Significance Of Frontier In American History
The expansion of the American frontier
played a large part in the history and
making of the United States, but how
big was that role? Historian Frederick
Turner felt that the American
frontier played the largest influence on our
country’s history. Turner also
believes that America as a country died over
100 years ago as published
in "The Significance of the Frontier in American
History". Turner felt
that when the frontier was gone, America was as well. He
also drew many
factors to the rapid disappearance of the frontier and a larger
step for
independence and individual rights in America: 1.) The frontier
gave
Americans a new beginning. They were able to start a new life in a
new place. It
also allowed many of them to erase their pasts and start with a
clean slate. 2.)
America was a rapidly growing country and needed more
room for all of its
energy. The timing of the expansion was impeccable to the
growth of America. 3.)
Expansion made America independent in many ways. A
largely visible way was
lessening its dependence on Europe for goods and
supplies. As a vast population
of America moved west, European countries had
a more difficult time delivering
its goods and supplies to the Pioneers.
These points make Turner’s beliefs
well received. Much of the information
that Turner included was so obvious once
it was said; yet it never would have
caught my attention if I were to sit down
and think of reasons for the
American frontier playing a significant role in
history. I found the most
intriguing of Turner’s points to be that Americans
did not shape the land,
the land shaped Americans. This is something that most
people would not like
to hear because in a sense it is telling them that they
are not in control of
their own life. Turner proved this point by acknowledging
how when the
Americans moved westward, they adapted the native ways that worked
best for
the region. This shows that the Americans let the land show them how to
live
rather then make the land adjust to their lifestyle. Turner is claiming
that
the American expansion from the frontier was one of the largest impacts
in
the history of America. Although expansion of America plays a huge role
in
establishing it as a country, I feel that Turner, at times, overemphasizes
its
importance. Events such as the Civil War, civil rights movement and
the
Revolutionary War played a much larger role in shaping America then
the
expansion. Another lingering problem that I have is that this article
was
written over 100 years ago, and quite frankly, things have changed.
Besides
over-emphasizing the importance of the frontier in American history,
Turner also
feels that it deteriorated the American government because of a
strong demand
put on individualism. This is due to the fact that the article
is over 100 years
old. Now, America is based on individualism. The country as
a whole thrives on
it. People all over the world desire the kind of personal
freedom and expression
that Americans have. In defense of Turner, the world
was a different place 100
years ago and people felt differently about many
things, personal expression was
one of them. In closing, Turner’s view of how
America was formed was a welcome
change of pace. It’s not everyday that
something this unique is brought to my
attention. His points are well made,
and given the time difference, most of them
would hold true
today,
Bibliography
Turner, Frederick Jackson. "The Significance
of the Frontier in American
History." The Frontier in American History.
Malabar, FL; Robert E. Krieger
Publishing Co., 1985. Original edition,
1920.