Based on Turner’s point of view, the Americans became Americans since their expansion towards the West. Geographically, it is agreeable that the Americans have separated themselves from Europe, but they may not have been completely separated ideologically. Going to the main point of this essay, the Americans not only gained their own identity because they moved to the West, but more so because of the mixed cultures, merging of ideologies, adaptation of the ways of living, and sharing of some political principles. Although the frontier has ended as officially announced in notes of 1890 Census, influences such as culture, folklore, and history remain as roots of the American identity (Turner 10).
As they moved gradually to the West, they have created a land policy through which they will base the distribution of lands to settlers. They sought a wise distribution by selling the lands to settlers at affordable prices. Through the Louisiana Purchase in the 1780’s and the possession of Indian lands during the end of War 1812, the Americans have continued to expand their territories until such time they have established states from different regions of acquired lands. All this was a result of bloodshed against the Native American or Indian people (52). However, these are the geographical concepts that Turner was talking about. In the middle of these events, there were intermarriages, alliances (particularly the French and the Indians versus the British and the Federal government), as well as the sharing of traditions and norms. Thus, America became an independent country because of the merging of all this ideological factors.
Work Cited
Turner, Frederick Jackson. The Significance of the Frontier in the American History.
Penguin, 2008. Print.
