Sometimes a DB fanfic writer may be faced with a choice to follow historical facts or follow the canon of the show. As a fanfic reader what do you prefer? Do you care about historical accuracy? or canon accuracy? or neither?

For me personally, fanfic is all about the characters first and foremost. That's typically what draws fans to read the fic. The historical setting comes second. As a fanfic reader I am looking for new stories involving my favorite characters. Secondly, putting them in the setting in an accurate way (meaning either history or canon) can make the story more believable. In a way that's what makes fanfic easier to write than full blown creative fiction because three-fourths of the work has already been done for you! Although it is sometimes fun to either take them out of their 'known' setting and put them some where strange like in an alternative universe approach, or bring strange people or beasts to them. What do ya think?

I agree that most fanfic is all about the favorite characters. Writers who can integrate into their stories the place and times though have an advantage with me as a reader. I will notice historically accurate language, places, habits, clothing, etc but I won't discount a story for having minor historical or minor canon inaccuracies. Major inaccuracies or strong differences of opinion regarding an historical event, a real historical charactor, or canon can really turn me off. I'm reading fanfic to be entertained after all, not 'enlightened' with someone else's politically motivated or just plain weird 'revisionist' views be they re-written history or re-written canon! LOL For that I have a stack of historical educator magazines, cnn, fox, documentaries, etc, etc. They are free to write it of course, I'm just not likely to read much of it before I decide to put it aside and move on to the next.

It is really jarring to come across modern language, phrases or clichés in what is otherwise historical prose, so a writer should at least pay attention to that and try to hear the character speaking their words and choose words appropriate to that character. Not that I'm any good at this as a writer! I am speaking solely as a reader. This is something I strive for in my writing though. ;-)

Molly

The first episode has Daniel being sent to settle Boonesborough by George Washington, but in real life Richard Henderson sent Daniel to settle Boonesborough.

First in War, First in Peace has President George Washington showing up in Boonesborough in season three, but that is followed in the same season by episodes of Daniel and Mingo saving the Liberty bell and escorting canon for Governor Patrick Henry to Continental troops on the frontier fighting the British. George didn't become president until eight years after the revolution in 1789.

Daniel and Mingo save French prince Charles from being guillotined in France. This happens before they save the liberty bell! LOL Is this suppose to be Louis-Charles who died in prison in 1995 during the French revolution?

Daniel goes to New Orleans to help Lafayette with the louisiana purchase in the second season which should be around 1776 in terms of the show's seasons. That purchase occurred in 1803 and Lafayette wasn't involved.

In the High Cumberland Daniel and Becky's meeting is rewritten to have them meet on the trip to Boonesborough and Becky is an indentured servant of Cincinnatus. Becky is also presented as a recent immigrant from Ireland.

Daniel and Becky had several children with them in Boonesborough, but only Israel and Jemima are represented in the show and in reverse ages from the real people.

Anyone that knows more 'way-off' historical references in DB please share them.

There's a problem with First in War, First in Peace--Israel is still small in stature!

It appears they borrowed some bits of history 'out of range' because they ran out of real DB history to use? Washington and Lafayette were popular 18th c figures so they thought 'hey lets just throw them in for fun'?

Really, none of it bothers me. It was fiction. I chock it up to 'using history creatively'.

A

So why didn't they have King George III or Napolean come to Boonesborough to have a mutter with Daniel? What a missed opportunity! GR

The episode about the French prince is one I remember from childhood. Must have been something about the kid that played him! They could have made that Lafayette's son and been far more probable don't you think DS? ;-)

This reminds me of something we do in my classroom. The students do a creative project which takes the form of a skit which they write and perform. They have to include at least two known historical characters who must 'stay in character' and address some topic or event that is not available anywhere in written form. In other words, they can't just read from a text. There are no other restrictions. The objective is to get the kids to 'think' rather than memorize quotes and dates. Re-enacting the court cases of John Adams in regards to Amisted or the Boston massacre are popular and predictable but sometimes the kids get very imaginative. The best one I saw last year was Mark Twain interviewing Ben Franklin. It was well done and hilarious. I wish I could share it with the world!

Molly

Giving a DB story from an opposite point of view could be interesting. Like rewriting one of the episodes from the indian or british pov for instance, or rewriting it from a first person pov. As long as it had Mingo in it I would probably read it! LOL

A

My father taught history for a number of years and he taught it much like Molly describes. It makes it come to life and you can't help but enjoy it.

20th Century Fox is not known for keeping their time lines clean. They play with dates so much on the Ghost and Mrs. Muir it's frustrating. And they do the same for Daniel Boone. So, you make the best of it and go with it.

I enjoy Daniel Boone despite how the producers played with this life. I don't really care that only two of the children are present, that Rebecca can read and that Daniel actually wears a coon skin cap. It doesn't really matter, because it's good.

I would like to know though what exactly is canon for the show and I don't count High Cumberland in this request. Just enough background to get me rolling. I know that Rebecca is far different from her real life counterpart.

I totally agree DS. For me the characters come first and the historical accuracy second. At first when I watched the show I was put off by the HUGE liberties they were taking. Not just with Daniel but the stories, the setting, (obviously California!) and the Native Americans. You could talk until you're blue in the face about the lack of facts, but hey it was the sixties. I really do appreciate stories that are historically accurate, but just by writing a DB Fanfic you are going to have take some creative liberties. For Example Daniel Boone:

1. The real man was about 5 ft 8 in tall! Fess Parker on the other hand is like a full foot taller!

2. The whole coonskin cap thing, as we all know, was just a Davy Crocket crossover for hollywood. The real Daniel Boone wore a beaverskin cap! No tail ;)

3. Do we even need to mention the dress? I thought not.

And those are just a few. What I find most interesting is the way they take real stories and weave them throughout the series. (The Capture of Jemima Boone, the battle of Blue Licks exct.) But for me what draws me to the stories is the characters themselves, though I would love to see a completely accurate story if anyone is willing to take the challenge!

(P.S. And don't even get me started on the Natives. Let's just say "Jane have heap big trouble with directors." LOL)

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