1. Are the acts of Columbus and the Spanish explorers considered genocide?
2. What, does zinn argue, is the sacrifice of human progress?
According to Zinn, for human progress human sacrifice needs to be made. Zinn argues that throughout history there have been several examples of atrocities that have helped in human progress. The discovery of America by Columbus also led to atrocities. Several Indians were killed by Columbus and other explorers and many were taken back as slaves. Zinn claims that bloodshed and deceit have been a necessary part of human progress and have helped in overcoming hindrances towards progress. In case of Columbus, he caused bloodshed of Indians, and it helped to bring the Spanish Empire to its glory. The human sacrifice helped in terms of free labour and free land for the Empire in America.
3. How did slavery develop? How did racism develop along with it?
According to some historians, slavery developed in Virginia after the settlers needed labour to help grow food and survive. Since, slaves worked for free, sellers started to purchase them as labour for their farms and brought them over to America. The settlers already had white indentured servants, but slaves were free and bound for life and it made them attractive for their masters. Racism developed along with slavery as white settlers started to feel contempt or hatred, patronization or pity for Africans. These feelings helped in developing an inferior position for Africans in the American society and it remained so for the coming centuries.
4. What elements of helplessness led to Africans continued enslavement?
There were some features of African helplessness that led to their continued enslavement. Africans were torn away from their culture and land, and were forced to work for settlers. The conditions of capture and sale made them scarred forever as they were treated as animals and placed under the hammer. The impossibility of enslaving the Indians and the past difficulties of using whites as labour ensured that Africans were targeted. Also, African slave trade became a source of profit making for traders. Finally, the African slaves faced such ordeal through their experience that they were left in a physical and a psychic mode of helplessness, which helped in their continued enslavement.
5. Describe the African civilization during the time of colonization.
At the time of colonization, the African civilization used to be as advanced the European civilization. In some ways, the African civilization was more admirable, than its European contemporary. But, African civilization had accounts of hierarchical privileges, cruelties, and readiness to make human sacrifices in the name of profit and religion. African civilization used to comprise of 100 million people, who used of iron implements and were skilled in farming. The civilization also had huge urban centres and the locals had achieved great heights in ceramics, weaving, and sculpting. In the 16th century, European travellers were enthralled with the development of African kingdoms of Mali and Timbuktu as they were already much more stabilized and organized in comparison to Europe empires.
References
Zinn., H. (1980). A People's History Of The United States. Retrieved 1 July 2016 from, http://www.historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshistory.html
