A People’s History of the United States

1. Conquest and Genocide: The Dark Side of "Discovery"

With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.

Columbus's arrival was not a discovery, but an invasion. The Arawaks, like other indigenous peoples, were not "discovered" but encountered, and their hospitality was met with violence, enslavement, and ultimately, genocide. The European quest for gold and power led to the systematic destruction of native cultures and populations.

• Arawaks were welcoming, offering gifts and trade.
• Columbus took natives by force to find gold.
• The Spanish built the first European military base in the Western Hemisphere.
• Massacres, mutilation, and suicide became common.
• Within a century, the Arawaks were virtually extinct.

The narrative of "heroic adventure" obscures the brutal reality. History books often present Columbus as a brave explorer, omitting or downplaying the atrocities committed in his name. This selective storytelling serves to justify conquest and violence as a necessary price for progress.

• Samuel Eliot Morison, a prominent historian, acknowledged the genocide but emphasized Columbus's seamanship.
• This emphasis buries the truth in a mass of other information, minimizing its importance.
• The historian's choice of emphasis is not technical but ideological, supporting certain interests.

The past is not just a story, but a tool for understanding the present. By examining history from the perspective of the victims, we can challenge the dominant narratives and recognize the ongoing patterns of oppression and exploitation. The easy acceptance of atrocities as a necessary price for progress is a dangerous idea that must be questioned.

2. The Invention of Race: Slavery and the Color Line

Probably no ship in modern history has carried a more portentous freight. Her cargo? Twenty slaves.

Slavery in America was not a natural occurrence, but a deliberate construction. The enslavement of Africans was not based on inherent racial differences but on the economic needs of the colonies and the availability of a vulnerable population. The color line was drawn to justify and maintain this system of exploitation.

• The Virginia colony desperately needed labor for tobacco production.
• Indians were difficult to enslave due to their knowledge of the land and resistance.
• White servants were not a permanent solution.
• Africans, forcibly removed from their culture, were seen as ideal for enslavement.

African societies were complex and advanced, not inferior. The idea of African inferiority was a convenient justification for the slave trade. African kingdoms had sophisticated social structures, agriculture, and art.

• Timbuktu and Mali were thriving urban centers.
• Benin had well-organized towns and skilled artisans.
• African slavery was different from American slavery, with more rights and less brutality.

Racism was a tool of control, not a natural antipathy. The development of racism was not a spontaneous phenomenon but a deliberate process of creating a system of oppression. It was used to divide and control both black slaves and poor whites, preventing them from uniting against the ruling class.

• Laws were passed to prevent interracial relationships.
• Blacks were treated differently from white servants, even in the early years.
• The concept of "blackness" was associated with inferiority and subordination.

3. Class Conflict: The Hidden History of Colonial America

How miserable that man is that Governes a People where six parts of seaven at least are Poore Endebted Discontented and Armed.

Colonial America was not a land of equality, but of stark class divisions. The traditional narrative of a unified colonial society obscures the fierce conflicts between rich and poor, masters and servants, landlords and tenants. Bacon's Rebellion was a clear example of this tension.

• Bacon's Rebellion was a revolt of poor whites and some blacks against the ruling elite.
• It was fueled by economic hardship, resentment of the rich, and conflict with Indians.
• The rebellion was suppressed with force, and its leaders were hanged.

Indentured servitude was a form of forced labor, not a path to freedom. Poor whites were brought to America as indentured servants, often under harsh conditions, and were treated as commodities to be bought and sold.

• Servants were packed into ships like slaves, with high death rates.
• They were subject to beatings, whippings, and sexual abuse.
• They were often unable to marry or have children without permission.
• Most did not rise to prosperity after their servitude ended.

The colonial elite used various tactics to maintain control. They created a system of laws, courts, and social structures that favored the wealthy. They also used racism to divide and control the poor, and offered small benefits to the middle class to create a buffer against rebellion.

• The elite monopolized land, trade, and political power.
• They used religion and education to instill obedience and conformity.
• They created a system of rewards and punishments to maintain their dominance.

4. Revolutionary Rhetoric vs. Social Reality

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The American Revolution was not a unified movement for equality, but a complex struggle for power. While the rhetoric of liberty and equality was used to mobilize the population against England, the reality was that the Revolution was led by a new elite seeking to replace the old one.

• The Founding Fathers were mostly wealthy men with economic interests in the new nation.
• They were concerned with maintaining order and protecting property.
• They used the language of liberty to unite whites, while excluding blacks, Indians, and women.

The Declaration of Independence, while inspiring, was limited in its scope. The phrase "all men are created equal" did not apply to slaves, Indians, or women. The document was a product of its time, reflecting the biases and limitations of its authors.

• The Declaration omitted any mention of slavery or the rights of women.
• It even accused the King of inciting slave rebellions and Indian attacks.
• The focus was on political rights, not economic or social equality.

The Constitution was designed to protect the interests of the wealthy elite. It created a system of government that favored property owners and limited the power of the people.

