WebLog III

WebLog III

Native American historiography is often written from the perspective of non-natives. It is often told from the viewpoint of governments, conquerors, diplomats, and leaders, as Zinn says in his article, and it’s as if these people represent the whole nation. The Guide for Teachers mentions how the Native American perspective is often ignored in the media, educational materials, and histories of the region, and this is why the Guide is written from the Native American perspective, specifically the Native Americans of the Chesapeake.
Zinn incorporates the idea of sentiment in his article. I believe he is saying that history shouldn’t only disclose the failures of the past, but it should include the times when people came together to resist a negative force. He says that our future should be based on these times of compassion and kindness rather than the times of war. The Guide for Teachers includes an example of people coming together to resist a negative force, and actually winning. That is, in the early 1900’s, Native Americans came together to fight against unjust laws and social practices. Eventually, many people and organizations came together to support social justice for Native Americans. As a result, laws were created that re-established civil rights, such as the 1924 American Indian Citizenship Act and the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The American Indian Citizenship Act made American Indians citizens of the U.S. and they were given the right to vote. The Civil Rights Act ended government authorized racial discrimination in the U.S. This is an example of a caring and considerate part of the past that should inspire our future.