Images source: Wikimedia Commons
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The End of the Western Frontier/ The Frontier TodayAlmost a hundred years after its conception, the Western Frontier came to a close. The vast expanse of land that now composes the western half of our country was declared to have been completely explored – from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean – marking the end of the tangible Frontier. However, despite the end of The West, the idea of "The Frontier" still thrives in American society today. The ideals that fueled the expansion westward are the same ones that inspire Americans today to strive to create new technology, medicines, and inventions. However, The Frontier today is characterized by intellectual advances for the betterment of society, rather than physical advancements such as conquering and exploring land. The unique ideals that fueled the western Frontier are the same ones behind the space exploration, cancer research, and new technology developed today.
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The U.S. Census, beginning in about 1790, would draw a "frontier line" to indicate where the unexplored starts and civilization ends. The West populated gradually from the Mississippi River to the coast of California until the 1890 Census, when it was declared that this "frontier line" could no longer exist – America was finally settled from coast to coast. Although the lure of The Frontier would long survive the end of The West, the physical manifestation of the idea of The Frontier was declared to be no more (Source 1).
Nevertheless, America's Manifest Destiny was still alive and well. Specifically, the acquisition of The Alaskan Territory allowed for the colonization of a completely new and foreign area – unlike anywhere else in the mainland United States. This photograph depicts explorers discovering the extent of The Western Frontier – Alaska. The vast, icy territory still laid mostly untouched by civilization, even after the mainland Frontier ceased to exist in 1890 (2).
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Today's film industry is whitewashing the West. This article, written by The Atlantic discusses how different the true western frontier was from the one that Hollywood shows us. One major fault is how race relations are portrayed to be much worse then they actually were. Although the tensions between the native Indians and the whites was undeniable, today's blockbusters are based too heavily on these two-sided conflicts that seek to simplify the issue. While more recent movies have sought to diversify their protrayals of this time period, the white cowboys that permeated our image of the West are as prevalent as ever (3).
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"As movie genres go, the Western is a workhorse. It draws from a well of cultural symbols meant to capture the essence of America, including the freedom of the open frontier and the righteous self-determination of man. Standing tall inside this cinematic shorthand is the cowboy himself, a figure commonly understood to be an excellent shot who rides horses and who, above all, is white".
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"It grows from the assumption that America is a society different from all others, inventing a model of freedom, opportunity, and self-government toward which all others might aspire. America’s duty is to help the rest of the world toward this goal, by example when possible and through force when necessary".
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This article, also by The Atlantic talks about the fundamental American mindset that has withstood the test of time ever since 1776 – the idea that we are better than, as well as different from, everyone else. America's Manifest Destiny and its obsession with expanding its borders is a direct result of this cultural mindset. It was this that drove the first pioneers to cultivate and explore the West back in 1800; it is this that motivates our nation to continue to expand and push the boundaries of thought and science today (4).
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"The American idea is to push beyond frontiers, whether in geography (Manifest Destiny), science (splitting the atom, DNA), invention (the telephone, the lightbulb, the airplane, the Internet), industry (mass production), music (jazz, rock and roll), or popular culture (Hollywood)"
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This article by The Atlantic talks about America and the general evolution of its many frontiers. Particularly, how our focus as a nation has shifted away from a mindset of Manifest Destiny – a physical domination over the rest of the world. Now, we are more focused in technologically dominating the rest of the competing world instead. America is always at the front lines of each new frontier: space exploration, cancer research, climate research, as well as many other areas (5).
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"The American drive to push beyond frontiers is alive and well, and represents the dominant philosophy in the world today, with continued exponential advance on the horizon".
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This article, from The Wall Street Journal, explores the idea that when the physical line indicating the frontier that was the American West ceased to exist, another line, invisible to the eyes, was created. Technologically, entrepreneurially, and intellectually, the frontier is still present today. However, the frontier line today has become far less tangible since the days of the territories. The new, great American Frontier has many ways taken form in international commerce. In the article, the author draws clear similarities between The Western Frontier and the world of business today (6).
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"For three centuries the frontier had defined us, tantalized us with the perpetual chance to 'light out for the territories' and start our lives over. It was the foundation of those very American notions of 'federalism' and 'rugged individualism.' But Americans had crossed an invisible line in history, entering a new world with a new set of rules."
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#1: "Following the Frontier Line, 1790 to 1890." United States Census, U.S.
Department of Commerce, 6 Sept. 2012, www.census.gov/dataviz/visualizations/ 001/. Accessed 20 Nov. 2016. #2: Patridge, William Henry. Tourists Exploring the Top of Muir Glacier, Alaska. 1887. Digital Public Library of America, cdm16786.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ ref/collection/alaskawcanada/id/2874. Accessed 20 Nov. 2016. #3: Williams, Leah. "How Hollywood Whitewashed the Old West." The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2016. The Atlantic, www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/10/ how-the-west-was-lost/502850/?utm_source=atltw. Accessed 26 Oct. 2016. |
#4: Fallows, James. "Idealism and Practicality." The Atlantic, Aug. 2006, www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2006/07/idealism-practicality/304951/. Accessed 16 Nov. 2016.
#5: Kurzweil, Ray. "Frontiers." The Atlantic, Nov. 2007, www.theatlantic.com/ magazine/archive/2007/11/frontiers/306281/. Accessed 16 Nov. 2016. #6: Malone, Michael S. "The Next American Frontier." The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 19 May 2008, www.wsj.com/articles/SB121115437321202233. Accessed 20 Nov. 2016. |