The Frontier in American History

"The Frontier in American History" by Frederick Jackson Turner is a historical exploration of how the American frontier molded the nation's personality, democratic values, and sense of self. The book highlights the frontier’s profound reshaping of American society, stating it cultivated unique social and political beliefs, different from Europe. The beginning examines the frontier’s development, revealing how the westward movement of American settlers caused a fundamental alteration of identity and establishments throughout the nation with the frontier as a lively intersection of progress and untamed nature. Turner ponders the ending of a clear frontier line, observed during the 1890 census, and reflects on the historical effects of this shift on American and European societies. He suggests the deep connection between the settlers’ lives and the emerging American principles that arose from constant interaction with the unexplored territory.