The Myth Of Violence In The Old West Analysis

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Former UCLA History Professor and author, Roger D. McGrath, in his article, “The Myth of Violence in the Old West,” (Gunfighters, Highwaymen, and Vigilantes: Violence on the Frontier, 1984) asserts there is no connection between the violence of the Old West and violence today. Firstly, McGrath begins his article by introducing the main claim. Then introduces Bodie an infamous town known for its crime, located on the trans-Sierra frontier. He then discusses the low rate of larcenous crime found through the FBI index; which the information shows that individuals weren’t the targets and crime was thwarted by citizens. The explanation of the law larceny rate could be due to the fact more citizens were armed, therefore criminals were threatened