Frederick Jackson Turner's Frontier Thesis, presented in 1893, revolutionized historical interpretation by positing the significance of the American frontier in shaping the nation's character and development. Turner's thesis can be considered a "grand theory" because it offers a comprehensive framework for understanding American history, encapsulating social, cultural, economic, and political dimensions (p. 126). He argued that the closing of the frontier marked a pivotal moment in American history, asserting that the frontier experience fostered traits such as nationalism, independence, and democracy, challenging prevailing historical narratives centered on the East Coast and emphasizing the transformative power of the frontier in molding …show more content…
153). Despite the differing interpretations, Brown's trial and subsequent actions suggest a keen awareness of the consequences of his actions, leading to the conclusion that, in the legal sense, Brown was mentally sound and clearheaded about his objectives, even if they were radical and extreme.Friends and family members of John Brown testified to his insanity primarily to influence the legal proceedings surrounding his actions at Harpers Ferry, aiming to mitigate his culpability and potentially spare his life (p. 156). Testimonies suggested that Brown's mental state had been compromised since the Pottawatomie killings in Kansas, with acquaintances describing him as "crazy" regarding the subject of slavery (p. 155-156). Such assertions aimed to present Brown as incapable of fully comprehending the consequences of his actions, thus framing him as legally insane. A ruling of insanity would not only potentially save Brown from the gallows but also serve broader political agendas, as it would mitigate the perceived threat he posed to the institution of slavery and, consequently, ease tensions between North and …show more content…
Davidson & Lytle utilize the notion that many historical figures, including heroes and artists, may have shared John Brown's mental condition to suggest that labeling him as bipolar does not diminish the significance of his actions. They argue that Brown's fervent commitment to human liberty and equality, driven by his bipolar condition and profound religious nature, propelled him to challenge societal norms, particularly regarding slavery (p. 168). Despite the controversy surrounding his character, Brown's radical actions forced society to confront its moral contradictions, ultimately contributing to the upheaval that led to the Civil War. This perspective suggests that Brown, far from being a lunatic or terrorist, was a driven martyr whose ends, though controversial, spurred societal change. An example from the text supporting this is the assertion that "many of history's heroes, inventors, and artists have shared Brown's mental condition. To label them bipolar in no way diminishes the record of their achievements." p.
This would create a productive discussion between readers, not the sporadic, vague, non-committal suggestions the author currently included. McPherson only begins to touch upon an idea for an argument in the last two pages, where he looks into the suggestion of whether or not John Brown was a terrorist or not. However, he leaves this answer up in the air with the statement that what one person believes counts as terrorism, another believes is an act of heroism – yet another open-ended thought with no assertions as to what a firm answer may be. For me, this was the only part in which I was truly made to think deeper into the impact of an individual’s actions as a symbol beyond the Civil War. It was only after that I was able to look back and dig through the essay to find the vague assertion of the broader impact that was woven through the narratives of these individuals’ lives. I understand that these topics are incredibly subjective and sensitive, but that is why, more than any other reason, that McPherson should be writing towards a clear answer in this hotly debated topic as opposed to subtle
Tony Horwitz’s book titled, “Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War” is about the crucial invasion in U.S. history that resulted the start of the Civil War and describes how John Brown helped plan the invasion of Virginia. At the start of the book, Horwitz begins with depicting John Brown’s early life including childhood to adulthood. John Brown was born on May 9, 1800 in the unfriendly peaks of Torrington, Connecticut. When he was eight years old, his mother passed away which made him go through a drastic trauma such as feeling nervous and awkward towards other women.
Turner, Frederick Jackson. "The Significance of the Frontier in American History," Learner: Primary Sources. Annenberg Learner, Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
According to the thesis of Fredrick Jackson Turner, the frontier changed America. Americans, from the earliest settlement, were always on the frontier, for they were always expanding to the west. It was Manifest Destiny; spreading American culture westward was so apparent and so powerful that it couldn’t be stopped. Turner’s Frontier Theory says that this continuous exposure to the frontier has shaped the American character. The frontier made the American settlers revert back to the primitive, stripping them from their European culture. They then created something brand new; it’s what we know today as the American character. Turner argues that we, as a culture, are a product of the frontier. The uniquely American personality includes such traits as individualism, futuristic, democratic, aggressiveness, inquisitiveness, materialistic, expedite, pragmatic, and optimistic. And perhaps what exemplifies this American personality the most is the story of the Donner Party.
