Nineteenth Century: A Comparative Analysis

Throughout this dissertation the focus of the sources in on personal records or correspondence, there are other mentioned such as newspapers, however the personal records are the focus. The official records that are used cause some interesting methodological issues. Such records give an interesting insight into the inner workings of government and the personal feelings of the government officials. These valuable sources give historians a definitive perspective of the dangers of the Trail from a political point of view. Ultimately the political figures in the Southwest of the nineteenth century had to consider legislation from Washington as well as what was happening within their own vicinity. The correspondence journals convey the emotions …show more content…
Although both of these types of sources could have been written with the intention of publication and the knowledge of other people reading it, the insight into emotion and contemporary experience is incomparable. The publicized versions of these sources could have some omissions to save reputation of political figures, however without the originals there is no way of confirming this theory. The language used in letter and journals can give a hint as to the intending audience, some letters demonstrate an understanding of superiority through polite and clipped language. There is an awareness of who would be reading the letter and thus the information is presented in a different form. Whereas in journals the information is presented in a more friendly manner; almost conversational in order for the reader to peruse easily. Regardless both letters and journals are subjected to omissions and exaggerations, which could have created this myth over the danger of the Santa Fe Trail over …show more content…
Similarly Calhoun influenced some Native American legislation and treaties, it is useful to understand the events that led to such treaties and the information that he produced in order to defend and assist the wording and clauses of these treaties. While inspecting the official Presidential view of the United States from DC within James Calhoun’s correspondence, the personal standpoint of the respective President must be considered. Although this dissertation does not focus completely on the Washington political side, a more reflective view is required in order to understand a more complete human view of the Santa Fe Trail. Daniel Tyler has done some work towards this in Anglo-American Penetration of the Southwest: A View from New Mexico. Tyler’s article argues that New Mexico offered economic hopes for immigrants from both the Eastern Coast of the United States and Mexico. This demonstrates that New Mexico had its own motives towards the trade and the