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Frederick Jackson Turner Frontier Thesis

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In the United States of America, the late 19th century proved to be a time of much change. With change, there was no shortage of challenges being presented to the country and its leaders. One of those leaders during that time was President Ulysses S. Grant, who came to recognize some of the biggest challenges would be the country’s negative economy and fair equal treatment to all citizens of the U.S. Another man that recognized some major challenges facing the U.S. at that time was Frederick Jackson Turner. He would go on to study Americanization for most of his life, and creating an ideology of what made America the way it is. The late 19th century was a difficult and historic time, and the way these men reacted to those challenges would help …show more content…

One man saw this time and its significance and wrote a thesis that has earned the reputation of one of the most influential papers in American history. His name was Frederick Jackson Turner, and his paper was called “The Significance of the Frontier in American History”. Labeled the “Frontier Thesis”, many can read and see Turner had a well understanding of what makes American culture and individualism what it is, giving him much understanding of what challenges the nation was facing at the time. He saw these unique differences that America had versus other booming civilizations. He knew that with the rapid growth of the U.S. those challenges it faced would be keeping true to the image of the frontier, to continue in the spirit of the U.S. and what it represents. The idea he brought into light about the image of the frontier and the west inspiring American development can be seen throughout this time, and into the 20th century as well. As America moved to the west, more areas where becoming populated and developed, creating new challenges for the government. Some included requesting protection provided by the government against feared Indian tribes. Also, large land owning railroad companies would ask for lessening fees paid to the government and acquiring additional lands to assist them in developing rail lines in many portions of the west. As the frontier grows, the government continued passing legislation to support and give incentive to those to go out west. For instance, the National Reclamation and Homestead

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During the course of the early and mid-1800s, the United States of America went through a rapid transition of economic, social, and territorial changes. Immediate alterations to its political system continued to be a constant focus in development as well. Likewise, the early and mid-1800s was the same time period when the Market Revolution and the idea of westward expansion –also known as the Manifest Destiny– sparked an interest towards many working Americans. After a few decades of winning independence from British sovereignty, America already had its fair share of progress and of great leaders. But to be a leader who ideally understood the voices and needs of the so-called “common man” (The American Promise, 284) , a term that was coined

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After the Civil War ended many people were in hope of finding land since population was increasing. Since the West was underdeveloped and uncivilized, many decided to expand the land. First the Louisiana Purchase increased the opportunity of expansion. Then industrialization and the Homestead Act also caused many companies encouraged to move West due to the low cost of land and that the transportation was provided through the railroads. In order to complete such goals, something had to be done with the Natives since it conflicted with their home area.

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Frederick Jackson Turner was a major figure among American historians who lived during the years between 1861 to 1932. His famous essay, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History,” was published in 1893 and he became known for his studious exploration of American history during the United States’ westward expansion. Frederick Turner stated in an interview that his interest in the study of American frontier’s past, because of his upbringing in Wisconsin which is a newly emerged state from its own trail-blazing past. Turner earned his master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and where he met a noteworthy teacher, Professor William Francis Allen, who guided him toward the study of history. Turner attended John Hopkins University

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The major reasons for the United States to develop an empire in the 1800s were the closing of the American frontier, economics, religious and moral reasons, and geopolitics(Schultz,2014). The closing of the American frontier included acquiring new frontier from other countries. Americans believed that the “Wild West” frontier was so integral in shaping America, that we might require a new frontier in order to ensure the survival of its democracy. Economic reasons for the 1800s growth was for business leaders to access overseas markets and materials. They knew they would receive federal assistance and protection from the government.

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frontier to Turner was the promotion of democracy. He believed that the people were strong in individualism as farming communities were settled, railroads were created, and the nation’s dependence on England for trade lessened. George Appo, who was born into a poor family and lost both of his parents to death or jail, began working as a pickpocket in the 1860s and used his money to buy opium. He would attend opium dens, where many different classes and genders gathered to smoke. Appo participating in organized crime because he had to make his own money in order to survive, and had a much higher sense of freedom than most boys his age.

