A People’s History of the United States' by Howard Zinn Summary
A People’s History of the United States was one of those remarkable tomes that brought together the history of the American nation into one single book. This became a masterpiece of Howard Zinn, after years that passed since its publication, not merely because this work offers an informative discussion about the United States but most importantly, it counterparts the traditional tune of writing the history of the nation. On the other hand, it do not only portrays much about its triumphs and praises its foundation which is basically found in most history books, hence, but this work also reveals America’s history in different themes of interpretation. Let's research this topic in the essay “'A People’s History of the United States' by Howard Zinn Summary”.
Summary
The beginning of the book was an immediate unleashed of Spanish exploration’s ultimate intention on spices, slaves, and gold, this led for the Americas to be found. In 1492, Columbus along with his sailors reached the islands of Bahamas, which he believed was Asia. The Arawaks were the first natives they captured in order to guide them in sailing towards the rest of the islands until Columbus and his men reached Cuba and Hispaniola. The following arrivals of European explorations in America would result to early atrocities and genocide which will surely ruin the lives of many: These were not just the effects by the urge in search of gold and resources, but a series of massacres broke out by the following navigators and explorers, and the most common thing they did was to capture these natives to use them as slaves. The next conquerors succeed in subjugating the existing civilizations, Cortes to the Aztecs of Mexico, Pizarro to the Incas of Peru, the English settlers of Virginia and Massachusetts to the Powhatan and the Pequots – like Columbus did to the Arawaks they were in disguised and collaborators. “Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress”, which this chapter was titled, exposed the complete contradiction to what many used to believe and to celebrate the heroism of Columbus. Howard Zinn denounces the hidden darkness behind those conquerors in America’s history yet, he also gave emphasis to scholastic viewpoints like Albert Camus in between the conquerors and the conquered in the expense of time and progress.
The next chapter “Drawing the Color Line” discussed the problem of racism which had been the main core issue in world history, especially in the United States. This part establishes historical inquiries pertaining to racial issues wherein the beginning of slavery in North America could help further historical reviews. Even in slavery institutions, white servants were treated better than the black ones, although they outnumbered the white settlers and had come to any way of resistance; the Indians were still vulnerable to military capability, and they ended up being wiped out in their own ancestral lands. One example is in Virginia during the 1600s. Howard Zinn also drew a comparison between the emergence of African slavery from American slavery which he described as much lifelong, morally crippling, and destructive to family ties. A characteristic that makes American slavery as the cruelest is the belief that white was the master, black was a slave – bringing down a slave in his human status by the use of racial prejudice. While revealing slave rebellions and resistances or stories of white settlers helping black slaves in escaping, it also disclosed some notable people who considered slavery as profitable like James Madison.
The previous chapters were about the discovery of America and its prior historical events of the first half of the 17th century. A part of chapter three took important reviews to Bacon's rebellion in 1676 led by Nathaniel Bacon. A mixture of freemen, servants, and slaves of Englishmen and Negroes joined together against the Berkeley administration and the wealthy superiors. Many scholars and historians have different interpretations regarding to the subject matter since it was both anti-aristocrat and anti-Indian.
After that were the proceeding events towards American Revolutionary War and the climax for America's Independence. From the Bacon Rebellion a number of eighteen uprisings occurred in overthrowing the British government, these were also triggered when British Crown’s economic turmoil after fighting a series of Wars against the French which in return; were the laws, taxes, and acts they imposed to their colonies in order to recover its economy. At early at this point of time, “stable, coherent, effective and acknowledged local political and social elites” already existed as what was described by Jack Greene. This chapter also tackles the notable people behind the liberation especially the Founding Fathers whom, Howard Zinn defined as higher middle-class elites who encouraged the lower classes or the common people to fight for independence by spreading their language in either manuscripts or rhetoric. As stated by Zinn, the philosophy of the Declaration was meant for a government to be created by people who secure their life, liberty, and happiness which is mostly traced by the ideas of John Locke.
