A People's History of the United States: 1492 to the Present

Additional A People's History of the United States: 1492 to the Present Information

Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research, A People's History is the only volume to tell America's story from the point of view of--and in the words of--America's women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, the working poor, and immigrant laborers.As historian Howard Zinn shows, many of our country's greatest battles---the fights for a fair wage, an eight-hour workday, child-labor laws, health and safety standards, universal suffrage, women's rights, racial equality--were carried out at the grassroots level, against bloody resistance.Covering Christopher Columbus's arrival through President Clinton's first term, A People's History of the United States, which was nominated for the American Book Award in 1981, features insightful analysis of the most important events in our history.

Revised, updated, and featuring a new after, word by the author, this special twentieth anniversary edition continues Zinn's important contribution to a complete and balanced understanding of American history.

What Customers Say About A People's History of the United States: 1492 to the Present:

Grade: A- Illuminating and powerful. Zinn's history focuses on the everyday, working people that fought for "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" against great odds. Rather than well-known names and historical anecdotes, Zinn's (sometimes overly negative or extremist) history captures the struggle, suffering, sacrifice, and triumph of a people trying to make a better world of peace and prosperity for all.

The accounts and facts collected by professor Zinn really capture the American process of colonization to statehood. THis is an excellent piece of history.

I gave up trying to trudge through the civil war period. A real eye opener to nation's history from the ordinary people's point of view. The struggles the ordinary citizen went through is quite shocking.Originally I was introduced to this title from the movie Good Will Hunting. I only wish I could read it faster and still comprehend it.

Something our typical historians and media fail to bring up. I'm anxious to progress through to recent times. It seems as though there would be hundreds if not thousands killed in these conflicts.I'm persevering to finish and still love the detail of struggles between average worker and big industry and government. Although after the sensational description of what sounds like 4000 armed workers against the national guard or army have a shoot out, only results in say 15 dead.

It has a loose chronological order. Our country's laws and government has historically favored capitalistic interests.Shocking real accounts of the struggles of workers and the bloody conflicts that result. I'm just up to the early 1900's. The section I'm in now describes the difficult times in early 1900's/late 1800's that workers had trying to organize unions.

I would rate it higher but maybe it's above my reading ability (which wouldn't take a lot). The more I read it the more it aligns with his character in the movie about the honor of the working class.I can only read a few pages at a time though. It jumps between dates that are within a close (10-20 year) time span which sometimes makes me feel as though I'm progressing and then going backwards in history.

this book is for you, but not for me. I was told that this was a good book for my students. but if you want them to read a left slanted, liberal biased history of the US.

This is not an attempt to create an impartial, if different, history; rather, it is Zinn's attempt to call the middle and lower classes to "arms" against the oppressive doctrines that have been enacted on them. At times, the book has the feel of a Michael Moore film: liberal propaganda meant to counterbalance conservative propaganda.Of course, the book begins with an acknowledged bias, and this acknowledgment alone gives it a great deal more credibility. There is an incredibly small amount of information about FDR's presidency, which is astonishing given that he served longer than any other US President.

The book provides interesting new interpretations of historical events and backs them up with a variety of source material. On the downside, however, the book errs too far into a radical revision of history without really evaluating even a centrist perspective on past events. Zinn's History provides some much needed perspective from minority groups throughout America's history, starting, of course, in 1492 with Columbus.

Zinn also seems to take particular glee in giving a truly punishing perspective on Republican party Presidents and activities while giving very brief attention to the controversy of Democrats. Zinn's main purpose in providing this history is to spur you into believing that less than 1% of people controlling 90% of the wealth is not good enough, and is not something we should settle for as a society.Whether you are liberal or conservative, this book will provide an intriguing perspective about the many aspects of dominance and oppression in America's past; if you can tolerate the obvious bias, it is a fascinating read. Zinn's prose is clear, poignant, and unabashed in addressing the grievances of a great many groups of people.

For those who have only heard the victor's version of American history, this book will provide a sobering look at many of the issues that have been glossed over in the past.