The West According to Frederick Jackson Turner

The West According to Frederick Jackson Turner

Frederick Jackson Turner, a journalist turned historian captured the ear of the historic community with his essay titled, "The Significance of the Frontier in American History." His essay was a diversion from the popular point of view that identified America and American culture with the early settlers of the thirteen colonies. Until Turner's essay, the majority of Americans and members of the scholastic and intellectual community referred to the landing of the Englishmen when defining the American culture and experience. When one talked about these United States of America and the evolving culture of this New World, the focus immediately went to the Atlantic coast and the eastern seaboard. Turner, asserts that the true origins of American society do not lie with the thirteen colonies but with the "Colonization of [the] Great West". According to Turner the defining of American society can be directly attributed to an ongoing process that accompanied settlers' experiences as they encountered new people and new land. Turner cites three factors that contributed the shaping and embodiment of American society and culture as we know it today. First, in his essay Turner explains how the encounter with the 'free land' changed the new visitors. Second, the fact that this new land, or 'free land' was already inhabited should not be overlooked or in any way diminished. This interaction with the 'Natives' also shaped the character of the new American. Last, the industry and commerce that evolved primarily out of necessity shaped and remains engrained in the Americans' DNA today.

Turner makes a distinction between the settlers of the Atlantic coast and those that expanded West. While the primary settlers in New England were of English descent and while they sought independence, in many ways they were an extension of England; only further west. However, immigrants arriving subsequently were German, Irish or Dutch. According to Turner there were either indentured servants that had served their time and those redeeming them. They sought to build new lives and had become aware of the 'free land' just past the frontier. In 1717 Governor Spotswood of Virginia writes, "The inhabitants of our frontiers are composed generally of such as have been transported hither as servants, and, being out of their time, settle themselves where land is to be taken up and that will produce the necessaries of life with little labor." Turner states that many of the persons redeeming the servants were not English.

Turner goes on to outline the initial settlements of these travelers. Typically they were farmers, seems reasonable as there was little other industry in the newly acquired land. Additionally, growing and cultivating vegetation along with hunting is how the family was sustained. In addition to a garden, they would build a cabin and fence in the twelve acres or so of land and settle down. While there they would work the land and it was home. There was no mortgage or rental agreement. But it was just as much theirs as today's homeowner who is purchasing a single-family home. Perhaps more so as there was very little threat of foreclosure or eviction. After settling for awhile and working the land, the pioneers would strike out for better and more land. In many cases families with similar interests and like minds would join together to form societies and communities. As subsequent waves of immigrants arrived the owner of the land would sell his stake and move on to greener pastures on higher ground. And this cycle was repeated over and over again to populate the West. As this process was replicated the pioneers developed additional skills that increased their productivity and ability to defend and secure their property.

In addition to the challenges brought to bear by the new land, the new settlers that converged on the West had to deal with those