American Primeval: A Non-Nostalgic Look At America’s Brutal Past

Like much of America’s blood-soaked past, #AmericanPrimeval is based on the very real Mountain Meadow Massacre of 1857 during the Utah War. The war was fought between the Mormon settler militia, aided by the Paiute local Native American tribe, and the American Government. Each was vying for control of the land and wouldn’t hesitate to slice off a scalp to achieve that end. A wagon train containing 120 pioneers, mainly from Oklahoma travelling through to California, were killed in the conflict as they passed through the area.

The six episodes in the series are written by Mark L. Smith (The Revenant, The Midnight Sky) and co-executive produced by Eric Newman (Cowboy Cartel, Zero Day), Alex Gaynor (Beef, Godzilla), and Peter Berg (Painkiller, Boys In Blue).

The Mountain Meadow Massacre was a deeply unsettling and culturally intense period in the country’s history because few social and legal norms were followed in favor of unbridled hatred and fear. Compassion and peace were in short supply and this violent clash of culture, religion, and community is driven only by one law – kill or be killed.

Read the full article HERE.