In week three, our professor a question in regards to Turner’s thesis asked a question of me. The question that was posed to me was this, “which groups did he (Turner) exclude and why should they be included if we are to provide a balanced accounting”? After going back and reading the thesis again to make sure I had not miss anything, I still felt that Turner was very biased in his thinking. I gave my honest feedback on who I felt was left out of the thesis and was going to leave it at that, however I thought, before I submit let me see what other historians are saying about this thesis and Turner in the field of history. Well, was a I surprised when I was informed this was a leading paper in on the American West. However, I still could
This historical document, The Frontier as a Place of Conquest and Conflict, focuses on the 19th Century in which a large portion of society faced discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and religion. Its author, Patricia N. Limerick, describes the differences seen between the group of Anglo Americans and the minority groups of Native Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics Americans and African Americans. It is noted that through this document, Limerick exposes us to the laws and restrictions imposed in addition to the men and women who endured and fought against the oppression in many different ways. Overall, the author, Limerick, exposes the readers to the effects that the growth and over flow of people from the Eastern on to the Western states
Patricia Nelson Limerick describes the frontier as being a place of where racial tension predominately exists. In her essay, “The Frontier as a Place of Ethnic and Religion Conflict,” Limerick says that the frontier wasn’t the place where everyone got to escape from their problems from previous locations before; instead she suggested that it was the place in which we all met. The frontier gave many the opportunities to find a better life from all over the world. But because this chance for a new life attracted millions of people from different countries across the seas, the United States experienced an influx of immigrants. Since the east was already preoccupied by settlers, the west was available to new settlement and that was where many people went. Once in the western frontier, it was no longer just about blacks and whites. Racial tension rose and many different races and ethnic groups soon experienced discrimination and violence based on their race, and beliefs instead of a since of freedom at the western frontier.
What 1890 Census words motivate Turner’s essay? Why is this a significant “brief official statement”?
When looking at the vast lands of Texas after the Civil War, many different people came to the lands in search for new opportunities and new wealth. Many were lured by the large area that Texas occupied for they wanted to become ranchers and cattle herders, of which there was great need for due to the large population of cows and horses. In this essay there are three different people with three different goals in the adventures on the frontier lands of Texas in its earliest days. Here we have a woman's story as she travels from Austin to Fort Davis as we see the first impressions of West Texas. Secondly, there is a very young African American who is trying his hand at being a horse rancher, which he learned from his father. Lastly we have a Mexican cowboy who tries to fight his way at being a ranch hand of a large ranching outfit.
The significance of Frontier in American History is a thesis paper that was written and delivered by Jackson Turner on 12th July 1893. Turner delivered this paper during a yearly meeting of the fledging American Historical Association that was being held at Chicago. I believe this paper had a lot of impact on the study of American History specifically in colleges and universities. The original paper was informed from twelve sources. Turner wrote this paper and formed the frontier theory following the work of Achille Loria- An Italian economist- who proposed that the key to changes in human society was free land and that America would be the best place to research on this proposal. The other event that precipitated Turners paper was the announcement of superintendent in 1890 census which claimed that there is insufficient free land in US to allow frontier to feature in the census report as had been previously done until 1790 (Turnver, 3).
Frederick Jackson Turner claimed that the frontier made the United States unique. Among other reasons, it served as a "safety valve" for those in the East. Do you believe him to be correct? Defend your answer.
6700 Engwr 300 Essay 4 Dr. Jordan WC: The Ramifications of Romanticisation History and historians are some of society's most powerful tools for interpreting out past, framing our present, and planning for our future. Frederick Jackson Turner’s evaluation of the colonization and settling of the American West in his essay, The Significance of the Frontier in American History, is a biased and romanticized account of the land plundered by European settlers. The glamorized version of history Turner lays out, leaves behind large groups of people that heavily influenced the settling of the West, such as women, the chinese, and Latin Americans.
Turner's interpretation of the frontier played a decisive role in shaping american identity. The crucial element Turner argue that transformed the europeans to americans was the process of settling the frontier.He theorized that the frontier was a process that transformed Europeans into a new people, the Americans.Although there were people that disagreed with the thesis stating that many factors influenced american culture besides the looming frontier. The significance of the frontier was that as pioneers moved into the frontier zone they were changed by the encounter. Many historians proposed that modern america was an outgrowth of european civilization in a new land. Turner opposed this popular view by arguing that the geographical frontier
The youth and discontented heard about the travelers heading West; inspiration struck like a wave amongst a vast majority of the young. From farmhands struggling to make a living, to those who wanted to make a living away from the industry and wealthy plaguing the cities. There are many types of people who are fascinated and enthralled by the idea of settling a new frontier. There were those who wanted the American originality of living in the wilderness and to provide for themselves, along with supporting their families from the fruit of the land with dirt in their boots. Although, not all were impressed with the changes America was about to go through.
The motivation and drive behind the progression was opportunity, expansion, and concepts such as Manifest Destiny, out “God given” right to expand (Bowles, 2011). The idea of the frontier was significant in American culture between 1860 and 1893 because it was considered by many to be “the last frontier” (Jackson, 1920). Since the start of the European settlements, expansion in the West had always aided in inspiring those that dreamed of a new life. The importance to the American people rose more than ever when the last of the frontier was immersed into civilization. The closing of the American Frontier “marked the closing of a great historical movement” (Harris, 2008).