Discuss Turner’s Thesis. Why Was It A Significant Thesis? ✓ Solved

Discuss Turner’s thesis. Why was it a “significant†thesis?

You will be reading a chapter from the attached PDF File that focuses on western expansion in the early United States and how Andrew Jackson was symbolic of western settlement. The chapter prompts the following questions: Discuss Turner’s thesis. Why was it a “significant” thesis? What prevailing assumptions did it challenge? How is the thesis a product of Turner’s time (i.e., how was it influenced by ideas and events that were prominent around the time it was produced)? What was the topic of Thomas Abernethy’s research? What did his research conclude, and what was its effect on Turner’s theory? Each answer should be a few paragraphs long and fully answer all parts of the question.

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Frederick Jackson Turner’s thesis, commonly referred to as the Frontier Thesis, is one of the most influential interpretations of American history. In his 1893 essay, "The Significance of the Frontier in American History," Turner posits that the American frontier was the defining factor in creating the unique American character. He argues that the westward expansion and the challenges of frontier life shaped democratic institutions, promoted individualism, and fostered innovation. Thus, the frontier experience was crucial in understanding the development of American society and identity.

The significance of Turner’s thesis lies in its challenge to prevailing narratives that emphasized European influences on American culture and governance. At a time when America was grappling with its identity following its emergence as a nation, Turner's thesis asserted that it was the frontier that shaped the national character. This paradigm shift marked a departure from focusing solely on European heritage and its impact on the New World. Turner believed that as settlers moved westward, they adapted to the unique challenges posed by the wilderness, thus producing a distinctly American culture characterized by democracy and egalitarianism.

Turner’s thesis was emblematic of the ideas and events of his time, reflecting a growing national sentiment towards manifest destiny and the belief in American exceptionalism. The late 19th century was marked by rapid industrialization, urbanization, and the closing of the frontier, which led many Americans to reevaluate their national identity. The ideology of manifest destiny encouraged the belief that the U.S. was destined to expand across the continent, and this expansion facilitated the belief that Americans were destined to spread democracy and civilization. Therefore, Turner’s ideas about the frontier were not merely academic; they were influenced by the contemporary socio-political climate that celebrated westward expansion as a positive force in American society.

Thomas Abernethy, a prominent historian who came after Turner, focused his research on the western frontier and its socio-economic implications. His work, particularly in "The Western Lands," concluded that the impact of the frontier was much more complex than Turner suggested. Abernethy pointed out that while the frontier fostered certain American traits, it also perpetuated certain injustices and conflicts, particularly concerning Native American populations and the economic disparities that arose from land policies and acquisition.

Abernethy’s conclusions served as a critical commentary on Turner’s theories. By emphasizing the darker aspects of frontier expansion, including the violence against indigenous populations and the socio-economic inequities that accompanied westward settlement, Abernethy challenged the notion that the frontier was solely a force for good in shaping American identity. His research prompted a more nuanced understanding of the American expansion experience, reflecting a shift in historical analysis that sought to include marginalized voices and perspectives.

In summary, Frederick Jackson Turner’s thesis served as a pivotal moment in American historiography, providing a lens through which to assess the impact of the frontier on national identity. Its significance resides in its challenge to existing narratives and its reflection of contemporary ideologies around American expansion. However, the subsequent critique by historians like Thomas Abernethy illustrates the complexities and multifaceted nature of the frontier experience, revealing both its positive contributions to American society and its many shortcomings.

References

• Turner, F. J. (1893). "The Significance of the Frontier in American History." American Historical Association.
• Abernethy, T. (1938). "The Western Lands." New York: George H. Doran Company.
• Zinn, H. (2003). "A People's History of the United States." HarperCollins.
• Hobsbawm, E. J. (1994). "The Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century, 1914-1991." Michael Joseph.
• Griffin, W. (2020). "The American Frontier: A History." ABC-CLIO.
• West, E. (2010). "The New American West." University of Oklahoma Press.
• Slotkin, R. (1992). "Gunfighter Nation: The Myth of the Frontier in Twentieth-Century America." Western Historical Quarterly.
• Tischler, B. A. (2006). "Turning Toward the West: A Guide to the Frontier Experience." University Press of Colorado.
• Cashman, S. (1997). "America in the West: A History." Wadsworth Publishing.
• Novak, W. J. (2020). "The People's Welfare: Law and Class in American History." University of North Carolina Press.