Frederick Jackson Turner’s thesis focuses on the importance of westward expansion in American History. The frontier lies on the edge of free land, and it is in human nature to continue expansion. Turner argues that expanding west equals to developing America. This parallels prior beliefs that it was the American people’s destiny to expand west, more commonly known as Manifest Destiny. The people had already begun to move, but traveled and established settlements so isolated the frontier was not reinforced and essentially closed. When analyzing where settlements where establish, Turner noticed a pattern. This westwards movement, according to Turner, can be based on centers of attraction. These attractions include salt springs, mines, fertile
