It hasn't been that many years ago that I was team teaching a high school American Studies class with a history teacher. Although I find the American Revolution very interesting with the radical ideas of Thomas Paine, the idealism of Thomas Jefferson, practical wit of Benjamin Franklin, and the possible connections between the U.S. government and the Iroquois, the students often only pictured dull and lifeless wigged figureheads. The only interest many had are found on the dollar bill, the ten-dollar bill, and the hundred-dollar bill.

Partly this was due to the fact that very few lively and entertaining multimedia or video presentations are available to hold their interest. Some remember the painfully dull filmstrips that accompanied your U.S. history classes, or the bland and watered down textbooks that sucked the very life out of the bloody period. Somewhere there had to be a visual presentation that would help bring this fascinating historical period to life.

I looked forward to Disney's re-release of Johnny Tremain on video because much of my childhood knowledge of the Revolution branched from that movie, but it now appears embarrassingly cheesy. The PBS Liberty series was much better but is too wordy and philosophical for secondary students. But fret no more if you are a secondary history or humanities teacher. The History Channel's 4-video/2 DVD production of Founding Fathers presents the best multimedia presentation of the American Revolution to date.

The strongest factor lies with its humanization of the historical icons. Each colonial hero becomes a flesh and blood character, including sexual tales that you won't find in bowdlerized history texts. Sexual tales about the promiscuous Benjamin Franklin and about Thomas Jefferson's liaison with his slave Sally Hemmings are certainly present—backed up by letters, clips with historians, and re-enactments. A well documented tale of the young Franklin deserting his newly found love in Philadelphia to "whore" around with voluptuous ladies of low class during his travels, and Jefferson's intense love for his wife and his well publicized relationship with his young slave after his wife's death are highlighted.

While sexual stories about Franklin and Jefferson are no surprise, finding that the stoic, bad toothed George Washington also had strong sexual passions makes him more human. The documentary also delves into the personal life of the nerdy runt of the founding fathers, James Madison, who wasn't even allowed to participate in battle because of his physical problems. History texts establish Madison as the father of the U.S. Constitution, but we don’t describe how shy and awkward he was, and how his pairing with Dolly must be considered a near miracle. His exact opposite, the beautiful, charming "life of the party" fell deeply in love with Madison, and the devoted couple formed a strong team.

Another "nerd" of the times, who probably would score even higher than James Madison on the SAT test was Alexander Hamilton. Well known for his genius, his position on Federalism, his tremendous contributions as the first Treasurer of the United States, his infamous unsuccessful duel with Aaron Burr, this documentary also reveals how Hamilton had the first major sex scandal of any of our prominent politicians. The way that Hamilton dealt with the scandal seems refreshing after President Clinton’s bungled attempted dodges. Hamilton readily admitted his adulterous affair and revealed the love letters and the political blackmail letters behind them in the newspaper.

Don't think that the documentarians toss in gratuitous sex just to get attention. They only do that when the character warrants this type of examination, so no similar treatment is manufactured for Thomas Paine, Samuel Adams, John Adams, or John Hancock (even though Hancock was quite a ladies man). Yet the film still makes these characters more human. For example, it points out the odd partnership between the rich and classy Hancock and the frumpy Samuel Adams, who often looked like he had been sleeping in the only coat that he owned.

Actually the humanization of these revolutionary icons is used to embellish our appreciation of them. Standard history texts neglect the so called "weaknesses" of these legendary figures. Knowing about them helps appreciate what they accomplished even more. In fact, learning about the personalities, the internal conflicts, and their self doubts makes it all the more amazing that they pulled off the revolution and created a system of government that has lasted through the years.

Writer/Director Melissa Jo Peltier (previous TV productions about the Titanic and the Lusitania) teams with Max M. Fletcher, and Mark Hufnail to combine photographs, paintings, writings, locations, interviews, and re-enactments to make a most interesting documentary. It traces the beginning of the Revolution from the Stamp Act through the War, to the adoption of the Constitution to the beginnings of the Republic, and though the final years of each remarkable figure.

Peltier, Fletcher, Hufnail prove very media savvy. Not only do the filmmakers choose to make the characters more human, but they make the camera an active participant. No static photography here—the camera continually moves even when merely using a portrait to keep our interest, even more so than documentary icon Ken Burns.

Adding outstanding voice talent to the mix like Hal Holbrook, Michael York, Peter Coyote, Burt Reynolds, and James Woods, Founding Fathers is no cheap made-for-schoolroom production. Although the documentary should work well in a high school classroom with its high human interest content, the new material and interesting historical observations will intrigue anyone interested in the American Revolution and the beginnings of the United States. It certainly serves as an excellent introduction to the period, and makes further reading about Franklin, Jefferson, Paine, Hamilton, and Madison much more vivid. The videos also add seasoning to any planned historical excursions to Boston or Philadelphia.