How frontier experience had an impact on women’s role

Dossier / Travail , 2007 , 14 Pages , Note: 1,0

Philologie Anglaise - Culture et Études de pays

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American historians assumed that the process of extending the frontier westward began 1607 with the establishment of the first colony in Jamestown. It ended around 1890 when the U.S. census bureau defined the frontier “[…] as an unbroken line of settlement with two or fewer people per square mile […].” This criterion led Frederick Jackson Turner in 1893 to the conclusion that there was no frontier line, due to westward movement and expanding settlement, anymore.

Turner noted the great significance of the frontier to the development of the American society and underlined the frontier’s economic and political contributions. In addition he argued that the spirit of the West was very important, because it “[…] encouraged men to rebel against eastern conservatism, particularly by shaping new policies […] and to liberalize their political views in support of democracy.” When he talked about frontier experience he talked about the story of men’s confrontation with the raw force of the West.
“The wilderness masters the colonist. […] It takes him from the railroad car and puts him in the birch canoe. […] at the frontier the environment is at first too strong for the man. He must accept the conditions which it furnishes, or perish, and so he fits himself into the Indian clearings and follows the Indian trails.
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When analyzing history it is important to have a look at the people. From this point of view frontiers were not just regions at the edge of a settled area, but also places were different people – men, women and children – had to manage their lives. Therefore the topic of this term paper is to investigate how frontier encounters and experiences had an impact on women’s role. For this reason the term paper is structured as follows: it starts with the description of a U.S. federal law from 1862, the Homestead Act. This law gave nearly everyone the opportunity to “acquire” property. In addition it was a main reason for many men, women and families to move west. Afterwards the circumstances of homesteading – housing conditions, dangers of frontier life and division of work – should be investigated in order to find distinctions between frontier life and the everyday life in the eastern regions. Finally, the analysis of gender role and family life at the frontier should provide evidence to answer the question of this term paper.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Introduction
• Homestead Act
• Everyday life of frontier women
  • Housing conditions
  • Dangers of frontier life
  • Division of work and possible professions at the frontier
• Gender role and family life
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Appendix I
• Appendix II

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This term paper aims to investigate the impact of frontier encounters and experiences on women's role in the American West during the 19th century. It focuses on the period following the Homestead Act of 1862, which encouraged westward migration and settlement. The paper examines the challenges and opportunities faced by women in this context, exploring their everyday lives, housing conditions, and the division of labor within frontier families.

• The Homestead Act and its impact on westward migration
• The challenges and opportunities of frontier life for women
• The role of women in homesteading and building homes
• The division of labor and gender roles within frontier families
• The impact of frontier experiences on women's lives and identities

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The introduction provides a historical context for the study of frontier life, highlighting the significance of the frontier in shaping American society and the role of Frederick Jackson Turner's work in understanding this process. It also introduces the focus of the term paper, which is to investigate the impact of frontier encounters and experiences on women's role.

The chapter on the Homestead Act examines the legal framework that facilitated westward expansion and its implications for women. It discusses the opportunities and challenges presented by the Act, including the potential for women to acquire land and achieve independence.

The chapter on the everyday life of frontier women delves into the specific challenges and experiences faced by women in this context. It explores the housing conditions, including the construction of dugouts, log houses, and sod houses, and the dangers of frontier life, such as encounters with wildlife and natural disasters. It also examines the division of labor and the ways in which women contributed to the survival and success of their families.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include the Homestead Act, frontier life, women's role, gender roles, family life, housing conditions, dangers of frontier life, division of labor, and westward expansion. The text explores the impact of frontier experiences on women's lives and identities, highlighting the challenges and opportunities they faced in this unique and demanding environment.

• Université: Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg
• Cours: Women in the West
• Note: 1,0
• Auteur: Bjoern Cebulla (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2007
• Pages: 14
• N° de catalogue: V113780
• ISBN (ebook): 9783640165162
• ISBN (Livre): 9783640781119
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Women, West, American Studies