Blog Number 1- A People’s History of the United States

The author’s thesis is “Behind invasion of the North America, behind their massacre of Indians, their deception, their brutality, was that special powerful drive born in civilization based on private property. It was a morally ambiguous drive; the need for space, for land, was a real human need. But in conditions of scarcity, in a barbarous epoch of history ruled by competition, this human need was transformed into the murder of whole peoples,” stated Zinn.
I believe Zinn’s argument was that Columbus and people in the world such as conquerors, masters, capitalists, dominators, race, and sex had more power over other’s and treated the conquerors, slaves, workers, dominated, race, and sex unfairly. Zinn used Columbus as an example by explaining how in America we celebrate Christopher Columbus day and thin that he is a hero, but important details are left behind, such as the enslavement and killing. Zinn said in his article that he would like the world to hear about the discovery of America through the viewpoint of the slaves and the people that were taken prisoners. In the article Zinn discusses the measures people will go to, to find land, gold, power, and power.
I understand what Zinn is saying but I wonder why he is proposing that America is doing such a bad thing. Back then slaves were common and I am not saying that is right but Zinn is trying to make Christopher Columbus and America look like the only ones who did it. Yes he mentions the Spaniards but there are many other places in the earth that certain people treated others unfairly. My question is why didn’t he mention how hard is to survive back then. Things where not easy and people had to take certain measures things to survive, so why didn’t Zinn mention that? So I believe Zinn is ignoring other important information that will make others opinions change.
I felt that the reading was interesting but as I was reading it I felt it was based on opinion, and a lot of facts where left out. I thought the reading was trying to make America and Christopher Columbus look bad by saying he was a mass murderer, but yet Zinn left out many details of why he killed those men. The reading taught me information that I did not know, but I felt the information was opinion based and I disagree with some of it. I do not think killing innocent people is right, but in certain circumstances there isn’t anything you can do about it. Zinn’s article was interesting but I disagree with his argument to the extant that killing is wrong and but killing to survive to find a place to live or for food is not.