Mel Brooks’ History Of The World, Part II offers plenty of shocking depictions of history, but its showcase of prehistoric drugs actually makes an interesting point. Originally released in 1981, History Of The World, Part I is a sketch movie that offers suggestions for what history might have actually been like, showing alternate depictions of the Roman Empire, French Revolution, and the Spanish Inquisition, among others. Forty years later, Hulu announced a sequel series, History Of The World, Part II. While the Hulu original sequel features different time periods than were in the first Mel Brooks movie, one thing both have in common is the prehistoric era.
In History Of The World, Part II, the Mel Brooks movie offers an alternate take about the discovery of fire. The Hulu series depicts prehistoric humans attempting to discover fire in order to smoke cannabis. Many people might decry this sketch as entirely historically inaccurate, but given the amount that History Of The World, Part II both plays around with history and shows true stories, it’s hard to discredit the prehistoric drug sketch outright. History Of The World, Part II’s stories are often more accurate than people realize, but whether this level of accuracy extends to prehistoric drugs is not immediately discernible.
The History Of Cannabis Is Older Than You Might Think
History Of The World, Part II’s prehistoric drug sketch initially seems like one of the more ludicrous jokes in the Hulu show, but it’s not nearly as far off as it appears. Substances like alcohol have a long recorded history of use, but since cannabis is closely associated with the counterculture movements of the 1960s and 1970s (as seen in TV shows like That ‘70s Show), cannabis is thought of as semi-modern. In reality, the drug has a far longer history of use than most people might imagine.
According to The University Of Sydney, the usage of cannabis originated in Central Asia or Western China, with the first recorded use of the substance being cited as 2800 BC. Of course, this is several thousand years after The Stone Age, making the Hulu show’s depiction historically inaccurate - but also raising the salient point that hemp's history would theoretically make this less impossible than otherwise might be thought. Though it's intentionally surreal, historical records of cannabis’ initial usage reveal that History Of The World, Part II’s historical depictions aren’t always as wacky as they appear.
How History Of The World Part 2's Sketch Makes An Important History Point
Outside of being entertaining, Hulu’s History Of The World, Part II makes an interesting historical point with its prehistoric drug sketch. Many people in a given time period and/or region assume they originated different activities or ways of life. However, the truth behind the skit in the Mel Brooks sequel shows that the realities of history are different from people’s assumptions. Even though History Of The World, Part II isn’t completely historically accurate, the Hulu series not only incites laughter, but also makes viewers reconsider their preconceived notions about history.