonBionmass]

after reading the book i cant believe people use "uncle tom" as an insult if thats not racist as fuck i dont know what is.

[fruzsimih]

I consider that Uncle Tom is misunderstood because he is basically a Christ figure. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote from a deeply Christian viewpoint and she was being very provocative in her society when she put a black Christ figure into the center of her novel. Unfortunately, Tom's kind, meek, anti-violent stance was later misunderstood as weakness, while in reality he is the incredibly spiritually strong focus of the story.

[denisetaylor-crommett]

I think she illustrated well how they skewed scripture to justify an evil. Something we see even today! Those who were true Christians had full understanding of scripture and clearly expressed that slavery cannot be justified as an acceptable practice of true believers.

[katandann]

I like this video and I'm glad u talk slow cause my brain is slow haha

[Nour-yxbv]

I will write a research about this novel and i don't know where i can to get Sources. Help me 🥺

[michaelreynolds]

I love Uncle Tom I am African American it predicted war

[aoeulhs]

Is Topsy's story -- being raised by a "speculator" and not knowing how old she was, or even that she had parents -- believable? Could it have happened?

I've heard almost the exact same story from someone who claimed that it happened to her fourth or fifth or whatever great-grandmother.

[autumnbands]

how does Stowe comments about how slavery contradicts the fundamental teachings of Christianity?