Bad Blood: The Border War That Triggered the Civil War

This is an excellent documentary on Bleeding Kansas.

The great thing about it was that, unlike other documentaries, the people behind it went as far as hiring actors to play out the roles of actual historical figures and everyday men and women of Bleeding Kansas. The actors were very believable in both interviews and in acting out of major events and battles.

I am doing a lot of researching on abolitionist John Brown, and I was a little disappointed with the way 'Bad Blood' creators treated him couple of times.

The narrator introduced John Brown as a man who came to Kansas not to settle, but to fight pro-slavery forces. While it was true, the documentary failed to give the context in which John Brown came to Kansas: his sons came there 6 months before John Brown to claim land and to settle, but they were threatened by pro-slavery forces, so they had to call they father to join and help them.

As for the Pottawatomie killings, the film narrator explains that James Doyle, one of the men that was murdered by Brown, "came to Kansas simply to work his claim and mind his own business." However, James Doyle and his sons were avid members of the pro-slavery Law and Order party, and sat on the grand jury at the court session held by pro-slavery judge Sterling Cato who issued warrants for the arrest of John Brown and the sons. I would hardly call it "minding his own business." Brown's killings are in no way admirable or defensible, but they are explainable in the context of his times.

I feel that most of the film is quite accurate and tries not to be biased, but aforementioned episodes leave a bad aftertaste while watching such a well-researched and well-made documentary.

Well, not exactly.

But if you think along the lines that names are changed to protect the innocent, then you start to get the idea.

A previous reviewer points out we may be missing some of the more seated motivations of the key players. And some of the innocent aren't quite as pure as they are set forth.

Still, looking at the divisive history in our United States as it led to the Civil War, this documentary depicts the coming attraction to the main event. If only we were able to stop the action while the trailer was running.

Once again state's rights to justify an outcome they want to ensure Once again focus is on a specific objective Once again it is us vs. Them passionate

As for our national tradition of a peaceful transition of power from one elected administration to the next, watch this documentary.

Bleeding Kansas is a history lesson that you won't fall asleep in.