The population was divided for the Revolution, some opposed, some supported while others remained neutral. The Americans lost the first battles of the war: the Bunker Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Harlem Heights, and the Deep South; won small battles at Trenton and Princeton, and in 1777, won big battles at Saratoga and New York. Finally, in 1781 victory was determined at Yorktown and Virginia with the help of the French navy. In chapter four Howard Zinn elaborated his interpretations over the nature of the Revolution, that the rebellion against British rule just allowed a certain party of the colonial ruling class or colonial elites to replace the Loyalists. Moreover, the Revolution could mean nothing to the Native Americans and Indians, slavery still lasted a century after Independence, and they were still ignored for the equality they look up to for hundreds of years even before the white Europeans arrived.
The following was a passage concerning to the half population of the country, the women in early American societies. If women during those early years were in lower status then how much more with black women, this proved that is not only a matter of physical characteristics or social status but mostly a matter of racial prejudice. The author acknowledged that women rebelled in fact; some of them had participated during the revolution in which they formed patriotic groups and in some way, organized their selves as “Daughters of Liberty”. However, only the privileged in higher social status could speak freely and had more opportunities to write like Dolly Madison, Martha Washington, and Abigail Adams as what the author mentioned. While poor women in the last years of the revolution, fought and went to military encampments to help were not given a special place to history. Ideas of female equality were weaving during and after the Revolution, especially with Jefferson’s philosophy of declaration, “all men are created equal”.
The chapter “As Long as Grass Grows or Water Runs”, were traces of Indian removal in their homelands after the American Revolutionary War, especially the Indians in the Appalachian Mountains and east & west of the Mississippi Valley in 1820, who continued to fight against the Americans in the expense of land property holding. The author had the most emphasis to the existing paradox among historical inquiries regarding to listed heroic figures, like Andrew Jackson who became a hero in 1814, and Thomas Jefferson’s promoted removal of the Creek and Cherokee from Georgia.
The Louisiana Purchase with all efforts of Thomas Jefferson had doubled the territory of the United States. Large countries were included Texas and what are now Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, and part of Colorado. The Rio Grande, the southern boundary of Texas was inhabited by Mexicans but Polk accepted Texans' annexation and had given the reason the US to wage a war. Howard Zinn emphasized in this chapter the impact of “manifest destiny” to Americans in fact, the columnist community at this point time supported the unethical expansion of the US to the southwest. The Mexican American War or Glorious War which the author defined as nothing moderate since it murdered Mexicans upon confiscating their own homelands. He also underlined the fact that the elites gained much to the war's end result while the lower classes particularly the poor ones, the working class – the soldiers who died of suffering awful diseases during the war. Zinn named the book’s chapter “We Take Nothing but Conquest”.
The following chapters were the events leading to the Civil War. Starting in chapter nine “Slavery Without Submission, Emancipation Without Freedom wherein slavery could be identified as the root of issues and conflicts between Northerners and Southerners, also the real causes behind was not just by the reason of economic but also, political and moral issue. Not surprisingly, behind the success of the capitalist enrichment of the United States was its support and provision of slavery. Howard Zinn justified the brutal enslavement for slave owners were expectantly brutal and cruel to their properties – they were also punished to prevent them from engaging in rebellion against to their masters. The United States did not avoid slave revolts and the largest to be noted took place at New Orleans in 1811 and Nat Tuners rebellion in 1831 - consequently, this resulted in panic among slaveholders. The author also spoke of black Americans who partnered with white abolitionists as the prime movers against slavery, he then compared it to historical inquiries that often emphasized white abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison. The author’s assessment in between black abolitionist and white abolitionist is that the latter is much more courageous in pioneering work in lecture platform, in the newspaper while black abolitionist was much more willing to engage in the armed resurrection. Howard Zinn also noted the government efforts, by blacks, free and slaves, and by white abolitionists to end slavery which the author concluded that its abolishment led to the reconstruction of national politics and economy, that it was not a radical reconstruction but a safe one – a profitable one.
