Howard Zinn on Colonization

the creators Howard Zinn and Larry Schweikart and Michael Allen, all have alternate points of view on the treatment of Natives, bigotry being a part of servitude in the New World, and predominance and mediocrity between the Natives and Europeans. In "Columbus, the Indians and the Human Progress," Howard Zinn sees Columbus' treatment of the Natives as extremely brutal and out of line, while in "The City on the Hill," Larry Schweikart and Michael Allen see Columbus as a friend in need to the Native populace. Zinn composes that Columbus would "battle" or be extremely fierce and unforgiving towards the Indians who declined to exchange the measure of products they required. While Schweikart and Allen composed of how Columbus made his voyage to the

In the first source, the author, Howard Zinn discusses how Europeans were aware of their mistreatment towards the Native Americans and how Native Americans were innocent. As well as how Christopher Columbus is portrayed, how he is not a hero, and how he shouldn't be celebrated. Zinn uses direct sources and evidence to support his argument by using journals and logs. Zinn says that the mistreatment of Native Americans is first seen to begin with Columbus. Zinn shows evidence to support this statement by using a direct source from Columbus. "They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome features... They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword,

Zinn’s question if the bloodshed and deceit were necessary in order for the human race to progress one might argue that yes it was necessary, to a certain extent. If the English did not colonize America, maybe it would not be what it is today. The Europeans came here with their tools and influence over the country. The colonist used the bloodshed in order to control the Native Americans, the Africans, and even their own people. They did not want them to rebel therefore, they devised systems in order to manipulate them. Even though they implemented these systems, the Native Americans and the Africans Indians rebelled against the Europeans.

1. Zinn’s main purpose for writing A People’s History of the United States is to show history from the viewpoint of others.

Thomas King’s chapter “Forget Columbus” surrounds the idea that the preconceived notions that Americans have about their own history, and the Native Americans who have resided here for centuries, are wrong. Columbus never discovered America. The

Columbus has always been portrayed as an enlightened, peaceful explorer who “discovered” a new world, and became friends with the native people. Howard Zinn’s view on Columbus’s encounter with the natives is an entirely different perspective. Zinn describes Columbus as a man who is willing to torture and kill others to be able to accomplish what he wants; in this case he wanted to obtain gold and other resources to take back with him to Spain.

Throughout recorded human history, authors, leaders, and researchers, have documented the past from many different perspectives, and viewpoints. Not every historian has the same stance on a certain issue, therefore, differences in point of view occur in almost every writing. In the textbook The American Pageant, A People’s History of the United States by Larry Schweikart, and Michael Allen, and Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States, the reader can see many different perspectives throughout each reading. The infamous explorer known as Christopher Columbus, has been documented in many different ways. Depending on the reading, Columbus has be called everything from a “[...]symbol of the new age of hope”, to an inhuman tyrant who captured Indians and turned them into slaves.

In the article Hello Columbus: America was No Paradise in 1492, by Robert Royal, Royal argued that Native Americans, along with Columbus, are portrayed wrongly in society today, from schools to media.

A Peoples History of the United States was written by Howard Zinn. Zinn’s main purpose for writing this book was to give a precise and detailed exposition of American History from the victim’s point of view. “I prefer to try to tell the story of the discovery of America from the viewpoint of the Arawaks, of the Constitution from the standpoint of the slaves…” He wants to uncover hidden episodes of the past, be skeptical about the government and even talk about the cruelties the victims put on each other because of their oppressors. He wants to understand why the oppressors killed the victims and how these victims felt and what actions they took. Zinn wants to tell history’s greatest achievement from the point of view of the people who get slaughtered, robbed, taunted and anything else that happened to the victims while

It is disheartening that the Arawak tribe which received Columbus and his crew with open hearts could be subjugated to mere slaves. Also evident in his writing, “the Indians are so naïve…” This further exposed who he really was, a tyrant who capitalized on the warmth and affection shown upon his arrival for monetary want.

b.) Zinn’s thesis for this chapter was that Christopher Columbus wasn’t the great hero he was written to be. Zinn portrays him as an evil man who harshly abused the foreign people he came in contact with around the world.

Regarding the article, “Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress, Dr. Howard Zinn argues that there is another perspective to consider as to Christopher Columbus’ adventures. Dr. Howard Zinn’s position is that history books have omissions of slavery, death and innocent bloodshed that accompanied the adventures of Christopher Columbus. In the following statements Dr. Howard Zinn describes his perspective; “The writer began the history, five hundred years ago, of the European invasion of the Indian Settlement in the Americas. That beginning, when you read Las Casas- even if his figures are exaggerations (were there 3 million Indians to begin with, as he says or 250,000, as modern historians calculate) is conquest, slavery, and death. When

Whether viewed as a monster who destroyed ancient civilizations or a legendary figure who led society to where it is today, Christopher Columbus remains a greatly controversial historical center point as his impact on civilization then, and now, have sparked ongoing debates for centuries. But despite the greatly exaggerated slander against him, Columbus should be revered and celebrated as a hero for his contributions to societal development instead of hated for the blatant lies created by mainstream media in an effort to demonize an iconic historical figure in an attempt to push anti-western sentiment.

A present day example for Zinn’s main position is Republican candidate for the 2016 elections, Donald Trump. During his campaign launch he talked about Mexican immigrants and said “They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They’re rapists”. Columbus used the Arawak's “primitiveness” as a reason to enslave them, Trump is a using stereotypes about the Mexican people to justify racism. By using racism in his speech he also incited nationalism by claiming Mexicans were somehow attacking the United States. In reality, according to the 2013 United States Census, Mexican Americans make up 10.9% of the United States' population or 34.6 million people all of whom Trump elects to ignore. Despite his obvious racism he is currently the top GOP candidate

The acceptance of conquest and murder in the name of progress is an aspect of a certain approach to history. Conflict is critical to progress because it is an idea that advances in technology, science, and social organization that can improve the human condition. Chapter one progress is shown through genocide, conflicts between Native American tribe and Colonists, and the equality compared to the men, women, and children of Europe and Native Americans. Zinn is trying to say that atrocities like these is necessary for progress throughout history and that it is a price to pay in order to continue progress. Zinn said, “Was all this bloodshed and deceit-from Columbus to Cortes, Pizarro, the Puritans- a necessity for the human race to progress