The Significance of the Frontier in American History

A census is an official survey of a population that records various details of individuals, taken every 10 years. In the context of Turner’s essay, the United States census is instrumental in providing statistical data concerning population density and settled land area, aiding in tracing the westward advance of the frontier over time. Turner specifically mentions the 1890 census, which showed the disappearance of the frontier line, offering factual evidence and authoritative validation for his portrayal of steady westward expansion (1). Through the census data, Turner substantiates his thesis about the frontier’s role in American history, establishing a concrete basis for discussing the impacts and progression of frontier settlement.

By the late 1800s, a separate 10-yearly census was taken in an attempt to record the Indigenous population of North America. This census does not form part of Turner’s calculations or argument: When he talks of growing populations and (un)inhabited land, he excludes the experience of North America’s Indigenous communities.

The "American frontier” refers to the forward wave of white settler expansion in mainland North America between the colonial settlements of the 17th century and the creation of contiguous Western states in 1912.

In 1893, Turner defines the frontier as “the outer edge of the wave—the meeting point between savagery and civilization” (5). He traces the physical environments shaping the United States’s development on the frontier’s westward expansion and examines its impacts on American development at each stage. In Turner’s terms, as settlers ventured beyond established realms, the frontier nurtured individualism and democracy. The concept thus embodies not just a physical boundary but a dynamic space where cultural, political, and social transformations were catalyzed, significantly contributing to the fabric of American identity and national ethos.

The modern definition of individualism is a personal habit or principle of independence and self-reliance. It also refers to a social theory that promotes the individual’s freedom of action over the needs or control of the collective society or state.

Individualism, in Turner’s analysis, emerges from the stern conditions and basic survival challenges frontier life imposed, nurturing a rugged self-reliance among pioneers. Turner argues that the harsh conditions and “primitive” survival challenges of frontier life cultivated rugged individualism and self-reliance among pioneers, key to his theme of The Frontier as a Source of National Character. Turner credits the frontier experience with forging archetypal American traits of adaptability and ingenuity by forcing settlers to rely on their own abilities to overcome difficulties and dangers (3). The idea of personal individualism is seen to be key to the early shaping of American social ideals and political structures, especially in relation to “freedom” and “free enterprise.”

For Turner, frontier expansion promoted American nationalism and unity because addressing “the common danger” of Indigenous peoples (15) and settling new western regions required increased federal coordination. He also shows that the nationalist tendencies of the American Government promoted frontier expansion, by facilitating interstate migration, spreading democratic ideals, and lessening regional divisions.

Turner uses this term to refer to lands acquired by the United States government through purchase or treaty within frontier territories, to differentiate these from lands privately owned by citizens. He examines issues around distribution and governance of these public lands, to which frontiersmen demanded cheap and unfettered access, against Eastern objections. He argues that federal policies granting cheap or free access to western lands sought to satisfy frontier people’s hunger for new territory, as pioneers consistently resisted policies that restricted their ability to advance into and settle the American West.

Turner uses the term sectionalism to describe the political and socioeconomic disparities between different regions within the United States, often highlighting the opposing interests of the established Eastern states and the developing frontier regions. Turner underscores, for instance, the contentious dynamics between the Northern and Southern “sections” particularly around issues such as slavery and frontier expansion. He delves into how sectionalism shapes national politics and the evolution of American identity, reflecting the diverging priorities and ideologies inherent within distinct geographical and cultural realms of the nation. Through this lens, sectionalism becomes a focal point for understanding the complex interplay of regional interests in American historical development.

“The Indian Question” is the name of an 1874 book by Francis A. Walker that attempted to address the dilemma faced by white settlers and the US government in their quest to remove and subjugate Indigenous North Americans during frontier expansion. This phrase became common in the late 1800s to describe the interactions between white settlers and Indigenous peoples. It is an artifact of its time and expresses discriminatory attitudes. Turner is influenced by Walker’s theory and argues that a dichotomy emerged in early colonization between European settlers and Indigenous communities, which acted as a barrier to the expansive endeavors of the settlers. This dichotomy, marked by inherently conflicting values, lifestyles, and claims to land, underscores a significant aspect of American frontier history.