In the 20th century, Frederick Jackson Turner was an American Historian. He was an intelligent man who had studied at prestige colleges such as; Harvard and University of Wisconsin. His main focus in history was in regards to the Midwest. His historian research emphasized the focus on quantitative and interdisciplinary methods of study. His most well-known work was an essay that he had written about American History. The article was called, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History”. Turner was also well-known for his theories of geographical sectionalism of American History.
Turner’s essay, thesis on American History was focused on the western frontier and the shaping of America. In the essay, he discusses how the West Frontier had values that often was in conflict with the Eastern Frontier. He believed that the Western Frontier had help in creating the American race. In the western part of America, there is the reoccurrence of evolution that is expanding with time. The Western frontier is leading in advancement in the development process in the area.
The growth of the American Western Frontier has developed the growth for new opportunities Turner had researched his ideas from his childhood and youth years living in the Mid-West. His educational background had an influence on his ideas and theories of the Western American History. This is why he believed and wrote about the democratic evolvement was needed after the expansion of the settlement. American is characterized by the frontier and the people who have evolved in the area. His ideas of certain groups of people were in his own belief and not a true sense of belief. In regards to the Indian people, he did not recognize their attributes to American but had left them out of their own freedoms. He discussed the Indian land as free land and they represented a missionary religion. Turner had great theories in much of his essay and in other parts were a bit prejudice in nature.
Reference
Ridge, M. (1992). The Significance of the Frontier in American History," and the Gilded Age. Frederick Jackson Turner, 1-4.
