The Turner's Frontier

The Turner Frontier Thesis, proposed by historian Frederick Jackson Turner in 1893, argues that the American character and democracy were shaped by the experience of westward expansion. Turner believed that the continual movement into frontier lands fostered individualism, innovation, and a distinct American identity. He suggested that as settlers moved west, they transformed wilderness into civilization. This process, he claimed, was a key factor in shaping the United States, highlighting the importance of the frontier in fostering a unique national spirit and contributing to social and political development.