A People's History of the U.S. (link)
Ms. Sharer
Class web site – http://historysharerapus.weebly.com/
Email: [email protected]
Zinn, H. (1980). A People’s History of the United States.
http://www.historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshistory.html (book)
The book, A People’s History of the United States, provides a history from the “bottom up” or a history based on the lives and experiences of “ordinary” people. It is a history from the perspective of those without power and who often are ignored in textbooks. The book is online.
Read Chapters 1 – 3. The chapters describe European conquest of the Americas and the experiences of African Americans, Americans Indians (Native Americas) and indentured European servants.
After reading chapters 1 – 3, complete the following questions in complete sentences. The assignment must be TYPED. It is due the beginning of class on September 8, 2014.
a) Chapter 1
1. According to Zinn, what is his main purpose for writing A People’s History of the United States?
2. What is Zinn’s thesis for pages 1 – 11?
3. According to Zinn, how is Columbus portrayed in traditional history books?
4. Discuss the significance of Powhatan’s statement, “Why will you take by force what you may have quietly by love?”
b) Chapter 2
1. Why did Virginians massacre American Indians instead of enslaving them?
2. Page 27: “…where white and blacks found themselves with common problems, common work, a common enemy in their master, they behaved toward one another as equals.”
What were the “problems” that African and Europeans in the Americas shared? What was the “work” that Africans and Europeans did? Was it the same? Did they work together? How did the “master” treat his indentured servant? How did the “master” treat his slave? To what degree was the treatment the same?
3. How did the Virginia ruling class begin to drive a wedge between the European indentured servants and enslaved Africans?
c) Chapter 3
1. What is Zinn’s thesis in this chapter?
2. What was the underlying cause of Bacon’s Rebellion?
3. What was the “double motive” of the Virginia government vis-à-vis Bacon’s Rebellion?
4. What evidence does Zinn provide regarding the monopoly of power by the rich in Boston?
5. How did the rich manage to keep American Indians “at a distance?”
Ms. Sharer
Class web site – http://historysharerapus.weebly.com/
Email: [email protected]
Zinn, H. (1980). A People’s History of the United States.
http://www.historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshistory.html (book)
The book, A People’s History of the United States, provides a history from the “bottom up” or a history based on the lives and experiences of “ordinary” people. It is a history from the perspective of those without power and who often are ignored in textbooks. The book is online.
Read Chapters 1 – 3. The chapters describe European conquest of the Americas and the experiences of African Americans, Americans Indians (Native Americas) and indentured European servants.
After reading chapters 1 – 3, complete the following questions in complete sentences. The assignment must be TYPED. It is due the beginning of class on September 8, 2014.
a) Chapter 1
1. According to Zinn, what is his main purpose for writing A People’s History of the United States?
2. What is Zinn’s thesis for pages 1 – 11?
3. According to Zinn, how is Columbus portrayed in traditional history books?
4. Discuss the significance of Powhatan’s statement, “Why will you take by force what you may have quietly by love?”
b) Chapter 2
1. Why did Virginians massacre American Indians instead of enslaving them?
2. Page 27: “…where white and blacks found themselves with common problems, common work, a common enemy in their master, they behaved toward one another as equals.”
What were the “problems” that African and Europeans in the Americas shared? What was the “work” that Africans and Europeans did? Was it the same? Did they work together? How did the “master” treat his indentured servant? How did the “master” treat his slave? To what degree was the treatment the same?
3. How did the Virginia ruling class begin to drive a wedge between the European indentured servants and enslaved Africans?
c) Chapter 3
1. What is Zinn’s thesis in this chapter?
2. What was the underlying cause of Bacon’s Rebellion?
3. What was the “double motive” of the Virginia government vis-à-vis Bacon’s Rebellion?
4. What evidence does Zinn provide regarding the monopoly of power by the rich in Boston?
5. How did the rich manage to keep American Indians “at a distance?”