Turner's Thesis - Us History Essay

In Turner's thesis, the Native American population is a savage population, integral to the frontier experience as one of the contributing factors shaping the worldly, material, and pragmatic orientation of the West. Described as a "consolidating agent," the Indian population forced a solidification of American military might and purpose, countering the threat of Indian attack.

1. To what extent do you agree with Turner’s assumption that fighting against the Indians brought people in the American West together?

         I suppose in some incredibly twisted way, Turner was entirely correct in describing Native Americans as a “consolidation agent,” for the American people. You see this dynamic throughout US history, the “us versus them” mentality of American military tactics. Whether it’s the British, or Communism, the idea of American ideals being threatened in whatever capacity is a large driving force behind nationalism in our society.

“This then is the heritage of pioneer experience,--a passionate belief that a democracy was possible which should leave the individual a part to play in free society and not make him a cog in a machine operated from above; which trusted in the common man, in his tolerance, his ability to adjust differences with good humor, and to work out an American type from the contributions of all nations--a type for which he would fight against those who challenged it in arms, and for which in time of war he would make sacrifices, even the temporary sacrifice of individual freedom and his life, lest that freedom be lost forever.”

2. Turner links the frontier experience to the growth of democracy. Why do you think he does this?

         Democracy is the basis of what most Americans consider their culture. Imperialism is underhandedly another basis for American culture, but that doesn’t sound as frilly and nationalistic in this context. Turner uses this comparison to ignite nationalism (a running theme in his statements) and connect that same nationalism for democracy and American culture to the frontier experience.

3. What challenges do you predict that the United States will face now that the continent has been settled?

         Expansion of a nation, especially if originally started in a much smaller area, has many issues and challenges that face it. A large, no pun intended, issue with expansion, specifically in the US’ westward expansion context, is adjusting government and it’s associated programs over a larger blanket. You see lawlessness become a theme in the western expansion of the US due to the lack of governmental control of the area. Secondly, American’s constant conflict with the native population brought a significant rise to slaughter and genocide.