The American Revolution or the American War of Independence was one of the most remarkable wars in the history of the world. The motives behind the war can be interestingly explained by Zinn from the chapter Tyranny Is Tyranny in A People’s History of The United States: 1“Around 1776, certain important people in the English colonies made a discovery that would prove enormously useful for the next two hundred years. 2They found that by creating a nation, a symbol, a legal unity called the United States, they could take over land, profits, and political power from favorites of the British Empire” (Zinn). Indeed, the American Revolution left a significant impact on early American society and government in terms of social, political, and intellectual adjustments. Typically, one of them is the gap between social classes. 3From the chapter A Kind of Revolution, it is surprising to know that “About 10 percent of the white population - large landholders and merchants - held 1,000 pounds or more in personal property and 1,000 pounds in land, at the least, and these men owned nearly half the wealth of the country and held as slaves one-seventh of the country's people” (Zinn). What’s more: “The people resented the tax system, which was especially burdensome on the poor” (Zinn). Besides, the ability to have a political say can only be in the hands of the rich and powerful. Consequently, mutinies and slave revolts broke out because one finds inequality everywhere. To my surprise, it was this political tyranny, economic burdens and unfairness in social hierarchy that motivated people in the 13 colonies to stand up and revolt against the corrupted government at that time. We are taught by the modern-day history books to revere our Founders as superhuman leaders of a superior generation. Yet in fact, on the opposite, they were not perfect. They were also problematic and thus do not deserve their current level of popularity. 4“Shouldn't we applaud the Founders’ restored popularity? Yes - but like anything else, it can be taken too far” (H. W. Brands). Pondering over this question, we take the shortcomings of the Founders into consideration. In scrutinizing the Declaration and the Constitution, “two grave sins of omission hung ominously over the country: the Founders' failure to deal with slavery, and their failure to specify whether sovereignty lay with the states or with the nation” (H. W. Brands). The intentional ignorance of slavery in the documents which represent American history makes us look over the Founders' perspectives. “For one thing, challenging slavery's validity within those documents was completely irrational, seeing as slavery was a critical part of culture both in America, and in Europe. The majority of the Founders simply didn't see anything wrong with it; or if they did, they did not express it. Another reason that they didn't mention slavery is because it would do more harm than good. If they openly condemned slavery, they would quickly lose all support for their cause from slave-owning inhabitants of the colonies, which would be political suicide” (class notes). This deficiency in the Founders’ work makes their successors refrain from acknowledging the existence of slavery within a governing system. 2“Everyone knew the basic prescription for a wise and just government. It was so to balance the contending powers in society that no one power could overwhelm the others and, unchecked, destroy the liberties that belonged to all” (Bailyn). Indeed, what needed to be done was clearly expressed; yet it was undone as “the Founding Fathers did not want an equal balance between slaves and masters”. 4According to Brands, in the columns of the Philadelphia Aurora, Bache alleged “political iniquity” and “legalized corruption” in the Washington Administration, and called the first President “the source of all the misfortunes of our country”. Thomas Paine, the leading propagandist of the Revolution, accused Washington of abandoning the cause for which the Revolution was fought. A Connecticut paper warned of the orgies a Jefferson presidency would bring: "Murder, robbery, rape, adultery, and incest will all be openly taught and practiced; the air will be rent with the cries of the distressed; the soil will be soaked with blood, and the nation black with crimes." I agree with Brands that even though the Founders may have been scholarly and knowledgeable, they were less perceptive of the natural world and the normal basis of human behavior. From the chapter Drawing The Color Line by Howard Zinn and the lecture given by James Loewen on slavery, I believe history back in that time had lost its sense of humanity. Indeed, racism has played an important role in shaping American history for such a long time. I agree with Zinn that the inferior position of blacks in America is accompanied by a peculiar feeling full of racism, hatred and contempt. 