There are many, many films that can be said to depict eras or aspects of American history, but for the purposes of the Reel American History project, and following the lead of Robert Brent Toplin and Kenneth M. Cameron, we focus on feature films (and some documentaries) based on "real people and actual events."  In doing so, for instance, we necessarily and regrettably subordinate some classic films like The Grapes of Wrath, which captures the spirit of the Great Depression, because we are primarily interested in studying what film-makers do with a specific historical record.  In this respect the advice to students about selecting individual film projects might be helpful in identifying the kinds of films we feel are most appropriate for our archive.

This is a working list of almost 500 films, no doubt far from complete, and, since it will continue to change, we welcome suggestions for additions of titles as well as better ways to organize them.

Links are provided for film projects that are already part of the archive.

For more information on specific films, we suggest consulting the Internet Movie Database.

For help locating films to purchase, consult our list.
 

15TH - 17TH CENTURIES:

Spanish/New Spain | English/Virginia | English Puritans/New England | French/New France | Dutch

18TH CENTURY:

Pre-Revolutionary Wars | The Revolution/New Nation | Daniel Boone

 
19TH CENTURY:

War of 1812 Era | The Frontier/Western Expansion | Manifest Destiny/War with Mexico | "Invasion" of Central America | Slavery/Civil War | Lincoln | Other Presidents and Statesmen | Indian Wars/Custer/Buffalo Bill | Labor/Immigrant Problems | The Western | Robber Barons/Tycoons | Spanish American War | Inventors/Entertainers

 
20TH CENTURY:

Turn of the Century | Early-Century Figures | Mexican Connection | World War I | Communists/ Socialists | 1920s | 1930s/Depression | 1940s | World War II | 1950s | Korean War | McCarthy Era/Anti-Communism | Beat Generation | Mid-Century Figures | Vietnam/Cambodian War | 1960s | Kennedy | 1960s -1970s Civil Rights | Sexual Freedom | Space Travel | 1970s | Nixon | 1980s | Involvement in Central America | 1990s | Late-Century Figures