Name
: Endang Siti Nurkholidah
NIM : 14121310285
Class : PBI A/4
A
HISTORY CREATING THE HISTORIAN
(Author:
Endang Siti Nurkholidah)
1.
Introduction
Howard
Zinn. He was American historian who has
written a brilliant idea and moving history of the American people from the
different point of view. He has many talents that he did, because not only
historian, but also he is author, playwright and social activist. He was
politican science professor of Boston University. From 1956 through 1963, Zinn
chaired the Department of History and social sciences in Spelman College. He
participated in the Civil Rights Movement and lobbied with historian August
Meier "to end the practice of the Southern Historical Association of
holding meetings at segregated hotels". Zinn wrote more than 20 books. Yes
of course all of his books is very excellent and seldom have quotations so
effectively used. He always tells an important part of the truth.
Zinn
was known for his history of America through the perspective of “those outside
of the political and economic establishment,” A People’s History of the United
States: 1492-Present (1980, revised 1995). “A People's History of the United States”, the book was publishing in 1980 and only
sold four thousand
copies, now has sold out almost
two million copies and was reprinting five times.
Interestingly, in the Zinn’s book bravery to reveal the dark side of the new continent's history and commitment to the definition of the subaltern in Spivak: they are marginalized in the politics of narrating history. Shooting targets do not bear the responsibility: Christopher Columbus and the historians who write naive version of the arrival of the colonists. These include Harvard historian Samuel Elliot Morison.
Interestingly, in the Zinn’s book bravery to reveal the dark side of the new continent's history and commitment to the definition of the subaltern in Spivak: they are marginalized in the politics of narrating history. Shooting targets do not bear the responsibility: Christopher Columbus and the historians who write naive version of the arrival of the colonists. These include Harvard historian Samuel Elliot Morison.
Now,
this paper offers a critical insight on howard Zinn’s article “Speaking Truth
to Power with Books. Zinn, known after create his book which the contents that
peeling the fact of historical Colombus who found American continent in this
article, he always has a brilliant ideas who can influence the reader. He is
the brave man who always criticizes the truth including Zinn wrote many kinds
of books who can change our mind as a reader. Including in “Speaking Truth to Power with Book” who
tells about Christoper Colombus.
2.
Summary
Now
in this paper we can see there are several basics point that Zinn wrote in his
article “Speaking Truth to Power with
Book”. First, beginning from the title that explains about the truth of the
book, it means that in the book there are many the truth which must known by
us. “Speaking Truth to Power with Books” Zinn said that “a book can change everything in
the world”. Yes of course, beginning from a book that can change
everything in our live. According to Howard Zinn, every book that we have ever
read will give a good effect for reader. He said that increasing our awareness
of reading book will be influence and change the world. So, we can know that
the book has truly immeasurably if the reader can catch the purpose of the book.
The
book is an essential truth. The book is incandescent civilization of mankind in
this world. A variety of a big social change in the world stems from the
presence of a book. in every books seldom there is a smart think that can
change and influence the way of human thinking. “We can see, how the Sokrates
thinking that able to change society in Yunani Kuno. Magnis Suseno ever told
that Das
Capital Karl Marx is a book which can change the world. Almost
two-million societies red it books and it is inspired many changes of socials.”
Second,
“Speaking Truth to Power with Books” by Howard Zinn. He tells the truth of the history
and tells about history of Christoper Colombus. According to his perspective
and the facts who found by him, In the article he said that Colombus whom we
ridicolusly perceive as the discoverer of America. The first, beginning from a
look at Cristoper Colombus’ arrival through the eyes of the arawak india and
then leading the reader through the struggle for worker’s right, woman’s right
and civil right during the nineteenth and twentieth century and ending with the
protest against ending with the current protest American imperialism.
Story
of Colombus also supported by the book “A People's History of the United States(Howard
Zinn)”. It is a non-fiction book by
American historian and political scientist Howard Zinn. In his book he
presented American history through the eyes or the common people rather than
political and economic elites. A people history has been assigned as reading in
many high school and college across the united state. It has also resulted in a
change in the focus of historical work include stories that previously were
ignored.
