Since Westward expansion launched into uncharted territory, it was met with divided responses from those occupying the soil between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. With each land gain, came new triumphs but also new perils and devastation. Consequently, anyone with a true understanding of the West will view the extension of America with both pride and guilt. However, those educating lower grade levels, will rarely recognize the latter of those two sentiments, and truly dive into the intimate details of the ever-moving frontier. As a result of this, I entered this course with a rather inaccurate understanding of the West, which was more aligned with the mythic depiction of the territory. However, now only a few weeks into this course, everything
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Being given a handout titled “The Rancid Myth of Columbus” and reading the sardonic comments being made about him in our Frontiers textbook were a breath of fresh air. The remarks made in the text finally provided a brutally honest depiction of the events that transpired following Columbus’ arrival. For example, the book relates “This surmise was typical for Columbus, who assumed the superiority of his culture in all things”, which is something that no textbook or teacher prior to this course would have to dared to convey (7). I finally have a true understanding of the egos and incorrectness associated with the conquistador …show more content…
Prior textbooks painted scenes of Indian migration that almost sounded voluntary, and left out the horrors associated with leaving one’s life behind. Furthermore, the greatest transgression comes when authors, documentaries, and educators alike refuse to acknowledge the wrongdoing of this act. Instead, they use an infamous term which they seem to believe removes any sense of responsibility, ‘Manifest Destiny’. However, now in this course, the authors of Frontiers and the participants of Ken Burns’ documentary. “The West” alike do not hide behind the term, but instead recognize both the good and the bad that was accomplished through Westward expansion. Furthermore, the atrocities attributed to Jackson’s Native American removal policy are elaborated on instead of being sugar-coated, such as “the massacre of Bad Ax River, where dozens of Indians were slaughtered, including many women and children”
Being given a handout titled “The Rancid Myth of Columbus” and reading the sardonic comments being made about him in our Frontiers textbook were a breath of fresh air. The remarks made in the text finally provided a brutally honest depiction of the events that transpired following Columbus’ arrival. For example, the book relates “This surmise was typical for Columbus, who assumed the superiority of his culture in all things”, which is something that no textbook or teacher prior to this course would have to dared to convey (7). I finally have a true understanding of the egos and incorrectness associated with the conquistador …show more content…
Prior textbooks painted scenes of Indian migration that almost sounded voluntary, and left out the horrors associated with leaving one’s life behind. Furthermore, the greatest transgression comes when authors, documentaries, and educators alike refuse to acknowledge the wrongdoing of this act. Instead, they use an infamous term which they seem to believe removes any sense of responsibility, ‘Manifest Destiny’. However, now in this course, the authors of Frontiers and the participants of Ken Burns’ documentary. “The West” alike do not hide behind the term, but instead recognize both the good and the bad that was accomplished through Westward expansion. Furthermore, the atrocities attributed to Jackson’s Native American removal policy are elaborated on instead of being sugar-coated, such as “the massacre of Bad Ax River, where dozens of Indians were slaughtered, including many women and children”