History 16

 

Introduction:

                                 “It might be a good idea if the various countries of

                                 The world would occasionally swap history books,

                                 just to see what other people are doing with the same

                                 facts.”  -Bill Vaughan

                                                                                  

One of the main purposes of this class is for you to be able to see a subject (like history) from as many different angles as possible, and for you to be able to analyze and critique each particular viewpoint.   For example, you should be able to explain what Providential Religious History is, why it came into existence, and what made it popular among intellectuals of its time.  You should also be able to critique the thesis, analyze why it fell into disfavor among intellectuals, and realize the significance of the theory in the modern culture war.  You will become familiar with Providential Secular History, the Germ Theory, and the Turner, or “Frontier,” thesis.   You should be able to analyze why these intellectual movements arose and what led to their demise.  You will be able to understand what the Progressive interpretation was, why it came about, and why it was trumped by the Consensus view, as outlined by Hofstadter in his introduction and chapter 1.   We will examine Zinn’s New Left argument, as outlined in chapters 1 and 23 of his book, and Johnson’s conservative thesis, as outlined in section 3 below.  At some point we will touch on other interpretations of American history and culture (e.g. Critical Race Theory, Feminist Theory, and Postmodernism).

 

1. Read Zinn Ch 1. 

1) What is Zinn’s overall thesis about American history? 

2) Who was Samuel Elliot Morrison? According to Zinn, What is the problem with Morrison’s work?  Has Zinn correctly interpreted Morrison’s thesis?  Has Zinn stated a proper analogy between Morrison and Hiroshima?

3) What is Zinn’s thesis about the values held by New World Indians? Analyze the evidence he uses to support this thesis. Is it source mined? What argument can you make showing that Zinn’s thesis is hypocritical?  Hint: What does he say regarding Aztec human sacrifices?

4) On page 13 Zinn gives an account which he attributes to Powhatan.  Do you see any problems with this account? What does it do to Zinn’s credibility?

5) According to Zinn, why is it that historians so often differ in their interpretations? 

 

2. Read Zinn Ch. 23 entitled “The Coming Revolt of the Guards.” What is his thesis? Per Zinn, what is the root of America’s problems and what is the solution?  Can you think of alternative sources for these problems?  Are Americans (as Zinn states) really ready for his solution? What problems can you see with it?  Will violence be involved? What alternative solutions are there?  Notice his use of conspiratorial language.  What evidence of conspiracy does he give?  Is it true (as Zinn states) that people’s movements have so far been defeated?  Think of some examples.  Is America (as Zinn states) failing?  What is Zinn’s view of human nature and why does that matter?

 

  1. Read Johnson preface and pp. 1-35 and  976 1)  In contrast to Zinn, what is Johnson’s overall thesis (i.e. interpretation) of American history?  How does Johnson view Columbus, the conquistadores, and the Indians?  Whose point of view does he come at it from?  How does he view Walter Ralegh?  Does this portend anything about how he will view other notable American personalities?  What happened to the Roanoke Colony?  Does he know for sure? What does he think of the role of Christianity in the New World?  What is implied by the statement that Indians failed to domesticate animals? Critique Johnson on this point.

 

    4.  History 16 Students:  Skip section 4  (Hofstadter) and go to section 5 (Zinn ch 2)

 

  1.  History 17 students: Read Hofstadter Introduction and chapter 1.   What does he think of traditional American history books?  How does his interpretation differ from Zinn and Johnson?  How did the founding fathers view human nature?  What did they think of democracy?  What did their European counterparts think of them?  When you are finished with this assignment go to the history 17 outline and begin with section 5

 

5.  Read Zinn Chapter 2.  Why were Indians and indentured servants not a good source of labor in the New World?  Which people from the Old World were the first to enslave blacks?  In what way was African civilization superior to European civilization?   Why was black over black slavery within Africa less morally culpable than white over black slavery?  How does the glorification of African civilization further Zinn’s thesis?  Did racism cause slavery or did slavery cause racism?  Why would blacks and poor whites band together in the New World?   Do you believe it?  Was Stanley Elkins right about the way blacks responded to slavery?

 

6.  Read Johnson pp. 307-321.  How does Johnson’s view of slavery differ from Zinn’s?    

 

7. Read Zinn chapter 3 and Johnson pp 36-117.  What is the difference between their theses?  Critique each author.

 

8.  Read Zinn chapters 4 & 5.  What is his thesis about the Revolutionary War?   Read Johnson pp116-175. How does his thesis about the war differ from Zinn’s?

 

9. Read Zinn ch 6 “The Intimately Oppressed” and Johnson pp.656-660, 972-976.  How do they differ regarding women in America?

 

11. Read Johnson pp. 176-266.  Critique the thesis. 

 

Midterm Exam:2-12

 

Analytical Book Review of Krakauer Due 3-20

 

12.  Read Zinn Ch. 7:  “As Long as Grass Grows or Water Runs” and Johnson pp. 267-279.  According to Zinn, why did Americans remove Indians?  What evidence would contradict that thesis? What is the difference between Zinn and Johnson in the way they describe the Indian wars?  What is the difference between them regarding who did the heavy lifting at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend?  Per Zinn, what did the 1814 treaty with the Creeks do to the Creeks?  What does Zinn think about the way that the Seminole and Cherokee Indians treated their black slaves?  What were the chief characteristics of the Indians he describes on pages 20, 135 and 137?  What inconsistency do you see in this description? What is the difference in the way the two authors view Andrew Jackson?

 

13. Read Johnson pp. 283-370. Critique the thesis.

 

15. Read Zinn Chapter 8. Critique the thesis.

 

16. Read Johnson pp.  371-419. Critique the thesis.

 

17.  Read Johnson pp 423-494. Critique the thesis.

 

19. Read Zinn ch. 9. Critique the thesis.

 

20. Read Johnson pp 495-507. Critique the thesis.

Final Exam: 4-22 11:00-1:00