Zinn-Chapter 2

Howard Zinn’s chapter two, “Drawing the Color Line,” is mostly an informational chapter on how racism began in our country. His main point, however, is that racism is based on historical elements, not natural ones. Slavery, he argues, is where racism began in this country and it can be ended under certain conditions.

Zinn begins the chapter by asserting that there has never been a country in the history of the world where racism has been so important for so long. He then attempts to explain how racism started in the first place. He points to slavery and then gives evidence to support this claim throughout the rest of the chapter. The English settlers first tried to enslave the Native Americans. However, they were unsuccessful because they were greatly outnumbered and were forced to turn to African slaves instead. Black slaves were much easier to enslave for several reasons. They were removed from their land and culture, and were forced into new systems of language and customs making them helpless. Zinn goes on to explain the difference between American slavery and slavery that existed in Africa. American slavery was much crueler than in Africa. In fact, African slaves were very similar to European surfs. In America slaves were treated horribly and whites were given preferential treatment such as receiving lighter court sentences than blacks. Many black slaves began to resist their enslavement and joined together in revolt. When unhappy poor whites began to join in the uprisings, slave owners began to become fearful. To settle this fear and to suppress the rebellion of the poor whites the Virginia Assembly passed laws that gave poor whites benefits denied to black men. White indentured servants were given food, money, and a gun when their indentured time was up. Zinn concludes that the desperation of starving settlers, the helplessness of Africans, the incentive of profit for slave traders and planters, superior status for poor whites, and the legal and social punishment of black and white collaboration are all historical pieces that led to slavery and racism in America (30).

What are the consequences of Zinn’s conclusion for our world today? I believe there are many consequences for our world from Zinn’s conclusion. We still deal with racism in our society today. This, as Zinn argues, all stems from slavery. Many of the problems concerning privilege and oppression are based on race as well. We must realize that racism is based on history and is not natural in order to overcome it. The first step in doing this is for privileged groups to let go of the privileges they receive based on race.

I was already familiar with most of the information presented in the chapter. I agreed with the facts that Zinn presented and believe that he used the facts fairly to argue his position. It is sad to think that this is how human beings were treated, but it is what happened, and Zinn does a good job of presenting the facts.