American Studies Week 1 10 February 2014

1. American StudiesWeek 110 February 2014

2. The Frontier Experience--How It Formed the American Character

3. WHY?Why are there so many gun deaths in the U.S.?

4. WHY did the Founding Fathers declare “All men are created equal” while allowing slavery?

5. HOW can we have a technologically-advanced society in which a large percentage of people do not believe in science?

6. HOW could we have a nation built on Christian ideals that did not provide health care for all citizens?

7. As successive terminal moraines result from successive glaciations, so each frontier leaves its traces behind it, and when it becomes a settled area the region still partakes of the frontier characteristics. Frederick Jackson Turner

9. The Frontier • Western edge of white settlement • Always changing—moving west • Line of white/Indian conflict • Stages of development

10. As people moved from East to West, they became-- • Less European, More American • Less educated, less artistic • More self-reliant, practical • More like the Indians in the way they fought

11. Stage 1 on the frontier—The Wilderness Man

12. Stage 1: The Wilderness Man • Man on his own • Outcast from white society • Trapping, trading w/Indians, Does not farm • Accepts Indian ways • Is generally accepted by Indians

13. Stage 2--Pioneers

14. Stage 2: Pioneers • Families—high fertility • Very poor—moving west their only option • Live by hunting & trapping at first • Clear land, plant crops, raise livestock, make whiskey • Squatters—no legal ownership of land • Live in conflict w/Indians • Always moving west

15. Pioneer Mind Set • Hatred of Indians • Land should be free • Individualistic, violent, simple justice • High energy—always ready to move on • Against— • Landlords • Government • Armies • Taxes • Established religion

16. I didn't mean no harm.  All I wanted was to go somewheres; all I wanted was a change, I warn't particular. –Huckleberry Finn Example of pioneer mind set

17. Stage 3: Land Speculators • Rich Easterners • Buy up huge amounts of land in the West • Try to collect rent from squatters • Sell land to new settlers

19. Stage 4: Settlers • Farmers who want to be permanent • Permanent buildings • Improve the land • Try to gain legal title to land • Often cheated by land speculators

20. Stage 5: Towns • Trade • Industry • Government • Religion • Schools • Everything the original pioneers hated

21. Down Side of Frontier Attitudes • Racism • Simplistic justice--lynching • Disregard for environment • Violence, esp. w/ guns • Lack of reasonable gov’t regulation

22. Positive Side of Frontier Attitude • Individualism • Risk-taking • Innovation • Opportunity—cheap land, few laws • Chance to start over in life

23. Frontier Officially Closed 1890

24. New Frontiers • An attitude, not a place—Walt Whitman--http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG8tqEUTlvs • Internet • Belongs to everybody • No rules • Lots of new ideas, energy

25. The New Deal—to put people back to work, to end the Great Depression

26. John F. KennedyThe New Frontier • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsdomV7giC0

28. Internet