History of the American Frontier

Frederic L. Paxson

• Publisher: G&D Media
• Year: 2024
• Print ISBN:
  9781722506902
• eBook ISBN:
  9781722528089
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: American Civil War History
• Index: History

A Masterwork and Winner of The Pulitzer Prize for History Frederic L Paxson's History of the American Frontier offers a sweeping account of the American West and the country's westward expansion from 1763-1893.This gripping journey through the heart of America's past is a must-read for every student of American history. Paxson masterfully paints a picture of how the land of the United States was settled over approximately 150 years, starting with the English settlers in New England and tracing the expansion across the continent, ending at the shores of the Pacific Ocean.Paxton's literary genius shines through in this meticulously researched chronicle as he takes a historical, geographic, and pragmatic view of Westward expansion. He masterfully illuminates the untamed expanses, courageous pioneers, and the pivotal events in American history, from the War for Independence to the Louisiana Purchase, regional conflicts with Native Americans as well as the Civil War. In addition to these events that shaped American history, Paxton offers keen insight into the intricacies behind the scenes of frontier finance, executive orders from Presidents Washington to Roosevelt, and an inside look at the corporations who constructed and managed the canals and railroads.The vivid portrait Paxton paints of this captivating era in American history was worthy of The Pulitzer Prize he received in History for his portrayal of the intense struggles, the hard won triumphs and the pioneer spirt.This beautifully designed edition includes 10 easy to read maps so the reader can follow along on the journey west.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Chapter I. The American Frontier of 1763
• Chapter II. The Forks of the Ohio
• Chapter III. The Shenandoah Country and the Tennessee
• Chapter IV. The Rear of the Revolution
• Chapter V. The Land Problem
• Chapter VI. Creation of the Public Domain
• Chapter VII. The National Land System
• Chapter VIII. The Old Northwest
• Chapter IX. The Western Boundaries
• Chapter X. The First New States
• Chapter XI. Political Theories of the Frontier
• Chapter XII. Jeffersonian Democracy
• Chapter XIII. The Frontier of 1800
• Chapter XIV. Ohio: The Clash of Principles
• Chapter XV. The Purchase of Louisiana
• Chapter XVI. Problems of the Southwest Border
• Chapter XVII. The Bonds of Unity
• Chapter XVIII. The Wabash Frontier: Tecumseh, 1811
• Chapter XIX. The Western War of 1812
• Chapter XX. Stabilizing the Frontier
• Chapter XXI. The Great Migration
• Chapter XXII. Statehood On the Ohio: Indiana and Illinois
• Chapter XXIII. The Cotton Kingdom: Mississippi and Alabama
• Chapter XXIV. Missouri: The New Sectionalism
• Chapter XXV. Public Land Reform
• Chapter XXVI. Frontier Finance
• Chapter XXVII. The American System
• Chapter XXVIII. Jacksonian Democracy
• Chapter XXIX. The East, and the Western Markets
• Chapter XXX. The Western Internal Improvements
• Chapter XXXI. The Permanent Indian Frontier, 1825–1841
• Chapter XXXII. The Mississippi Valley Boom
• Chapter XXXIII. The Border States: Michigan and Arkansas
• Chapter XXXIV. The Independent State of Texas
• Chapter XXXV. 1837: The Prostrate West
• Chapter XXXVI. The Trail to Santa Fé
• Chapter XXXVII. The Settlement of Oregon
• Chapter XXXVIII. The “STATE” of Deseret
• Chapter XXXIX. The War With Mexico
• Chapter XL. The Conquest of California
• Chapter XLI. Far West and Politics
• Chapter XLII. Preemption
• Chapter XLIII. The Frontier of the Forties
• Chapter XLIV. The Railroad Age
• Chapter XLV. Land Grants and the Western Roads
• Chapter XLVI. Kansas-Nebraska and the Indian Country
• Chapter XLVII. “Pike’s Peak or Bust!”
• Chapter XLVIII. The Frontier of the Mineral Empire
• Chapter XLIX. The Overland Route
• Chapter L. The Public Lands: Wide Open
• Chapter LI. The Plains in the Civil War
• Chapter LII. The Union Pacific Railroad
• Chapter LIII. The Disruption of the Tribes
• Chapter LIV. The Panic of 1873
• Chapter LV. Frontier Panaceas
• Chapter LVI. The Cow Country
• Chapter LVII. The Closed Frontier
• Chapter LVIII. The Admission of the “OMNIBUS” States
• Chapter LIX. The Disappearance of the Frontier