3.
Critique
In
article there are two points neglected in Zinn’s article. First, In “Speaking truth to power with books” tells about the
truth of book, including history’s books. According to Zinn, books can change
our mindset. There is the amazing quote that is “A Books can Change the world”.
Indeed it is the fact and it is relating with a literacy. Literacy also has a
relation between a history. But there is a big question that I want to know the
truth. “Is there any truth in the history? Or “Is described in the history
books that the events actually happened?” I think there is no history
that still real history, because the mystery of the history is very hard to
unmask. In this era, history there are many history has been manipulated. It
means that no one the real history. Indeed jistory written by the winner. So
for the people who didn’t get the winner, do not try to write history, because
there are people who didn’t have responsibility when they write the history.
The
second, in the article tells about the history of Colombus according
perspective Howad Zinn. He tells a little thing about the other side of
Christopher Columbus is not known by many people. He wrote the book whose make
controversy. It is because of a book he wrote is contrary to the public
knowledge that glorifies Christopher Columbus as a hero, a great inventor, the
pious reader of the Bible. The reader is presented with the fact that Christoper
Columbus was a murderer, greedy people who are looking for gold or mutilate the
person who desires was surprising his readers (Howard Zinn). It is really varies inversely with the story’s
Colombus as the inventor of the Americas. Besides that, Howard Zinn said that
when the Colombus sailed, he was did many thing who very bad. The issues also
that Colombus was stolen many gold when he sailed.
Iam
not sure about Zinn’s statement about Colombus, because as human being we are
forbidden to judge without the strong fact. In the fact the explore Colombus
made four trips across the atlantic ocean from Spain(1492-1502) he was
determined to find a direct water route west from Europe to Asia, but he never
did. Instead, he accidently stumbled upon the Americas. Though he didn’t really
discovered the new world-million people who already lived beginning of
centuries of trans atlantic conquest and colonialism. Colombus was Italian
explorer who sailed across the atlantic ocean in 1492-1504, he was hoping to
find a route to Indian. He made a total of four trips to the Caribbean and
South America. The first trip colombus sailed for king ferdinad II and Queen
Isabella of Spain. He led expedition with three ships and they set sail on
August 3, 1492 that spotted the Caribbean islands off southeastern North
America. They landed on an island they called Guanahi, but colombus later
renamed it San Salvador. They were met by the locals Taino Indians. Many people
were captured by colombus’ men and later sold into slavery. Colombus thought he
had made it to Asia and called by Indies and its habitation Indians.
The
second trip on 1493-1496 which sailed with 17 ships and 1500 men to find gold
and capture Indians as slave in the Indies. Colombus established a base in
Hispaniola and sailed around Hispaniola and along the length of southern Cuba.
The third trip expedition on may 30, 1498-Oct 1500, colombus sailed farther
south to Trinidad and Venezuela. He was the first European since the Viking
leif erycsson to set foot on the mainland of America. The last trip expedition on may 9, 1502-Nov
7, 1504, he sailed to Mexico, Honduras and Panama (in central America) and
Santiago (Jamaika). He is buried in eastern Hispaniola, but now called the
Dominican Republic.
It is the general truth who known by
people, especially people of America. Indeed history must unearthed the truth,
because the real history almost lost.
4.
Conclusion
So,
there are two points that can be concludes from Zinn article. First, it is
about the truth of books that can change our mindset and it can be change the
world also. Howard Zinn has created many histories and book’s histories in his
live. No wonder if he got a nickname as the best historian, because the people who
like history, it can be creating history also in their live, such as Howard
Zinn. He was creating many histories in their live, and now he became the
famous historian in the world. He is the best historian who has a different
point of view when he tells the truth of history. He is a brave historian in
the world, because he dared to criticize the general truth. Second, about the
history of Christoper Colombus who found the Americas. The history of Colombus
has many perspectives, including Howard Zinn who has different point of view
about Colombus.
References
Zinn,
Howard. A people History of the United States.
Zinn, Howard.
Speaking Truth to Power with Books. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
http://www.islamawareness.net/Asia/China/america.html, diakses 20 Maret 2014
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