Essay On The Old West

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JESSE WOODSON JAMES: THE MOST NOTORIOS AMERICAN OUTLAW

Willow Jennings-King
Robert Jordan
History 171
April 4, 2014

When one thinks of the United States of America, they probably consider our history, our culture, our media, our impressive cities and the extremely wide variety of beautiful wildernesses that we are lucky enough to still enjoy. We are lucky enough to have a melting pot of cultures in this country, and many different kinds of people. However, when thinking of an original, all-American figure, cowboys come to mind for many people. Our history and the settlement of the U.S. was unlike any other country, and the development of the country in the more western states came with the unique and fascinating time period referred to now as “The Old West”. The Old West was a crucial time in American history, and though it was a simpler time it also came with its share of excitement. Some of the most memorable details about the Old West were the characters that came with it, and some extremely interesting ones were the least conforming- the outlaws. Jesse Woodson James was one of the most notorious outlaws in American history. His name would go down in history as one belonging to a tough as nails and fearless bank robber who led a group of outlaws across the mid-west robbing banks and trains, and even murdering people. When we look at the big picture of what the U.S. has become today, The Old West certainly has had a large impact on our culture, and Jesse James certainly had a large impact on the Old West. Though most would argue that he was not a decent or moral person, one cannot argue that he was still a very interesting and unique icon of the west. So how did Jesse Woodson James change and leave his mark on the United St...

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... a fugitive, a bank robber, and a murderer, but he was also an iconic outlaw and one of the toughest to be put to justice. In an interview of Mark Lee Gardner, author of “Shot All to Hell”, the true story of the robbery that lead to Jesse’s death, Gardner gives his insight on the outlaw. “One of the reasons I was fascinated with the real Jesse James was because the things he did were so nearly superhuman and larger than life, and they still remain incredible deeds--even in the 21st century. But I certainly don't want to preserve the idea that someone who's a murderer is someone who should be looked up to.” This is a great way to sum up the life and impact that Jesse James had on our society. Most people wouldn’t argue that he did some very immoral things, but to many people, he seemed like such a force to be reckoned with that all you can do is respect him for it.

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