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A pivotal key in the development of United States is defining what and where the West is located. There are many “wests” depending on how the west is defined, either by environmental, economic, cultural, or political factors (Steiner & Wrobel, 20). The West is unique in the sense that the story of the West has many beginnings. The first notable location of the West was first defined as anything west of the Mississippi River. As the nation expanded during the 19th century, the western territories were

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Turner hesitates to mention anyone in his essay who is not male or Germanic or at least European, leaving out huge demographics of people who heavily influenced the West. The lack of recognition for the people who actually built the country, with or without choice, is detrimental to history and representation later on in America. The Europeans that came to America had very oppressive laws of property which they carried over with them. The Natives who had been living there for years had a very different concept of property; many believed that the land was gifted to everyone and no one person could own any part of that land.

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During the “Gilded Age” period of American history, development of the Trans-Mississippi west was crucial to fulfilling the American dream of manifest destiny and creating an identity which was distinctly American. Since the west is often associated with rugged pioneers and frontiersmen, there is an overarching idea of hardy American individualism. However, although these settlers were brave and helped to make America into what it is today, they heavily relied on federal support. It would not have been possible for white Americans to settle the Trans-Mississippi west without the US government removing Native Americans from their lands and placing them on reservations, offering land grants and incentives for people to move out west, and the

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In response to Ms. Poston's question: one way that America could maintain its greatness was by alleviating poverty and educating the masses (From Urban Growing Pains, To Political Dysfunction & Corruption - 1870-1900, Slide 31). By accomplishing these two key objectives, America would be encouraging the furthering of technology and ideals, which is a concept that Natalie earlier touched. I also agree with Ms. Poston with the way she interpreted Turner, that the West was, in fact, closed. I believe that Americans probably felt both accomplished, as they achieved Manifest Destiny, and they felt let down, due to the fact that they had nowhere else to explore or discover(Redefining the South & the Final Conquest of the American West , Slide 30).

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The contrasts between the American West and East in the nineteenth century range from a new start to the adventure of the living in the Wild West. The east had become overcrowded and did not allow much opportunity for people of lesser wealth. “In 1893, the historian Frederick Jackson Turner gave a celebrated lecture, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History,” in which he argued that on the western frontier the distinctive qualities of American culture were forged: individual freedom, political democracy, and economic mobility. The West, he added, acted as a “safety

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Life for the Native Americans was much harder during and after the western expansion. For example, the US took land from the Indians leading the formation of reservations, White men almost hunted the Buffalo , an important food source for the Indians, to extinction, and forced the Indians to get rid of their culture. Because of the western expansion, the area of land the Indians could occupy decreased significantly. The government would make treaties with the Indians allowing them to keep a certain area of land, but this would soon be broken ; When the Pacific Railroad Act was passed it stated that wherever a track was laid the company would own any land 200 ft surrounding the track including Indian land ; the Government would make sure that

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The Frontier Thesis has been extremely powerful in individuals ' comprehension of American esteems, government and culture until decently as of late. Frederick Jackson Turner traces the wilderness proposition in his paper "The Significance of the Frontier in American History". He contends that development of society at the boondocks is the thing that clarifies America 's distinction and roughness. Moreover, he contends that the communitarian esteems experienced on the boondocks extend to America 's one of a kind viewpoint on majority rules system. This thought has been unavoidable in investigations of American History until reasonably as of late when it has gone under examination for various reasons.

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For some, it was destiny to move west. Although there were many conflicts and disagreements between ourselves and others, it was destiny to move west because of overpopulation, new inventions of transportation methods, and new opportunities. In the 19th Century, overpopulation was one of the major reasons for Westward Expansion. Immigrants were flooding into America for new opportunities and new ways of life and there was just not enough land to suffice the needs for all of the people. These immigrants were arriving in America in the port cities on the East Coast.

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