There is a logical saying in society that must be taken to heart; that phrase being: “Don’t believe everything you read. » Just because a text is written and published does not mean it is always accurate. Historical facts, similar to the whispered words in the children's game "telephone", are easily transformed into different facts, adding or subtracting certain details from the story. James Loewen, in The Lies My Teacher Told Me, reveals how history has been altered by textbooks so that students studying the textbooks can understand and relate to the information. In People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn, the author tells historical stories through the perspective of the people. Mainstream media, as Loewen and Zinn prove, often pollute and dilute the story to make the information better and easier for society to understand. First of all, Zinn and Loewen's stories are very different from what textbooks and mainstream media tell children. . As previously mentioned, Zinn's People's History of the United States tells the story of Columbus's voyages and the beginnings of slavery and racism through the eyes of ordinary or indigenous people. This view enlightens the reader, who most likely believes that Columbus was a good and benevolent American hero, that Columbus "sailed the blue ocean" out of greed and self-aggrandizement. In reality, Columbus caused pain, suffering, and death because of his greed; he captured the natives for their ability to do hard labor and for their information on where to find wealth, primarily gold (Zinn, Ch. 1). Heroic adventures, as described in society, turn into the deeds of a greedy man who sought glory for himself among papers...and food we had an equal share” (Ch. .4 ,A3). White servants, although for the most part received all aspects of the service time portion of the contract, they received the bare minimum of what was necessary. So one can clearly see the need to read/see more than one perspective. on historical events is crucial. One description cannot be relied upon, as the information may or may not be the complete truth. The author may omit, embellish, or be unaware of certain details, putting the reader at a disadvantage if they only read one passage. Works Cited Loewen, James W. Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong. Second. New York, New York: Touchstone, 1997. Print. Zinn, Howard. A People's History of the United States. Fifth. New York, New York: Harper Collins, 2010. Print.