Essay
The Frontier Myth

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“Up to our own day American history has been in a large degree the history of the colonization of the Great West. The existence of an area of free land, its continuous recession, and the advance of American settlement westward explain American development. (…)American social development has been continually beginning over again on the frontier. This perennial rebirth, this fluidity of American life, this expansion westward with its new opportunities, its continuous touch with the simplicity of primitive society, furnish the forces dominating American character.” Source: http://www.learner.org/workshops/primarysources/corporations/docs/turner.html
Frederick Jackson Turner

The Frontier is a prominent symbol of American culture. Although it intimidated the colonists and later Americans, it did not prevent them from spreading. What drove them was “the idea of unlimited free land, a sense of unlimited opportunity and optimism”1. The idea of the frontier was significant in American culture between 1860 and 1893 because it was considered by many to be “the last frontier.” “Since the beginning of the European settlements, westward expansion had always served as an inspiration to those dreaming to start a new life.”1 With the last of the frontier being absorbed into civilization, its importance to the American people rose more than ever.
Frederick Jackson Turner said that this closing of the frontier “marks the closing of a great historical movement.” The frontier was first the Atlantic coast and the frontier was mainly Europeans. As the frontier began to move westward over the years, they became more and more American. This meant that the advance of the frontier meant a steady movement away from the influence of Europe, and a steady growth of American independence. Though the frontier was a symbol of patriotism and American pride.
The American Cowboy’s was also a part the frontier as they was seeing them as the American pride. Their way of life was interesting and unique, and they contributed more to society than one might think. Besides looking after stock and driving cattle, they had to round up huge numbers of cattle for ranchers. Cowboys wasn't just for anyone. Certain character traits and physical characteristics were required if someone wanted to be a good cowboy. Considering the distances that they covered, traveling was rough. Cowboy needed great strength, endurance, and often cleverness to complete. People came from everywhere to become cowboys. Some came from eastern American states, others from the Midwest, and the rest came from states in the South. They came to work on ranches and drive cattle on the trail. "Many were ex-rebel soldiers who maintained that attitude on the trail. This is how Texas got a reputation for lawlessness and violence" (The Cowboys). Being a cowboy, for some, had a special status. Cowboys in the Western Plains called themselves cowpunchers and thought of themselves as more important than others. Cowboys worked very hard and were also a big part of pushing the frontier further West.
After the Civil War, the frontier changed just like the rest of America. Immigrants established from all over the globe. This led to huge population increases, which meant that more land was needed. Bigger population meant bigger nature problems because the Americans interacted with the native and the wilderness. The frontier was slowly divided among the masses, and people began claiming their areas. With the land being devoured, the Indians felt that they were being denied the rights to what was theirs. The Indians were greatly outnumbered, and out skilled. In one of the last deciding battles, Wounded Knee, the Indians lost one-hundred and forty-six dead, and fifty-one injured, where as the U.S. Army had twenty-five killed and thirty-nine wounded. The Native Americans were no match for the machine guns with their outdated hand-to-hand combat style. After the battle, the Natives had to accept the fact that they were defeated, and had to take what they had and leave.

Buffalo Bill was one of the most interesting figures of the old west, and the best-known representative of the new west. Buffalo Bill was born in 1846 and his real name was William Frederick Cody. Cody was many things. He was a trapper, bullwhacker, Colorado 'Fifty-Niner', Pony Express rider, Civil War soldier, wagon master, stagecoach driver, and even a manager of a hotel. He changed his name to Buffalo Bill sometime in his early twenties for his skill of hunting buffalo’s while supplying railroad workers with buffalo meat. He would soon begin his career as one of the most famous prairie scouts of the Indian Wars.
As a frontier scout, he respected Native Americans and supported their rights. He employed many more natives than Sitting Bull, as he thought his show offered them good pay for a better life. He called them “the former foe, present friend, the American”2, and once said, “Every Indian outbreak that I have ever known has resulted from broken promises and broken treaties by the government.”2

1. The Frontier Heritage by Edward N. Kearny, 1984 2. Buffalo Bill's Wild West: An American Legend