Katana VentraIP

American frontier

The American frontier, also known as the Old West, and popularly known as the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial settlements in the early 17th century and ended with the admission of the last few contiguous western territories as states in 1912. This era of massive migration and settlement was particularly encouraged by President Thomas Jefferson following the Louisiana Purchase, giving rise to the expansionist attitude known as "manifest destiny" and historians' "Frontier Thesis". The legends, historical events and folklore of the American frontier have embedded themselves into United States culture so much so that the Old West, and the Western genre of media specifically, has become one of the defining features of American national identity.

"Wild West" redirects here. For other uses, see Wild West (disambiguation).

Date

[5][6]

Currently the United States, historically in order of their assimilation:

1789: The new nation

1789: The new nation

1819–1820: Post-War of 1812

1819–1820: Post-War of 1812

1845–1846: Before Mexican–American War

1845–1846: Before Mexican–American War

1859–1860: Pre-Civil War Expansion

1859–1860: Pre-Civil War Expansion

1884–1889: Post–Civil War expansion

1884–1889: Post–Civil War expansion

1912: Contiguous US, all states

1912: Contiguous US, all states

Key:    States      Territories      Disputed areas      Other countries

The preserves, protects and shares the histories of emigrants who followed these trails westward.

Oregon-California Trails Association

Canadian frontier

list of massacres of Natives by whites and vice versa.

Indian massacre

Medieval European term with some similarities

March (territorial entity)

: museum and art gallery, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, housing one of the largest collections in the world of the Western, American cowboy, American rodeo, and American Native art, artifacts, and archival materials.

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

: demonstration of cattle wrangling skills.

Rodeo

Territories of the United States

The West As America

Timeline of the American Old West

: a poster, popular in mythic scenes of the west, let the public know of criminals whom authorities wish to apprehend.

Wanted poster

for developments after frontier ended

Western United States

Western lifestyle

: a following of the Wild West shows of the American frontier.

Wild West shows

Lamar, Howard L. ed. The Reader's Encyclopedia of the American West (1977), . comprehensive coverage.

online

McLoughlin, Denis. Wild and Woolly: An Encyclopedia of the Old West (New York: Doubleday, 1975); also published as The Encyclopedia of the Old West (London: Routledge, 1977). , focus on violent episodes.

online

Western Folklife Center