Difference between revisions of "Turner's Theory"

Latest revision as of 12:06, 3 September 2013

Background

On July 12, 1893, Frederick Turner was asked to read an essay, titled, "The Significance of the Frontier", at a meeting of the American Historical Association. In writing this essay Turner generated a new hypothesis which answered the questions "Why is the American culture leaving behind European ideas?", "Why is America so different from other countries (particularly European ones)", and "Why do people in America have a better chance at succeeding?" . This theory states that America developed in such a progressive way because of the existence of a free, nearly lawless land (The West), where one could start over with a clean slate and plenty of land to do so. Turner believed that the geography of an area determines how the place will progress. His thesis was very actively present from 1600 until the late 1800s, when the transcontinental railroad had been widely used, and most of the West was settled.

Sources: [[1]] and [2]

Examples

First of all, just wrote the whole thing, then my computer decided to be a jerk and delete it all. So, basically, this will have less enthusiasm than my original because I am TIRED! Sorry...

Mary Martha Maclay: "Singapore; Lacking in Space"

Upon searching 'not enough land' through Google, the search engine suggests, 'not enough land in singapore'. And so, my curiosity and need for an original example got the better of me, and I clicked on it. I read two articles explaining Singapore's problem, and the steps they had/will take(n) to solve it. Singapore doesn't have enough space to support housing, schools, and recreation for its growing population. Both immigrants and birth rate have been increasing with each decade, and the small country cannot provide for all of them, and fear that the cities will become like those in China, overcrowded, noisy, dirty, and everything else that Singapore strongly rejects. They have taken measures as drastic as reclaiming land from the sea, by pouring immense amounts of sand upon their beaches, but the coasts are required to stay available for sea trade, so the space problem has only been partially solved. The cost to get these massive amounts of sand is also more than the country wants to pay, but they are still working on reclamation efforts on their coastlines, and nearby islands. This strongly contrasts to the America from the 1600s, to the late 1890s, when land was always available to the west. There will be virtually no land left in Singapore if the nation doesn't act to expand. Turner's theory proves true here, Singapore's lack of space means that it cannot develop as much as other nations, but it's sea ports give it a sufficient economy. The people's opportunity is determined by the land, that's what he told us, and mostly it's true. Singapore is now taking actions to use it's small space as best as it possibly can, and we shall see how it turns out in the nation's future.

Sources: http://library.thinkquest.org/C006891/reclamation.html http://thisisfetish.tripod.com/id18.html

Sam Donovan: The Frontier Thesis

The Frontier Thesis was Frederick Turner's 1893 argument that the United States escaped the old European mindset and outdated customs because of its new frontiers. The frontier had no powerful upper class, no army, and no established churches. This gave Americans the feeling of opportunity. The ruggedness of the frontier contrasted civilization, and as the tension between the two rose, democracy became more prominent and European ideas became increasingly out of place, evolving into "American-ness". The further Americans traveled west, the less they distrusted an upper class and science, as well as becoming less civilized. When the frontier closed Turner became concerned about its effect on the American mentality. This example of how the frontier affects the American point of view on the world is the perfect example of Turner's idea that cultures are affected on their geographical location and environment.

Sources: [[3]] and the history manual.

Isabel Karohl: "Trapped" Much of Europe has been occupied for a while and does not contain a "frontier" except for the bare wilderness of Russia where no one would like to explore. Currently, the underprivileged of the Island of Great Britain do not think of life as an exploration and a chance to discover a new, better life because the option has never been presented to them in the way that Americans see it. Like living in a small town, you grow up, go to school, get married, have children, and grow old all in the same town (which is completely normal to them). This environment shapes the people's personality making them more excepting to the circumstances their in. Source: my brain, Wikipedia, Mr. Elliot, and the history manual.

Sam Fallon: The American Dream

Frederick Turner asked the question, "Why are countries different?" and more specifically "Why is the United States so prosperous over other countries?" His hypothesis is that the frontier is the key to it all. The frontier was the first American dream. Even before the U.S. was a massive economic and political superpower, plethoras of immigrants from all over the world were coming here. Why? The answer is simple: a new life. The idea that, if you run into tough times you can pick up, leave your house and town and start a completely new life is what brought so many people here. This corresponds directly with Turner's hypothesis which states that this exact idea, that you can move to the frontier and start on a clean slate, made the U.S. so prosperous over other nations such as England where you needed to have money to buy a ship ride to the "new world". Still today Turner's theory is correct. People are leaving their homes and coming here, to America, to start a new life and have a shot at the "American dream" in the land of opportunity. (Source: History Manual and Mr. Elliot's Class)

John Saucer: The Land Rush of 1889

On April 22, 1889 settlers raced to claim land in Oklahoma. More than 10,000 people came to claim a 160 acres for free if they found a steak in the ground. The people came from all over even outside the USA. If the settlers stayed on the land for five years and improved the land they get to keep it for free. Turners Theory applies because highly motivated people settled Oklahoma with no debt or little debt. (Source: The American Journey and Oklahoma Historical Society, http://www.okhistory.org/kids/lrexhibit)