The next chapter talked about populist radicalism, uprisings, strikes, and demonstrations which Howard Zinn categorized as relevant in American society by the 19th century, on the other hand, the American populist tend to be more expressive against the government whenever inequality is felt. He began it with the Anti-rent movement in New York and then Dorr’s Rebellion in Rhode Island as part of the class struggle by the beginning of the nineteenth century. Howard Zinn considered the period before and after the civil war as filled with politics, elections, slavery, and race question. Unlike another American history textbook, again, Zinn did not focus on key figures such as the first president to master the liberal rhetoric – to speak for the common people – whom, was Jackson but most importantly ensuring to discuss the actual American people. In fact, he was unconvinced with the specialist Douglas Miller about creating a popular image of that label as “Jacksonian Democracy”. The century was also described by Zinn as much miserable to the American working class demanding equality as the inflation rate became more inconsiderable during the Civil War, in 1864 about 200,000 workers belonged to the trade union strike. The federal government established acts in order to stabilize conditions, however, as Zinn believed, it was still quite biased.
Industrialization became more visible in the latter half of the 19th century, certain inventions lead to more advancement. Perhaps, it was an era for innovators who succeeded like Thomas Edison who make use to what he invented and became a business owner. “Robber Barons and Rebels”, as what the author named the 11th chapter pertaining to an era when political figures like the late President Cleveland asked to assist large industry owners who started even before the Civil War such as J. P Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, Philip Armour, Jay Gould, and James Mellon in exchange with agreements. Marginalization between the wealthy and poor became wider, as what described by Karl Marx it’s a nature of the capitalist state which seemed to be neutral yet mainly served the interest of the elites.
Severe depression and economic crises started brought by the class war started by the 1890s, this strengthened the idea to expand overseas so after Latin America, was the Pacific where great markets could be found in Hawaii, Japan, and China. In “The Empire of the People”, in this chapter, Howard Zinn acknowledged the fact that America’s expansionism was not just supported by elite politicians but also by the commercial farmer to provide them with new lands. US Foreign Policies began dominating, in the belief that American merchants don’t need colonies or war of conquest if they could free access to free markets – that was the “open door policy”
In the thirteenth chapter: “The Socialist Challenge”, Howard Zinn acknowledged the influence and power that emerged among columnists particularly the “muckrakers” behind the USA’s stories of corruption in the major American cities. The 20th century did not just mark with wars but probably, demonstrations and strikes within US soil occurred done by the most exploited working class even women - thousands died in either working or protesting. They wanted radical change after seeing the root of misery in the capitalist system. These series of oppositions in either literature or demonstrations just proved that labor movements were idealistic and wide-ranging to meet changes and overthrow the capitalist elites.
“War is the Health of the State”, aside from the predicaments of WWI, class struggles or the growing socialism had been vile and a threat to a capitalist state like the United States during the early years of the 20th century. Howard Zinn agreed to Hofstadter's definition behind Woodrow Wilson’s war policy and that was due to “economic necessities” despite its previous decision for the US to remain neutral as it entered the war in 1917. The war campaigns for democracy were not surprisingly provoked by the anti-war socialists composed of thousands of farmers who pretested the drafting of the war – where they took remarkable gains. The Espionage act drafted by the US government which will imprison any American citizen who’ll go against the war was an irregular response, which the author believed as an improper action towards the protestors expressing their disagreement in the war.
In this 15th chapter, Howard Zinn elaborated general strikes took place mostly from the existing organized workers union of AFL and IWW composed of textile, steel, silk, or any kind of skilled workers. Howard Zinn described the year 1919 as very significant because of the widespread opposition to capitalism and the unification of different unions. Until Socialist Party has begun to stumble, strikes were stopped by force and the economy was doing fine for the people not to resort to rebellion. Accordingly, the 1920s was considered a time of prosperity or the Jazz Age, the Roaring Twenties, and everything started to become stable. The employment rate became low, and general wages for workers arose while farmers made a lot of income. When Socialist Party weakened another ideology was to be involved, the Communists – they led again textile strikes. It was also during 1920, when finally after centuries of agitation could exercise their suffrage, however, it was only allowed to middle –class and upper-class activities.