2It is stunning to know that African blacks had been stamped as slave labor for a hundred years. While the Indians and the whites embraced their own culture, the blacks became helplessly deprived of their land and culture. It is also surprising to know that American slavery was the cruelest form of history. James Loewen interestingly posed the question about thinking of slavery today without guilt, without shame and omitting it. I agree with him that racism developed a rationale for slavery and slavery is totally important to the history and development of the United States because it represents the absolute societal settings in America today. Its period might end, but its remnants as an association with racism and discrimination still prevail in our society nowadays. Apart from establishing the America as an independent nation, the Revolutionary War assisted in creating a democratic and responsible government, by the people and for the people. It embraces certain unalienable rights such as Life, Liberty, Equality and Pursuit of Happiness. The Revolution entitled the people with rights to alter or abolish an oppressive and malfunctioned government in order to institute a new stable one. I found what is mentioned by Zinn in the chapter Tyranny Is Tyranny very ideal and astounding: “The Privates Committee drew up a bill of rights for the convention, including the statement that an enormous proportion of property vested in a few individuals is dangerous to the rights, and destructive of the common happiness, of mankind; 1and therefore every free state hath a right by its laws to discourage the possession of such property” (Zinn). Thus, it can be concluded that the ideology of the Declaration - by which American government is established by the people to protect their life, liberty, and happiness - is to be discarded unless it fulfills its duty of serving people’s needs. In the chapter A Kind of Revolution, Zinn poses a question asking what in the end the Revolution meant to the Native Indians. 2Appealingly as he puts it, “They had been ignored by the fine words of the Declaration and Constitution, had not been considered equal, certainly not in choosing those who would govern the American territories in which they lived, nor in being able to pursue happiness as they had pursued it for centuries before the white Europeans arrived” (Zinn). However, I believe the Revolution undeniably did lay a foundation and provide the opportunities for the blacks to make inquiries and requests towards the white society. They wished to repeal discriminatory laws against Negros, yearning for equal rights and an end to slavery, asking for equal division of property to accommodate their families and an authentic voice in court. But sadly, I agree with Zinn the controversy still goes around the fact that the Constitution does not take into consideration the equality, individuality and differences among social classes and political powers of property. This is attributable to the fact that the crafting and establishment of the strong federal government only involved the interference and control by the rich elites - who always prioritized their personal interests and maintenance of their privileges – and hence excluded the interests of other inferior social classes such as slaves, indentured servants, women and men without property. I agree with Zinn that only by looking at the real economic interests and social backgrounds of the makers of the Constitution, we can conclude that the popular rebellions against the monopolies of society’s wealth during this era could be attributed to the corrupted structure of American government, the slave trade, the politics of unity among northern and southern ruling leaders and the prevailing culture of race prejudice in the colonies. I am convinced that the core issue of democracy not only lays in the Constitutional setbacks on unjust policies but also leaves a scar of segregation between the rich and the poor which still exists in today’s society. I believe the Revolutionary America would have been happier and more prosperous had it not been for the actual fighting and suffering from the poorly-treated people. The continuing mythologies surrounding this time leaves behind far-reaching consequences for us today. The Founders’ work and accomplishments are not necessarily a blessing for America. And by overvaluing and revering them we can be stymied from striving to fight for our ultimate values and