Howard Zinn, A People’s History

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A People's History of the United States 1492-Present Chapters 1 - 5 New York, New York, 1995 by Howard Zinn Due Date: 10/27/00 Eric Anderson Coming from different backgrounds and beliefs, Howard Zinn forces us to think differently. He was born in Seattle Washington but was raised toward the political views of communism. His beliefs affect his writing enough to enlighten the reader but he effectively refrains from trying to totally convert the reader to his beliefs. His book, A People's history of the United States of America 1942-Present, picks up on the trail of American history with Christopher Columbus and through the American Revolution.

Zinn's views conveyed in this book are seemingly neutral but are in fact expressed to counterbalance the apologist or propagandist point of view that we Americans have adopted.

This thesis relies upon evidence contrary to popular American beliefs being shown as if Zinn is speaking from an indifferent point of view.

Yet, these views are often slightly in favor of the persecuted and those lacking representation, e.g.. under dogs. This gives Zinn a more innocent and believable way of swaying us into what is a more correct way of thinking. He has undertaken the daunting task of changing our one-sided views. We have been clouded by history books glorifying the red, white, and blue and justifying the hypocrisy, selfishness, and bloodshed that we are responsible for.

Americans see our founding fathers as bright, just, and selfless men sanctioned with human rights to oppose British laws and demands. Our country's teachers, politicians, and residents are constantly convincing each other that this county is one that won its independence fairly and justly. To come to this conclusion, we as a people have subconscious have decided the motives and drive behind our actions outweigh the bad within them.