Howard Zinn comes up with questions pertaining to the US atmosphere at the time of World War II; he gathered back all its historical issues in slavery, racism, and exploitation. “A People’s War?” as he labeled the 16th chapter, an evocative inquiry to what the war is used to be defined – with governments of the Axis Power and Allied Power representing significantly different ideologies to which shall dominate the modern world. The author emphasized the most affected ordinary population deprived with rights of life and liberty. Here, the author also criticized the United States' image as a defender to helpless countries and began numerating covered war crimes over poor countries in comparison to authoritarianism and totalitarianism dominating and persecuting large mass population in Europe. He started it with USA’s interventions in Cuba, the seized of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam and fighting a brutal war to subjugate the Filipinos, its assertion to Japan’s trade policy, and China’s exploitation of imperial powers down to atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan – Howard Zinn deliberately provoked USA’s hidden causes to these series of wars.
Generation after generation, the memories of the oppressed were a living presence – the black people were much vulnerable to revolt especially in the 1950s to 1960s. Howard Zinn acknowledged particularly black societies found poetic artistic ways yet rebellious enough to attack the government like Richard Wright. Even in the years of the Depression, the communist party was known to pay special attention of race equality which was very inviting after World War II, and racial balanced was applied in the US. Aside from the cold war rivalry with USSR, President Harry Truman was also threatened by black revolts to take Marxist form – son no wonder that the government during at this point of time, was not just trying to suppress the spread of communism in Asia but most importantly, its spread to its sovereignty, the US government improved civil rights and suggested laws to end racial discrimination.
The Allied Western Powers in the 1940s were determined to suppress the spread of communism in Asia. After Japan's defeat in 1945, the southern part of Indochina was turned back to the French which used to be occupied by England while the northern part was persuaded by the United States. In “The Impossible Victory: Vietnam” at this point, Howard Zinn focused on the United States intervention including its large amount of military aid to the French and the quick prevention of unification by making an American sphere by heading a government in Saigon, etc. Then Zinn also laid out the US government’s drastic effect in its aggressive military effort such as “Operation Phoenix”, the My Lai massacre for example wronged and persecuted thousands of civilians. In the other side, casualties and wounded American soldiers were growing in number yet the US did not still win the series of Wars. Even if the US presses were silent to the events, it still eventually gained a lot of commentaries and reviews worldwide in effect like that of the civil rights movements.
“Surprise” as Howard Zinn named the nineteenth chapter which focused as much on women and the rise of feminism. It is noted, that even after WWII women started to occupy high status and recognition in the American social system as what Zinn described, at a certain point, women tend to become radical in thinking and not submissive. Perhaps, in America’s history going back to the revolutionary down to the Civil Rights movement, women's participation was rampant especially when their population was granted with suffrage. Times indeed were changing. In the 1970s the right to abortion became major issues. For the first time, women also began to speak openly about the problem of rape. While the most significant women’s movement that emerged during the ’60s was job equality or “consciousness raising” as described by Zinn, which meant rethinking of roles, the rejection of inferiority, a bond of sisterhood, new solidarity of mother and daughter, and the rejection of inferiority.
For the first time in American history, the world witnessed the historic resignation of the presidency in August 1974 of Richard Nixon. “Watergate” as what Nixon’s administration was labeled due to its whole series of illegal actions against political opponents and anti-war activists. The Watergate Scandal and Nixon impeachment showed the basic discontent and political alienation could be widespread to the public – it became one of the factors that led to public disillusionment when Howard Zinn stated that by ‘70 trust in the government was low in every section of the population followed by the exposure of government lies and atrocities over the Vietnam War.
