Declarations of Independence

by Howard Zinn

First published 1990

Celebrated historian Howard Zinn dissects the lofty rhetoric of the Declaration of Independence, revealing the harsh realities of colonial life. From the exploitation of indigenous peoples to the oppression of slaves, Zinn's incisive analysis lays bare the contradictions at the heart of America's founding. Yet amid this searing indictment, he also uncovers the seeds of revolutionary change, as ordinary citizens defy unjust laws and demand true self-governance. Declarations of Independence is a clarion call to reckon with the nation's past and forge a more just future.

Genres: history, american-fiction, 20th-century, american, biography-memoir, 21st-century, activism, academic

Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: historical-revisionism, social-commentary

Setting: United States

Period: 1945-1989

352 pages · Paperback · Perennial

Content warnings: colonialism, racism, slavery

More by Howard Zinn

• Readings From Voices of a People's History of the United States
• The People Speak
• You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train
• SNCC
• A Young People's History of the United States
• Three Plays
• The Twentieth Century
• Emma

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