History Series / Turn

** [[spoiler:Thanks to Washington taking possession of all the former or fleeing slaves on the way to Nova Scotia, Abigail is forced back into slavery -- but filches a pistol from one of her guards as she's packed off in a cart; since the Culper Ring later receive a letter in code from Nova Scotia, it's heavily implied that she manages to escape and get to Canada]]

** John Graves Simcoe in the show is the opposite of the real Simcoe. The show's Simcoe is a bloodthirsty psychopath. Although the real Simcoe did piss off the townsfolk of Setauket, he was for the most part an honorable man who served after the war as an extremely efficient administrator in Canada, and is still remembered and celebrated to this day (they named [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Simcoe a rather large lake]] after him). Downplayed somewhat, believe it or not; Simcoe admitted later in his career that he had been a bit of an asshole on Long Island, even though he was never nearly as horrible as portrayed on the show.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: Yes, the Patriot forces really did have a crude version of a submarine called a Turtle.

** Series 2 throws Major Hewlett into the mix, when he begins to court Anna. And glowering on the edge is Simcoe, who is obsessed with Anna but is flat out loathed by everyone else in the equation.

* AngryBlackMan: Jordan/Akinbode. Though, as a former slave, you can't say that he doesn't have his reasons. He gets calmer when he joins the Queen's Ranger and becomes Simcoe's right hand man.

** There are multiple references to Akinbode and/or Abigail seeking freedom from slavery in Canada. Slavery in Canada was legal at the time and would remain legal for several years after. Slavery was semi-banned in Ontario in 1793 under a law passed by the governor of the province--John Graves Simcoe.

** The sweet: [[spoiler:The colonies become independent, and most of the Culper Ring go on to live happy, productive lives. Hewlett achieves his dream of being an astronomer and has a loving wife. Simcoe somewhat reforms and, while Governor of Canada, abolishes slavery, making it a safer place for Akinbode, Cicero and Abigail (when she ''eventually'' gets there) to live.]]

** [[spoiler:Simcoe, as Governor of Canada, abolishes slavery in his province, and Akinbode and Cicero can live in peace;]]

** [[spoiler:Thanks to Washington taking possession of all the former or fleeing slaves on the way to Nova Scotia, Abigail is forced back into slavery -- but filches a pistol from one of her guards as she's packed off in a cart; since the Culper Ring later receive a letter in code from Nova Scotia, it's heavily implied that she manages to escape and get to Canada[[note]] Idara Victor, her actress, [[https://www.instagram.com/p/BXv7xL5F9gO/?taken-by=idaravictor confirmed that she did make it]][[/note]];]]

* RealityEnsues:
** Sackett tries to infiltrate an agent into New York by having the man pretend that he is Lt. Terrence, a British officer who was captured by the Americans and is now being returned in a prisoner swap. The agent lacks basic knowledge about being a British officer and is quickly found out by both Major Andre and Captain Simcoe. [[spoiler: Andre planned to turn him into a DoubleAgent, while Simcoe stabs him in the throat.]]
** Major Hewlett's efforts to fortify the British position around the church end up being for nothing when he makes the basic blunder of [[spoiler: not securing his flank]].

** John Graves Simcoe in the show is the opposite of the real Simcoe. The show's Simcoe is a bloodthirsty psychopath. Although the real Simcoe did piss off the townsfolk of Setauket, he was for the most part an honorable man who served after the war as an extremely efficient administrator in Canada, and is still remembered and celebrated to this day.

** While great historical liberties are taken with Abraham Woodhull and the rest of the Culper ring, as well subjecting Simcoe to a HistorialVillainUpgrade, the Benedict Arnold plot line from Season 3 is quite faithful to history. The show renders small details like Arnold's meeting with Andre in an isolated cabin and Arnold writing a pass for Andre to pass on foot after the ship carrying Andre was forced to withdraw by Patriot cannon fire. [[spoiler:They also get Andre's execution almost exactly right, down to his last few words; the only difference the show has from [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Andr%C3%A9#Eyewitness_account an actual eyewitness account of the event]] is that in real life Andre apparently died almost instantly upon being hanged, while in the show his neck doesn't break right away and he throttles for a while before Ben and Caleb give him a MercyKill.]]

** While great historical liberties are taken with Abraham Woodhull and the rest of the Culper ring, as well subjecting Simcoe to a HistorialVillainUpgrade, the Benedict Arnold plot line from Season 3 is quite faithful to history. The show renders small details like Arnold's meeting with Andre in an isolated cabin and Arnold writing a pass for Andre to pass on foot after the ship carrying Andre was forced to withdraw by Patriot cannon fire. [[spoiler:They also get Andre's execution almost exactly right, down to his last few words; the only difference the show has from [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Andr%C3%A9#Eyewitness_account an actual eyewitness account of the event]] is that in real life Andre apparently died instantly upon being hung, while in the show he throttles for a while before Ben and Caleb give him a MercyKill.]]

* OneDegreeOfSeparation: Basically everyone in the main cast knows each other in some fashion. And the show actually tones it down from RealLife!

** Simcoe writing Anna a romantic poem in season two might seem like it's reaching a bit, but the real Simcoe did in fact write the first recorded Valentine in America. The recipient: the real life Robert Townsend's sister, Sally!

** While great historical liberties are taken with Abraham Woodhull and the rest of the Culper ring, as well subjecting Simcoe to a HistorialVillainUpgrade, the Benedict Arnold plot line from Season 3 is quite faithful to history. The show renders small details like Arnold's meeting with Andre in an isolated cabin and Arnold writing a pass for Andre to pass on foot after the ship carrying Andre was forced to withdraw by Patriot cannon fire.

* YourCheatingHeart: Anna and Abraham finally act on all that sexual tension in "Challenge".

** The bitter: [[spoiler:Slavery continues in America despite all of Selah and Hamilton's attempts to stop it, Abigail is enslaved once more and has to make a break for freedom, and Abraham regretfully notes [[Useful Notes/TheAmericanCivilWar that the bill for such cruelty will have to be paid in time.]] Peggy is trapped in a horrible, loveless marriage. Anna seems more settled in her role as wife and mother, but also doesn't really seem that content with her life, leaving it up in the air whether she misses Abraham or Hewlett. And Thomas Woodhull, believing that his father was a great soldier during the Revolutionary War rather than a spy, tries to emulate him -- and is killed during the War of 1812.]]

** The bitter: [[spoiler:Slavery continues in America despite all of Selah and Hamilton's attempts to stop it, Abigail is enslaved once more and has to make a break for freedom, and Abraham regretfully notes that the bill for such cruelty will have to be paid in time. Peggy is trapped in a horrible, loveless marriage. Anna seems more settled in her role as wife and mother, but also doesn't really seem that content with her life, leaving it up in the air whether she misses Abraham or Hewlett. And Thomas Woodhull, believing that his father was a great soldier during the Revolutionary War rather than a spy, tries to emulate him -- and is killed during the War of 1812.]]

* ZipMeUp: Abraham helps Anna with the buttons to her dress in "Challenge".