Morgan Sholeen: The Journey Up

American ideas were shaped by the early western frontier and the idea that one can start over. In Turner's theory he says, "that geography determines the character of people" and he is correct in the fact that the western frontier instated this idea that there is always places to explore. This idea continued until it spread all the way to space. Besides the frontier idea the race to space was also motivated by the competition between America and the Soviet Union. NASA sent its first spacecraft to the moon in 1962. The Ranger 4 crashed into the far side of the moon but this did not stop America's attempt to explore the moon. 7 years later on July 20, 1969 America landed the first man on the moon. America continues to send people into space to try to explore the moon and advance the technology used in spacecrafts. The first landing of a man on the moon relates back to Turner's theory. Since America had the western frontier it created a different drive because it instated the idea that there is always a new frontier. This was America's geographic advantage, that the western frontier installed this idea that drove us to land on the moon. (Source- Mr. Elliot's class, History Manual, and http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/space-exploration/moon-exploration-article/ )

Andrew Wan: The Louisiana Purchase

In 1803, the United States and France struck a deal agreeing that the U.S would gain nearly 827,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River in exchange for about $15 million. It was a win-win solution for both parties, granting the French more money to fight its war while giving the U.S even more land to explore. At that time, settlers had already arrived at the Mississippi River and America's frontier seemed like it was ending. The Louisiana purchase provided hope for pioneers and extended the frontier from East coast to West coast. The Louisiana Purchase provided a base for Turner's Theory and boosted the Americans' pioneering spirit for generations to come. (Sources: American Journey Textbook, History Manual)

Merissa Leebron: Heading West European cultures were not tolerant of certain people who had lost their possessions and/or their social status. In contrast, if a person in America had lost their possessions and/or social status, they had an opportunity to head west and start a new life. Because of the multiple opportunities the Americans had to succeed, they were more likely to become more successful. Americans were given multiple tries to hit the bulls-eye whereas Europeans were given one arrow. Source- (My brain, Mr. Elliot's Class)

Grace Melcher: State of Hawaii The Territory of Hawaii was officially annexed to the United States on July 7, 1898 when President McKinley signed the Newlands Resolution. At ʻIolani Palace, an official ceremony was held in which the Hawaiian flag was lowered and the American flag was raised. The State of Hawaii was the fifteenth stat to join the Union. At this time, America was in the Spanish-American war; however, though they were in a war the United States continued to be obtaining territories and expanding the nation. The annexation of Hawaii is very similar to the Frontier Thesis, Westward Expansion, and many more because they all have at least one thing in common; they answer Turner's question of "Why are countries different?" and the answer to that very complex question is somewhat simple: because some counties expanded while others didn't. (Sources Wikipedia, Mr.Elliot's Class, and the History Manual)

Laura Valderrabano: Towards the Future In 1893, Fredrick Turner aimed to answer the question, "How is it that the United States is a younger country, yet more prosperous than older countries?" His answer, "The frontier is the line of most rapid Americanization" and "that coarseness and strength combined with acuteness and acquisitiveness; that practical inventive turn of mind, quick to find expedients; that masterful grasp of material things... that restless, nervous energy; that dominant individualism" made the United States a place where a person in search of a new life could settle. Not necessarily an immigrant, but any American person who felt the need to change their lives could simply head into the frontier of "free land" and start with a clean slate. Americans have the choice of moving, thus shaping their character in a different way than those who are confined to an environment or city their whole lives. The main idea in Turner's theory is that in older countries, such as England, France, or Spain, there is nowhere to go if you want to start again, because all the land has been taken, and unless you have the money to move to the "new world" you cannot easily start again. Turner's theory illustrates what some may call the "American dream," the ability to get up and move if life isn't going in the right direction. Sources- http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z/turner.htm and History Manual

"Alston Armstrong: The Frontier Significance"

Fredric Turner asked the question "Why is it that Americans can be whoever they want and others cannot" in 1893. The answer lies within the American frontier. After people have settled on the East coast of America in the 1800's they realized that they had much room to expand. Adventurous citizens decided to move west to find new lives of their own, defying their ancestors. In the past people were born into their class, whatever your parents life was like, your life would be the same. In America you had a choice, you could move to the American frontier and start a job of your own, weather it being a farmer, a railroad baron, a rancher, a miner, etc. While people in America were changing their status, people in Europe were confined to their old ways of keeping their classes. Europe didn't have room to expand accept for areas in Russia that not many people wanted to start a life in. The American frontier had much to offer, and each part of it was very diverse. While California and states on the west coast had mining, Texas had ranching, other states had farming, railroads were expanding, many options of starting a new life were constantly spouting up everywhere. Even though today we have spread out and discovered close to all of America, we still have the option of venturing from our original classes and paying attention to our own interests. America is now the strongest nation in the world due to the fact that we had the American frontier which had so much to show us and let us learn about many things, weather it's technology, farming, or military, our resources from the past helped us learn about what is important today. (my brain, Mr. Elliot)