But the larger part of what has been distinctive and valuable in America's contribution to the history of the human spirit has been due to this nation's peculiar experience in extending its type of frontier into new regions; and in creating peaceful societies with new ideals in the successive vast and differing geographic provinces which together make up the United States. Directly or indirectly these experiences shaped the life of the Eastern as well as the Western States, and even reacted upon the Old World and influenced the direction of its thought and its progress. This experience has been fundamental in the economic, political and social characteristics of the American people and in their conceptions of their destiny. Writing at the close of 1796, the French minister to the United States, M. Adet, reported to his government that Jefferson could not be relied on to be devoted to French interests, and he added: "Jefferson, I say, is American, and by that name, he cannot be sincerely our friend. An American is the born enemy of all European peoples." Obviously erroneous as are these words, there was an element of truth in them. If we would understand this element of truth, we must study the transforming influence of the American wilderness, remote from Europe, and by its resources and its free opportunities affording the conditions under which a new people, with new social and political types and ideals, could arise to play its own part in the world, and to influence Europe. FREDERICK J. TURNER. HARVARD UNIVERSITY, March, 1920. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FRONTIER IN AMERICAN HISTORY 1 II THE FIRST OFFICIAL FRONTIER OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY 39 III THE OLD WEST 67 IV THE MIDDLE WEST 126 V THE OHIO VALLEY IN AMERICAN HISTORY 157 VI THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY IN AMERICAN HISTORY 177 VII THE PROBLEM OF THE WEST 205 VIII DOMINANT FORCES IN WESTERN LIFE 222 IX CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE WEST TO AMERICAN DEMOCRACY 243 X PIONEER IDEALS AND THE STATE UNIVERSITY 269 XI THE WEST AND AMERICAN IDEALS 290 XII SOCIAL FORCES IN AMERICAN HISTORY 311 XIII MIDDLE WESTERN PIONEER DEMOCRACY 335 INDEX 361 I THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FRONTIER IN AMERICAN HISTORY[1:1]