American History vs Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn, the author of “A People’s History of the United States”, has been long known as a radical writer testing the boundaries of history and uncovering the aspect of
America’s past that are not traditionally mentioned in most history books. He consistently questions America’s decisions and attempted to provoke a certain level of doubt in the minds’ of his readers, especially when he bashed the country’s Founding Fathers and their motivations for freedom. Zinns deliberate criticism of the foundation of the American Republic effectively revealed the corrupt society of colonial America in the 18th century; however,
Zinn’s writing exposed only one side of these historical events in a biased manner. He ranted about the significant separation between the rich and the poor class, the lack of patriotism during the Revolutionary War, and the idea that the American Constitution was written to solely benefit the wealthy.
Following Britain’s victory over France in the French and Indian War, the British began to place taxes on the colonists in order to pay for their extensive war debt. This undoubtedly set set fire under the colonists who were now very eager to rebel against the English Wealthy political leaders began to emerge in the colonies and took leadership in directing this rebellious energy. Zinn claims that these upperclass politicians used the lowerclass energy for their own benefits creating a substantial economic gap between the two classes. He supported this claim by stating, “The Regulators saw that a combination of wealth and political power ruled North Carolina, and denounced those officials ‘whose highest study if the promotion of their wealth’” (Zinn 63). He exclusively gave facts about the riots of the rich versus the poor and made it clear that the wealth of America was using the poor to benefit them. Despite the evident issue between the prosperous and he needy, Zinn undermine the big picture throughout his argument. He left
America’s past that are not traditionally mentioned in most history books. He consistently questions America’s decisions and attempted to provoke a certain level of doubt in the minds’ of his readers, especially when he bashed the country’s Founding Fathers and their motivations for freedom. Zinns deliberate criticism of the foundation of the American Republic effectively revealed the corrupt society of colonial America in the 18th century; however,
Zinn’s writing exposed only one side of these historical events in a biased manner. He ranted about the significant separation between the rich and the poor class, the lack of patriotism during the Revolutionary War, and the idea that the American Constitution was written to solely benefit the wealthy.
Following Britain’s victory over France in the French and Indian War, the British began to place taxes on the colonists in order to pay for their extensive war debt. This undoubtedly set set fire under the colonists who were now very eager to rebel against the English Wealthy political leaders began to emerge in the colonies and took leadership in directing this rebellious energy. Zinn claims that these upperclass politicians used the lowerclass energy for their own benefits creating a substantial economic gap between the two classes. He supported this claim by stating, “The Regulators saw that a combination of wealth and political power ruled North Carolina, and denounced those officials ‘whose highest study if the promotion of their wealth’” (Zinn 63). He exclusively gave facts about the riots of the rich versus the poor and made it clear that the wealth of America was using the poor to benefit them. Despite the evident issue between the prosperous and he needy, Zinn undermine the big picture throughout his argument. He left