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The Frontier in American History

by Frederick Jackson TURNER (1861 - 1932)

VII - The Problem of the West - Part 2

Frederick Jackson Turner was an extremely influential U.S. historian, who is best known for his "frontier thesis", which proposed that American democracy was profoundly shaped by the existence of an undeveloped frontier area from the founding through the 1880s. He originally put forth his idea in the essay "The Significance of the Frontier in American History", published just three years after the frontier was "officially closed" in 1890. He continued to elaborate on the frontier thesis as well as the influence of sectionalism, and the unique contributions of the Midwest to American democracy. His theory and other writings are still debated by modern day historians. This work, The Frontier in American History, collects a number of Turner's essays and speeches, including "The Significance of the Frontier in American History."

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Listen next episodes of The Frontier in American History:
VIII - Dominant Forces in Western Life - Part 2 , VIII - Dominant Forces in Western Life - Part 3 , IX - Contributions of the West to American Democracy - Part 2 , IX - Contributions of the West to American Democracy - Part 3 , X - Pioneer Ideals and the State University - Part 2 , XII - Social Forces in American History - Part 2 , XII - Social Forces in American History - Part 3 , XIII - Middle Western Pioneer Democracy - Part 2 , XIII - Middle Western Pioneer Democracy - Part 3 , IX - Contributions of the West to American Democracy - Part 1 , VIII - Dominant Forces in Western Life - Part 1 , X - Pioneer Ideals and the State University - Part 1 , XI - The West and American Ideals - Part 1 , XI - The West and American Ideals - Part 2 , XI - The West and American Ideals - Part 3 , XII - Social Forces in American History - Part 1 , XIII - Middle Western Pioneer Democracy - Part 1