A Nation Moving West: Readings in the History of the American FrontierRobert W. Richmond, Robert W. Mardock This collection of readings dealing with the American frontier and expansion westward from the Revolution to the end of the nineteenth century has been planned to supplement the standard texts and the instructor's lectures in the college classroom, and to introduce the student to some of the rich store of primary source material bearing on this phase of the country's history. The editors have used letters, diaries, reminiscences, government records, contemporaneous newspaper and magazine stories, and the impressions of foreign visitors to re-create virtually every facet of the pioneer experience. Because the tale is told in terms of individuals--Indians, mountain men, explorers, soldiers, homesteaders, miners, circuit riders, and politicians--either speaking for themselves or reported at first hand, the great drama of conquest and survival as the nation rolled westward from the Appalachians to the Pacific unfolds with unmatched freshness and immediacy. Although it is intended primarily for students, A Nation Moving West is a book that the general reader with an interest in Western Americana will find hard to resist. Robert W. Richmond is State Archivist of Kansas at the Kansas Sate Historical Society and a lecturer in history at Washburn University. His co-editor, Robert W. Mardock, is an associate professor of history at Washburn University. Both contribute frequently to scholarly and regional publications. |
Contents
The Changing West | 1 |
Beyond the Appalachians | 6 |
The Old Northwest and the Upper Mississippi Valley | 16 |
The Southern Frontier | 35 |
Indian Fighting and the War of 1812 | 48 |
Eastern Indians and the Removal Policy | 64 |
The Appalachians to the Mississippi | 81 |
Customs and Culture on the Early Frontier | 96 |
The Mormons and the Settlement of Utah | 181 |
The Mining Frontier | 190 |
Beyond the Mississippi | 212 |
The Civil War in the West | 229 |
Western Indians and the Peace Policy | 244 |
Railroads in the West | 266 |
Trail Town and Ranch | 283 |
Settlement of the Great Plains | 298 |
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Common terms and phrases
acres American American Fur Company appeared army arrived bank Ben Holladay boat buffalo building cabin California called camp cattle Chivington City civilization Colonel Colorado Columbia River command commenced Congress Creek crossed distance dollars early emigrants encamped enemy expedition feet fire Fort Hall Fort Walla Walla Frémont frontier gold herd hill Historical Society horses hundred Indians journey Kansas Kentucky killed land looking Majors and Waddell March Mexican miles mining Mississippi Missouri Missouri River morning mules night o'clock officers Ohio Oregon Oregon country Pacific party passed passengers Pioneer plains Platte Pony Express population prairie railroad river road Rocky Mountains route Salt Lake settlement settlers side sod house soon Territory Texas thousand took town trade trail treaty tribes troops valley wagons Washington West Western women