This essay addresses the following scenario: You are a staffer for NCHE (National Council on History Education). The Board of Trustees has directed NCHE staff to submit proposals for books that could provide the basis for a national conversation on American history. Preliminary discussions have narrowed the choices down to either Howard Zinn’s "A People's History of the United States" or Paul Johnson’s "A History of the American People". The NCHE Board wants a recommendation from you. Your memo should summarize the different “stories” told by each historian, comparing and contrasting them, and make a case for why you think one book would be a better choice than the other.
Table of Contents
- Howard Zinn or Paul Johnson: Which Author's Story Makes Better Sense of the History of the United States?
- Howard Zinn
- A People's History of the United States
- Paul Johnson
- A History of the American People
- Zinn vs. Johnson: An Argument for Paul Johnson's A History of the American People
- Zinn Fails at Living Up to the Title of His Book
- The Evidence Zinn Uses to Support His Claims Is Often Not Convincing
Objectives and Key Themes
This article analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of two prominent historical works: Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States and Paul Johnson's A History of the American People. The author argues that Johnson's work provides a more comprehensive and convincing narrative of American history than Zinn's, ultimately recommending Johnson's book for use in local history book readings.
- The importance of historical knowledge and analysis
- Different interpretations of American history
- The role of historical evidence
- The strengths and weaknesses of both Zinn's and Johnson's works
- The author's recommendation for a suitable history book for local readings
Chapter Summaries
- Howard Zinn or Paul Johnson: Which Author's Story Makes Better Sense of the History of the United States?: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the article by highlighting the debate over which history book should be used for local readings. It introduces the two authors, Howard Zinn and Paul Johnson, and provides brief background information on their respective works.
- Howard Zinn: This chapter presents a more detailed overview of Howard Zinn's life and career, emphasizing his leftist ideology and the influence of Karl Marx on his work. The chapter also discusses the significance and popularity of Zinn's A People's History of the United States.
- Paul Johnson: This chapter delves into the life and career of Paul Johnson, tracing his political evolution from a member of the British Labor Party to a staunch supporter of Margaret Thatcher. The chapter also explores the key themes and arguments presented in Johnson's A History of the American People.
- Zinn vs. Johnson: An Argument for Paul Johnson's A History of the American People: This chapter presents the author's argument for why Johnson's work is more suitable for local readings. The author criticizes Zinn's approach for its incompleteness and lack of credible evidence, while praising Johnson's work for its comprehensiveness and convincing arguments.
- Zinn Fails at Living Up to the Title of His Book: This chapter provides further criticism of Zinn's work, arguing that it does not adequately represent a "people's history" and that it focuses too much on the experiences of minorities while neglecting the broader picture of American society.
- The Evidence Zinn Uses to Support His Claims Is Often Not Convincing: This chapter delves into the evidence presented in Zinn's work, exposing flaws in his methodology and questioning the credibility of his sources. The author highlights instances where Zinn's evidence appears misleading or inaccurate.
Keywords
This article focuses on the works of Howard Zinn and Paul Johnson, exploring their interpretations of American history and their respective books: A People's History of the United States and A History of the American People. Key themes include historical knowledge, analysis, different perspectives on history, the importance of evidence, and the suitability of each work for local readings.
- Quote paper
- Michael Neureiter (Author), 2010, Howard Zinn or Paul Johnson: Which Author´s Story Makes Better Sense of the History of the United States?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/168942
