Howard Zinn Challenges American Identity

Howard Zinn challenges the American identity by suggesting that America is just as bad as Great Britain in that the countries are both incredibly elitist. Going back to the founding fathers, the U.S. has an uneven distribution of wealth, and the founding fathers wanted to oppress the lower class. Once the lower class realized this, riots were held against the elites. Zinn argues that the American Revolution merely shifted the elite tyranny from one leader to another. The founding fathers that are now looked up to, were really just another elite power that desired to oppress the poor. The founding fathers were able to “Take over land, profits, and political power from favorites of the British Empire. In the process, they could hold back a
number of potential rebellions and create a consensus of popular support for the rule of a new, privileged leadership.” Zinn suggests that the founders were very similar to the British Elite, and were simply a new elitist upper class. Howard Zinn explains how there was great tension between the upper and lower class colonists before the revolution. Before the revolution the upper class successfully persuaded the lower class to support them against the British. Zinn points out that 69% of the Patriot leaders who signed the Declaration of Independence served under British rule prior to the revolution. Once the lower class realized they would be ruled in a similar way, they revolted against the patriot leadership. Zinn’s arguments provide a new way of looking at the founding fathers and our country’s history. Zinn’s explanation promotes the questioning of everything we’ve ever been taught. His position allows American’s to rethink this country’s origins and reconsider the honor surrounding our founding fathers.