THE PATRIOT

MEL GIBSON

• His character's name is Benjamin Martin .
• Ben Martin was a fictional character based upon Daniel Morgan
• Morgan was well known for his harassment upon Cornwallis's troops in the Carolinas.
• Morgan was Major U.S. Gen. Greene's right hand man.
• Morgan's signature victory was in the Battle of Cowpens of 1781.

TOM WILKINSON

• Tom Wilkinson's character was Gen. Cornwallis.
• Cornwallis was assigned to invade and take control of the South.
• After occupying the South, he was to meet with Gen. Clinton in NYC.
• Cornwallis was initially successful, but as we saw, he surrendered.

BEN MARTIN

• Martin was also a portrayal of Francis Marion.
• Marion, "Swamp Fox," fought in the South.
• Marion was a guerrilla warfare expert.
• Martin was portrayed as Gen. Pickens as well.
• Gen. Pickens had his house torched and his son was killed in the Revolution.

BEN MARTIN

• Since he is fictional, critics also perceive him as Francis Marion.
• Marion did fight in the French and Indian War.
• Marion, "SwampFox," was an expert at guerrilla warfare.
• Martin is also perceived as Gen. Pickens.
• Pickens had his house torched and his son was also killed during the Revolution.

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JASON ISAACS

• Isaacs's character was Colonel William Tavington.
• Tavington was a portrayal of Gen. Tarleton.
• Tarleton was Cornwallis's 1st major general.
• Tarleton had a personal irritation against Morgan.
• Mainly because Morgan's duty was to harass Tarleton.

GUILFORD COURTHOUSE

• Guilford Court House (March of 1781) was in North Carolina.
• Although Cornwallis defeated Gen. Greene, he lost many of his soldiers.
• It is believed that Cornwallis lost over 1/4 of his troops at this battle.
• This costly victory caused Cornwallis to retreat in Yorktown, Virginia.

ADAM BALDWIN

• Baldwin's character was Captain Wilkins.
• Wilkins, indeed, was a loyalists and viewed as a traitor/ coward.
• Many critics view Wilkins as a Benedict Arnold-like character.

ADAM BALDWIN

• Baldwin's character was the Captain Wilkins.
• Wilkins was a Loyalists.
• Wilkins, in the Patriots' perspective, was to portray a traitor.
• Critics claim that he was to be a Benedict Arnold- like character.

TREATY OF PARIS

• Peace talks began after the Siege of Yorktown.
• France, Spain, Britain and the U.S. took part in this conference.
• This treaty was made official on Sept. 3, 1783.
• The U.S. finally became a sovereign nation.

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ADAM BALDWIN

• Baldwin's character was Captain Wilkins.
• Wilkins was a loyalist.
• Wilkins was portrayed as a traitor.
• Critics claim that his character was Benedict Arnold-like.

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MOVIE FUN FACTS.

• Aunt Charlotte's house is the same one used in Forrest Gump, with slightly different interior paneling.
• One of the "redcoats" (actually dummies) that is floating face down in the river after the "trap" is a dummy of John Travolta.
• Harrison Ford declined the lead role, feeling the script had boiled the Revolutionary War down to a "one-man's-revenge" melodrama.
• Paul Walker auditioned for the role of Gabriel Martin.
• According to: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187393/trivia?ref_=tt_trv_trv#spoilers

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SIEGE OF YORKTOWN

• Cornwallis fortified a bluff next to the Atlantic.
• Gen. Washington attacked on land (west).
• Cornwallis surrendered which overall lost the British hopes in the South.

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BATTLE OF COWPENS

• The location was in the northern border of South Carolina
• The portion of Cornwallis's was led by Gen. Tarleton.
• Both Morgan and Tarleton consisted of the same amount of soldiers.
• Although, a great battle, Morgan in the end surrounded Tarleton's men.
• In conclusion, Tarleton surrendered the rest of his 800 soldiers.

TREATY OF PARIS

• After the Siege of Yorktown, peace talks began.
• This conference consisted of France, Spain, Britain and the U.S.
• This treaty became official on Sept. 3, 1783.
• The U.S. Became a sovereign nation.

FUN FACTS.

• Aunt Charlotte's house is the same one used in Forrest Gump, with slightly different interior paneling. The stone hedge visible in Forrest Gump is camouflaged with bushes in this film.
• Paul Walker auditioned for the role of Gabriel Martin.
• Harrison Ford declined the lead role, feeling the script had boiled the Revolutionary War down to a "one-man's-revenge" melodrama.
• One of the "redcoats" (actually dummies) that is floating face down in the river after the "trap" is a dummy of John Travolta.
• According to: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187393/trivia?ref_=tt_trv_trv