Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States
Chapter 1. “Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress”
What is Zinn’s message in Chapter 1?
- Type a thoughtful 3-4 paragraph response to this chapter.
- Include a clear discussion of his message and use quotes and explanation to prove your argument.
- Think about the historiography concepts we’ve been discussing… you might include some discussion of your thoughts.
- Think about the historical sources and evidence that Zinn uses.
- You might also make a personal commentary regarding your view of this piece.
Notes:
P1.
Zinn starts with description of the first meeting of Arawarks and Columbus.
He uses primary sources, Columbus’ writings.
He is contrasting native society values with European society and values of the era.
Clearly he is highlighting the differences, with a more sympathetic view to the natives.
“…Indians were remarkable for their hospitality, their belief in sharing.” (1)
“These traits did not stand out in the Europe of the Renaissance, dominated as it was by the religion of popes,…kings…frenzy for money that marked Western civilization…” (1)
He paints a portrait of a greedy Columbus out for gold.
“The information that Columbus wanted most was: Where is the gold.” (2)
He summarizes the context of Columbus’ expeditions… Spain, Asia trade, spices gold…
He summarizes the contract that Columbus had with Spain, “10% of profits, governorship” (2)
He summarizes the voyage.
Describes (p3) the Arawak communal life style.
He paints the picture of Columbus as a greedy man.
Cuba, then to Hispanola (Haiti)
First fort built, Navidad
He describes Columbus’ return to Spain and his exaggerated reports to the crown. “Hispaniola is a miracle”
Zinn continues to describe the 2nd voyage, “… seventeen ships and more than twelve hundred men…” (p4)
Description of taking slaves and sending them back to Spain. “….rounded up fifteen hundred… then picked the five hundred best specimens… two hundred died en route.” (p4)
Zinn describes Columbus as desperate to pay back investors and find gold. He describes atrocities that Columbus commits, “When they brought it they were given copper tokesns to hang around their necks. Indians found without a copper token had their hands cut off and bled to death.” (p 4)
He documents the destruction of the Indians on Hispanola/Haiti, “In two years, through murder, mutilation, or suicide, half of the 250,000 Indians on Haiti were dead.”(5)
Zinn cites a source of Bartolome de Las Casas… a priest who “became a vehement critic of Spanish cruelty.” (5) He wrote the History of the Indies.
Zinn quotes Las Casa regarding the nature of native society… It seems Zinn is really complimentary/sympathetic to native custom and society.
Example of sex relations…
Zinn continues pages 6-7 documenting Las Casas’ examples of Spanish atrocities.
Slave labor, work in the mines…
P7 Zinn starts with his commentary:
“When we read the history books given to children in the United States, it all starts with heroic adventure- there is no bloodshed and Columbus Day is a celebration.” (7)
Zinn is recounting the historiography of Columbus… he is explaining how the history of Columbus was taught in a “heroic” manner. The barbarity of Columbus was hardly mentioned but his the story of his great exploration was emphasized.
P8-9
Zinn argues “To emphasize heroism… and deemphasize their genocide, is … ideological choice… it serves, unwittingly to justify what was done.” (9)
He is not asking us to simply judge Columbus morally but he wants us to emphasize the negative in order to highlight and showcase, so we may learn from it… he says we must not have ‘Moral proportion”
Zinn argues against the “quiet acceptance of conquest and murder in the name of progress.”
Saying, in essence we can live with the murder because it lead to great things.
He is arguing that history that tells the story predominantly “from the point of view of governments, conquerors, diplomats, leaders…” (9) is not complete or accurate.
P10
“My view point… there is conflict of interest…” (10) between the groups of society, powerful and powerless, and these histories are not complete without both stories.
Camus, “In such a world of conflict, a world of victims and executioners, it is the job of thinking people, not to be on the side of the executioners.”
P10
Zinn summarizes his view, “I prefer to try to tell the story... from view point of the Arawaks…the Cherokees…” he wants to tell the complete story…
“The cry of the poor is not always just, but if you don’t listen to it, you will never know what justice is.”
P11
Zinn has a purpose, to expose the full story of the past, with a purpose to help the future… “emphasize new possibilities by disclosing those hidden episodes…” He wants to find the treasures of insight and morality in our past that have been subdued.
He wants a future that is compassionate, “… that our future may be found in the past’s fugitive moments of compassion.” (11)
P11
Zinn returns to summary of the history of Europeans abusing natives.
Summary of Cortez and the Conquest of the Aztecs… p 11-12
P12
Zinn exposing the atrocities of the English toward the English, and the warfare of the Indians.
P13 good excerpt of massacre women and children natives…
Then end of page 13 the Pilgrims begin, he summarizes and references:
- John Winthrop
- Bible references that justified killing Indians
- The Pequot War
- William Bradford
- Cotton Mather
- (good quote p15 on the lessons the Indians learned about the Puritan’s way of war)
- King Phillip’s War
P16 discussion of Indian population, 10 million at Columbus 1 million…
Also Columbian Exchange killed tons of Indians with disease
Quote Zinn is arguing that Capitalism/land greed was a primary motive.
P17
Zinn asks the question: “Was all this bloodshed and deceit… a necessity for the human race to progress from savagery to civilization?” (17) He’s asking a moral question that relates to historiography…
He’s connecting the trend to excuse the abuses and atrocities that the power holders use in order to be victorious in their ideology or holding power.
He’s asking the morality of the occurance, was it acceptable to have this misery for the outcome?
Ends justify the means?
He asserts the elites, the powerful minority, excuse the atrocities on the powerless people regularly in favor of the argument that yes it is “unfortunate” but progress demands the sacrifice. (17)
He asserts this may be true we need sacrifice, but who has the moral authority to decide someone else must be sacrificed. (17)
He’s asserting that all of the interpretations are subjective, “Beyond all that, how certain are we that what was destroyed was inferior?” (18) the Spaniards decided the Indians were inferior but that is simply a judgement.
P19, 20, 21 Zinn continues on to recount the innovations of Indians… “great agriculture revolution” (18)