The oppression of smaller communities and individuals by the larger states leads to an inherent support of nationalism in the narrative of history; as a result, the assumption of the viewpoint of smaller communities allows for an unexplored historical perspective. By attempting to understand the perspective of smaller communities during the efforts to colonize and explore the Americas, Zinn introduces the importance of historical interpretation to his approach to narrating history. Despite his typical treatment as a hero and pioneer for his discovery of America, Christopher Columbus established a precedent of brutality towards the Arawak communities by commanding “all persons… to collect a certain quantity of gold every three months,” upon
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Zinn investigates the creation of the rebellion using historical causation to obtain a better understanding of the realistic circumstances behind the founding of the United States. Following the aftermath of the Seven Years’ War, colonial leaders gained influence over England, due to increased reliance on the revenue generated from the colonies in order to pay off the debts of the war. The increased influence of the colonial leaders led to increased political experimentation and the harnessing of lower class resentment to advance personal motives. During the Stamp Act, political officials began organizing peaceful protests in an attempt to deflect escalating class resentment. However, the mob eventually lost control and began looting and destroying property, leading the wealthy to advise “No Mobs or Tumults” during future protests in an attempt to save their own property (Zinn 62-63). The adamant insistence on the protection of property reflected only the interests of the privileged, indicating the control of the lower classes by political officials. Furthermore, the hypocrisy regarding the financial conditions of the Founding Fathers exhibits the engineering and planning behind the creation of the United States. The blatant double-standard regarding slavery and equality in the Declaration of Independence becomes even more vulgar when considering that “69 percent of the signers… held colonial office under England,” the majority of the Founding Fathers owned slaves, and that “equality” only included white men (Zinn 70). These factors exhibit the true motivating factors of power and position behind the Founding Fathers’ creation of the United
Zinn investigates the creation of the rebellion using historical causation to obtain a better understanding of the realistic circumstances behind the founding of the United States. Following the aftermath of the Seven Years’ War, colonial leaders gained influence over England, due to increased reliance on the revenue generated from the colonies in order to pay off the debts of the war. The increased influence of the colonial leaders led to increased political experimentation and the harnessing of lower class resentment to advance personal motives. During the Stamp Act, political officials began organizing peaceful protests in an attempt to deflect escalating class resentment. However, the mob eventually lost control and began looting and destroying property, leading the wealthy to advise “No Mobs or Tumults” during future protests in an attempt to save their own property (Zinn 62-63). The adamant insistence on the protection of property reflected only the interests of the privileged, indicating the control of the lower classes by political officials. Furthermore, the hypocrisy regarding the financial conditions of the Founding Fathers exhibits the engineering and planning behind the creation of the United States. The blatant double-standard regarding slavery and equality in the Declaration of Independence becomes even more vulgar when considering that “69 percent of the signers… held colonial office under England,” the majority of the Founding Fathers owned slaves, and that “equality” only included white men (Zinn 70). These factors exhibit the true motivating factors of power and position behind the Founding Fathers’ creation of the United