History 270: The United States to 1865
Spring Semester 1999 - Dr. Thomas R. Maddux
Lecture Outline from September 21, 1998
The Frontier and the Backcountry

  1. Constructing Societies and Reconstructing
    1. Shaping of American Character, institutions, values
    2. Turner's frontier thesis and problems
    3. Concord, Massachusetts
      1. Founded in 1635, 1,500 in 256 families by 1775
      2. Nature of town life and politics
      3. Declining town
      4. Northern backcountry
    4. Carisle, Pennsylvannia: 1751, families
      1. Gateway to backcountry
      2. Market mentality and trade networks
      3. Material culture in homes
  2. Backcountry in the 18th Century: Turner's Old West
    1. Backcountry characteristics
      1. Geography, population growth, ethnic diversity, Indians
      2. Economic aspects
      3. Encounter with Indians
      4. New Society
      5. Conflict with East
    2. Daniel Boone and the Middle Ground
      1. Quakers in Penn. to backcountry
      2. Convergence with Indians
      3. Family and hunting


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Updated: 21 Septemeber 1998 Constructed by: jjarvis@lrc.csun.edu