Zinn Chapter 16

What evidence does Zinn offer to show the US government was not opposed to fascism on principle?

Zinn, Howard (2005). A People's History of the United States. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-083865-2. OCLC

Howard Zinn discussed several things in this chapter. At first, he mentioned the white frontiersmen rebellion and how the rebellion threat the government. This rebellion was bacon’s rebellion. Also, he talked about how the England government ended this rebellion. The main argument for Zinn in this chapter was the division of the community in the colonies according to social and economic status into upper class which was the wealthy people, and the lower class which consist of poor people. Also, he talked about the relationship among white, and Indians, and black slaves.

Howard Zinn’s, A People’s History of the United States, 1492-Present poses numerous questions that are multidimensional in nature. These questions seemingly can be answered with little to no thought by the common denominator of readers; however, the questions prove to be deceiving and rather lend themselves to ambiguous answers upon further investigation. Of these questions posed by Howard Zinn, a few in particular stuck out to me and piqued my intellectual curiosity; the questions were as follows: Did we exterminate a superior society? Should history be told from the stance of the common man?

Since 1980, A People’s History of the United States influenced many both young and old, stating untold historical events left out of your conventional history textbook. However, Zinn presents himself as a “Professor of Contempt”, labeled by National Review, rejecting the book as an “anti-American history” book. Repeatedly, Howard Zinn depicts the American story as a result of greed. He believed that every historical leader that took part in our history, their ultimate goal was exploitation and profit. Zinn also intentionally left out substantial American success stories, such as, we were first in flight and first to walk on the moon. He also left out many significant battles, such as Gettysburg and D-Day’s Normandy Invasion. Many critics judge

Chapter 10 of Zinn discusses the struggle between class systems that was going on when the North and the South conflicted in the United States. During the nineteenth century, there was a competition between class systems that resulted in strikes, killings, and the formation of unions. While reading the chapter, one thing that surprised me was The Contract Labor Law. This law gave business’ bring in foreign workers that provided a source of cheap labor and workers to fill in the spots that strikers left (Zinn, 165). This law rewards business while punishing its workers. It’s saying that industries value money and power more than the well being of their workers, which isn’t right. It amazed me that lawmaker’s valued business more than people’s safety. There were no laws that protected worker’s or their health and safety. No wonder they fought and established strikes. Workers weren’t protected at all during the nineteenth century, to business’ they were disposable and cheap.

Good Evening, My name is Terri Skinner reporting from TSJJ News Broadcasting, here to discuss the war and who it affected before and after WWI. Before WWI many Americans were in what we considered the “Progressive Era” in which many were faced with inequality, social, economic, and political challenges. Many different groups were affected such as Women to African Americans. Migrations occurred form Europe as well as for African Americans from the South to the North. Many where starting to growing in numbers as well as influence, which included women, churches, reform groups and working classes all played a part in progressivism.

Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States is a distinct alternative to most mainstream history textbooks. Zinn’s perspective of different complicated historical issues is exemplified through his unique writing and helps the reader understand different convoluted events. The point of view that Zinn chooses allows him to express hardships and struggles through the perspective of America's victims, slaves, African-Americans, Native Americans, the working poor, and the immigrant laborers. By speaking for the voiceless, Zinn is able to provide readers ample detail while looking at sensitive times in American history. Zinn starts with Columbus and progressively moves into recent history; he extensively illustrates the hidden class struggles and the fight to replace a broken political system, but still remains insightful and takes a holistic approach while evaluating American History.

This book has proven to be an enlightening read. It both teaches and inspires. Howard Zinn has offered us a perspective of the real story of American history heretofore unavailable to us – history from the perspective of real people – immigrant laborers, American women, the working poor, factory workers, African and Native Americans.

The American home front during World War II is recalled warmly in popular memory and cultural myth as a time of unprecedented national unity, years in which Americans stuck together in common cause. World War II brought many new ideas and changes to American life. Even though World War II brought no physical destruction to the United States mainland, it did affect American society. Every aspect of American life was altered by U.S. involvement in the war including demographics, the labor force, economics and cultural trends.

Howard Zinn represents this through sections in his book “A People’s History of the United States.”

In the early to mid-1900s America was faced to go through wars and racial discrimination. Intolerance towards race and religion continued for years before the U.S. entered World War 2. But after WWII America lead the path for change. Book authors Thomas Bruschino and Derek Charles Catsam both explain the change that forged America to the America it is today. The books of Bruschino and Castam; A nation forged in war, freedom main line: the journey of reconciliation and the freedom rides. Bruscino writes of the time before WWII to the time during WWII to the time after WWII while Catsam continues to the effect that WWII had on America. But when you think of WWII you think of all the people who died for this country, the amount of money and

War is often a time of bloody battles and numerous casualties; on both sides of the playing field. World War II was one of the bloodiest wars in history; it not only involved the mass genocide of a specific group of people, but it also brought on major changes in America. As a result of the war, many opportunities would open up for women in the work force. When the men were off fighting the war, there was a need for employees to take over the jobs that the men had to do. The emergence of women in the work field served as a catalyst for major events that would take place later on, like the Civil Rights Movement. The idea of “what it means to be a woman” in American society was put to the test, and throughout the war, women would have to constantly fight for their place in society; and the work force. The question arises, “was World War II a good war?” The previously stated question can be answered in a number of ways; race and ethnicity often had a hand in what jobs women could do, and social class also had an impact on what job position women had and how much money they would earn. To best answer the question, “was World War II a good war”; the different experiences of; African American, Japanese, and White women need to be analyzed in order to better understand whether World War II was a “good war”.

“Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God.”(Bowen). World War II was a start to a new beginning of what America has become from the impact of the war. Chaos across countries brought hope to America, in the sense that the people of America are coming together in a situation of multiple countries fighting. World War Two brought many positive impacts to the lives of women, the economy, and the lives of African Americans.

World War II had a definite impact on the United States. It changed how people lived and how other people were viewed. Not many people realize the treatment of people from our own country during World War II. Three groups of people that were affected were women, African Americans, and Japanese Americans. The lives of these people were changed drastically, whether by having to work, mistreatment because of skin color, or by being blamed for something that was done by a country they were native to.