• Senators were elected by state legislatures, not by popular vote.
• The President was elected by electors, not directly by the people.
• The Supreme Court was appointed by the President, not elected.
• The Constitution did not address the issue of slavery or the rights of women.

5. The Limits of Revolution: Class, Race, and Gender

Nations are not communities and never have been.

The American Revolution did not fundamentally alter the class structure of society. While some small farmers and artisans gained a bit of land and political power, the basic inequalities of wealth and power remained.

• The rich continued to control the economy and political system.
• The poor remained poor, and their grievances were often ignored.
• The middle class served as a buffer between the rich and the poor.

The Revolution did not bring freedom to slaves or equality to women. The ideals of liberty and equality were not extended to all people.

• Slavery continued to expand in the South, and blacks were still treated as property.
• Women were excluded from political life and remained subordinate to men.
• The Revolution did not challenge the patriarchal structure of society.

The Revolution did not bring justice to Native Americans. The Indians were pushed off their lands, their cultures destroyed, and their lives taken.

• The new nation continued the policy of Indian removal and extermination.
• The Indians were seen as obstacles to progress and expansion.
• The Revolution was a war for land, not for freedom for all.

6. The American Empire: Expansion and Control

We have already at least 10,000 men of these descendants of Ham, fit to bear arms, and these numbers increase every day, as well by birth as by importation. And in case there should arise a man of desperate fortune, he might with more advantage than Cataline kindle a servile war ... and tinge our rivers wide as they are with blood.

The drive for expansion was a powerful force in American history. The desire for land, resources, and markets led to the conquest of the West, the subjugation of Indians, and the expansion of American influence overseas.

• The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the nation.
• The Mexican War resulted in the acquisition of vast territories in the Southwest.
• The United States began to look toward the Pacific and Asia for new markets.

The concept of "manifest destiny" justified American expansionism. It was a belief that the United States was destined to control the continent and to spread its influence throughout the world.

• It was used to justify the displacement of Indians and the conquest of Mexico.
• It was also used to justify the annexation of Hawaii and the Philippines.
• It was a combination of economic ambition, racial superiority, and religious zeal.

The Spanish-American War marked a turning point in American history. It was a war fought for economic and strategic interests, but it was presented to the public as a war for freedom and democracy.

• The sinking of the Maine was used as a pretext for war.
• The United States took control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.
• The war marked the beginning of American imperialism in the Pacific.

7. The Illusion of Progress: War, Wealth, and Power

The state of slavery, among these wild barbarous people, as we esteem them, is much milder than in our colonies.

The American system of control was both subtle and crude. It used a combination of force, law, and ideology to maintain the power of the ruling elite.

• The government used the military to suppress rebellions and strikes.
• The courts were used to protect property rights and limit the power of labor.
• The media, schools, and churches were used to promote patriotism and obedience.

The idea of "progress" was used to justify inequality and oppression. The belief that the United States was a superior civilization was used to justify the exploitation of blacks, Indians, and other minorities.

• The idea of "civilizing" the Indians was used to justify their removal and extermination.
• The idea of "uplifting" the Filipinos was used to justify their subjugation.
• The idea of "progress" was used to justify the exploitation of workers and the concentration of wealth.

The pursuit of wealth and power often led to violence and injustice. The desire for profit and control led to the exploitation of labor, the destruction of the environment, and the use of military force against those who resisted.

• The slave trade was driven by the desire for profit.
• The conquest of the West was driven by the desire for land and resources.
• The Spanish-American War was driven by the desire for markets and power.

8. The Power of Resistance: From Slaves to Workers

The cry of the poor is not always just, but if you don't listen to it, you will never know what justice is.

Despite oppression, people have always found ways to resist. Slaves, servants, workers, women, and Indians all found ways to challenge the dominant power structures.

• Slaves resisted through running away, sabotage, and rebellion.
• Servants resisted through strikes, slowdowns, and individual acts of defiance.
• Workers organized unions and went on strike to demand better wages and working conditions.
• Women organized for suffrage and equal rights.
• Indians fought to protect their land and culture.

Resistance often took the form of collective action. People organized into groups to fight for their rights, to support one another, and to challenge the power of the state and corporations.

• The Anti-Rent movement in New York was a collective effort by tenants to resist landlords.
• The Dorr Rebellion in Rhode Island was a movement for voting rights.
• The Populist movement was a coalition of farmers and workers fighting against economic injustice.
• The IWW was a radical labor union that organized workers across industries.

The struggle for justice is an ongoing process. The history of the United States is a history of struggle, of people fighting for their rights, for their dignity, for a better world.

• The Civil Rights movement of the 1960s was a continuation of the struggle for racial equality.
• The antiwar movement of the 1960s and 1970s was a challenge to American imperialism.
• The women's movement of the 1970s was a fight for gender equality.
• The struggle for economic justice continues today.

Last updated: February 1, 2025