Turner Thesis In 1890 The Frontier example essay topic

Turner Thesis In 1890 the frontier closed. Three years later, Frederick Jackson Turner wrote his thesis on the impact of the frontier in American history. Believing that the frontier was a "factor in American history of the highest importance", Turner proceeded to explain the relationship between the frontier and the history of America. Turner looked at multiple aspects of the frontier, and decided that those aspects were what shaped the America of his time.

It must be taken into consideration, however, that his thesis was written in 1893, not 2002. At that time, just as the frontier was closing, all heads were turned toward the expansion and civilization of the frontier. The land was new, opportunities flourished, and the desire for the land was great. The country was so focused on the land that it is easy to see how Turner believed the frontier aided in explaining America. In his writing, Turner best validates his thesis through the exploration of intellectual traits by discussing dominant individualism and the necessity of movement. Turner believed that "the frontier has from the beginning promoted democracy".

While on the frontier, it was difficult to become dependent on others. The area was so vast and unknown that it took many years to transform it into something barely resembling the original colonies. In this exploration, it became obvious that traveling in a large group was practically impossible. Transportation was a major issue in that there were no roads.

Disease flourished, it was difficult to carry many supplies, and countless died during the first few years, just as the early colonists did when they first came to America. Because of these obstacles, many set off on their own or just with family to start their lives. All necessities would have to be produced on their own, so it is clear that they fabricated an individualistic lifestyle. Now looking across all the history of America, there are key occurrences of individualism.

The original colonists wanted to be individual of Great Britain, so they fought a war to win their independence. The government of the United States was constructed on a mostly individual pedestal- a democracy was formed so that it could hear individuals voices better than the previous government. These are Americans being individuals, straying from England and creating their own identity, just as the settlers of the frontier, being individuals, set off into the frontier to create an identity and individuality of their own. The frontier was explored during a time known as the westward expansion. The United States expanded and moved into the frontier.

There were many motives behind much of the settling of the land, but most of the motives had a backbone of the opportunity the frontier provided. It gave land to those who needed it, just as America had once done for the escapees of Great Britain back in the early 1600's. Expeditions were sent out multiple times to chart the land and its inhabitants, so that settlers of the original colonies would be able to expand into the land and move away from the restricted and confined area which had once been their home. The need and the desire for movement are the backbone of many decisions made in early America. In the thesis, Turner uses movement as the dominant fact of American life. Throughout the colonial period of America, conflicts were so often started because of the movement into certain territory.

Fighting broke out with the French as well as the Indians multiple times because the Americans moved into their land. Later, Madison made the decision, while his president was across the ocean, to purchase the Louisiana Territory. He wanted the land and believed that America wanted and needed the land, so it was acquired. These important decisions shaped the American culture now known today. They created allies and enemies, as well as aiding in the success of growth of the American nation. When examining Turner's thesis, one must take multiple realizations into consideration.

He wrote it only 400 years after the discovery of America, only 100 years after the ratifying of the Constitution, and only 3 years after the closing of the frontier. The knowledge of the past 200 years was unknown to him. This is why, for his time period, The Significance of the Frontier in American History was an accurate account on the relationship between the frontier and the history of America. The validation of Turner's thesis is shown in the accuracy of his statements. These statements are key concepts in the history of America, the America that he knew at the time..