A People’s History of the United States Study Guide

Howard Zinn was born to a working-class family in Brooklyn. As a young man, he educated himself by reading the complete works of Charles Dickens and by hanging out with Communists who lived in his neighborhood. While he was a teenager, Zinn attended a peaceful protect in Times Square, and was knocked out by a police officer. The experience left a lasting impact on his thinking. Zinn fought in the Air Force during World War II, and later received an M.A. and Ph.D. in history from Columbia University. In 1964, he began teaching at Boston University, where he quickly became a beloved member of the history faculty. He was actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement and anti-Vietnam protesting. In 1980, he published his most famous work, A People’s History of the United States, which has proven enormously popular. He died at the age of 87, one of the most admired and beloved figures of the American left.

Another history book that covers similar territory is Lies My Teacher Told Me (1995) by James Loewen, which also takes a populist, left-wing view of history. Additionally, fans of Howard Zinn should consult the writings of his close friend and intellectual ally, the linguist and left-wing political activist Noam Chomsky. Many of Chomsky’s books have studied American history and, like A People’s History, argued that powerful, tyrannical leaders are ignoring the will of the American people. Chomsky’s bibliography is vast—he’s published well over 100 books—but many consider his masterpiece of left-wing social criticism to be Manufacturing Consent (1988).