Tuesday, March 9, 2010

68 (D-63) TURNER.... the American Turner

68 (D-63) Frederick Jackson Turner (1861-1932) was an American historian. He wrote "The Significance of the Frontier in American History." He believed that the American frontier was very important in forming the American character. Turner built his Frontier Thesis in 1893 around the idea that the frontier provided the core defining quality of the United States. He said that the spirit and success of the United States is directly tied to the country's westward expansion. According to Turner, the unique and rugged American identity was born at the juncture between the civilization of settlement and the savagery of wilderness. This produced a new type of citizen - one with the power to tame the wild and one upon whom the wild had conferred strength and individuality.

Turner's thesis quickly became popular among intellectuals. It explained why the American people and American government were so different from Europeans.


Most American history texts present Turner's ideas. Although a historical controversy has continued for decades concerning the validity of his frontier thesis, few critics reject it entirely. He is one of the most renowned of all American historians.

Jane
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VOCABULARY:
core = the center, the central part
core defining quality: the quintessence
tied = to tie: to be linked; to be attached to
rugged = having a sturdy ("solide", robuste") build or strong constitution
to tame = to domesticate
renowned = famous; well-known

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