Myth of Frontier

During the 19th century, there was a wide spread belief that the American settlers were destined to continue expansion amongst the land. This land to be discovered was known as the Frontier. The term “Frontier” is better understood as the front dividing the colonies from a seemingly endless expanse of land, prime for civilization and cultivation. Its vast uncertainties essentially led to a new beginning and the potential to attain the American dream. The early settlers had this ideal image of what the west was going to be like. It was a perfect vision of a wild, open, and free western territory really characterizing traditional American principles. From this expected idea, frontier myths were constructed in hopes of the freedom of western civilization. It was quickly observed that establishing in the west was not as free and open as once imagined, thus resulting in the “myth of the frontier.” Throughout this migration period, early white men believed in the notion of Manifest Destiny. This idea was literally perceived as God’s predetermined judgment to develop a new, innovative nation, whose boundaries extended from coast to coast. When settlers recognized the open western territory, they felt they must expand westward in order to follow this destiny. Through Manifest Destiny, settlers sought expansion as a way to generate economic growth. With the possibility of new territory come more resources. Although the concept of Manifest Destiny is not clearly outlined by a set of principles, it can be easily understood as this pre-conceived notion to establish a more civilized America. Historian, Frederick Jackson Turner, defined this western territory of the Frontier in his own way. He described the land as a safety valve. In other words, it was a land of safe opportunity. There is opportunity to establish more economic power, which at the time meant greater political power. From this, he developed a “Frontier Thesis.” Tuner theorized the American