Review: Adam Ruins Everything “The First Factsgiving”

They are gonna eat me alive.

Overview (Spoilers Below)

This week’s episode deals a lot about the misgivings that have come up when describing Native American history in the United States. More specifically, we learn that Thanksgiving’s tale has really nothing to do with what you may have learned. Turns out, our forefathers showed up, took over abandoned Native American village, and befriended local tribes only after we made deals with them.

Next, we learn about the bull shit story John Smith put together about the tale of Pocahontas. Turns out, John made up the whole thing while the real Pocahontas was kidnapped by the British and married off to a guy as part of a marketing ploy. Worse yet, the poor girl died at the age of 21.

Last, but not least, we learn that our European ancestors pretty much wiped out a North American population that was 100 million strong all with the powers of disease.

Same Time, Different Place

We learn that Chinese used to castrate government servants and the rise of the Ming Empire in and around the Indian Ocean.

Our Take

As much as I loved the topics discussed this week, I kinda wish that “Same Time, Different Place” would’ve gone a bit further South and talk about the tribes of Mexico and South America and compare the treatment they got versus what our ancestors did to the Native Americans. Quite honestly, I was expecting a story all about genocide, but anyone left in the anti-vaxxers camp should heed the caution that arose from the lessons taught here. Diseases like the flu, smallpox, and more are all curable now but wiped out Native American tribes in droves. This show has lessons underneath their lessons and they are delivered by an animated character that looks like a human-take on Garfield and we’re all better for it.

Score
8/10