American Old West Myths
America’s Western Frontier The American Old West compromises the history, myths, legends, stories, beliefs, and cultural meanings that collected around the Western United States in the 1800’s. Most often the term refers to the late 19th century, between 1865 to 1900, post-Civil war time period. Terms Old West and Wild West relate to life beyond the western frontier. The Wild West appears as a simple romanticized perception of the actual Old West identity, which forms numerous characters, lifestyles and based idea’s upon its self. Historians over the years have investigated the mythical perception of the Wild West, and it’s relation and difference to the American Old West. Comparing and contrasting the two, gives insight to the actual western
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The exploration and exploitation of that area generally west of the Mississippi, truly makes for great human history. Often, however, myth’s and other tales creep into Old West history causing confusion and chaos about the reality of it all. Mythological characters such as the heroic figure of a cowboy and the villains Wild Bill and Calamity Jane are merely a mirage to the Old West’s real perception of people. Both heroic and villain characters base upon the Old West’s society of people who stood and fought till the end. In reality of the Old West Native Americans, the loss of the bison and growth of white settlement drastically affected the lives of the Native Americans living in the West. In the conflicts that resulted, the Indians, spite occasional victories, seemed doomed to defeat by the greater numbers of settlers and the military force of the U.S. government. By the 1880s, most Indians had been confined to reservations, often in areas of the West that appeared least desirable to white settlers. Despite occasional victories, seemed doomed to defeat by the greater numbers of settlers and the military force of the U.S. government in the west. By the 1880s, most Indians had been confined to reservations, often in areas of the West that appeared least desirable to white settlers. In the end the Old West appears delivered from Wild West characterization making a foundation for the old west
The exploration and exploitation of that area generally west of the Mississippi, truly makes for great human history. Often, however, myth’s and other tales creep into Old West history causing confusion and chaos about the reality of it all. Mythological characters such as the heroic figure of a cowboy and the villains Wild Bill and Calamity Jane are merely a mirage to the Old West’s real perception of people. Both heroic and villain characters base upon the Old West’s society of people who stood and fought till the end. In reality of the Old West Native Americans, the loss of the bison and growth of white settlement drastically affected the lives of the Native Americans living in the West. In the conflicts that resulted, the Indians, spite occasional victories, seemed doomed to defeat by the greater numbers of settlers and the military force of the U.S. government. By the 1880s, most Indians had been confined to reservations, often in areas of the West that appeared least desirable to white settlers. Despite occasional victories, seemed doomed to defeat by the greater numbers of settlers and the military force of the U.S. government in the west. By the 1880s, most Indians had been confined to reservations, often in areas of the West that appeared least desirable to white settlers. In the end the Old West appears delivered from Wild West characterization making a foundation for the old west