Howard Zinn

Howard Zinn

1. Columbus and the Indians

   • Columbus, the first messenger to the Americas from the civilization of western Europe was hungry for money.
   • Columbus talked king and queen of Spain into paying for his expedition.
   • Columbus would get 10 percent of profits from gold and spices.
     • Spain pays for trip.
       • Become governor of newly discovered lands.
       • Provides Columbus with 17 ships, 1200+ men for second expedition.
   • The aim was slaves and gold.
     • 1495, five hundred Indian slaves were captured.
       • 200 died on voyage.
       • Rest were sent to Spain and put up for sale by local church official.
     • Indians who did not give up gold had hands cut off and bled to death.
   • By 1550,only 500 Indians remained. A century later, no Arawaks were left on island.

2. Black and White

   • In North America, slavery was substitute for paid labor.
   • 350 years of blacks suffering inhumane treatment in American society because of racism.
     • Combines ideas about black inferiority with the unequal treatment of black people.
   • By 1619, a million blacks were forced from Africa to work as slaves in South America and Caribbean Island.
   • American slavery was most cruel form for to reasons:
     • American slavery was driven by a frenzy for limitless profit.
     • It was based on racial hatred, a view that saw whites as masters and blacks as slaves.
   • Inhumane treatment began in Africa, captured slaves were chained together, forced to walk to coast for thousands of miles sometimes.
   • First American slave ship sailed from Massachusetts in 1637.

3. Who were the Colonists?

   • Bacons Rebellion, uprising of angry, poor colonists against two groups they saw as their enemies.
     • One was Indians.
     • Other was colonists' own rich and privileged leaders.
   • 1670s, rich landowners controlled most of eastern Virginia.
   • 1676, unhappy Virginians found a leader in Nathaniel Bacon.
     • Bacon owned land.
     • Cared more about fighting Indians than about helping poor.
     • Elected to colonial government called House of Burgesses.
   • Many poor people bound for America became indentured servants.
     • Signed indenture agreements to repay cost of trip to America by working for a master for 5-7 years.
     • Indentured servants were bought and sold like slaves once they arrived in America.

4. Tyranny is Tyranny

   • British colonies of North America discovered that creating a nation and symbol called the United States would allow them to take over land, wealth and political power from other people who ruled colonies for Great Britain.
   • By 1760, there had been 18 uprisings aimed at overthrowing government of one or more colonies.
   • 1760s, colonists had people called local elites.
     • Political and social leaders in their city, town, or colony.
     • Most were educated lawyers, doctors and writers.
   • Local elite feared overturn of social order.
     • Felt they could turn rebellious energy of colonists against Britain and its officials.
   • 1763, British defeat France in Seven Years' War.
   • Many very poor people but only few very rich people.
   • Declaration of Independence adopted 7-2-1776.
     • Declaration called people to control their government.
     • Declaration did not include Indians, enslaved lacks, or women.

5. The women of early America

   • America's laws and social customs said women were not equal to men.
     • Fathers and husbands controlled women.
     • Women were oppressed.
     • Under law, when women married, husband became their master.
       • Her property and possessions became husbands once married.
   • In 19th century, women worked in textile or clothing factories.
   • Middle class women couldn't attend college but could teach in primary schools.
   • All over country, women did work for antislavery societies.
   • Stanton and Mott organized first women's rights convention in 1848.

6. Revolutions

   • Americans lost 1st battle of war at Bunker Hill and Brooklyn Heights.
   • New Year's Day, 1781, some Pennsylvania troops mutinied because they were not receiving any pay.
   • Tenant farmers became threat during war.
   • Revolution brought little change for most poor whites, working people, and tenant farmers.
   • People couldn't vote if they didn't have enough land.
   • farmers protested against courts taking land and cattle away because of debt.

7. As long as grass grows or water runs

   • Americans bought up land after Revolution.
   • Jackson waged war against Creeks in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi.
     • 1814, killed thousands of Creeks in Battle of Horseshoe Bend.
   • Jackson became Prsident
     • As president, government removed 70,000 Indians from homelands east of Mississippi.
   • Government Choctaws and Creek Indians was promised new land for old land.
     • Promised protection and peace to Indians on new land.
     • Government broke promise, did not protect Indians.
       • Whites attacked Creeks
         • Indians attacked and killed white families.