280 likes | 412 Views
American Studies Week 1 10 February 2014. The Frontier Experience-- How It Formed the American Character. WHY? Why are there so many gun deaths in the U.S.?. WHY did the Founding Fathers declare “All men are created equal” while allowing slavery?.
E N D
The Frontier Experience--How It Formed the American Character
WHY did the Founding Fathers declare “All men are created equal” while allowing slavery?
HOW can we have a technologically-advanced society in which a large percentage of people do not believe in science?
HOW could we have a nation built on Christian ideals that did not provide health care for all citizens?
As successive terminal moraines result from successive glaciations, so each frontier leaves its traces behind it, and when it becomes a settled area the region still partakes of the frontier characteristics. Frederick Jackson Turner
The Frontier • Western edge of white settlement • Always changing—moving west • Line of white/Indian conflict • Stages of development
As people moved from East to West, they became-- • Less European, More American • Less educated, less artistic • More self-reliant, practical • More like the Indians in the way they fought
Stage 1: The Wilderness Man • Man on his own • Outcast from white society • Trapping, trading w/Indians, Does not farm • Accepts Indian ways • Is generally accepted by Indians
Stage 2: Pioneers • Families—high fertility • Very poor—moving west their only option • Live by hunting & trapping at first • Clear land, plant crops, raise livestock, make whiskey • Squatters—no legal ownership of land • Live in conflict w/Indians • Always moving west
Pioneer Mind Set • Hatred of Indians • Land should be free • Individualistic, violent, simple justice • High energy—always ready to move on • Against— • Landlords • Government • Armies • Taxes • Established religion
I didn't mean no harm. All I wanted was to go somewheres; all I wanted was a change, I warn't particular. –Huckleberry Finn Example of pioneer mind set
Stage 3: Land Speculators • Rich Easterners • Buy up huge amounts of land in the West • Try to collect rent from squatters • Sell land to new settlers
Stage 4: Settlers • Farmers who want to be permanent • Permanent buildings • Improve the land • Try to gain legal title to land • Often cheated by land speculators
Stage 5: Towns • Trade • Industry • Government • Religion • Schools • Everything the original pioneers hated
Down Side of Frontier Attitudes • Racism • Simplistic justice--lynching • Disregard for environment • Violence, esp. w/ guns • Lack of reasonable gov’t regulation
Positive Side of Frontier Attitude • Individualism • Risk-taking • Innovation • Opportunity—cheap land, few laws • Chance to start over in life
New Frontiers • An attitude, not a place—Walt Whitman--http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG8tqEUTlvs • Internet • Belongs to everybody • No rules • Lots of new ideas, energy
The New Deal—to put people back to work, to end the Great Depression
John F. KennedyThe New Frontier • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsdomV7giC0