OPVL Nisha

Source A:
Zinn, Howard. The Empire and the People, The People's History of the United States, 1980.

The value in the origin of this source is that it was written by Howard Zinn, one of the

most popular, left-winged historians. Zinn political views were shaped by serving as a

bombardier in WWII. His knowledge can be considered credible since he studied as various

Columbia and New York universities and obtained a doctorate in 1958. He then spent 30 years

researching and eventually published his book in 1980. Howard Zinn is known for taking a

different approach in conveying the events of history. He states that the purpose for writing

this book was to present a different side of history from the more traditional “fundamental

nationalist glorification of country.” He often takes underdogs’ perspectives and forces readers

to think about what they know about American history in new ways. His intended audience

ranges from political figures to normal, civil people.

This book has inherent value in that it addresses not only the accounts of what

happened in America during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but also the different

perspectives that rose from these foreign policies and expansionist ideals. Focusing on the

minority or ‘underdog’ perspectives, it is shown that Zinn takes into account all different sides

of these policies and ideals. Although being praised by countless other historians and being the

runner-up for the National Book Award, one limitation is that he is a highly criticized historian.

This is because he showcases the rigged systems of American history that favor small elite

groups and manipulate and exploit the majority.