Essay about Frontier Thesis

Submitted By beaherrera77
Words: 373
Pages: 2

Although some suggest Frederick Jackson Turner’s “frontier thesis” holds truth in the fact that the frontiers moved westward steadily, others disagree that the actual settlement of the west was not steady. There are certain events that prove Turner’s thesis unstable such as the homestead act and individualism. In his thesis Turner chooses to ignore the Native Americans that were living on the land saying it was “free land”. The Native Americans were forced out of their homes as the settlers and railroads moved west. The government anxious to attract settlers to develop the west created the Homestead Act.The homestead act said that as long as they built a home and grew crops for five years the land was free but this only applied to the land west of the Mississippi River. The Morrill Land Grant Act set aside land and provided money for agricultural colleges. Although the government made it seem like living in the plains would be easy settlers faced many dangers that shaped the American character. When the frontiers moved westward the American character began to develop.Settlers began to gain qualities that gave them a unique spirit allowing them to be more successful in the west. People that moved into the plains had to be brave and courageous to deal with the constant threat of indians attacking them. The settlers had to always be on the lookout not even leaving their gun a foot away to protect themselves of the constant threat. Americans showed they had a sense of