A Young People's History of the United States

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What is Manifest Destiny as it was understood by many Americans in the late 1800s? What do you think of this concept in modern times? What legacy of this colonialist doctrine might linger in modern-day politics?

Teaching Suggestion: It may be beneficial to explain to students that, by modern standards and laws, the United States’ takeover of land in North America and removal of Indigenous people would likely be considered a genocide. The concept of Manifest Destiny has led to some modern-day political touchpoints, such as the idea of American exceptionalism and US-led occupations of foreign nations such as Iraq and Afghanistan. This question will get students thinking about Heroism as a Subjective and Problematic Concept.

• In this 2-minute video published by the History Channel, historian Matthew Pinsker gives a crash course on the concept of Manifest Destiny and the 1890s expansionism of the United States as a global power. The three basic tenets of Manifest Destiny are (1) that the American people and their institutions are special, (2) that the mission of the United States is to redeem and uplift “savage” territories and remake them in the American image, and (3) that it is Americans’ essential duty to make this happen—and they must go to any heroic lengths to accomplish it.

Differentiation Suggestion: For more advanced classes or students who display an ability to think critically about material that espouses a strong position, you might have students discover resources with more polemic takes on the concept of Manifest Destiny, such as this 11-minute clip entitled “Manifest Destiny Was More Messed-Up Than You Thought” by Grunge.

2. The Reconstruction Era, which lasted roughly from 1861 to 1900, refers to the period in American history immediately following the Civil War. What were the main issues the American government grappled with during this period? Looking at present-day society, would you consider the mission of the Reconstruction Era a success or a failure?

Teaching Suggestion: Learning about the Reconstruction Era will help students better understand Zinn’s concept that Inequality as Foundational to American Society. It was a period when the United States needed to figure out how the American economy would function without the free labor of enslaved people. During this time, the government grappled with not only bringing Southern states into the Union after the Confederacy’s defeat but also determining how to guarantee that formerly enslaved persons would have full participation in American civil society. In modern times, given the inequities that persist between Black and white Americans, there is a strong argument to be made that the Reconstruction Era goal of helping Black Americans achieve equality post-slavery failed.

• “A Vast Wealth Gap, Driving Segregation, Redlining, Evictions, and Exclusion, Separates Black and White America” from the New York Times explores this issue. (Subscription may be needed for viewing)
• In the 3-minute video “Eric Foner on Reconstruction,” an eminent scholar of American history explains the importance of Reconstruction as the nation’s first attempt to establish a multiracial democracy.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

As Anders Hayden, a political science professor at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, told USA Today, internalized capitalism is the “idea that our self-worth is directly linked to our productivity.” Have you ever felt any sense of guilt or decreased self-worth when you’re not constantly working or producing wealth? Consider your own relationship to “internalized capitalism,” and evaluate whether this is something that you experience in your day-to-day life.

Teaching Suggestion: To begin this discussion, you may want students to review the basic definition of capitalism (see the International Monetary Fund’s “What Is Capitalism?”). Throughout the book, Zinn’s historical narrative centers around Capitalism and its challenges in numerous areas of life, including mental and psychological health. In this prompt, students will gauge whether and how capitalism has affected them on a psychological level before embarking on Zinn’s discussion of its pervasive legacy and its effect on virtually all aspects of American life.

• The article “If You Keep Putting Work Before Health and Happiness, You May Be Suffering from Internalized Capitalism” from USA Today explores the phrase “internalized capitalism.”
• “Work Hard, Work Harder: The Uproar of Internalized Capitalism in the Digital World” from The Huntington News also discusses the relationship between productivity and self-worth inherent in capitalism.