principles. Exaggerated interest and admiration for the Founders will undermine the individual’s ability to reason rationally and his right to choose, to think and to make decision independently. Because the moment we overvalue the Founders and adhere to the myths surrounding them unthinkingly and unquestioningly, we will be forced to forfeit certain thoughts, beliefs and opinions that are contradictory or different to the given ones. Therefore, I believe the wisdom of every generation’s predecessors must be compellingly reconsidered and revised for the common good of a society. UNITED STATES HISTORY AMY BELL WR I TTE N E XE RC I SE # 2 WE T H I NK W E K NOW T H E REVOL U T I ONA RY WA R. AFT ER AL L , T H E AM E RI C AN R EVOL U T I O N A ND T H E WA R T H AT AC C O M PA NI ED I T NOT O N LY D ET E RM I NED T H E NAT I O N W E WOU L D B EC O M E BU T AL S O C O NT I N U E TO D EFI N E WH O W E AR E. T H E D EC L A RAT I ON O F I N D E PE ND E NC E, T H E M I D NI G H T RI D E, VAL L E Y FO RG E — T H E WH OL E G L O RI O U S C H RO NI C L E O F T H E C OL O NI ST S’ REB EL L I O N AG AI NST T Y RA N NY I S I N T H E AM E R I C AN D NA. O FT EN I T I S T H E RE VOL U T I ON T H AT I S A C H I L D ’ S FI RST E NC OU NT E R WI T H H I ST O RY. Y ET M U C H O F WH AT W E K NOW I S NOT ENT I RELY T RU E. PE R H A P S M O RE T H A N AN Y D E F I NI NG M OM ENT I N AM E R I C AN H I STO RY, T H E WA R OF I ND E PE ND E N C E I S S WAT H ED I N B E L I EF S N O T B O R NE OU T B Y T H E FAC T S . ~ J OH N F E R L I N G We do think we know the Revolutionary War. We grow up hearing about it year after year in class, and celebrate our foundings with fireworks every July 4th. And yet, much of what we believe we know is not true. What is the traditional story of this era? How does the picture of our “founding fathers” painted by Zinn, Loewen, Brands and Lepore differ from the stories we often learn in history courses? Indeed, after completing the assignments over the War for Independence and the creation of the constitution, what do you believe this era was truly about? What does Zinn argue the ultimate causes of the war and the drafting of the constitution to be? Do you agree with him? Why or why not? And what are the far-reaching consequences for us today of the continuing mythologies surrounding this time and how they are canonized in the popular mind? “ H I S TO RY I S F I C T I O N, E XC E P T F O R T H E PA R T S T H A T I L I K E , W H I C H A R E , OF C OU R S E , T R U E . ” ~ JIM CORDER DIRECTIONS 1) Your response to the question must be typed—twelve point font, double-spaced. In writing your answer, please do not exceed five pages. 2) In your response, try to mainly use only your assigned text(s), the instructor’s handouts, or class notes taken from discussions. You may use additional library or internet scholarly sources. 3) Your generalizations must be supported by direct citations from the text, class notes, or instructor’s handouts. 4) Citations should be made in MLA format. For class notes or presentations, you might use: (Discussion Board 1) or (class notes) or (Zinn 23). Note: You must cite parenthetically throughout your narrative. Please follow this format. There should be many citations throughout your response taken from the sources noted above because assumptions and interpretations must be bolstered by citations. The strength of your response is dependent largely upon your citation of the assigned sources. 5) Do not include a bibliography. 6) You may consult with your classmates in formulating an answer to this question. However, you must write your own, unique, independent answer to this question. 7) Date Due: Please see date on eCampus Calendar. “ ON E I S A S TO N I S H E D I N T H E S T U DY O F H I S TO RY A T T H E R E C U R R E N C E OF T H E I D E A T H A T E V I L M U S T B E F O R G OT T E N, D I S T O RT E D, S K I M M E D OV E R . W E M U S T N O T R E M E M B E R T H A T DA N I E L W E B S T E R G OT D RU N K BU T ON LY R E M E M B E R T H A T H E W A S A S P L E N D I D C ON S T I T U T I O N A L L A W Y E R . W E M U S T F ORG E T T H A T G E ORG E W A H I N G TON W A S A S L AV E OW N E R … A N D S I M P LY R E M E M B E R T H E T H I N G S W E R E G A R D A S C R E D I TA B L E A N D I N S P I R I N G . T H E D I F F I C U LT Y, O F C O U R S E , W I T H T H I S P H I L O S O P H Y I S T H A T H I S T O RY L OS E S I T S VA L U E A S A N I N C E N T I V E A N D E X A M P L E ; I T PA I N T S P E R F E C T M E N A N D N OB L E N A T I O N S , BU T I T D OE S N OT T E L L T H E T RU T H . ” ~ W. E . B . D U B OI S ( B L AC K REC ON ST RU C T I ON ) 
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