With the adoption of The United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, the United States was founded, born, established. Not when Columbus came ashore. This manufactured U.S. history to 1492 is irksome and seemingly contrived. If history is to be treated honestly that far back, I expect Zinn to take the European nations to task as well. Not just the personality of Christopher Columbus, but colonial Europe in its entirety. Or, treat history honestly in the context of the U.S.’s existence and not in the context of his gripes with western civilization which has so richly rewarded him. If there is to be a treatment of slavery, discuss the Africans who sold fellow Africans to Dutch, English and Portuguese traders. Is the people’s history or one malcontent’s view from the safe distance of his privileged position? What was Columbus really guilty of? The indigenous peoples of the Americas were certainly aggressive enough amongst themselves and engaged in similar acts of war and con...

I read Dr Kazin's critique and I have to admit that he is correct in a very narrow sense. Mr Kazin does fail to point out the failings of the left. Of course it may be that he gave his readers credit for being aware of those failings, or perhaps he simply relied on the likes of Dr Kazin to do so ad nauseum. His thesis that the only time that the American proletariat took the bit in its teeth and really threatened the establishment was at the turn of the last century remains valid. Much of the history of the twentieth century is the story of that revolt being systematically crushed. The result is our present pathetic situation.