Finally, Howard Zinn comes up with a title in his book’s final chapter which he described as not a prediction but a hope – “The Coming Revolt of the Guards”. He called the American system as the most ingenious system of control in world history. Zinn compared America’s common people to the “guards in the prison uprising at Attica – Establishment” that whatever the reward it gives them even it was necessary to maintain its control to them or kill them – they will let it be as it is. He named the intellectuals, the homeowners, the taxpayers, the skilled workers, the professionals, and the servants of government as guards of the system who remained from the violence inflicted on the black, poor, the criminal, and the enemy overseas. He also acknowledged their growing dissatisfaction along with distrust for the elite. For Zinn, Americans looked up the idea of saviors as built beyond politics, that they demean their own ability by patronizing the leaders, experts, etc. He also acknowledged the probability that the more guards and prisoners (pertaining to American citizens loyal to the system and those who are disobedient) will their common interest the more chances that the system seated by most of the elites will be dismantled.
Conclusion:
Indeed, the book offers a long-run history of the United States in a chronological manner which do not only focuses on its discovery, leaders, politics, wars, and triumphs as a world power but most importantly, what is very interesting about the book is that it delve on the collective history of the American society, the “people” thus Howard Zinn named it “A People’s History of the United States” – It’s the main goal of the author which most of the published historical inquiries and written accounts about United Stated did not reveal.
The book might offer a different interpretation such as Zinn described the establishment of self-government of the USA as a manipulation of the Founding Fathers and that its Philosophy of the Declaration of Independence was not really meant for “equality among men” but it was much about securing power and wealth acquired by these political figures and elites. He evaluated and criticized America’s most praised historical figures starting from Columbus, George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, several presidents, even famous thinkers like Albert Camus, abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison, and dogmas such as the “manifest destiny” and USA’s expansions and war crimes, historical issues of racism and slavery, economic and political crises, etc. Almost everything significant was exposed by Howard Zinn in accordance to his interpretation, but the main core of the book was really a discussion about the common people whom, the world is blind about - these were the most affected in every period of United States history.
From the time the Americas were discovered by Columbus and his succeeding conqueror massive persecution and genocide already lost the lives of the original settlers until the acquisition of land of the Indian and other natives by the coming of white settlers. Followed by the drastic effects of slavery to oppressed people that became not just an economic issue but also a moral issue then it happened to come into politics between the Southern and Northern. Much as to be considered as one of the main core factors of the Civil War. While racial issues continued and the most disturbed by these were the colored ones who most belonged to the lowest portion of the social hierarchy. The era of Industrialization came yet again the most affected where the working class especially during the Great Depression. The book also denounced the dark side behind USA’s war crimes not just in Latin America but also in it colonies in Asia most importantly in Vietnam. Howard Zinn thoroughly discussed United States presidents, hence he was able to grasp on issues of corruption, foreign policies, etc. The book also discoursed issues and challenges pertaining to women in their journey in granting them much importance in the social status, it also evaluated populist rebellions against the system of government which was not only cooperated by the black people, the Indians or the Natives but also with the help of the whites. Class struggles which Howard Zinn, acknowledged the crises among the working class and the series of their rebellion that broke out by the start of the 1900s. Perhaps, there is much that could be considered and could be discussed, in any nation, when it comes to human history. In the work of Howard Zinn, much of his arguments are not surprisingly be against to the elites or to mourn and empathized with the people but it just shows the naughty and horrible behind the United States history that most of the struggles were felt by the common people which is not often emphasized by some scholars. The book is controversial in a way that the manner of interpretation of Howard Zinn is somewhat misleading and may to cause certain biases since he avoids instilled ideas in order to prevent conflict and maintain his own arguments. Finally, “A People’s History of the United States” is not an ordinary American history textbook, it is very informative, essential, conceptual, and extreme that allows readers to open their minds.
