History of the American Frontier, 1763-1893

by Frederic L. Paxson

MP3 CD Format A Dusty Tomes Audio BookIn Cooperation with Spoken Realms History of the American Frontier 1763-1893 by Frederic L. Paxson, professor of history at the University of Wisconsin. Houghton Mifflin Company 1924. Pulitzer Prize-winner in History, 1925. The prize-winning History of the American Frontier, 1763 - 1893 covers a very wide sweep of topics, with unusual strength in handling violent relations between the frontiersman and the Indians. Paxson emphasized the impact on people of the process of moving to the west, downplaying the static aspects of specific localities. From the Author's When I began my studies in the history of the West some twenty years ago, the State of Colorado, where I worked, still bore the imprint of the struggle of the preceding decade. The frontier was gone; and the frontiersmen there as elsewhere in the United States were adapting themselves to the life of a new century. Turner had already pointed out the significance of the frontier in our history, but the occasional historical pioneer who followed his lead must make his own tools, find his sources, and assemble his bibliographies. The time is ripe for ... synthesis, in which an attempt is made to show the proportions of the whole story. Author's PrefaceI. The American Frontier of 1763II. The Forks of the OhioIII. The Shenandoah Country and the TennesseeIV. The Rear of the RevolutionV. The Land ProblemVI. Creation of the Public DomainVII. The National Land SystemVIII. The Old NorthwestIX. The Western BoundariesX. The First New StatesXI. Political Theories of the FrontierXII. Jeffersonian DemocracyXIII. The Frontier of 1800XIV. The Clash of PrinciplesXV. The Purchase of LouisianaXVI. Problems of the Southwest BorderXVII. The Bonds of UnityXVIII. The Wabash Tecumseh, 1811XIX. The Western War of 1812XX. Stabilizing the FrontierXXI. The Great MigrationXXII. Statehood on the Indiana and IllinoisXXIII. The Cotton Mississippi and AlabamaXXIV. The New SectionalismXXV. Public Land ReformXXVI. Frontier FinanceXXVII. The American SystemXXVIII. Jacksonian DemocracyXXIX. The East, and the Western MarketsXXX. The Western Internal ImprovementsXXXI. The Permanent Indian Frontier, 1825-1841XXXII. The Mississippi Valley BoomXXXIII. The Border Michigan and ArkansasXXXIV. The Independent State of TexasXXXV. 1837: The Prostrate WestXXXVI. The Trail to Santa FeXXXVII. The Settlement of OregonXXXVIII. The "State" of DeseretXXXIX. The War with MexicoXL. The Conquest of CaliforniaXLI. Far West and PoliticsXLII. PreemptionXLIII. The Frontier of the FortiesXLIV. The Railroad AgeXLV. Land Grants and the Western RoadsXLVI. Kansas-Nebraska and the Indian CountryXLVII. "Pike's Peak or Bust!"XLVIII. The Frontier of the Mineral EmpireXLIX. The Overland RouteL. The Public Wide OpenLI. The Plains in the Civil WarLII. The Union Pacific RailroadLIII. The Disruption of the TribesLIV. The Panic of 1873LV. Frontier PanaceasLVI. The Cow CountryLVII. The Closed FrontierLVIII. The Admission of the "Omnibus" StatesLIX. The Disappearance of the Frontier Dusty Tomes Audio Books are public domain books retrieved from the ravages of time. Available as never before, as audiobooks, for your pleasure and consideration.

Genres: History, American

598 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1968

About the author

Frederic Logan Paxson was an American historian, and an authority on the American West.

He earned his degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University.

From 1932 to 1947 he served as professor at the University of California.

He also served as President of the Organization of American Historians.

He won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1925 for History of the American Frontier.

Reviews

[Ted Hunt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I put this book on my "wish list" without really examining it beyond its title and the notation that it had won the Pulitzer Prize. Oh, boy, what a mistake. I should have abandoned it right away, but I can't remember the last time that I started a book and didn't finish it, so I persevered. Yes, it is a Pulitzer Prize winning history of the American frontier, but that prize was won in 1925, and the book is a prime example of the type of history that was written back then that, fortunately, has disappeared into the dust bin of historiography. Frankly, I can't believe that it's still in print. Content aside, I am surprised that Amazon still offers this book, as it it poorly manufactured (dozens of its pages fell out of the paperback binding) and it contains a multitude of unbelievable typos. (As one example, the word "bill"- as in a law- is spelled "biff." Come on, how was this book typeset and who edited it?!?) But it is the content that distinguishes this book. There are a few interesting sections: the discussion of the routes of early canals (largely dictated by geography) and the reason that the midwestern and western states have their contemporary borders (largely dictated by politics). But this is a book about how the institutions of the United States- various levels of government, banks, railroads, land companies, etc.- impacted the settlement of the west. The native tribes are far removed from the center of this story. They enter occasionally and then fade away. The language that the author used to describe them is ungenerous at best, and often racist (he often calls them "savages"). There was one sentence where he actually wrote that the policy of the United States government towards the native tribes was "generous and humane." You've got to be kidding. His brief description of the boarding schools that the native children were sent to show that "they were capable of becoming civilized." The books that are being written today appropriately put the native tribes at the center of the story and present a picture of the frontier as a "borderland," not an empty canvas. Skip this book- it belongs in a museum, not on your bookshelf.

[Arun Verma · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most fascinating periods in American history is explored in depth and with insight in Frederic L. Paxson's History of the American Frontier. Paxson takes readers on a fascinating trip through the growth and transition of the American frontier using painstaking research and an engaging narrative style.

Paxson carefully analyzes the significant incidents, people, and forces that shaped the American frontier, covering everything from the aftermath of the French and Indian War in 1763 through the closing of the frontier in 1893. The settlement of the western lands, the wars with Native American tribes, the effects of the American Revolution, the growth of the United States, and the social and economic changes that went along with westward migration are all covered in great detail in this book.

Paxson's writings excel in presenting a fair and nuanced perspective on the challenges of frontier life. Through meticulous attention to detail and authentic sources, he immerses readers in the experiences of settlers, Native Americans, explorers, traders, and soldiers, shedding light on their contacts, disputes, cooperation, trials, successes, and tribulations in shaping the American West.

A wide spectrum of readers will be able to understand the intricate historical narrative thanks to Paxson's entertaining and approachable writing style. This level of academic discipline guarantees the book's accuracy and objectivity, making it a great tool for historians, students, and anyone else trying to comprehend the complexity of the American frontier.

Finally, it is a brilliant text that explores the fascinating history of the American West. This book is a must-read for anybody interested in comprehending the evolution and significance of the American frontier due to Paxson's painstaking research, compelling writing style, and thorough methodology. It makes a significant contribution to the study of American history by providing a nuanced and thorough examination of this crucial era in the country's history.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Pulitzer prize winner. Hooray for library book sales. I wouldn't have found this gem otherwise. Very happy to know that at least one other American history book by Frederic L. Paxton can be examined via Internet Archive.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable and logically organized. When I got to the Texas chapter, I was kind of surprised by its brevity, so I do wonder about some of the chapters concerning historical events I was not as familiar with. I enjoyed my time with this book. Learned a lot.

[? · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Go West, young man"

[Brad Kohler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing detail provided for the western expansion in the U.S., including the social, political and economic factors shaping it.