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American West Key TermsFrederick Jackson Turner: Frederick Jackson Turner (November 14, 1861 – March 14, 1932) was an American historian in the early 20th century, based at the University of Wisconsin until 1910, and then at Harvard. He trained many PhDs who came to occupy prominent places in the history profession. He promoted interdisciplinary and quantitative methods, often with a focus on the Midwest. He is best known for his essay "The Significance of the Frontier in American History", whose ideas formed the Frontier Thesis. He argued that the moving western frontier shaped American democracy and the American character from the colonial era until 1890. He is also known for his theories of geographical sectionalism. In recent years, historians and academics have argued strenuously over Turner's work; all agree that the Frontier Thesis has had an enormous impact on historical scholarship and the American mind.The Significance of the Frontier in American History:Isohyets: a line on a map connecting points having the same amount of rainfall in a given period98th Meridian: marker line of the American WestRain Shadow Effect: A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems and cast a "shadow" of dryness behind themGreat Basin: is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America. It is noted for both its arid climate and the Basin and range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than 100 miles (160 km) away at the summit of Mount Whitney. The region spans several physiographic divisions, biomes/Eco regions, and deserts.American West Key TermsFrederick Jackson Turner: Frederick Jackson Turner (November 14, 1861 – March 14, 1932) was an American historian in the early 20th century, based at the University of Wisconsin until 1910, and then at Harvard. He trained many PhDs who came to occupy prominent places in the history profession. He promoted interdisciplinary and quantitative methods, often with a focuson the Midwest. He is best known for his essay "The Significance of the Frontier in American History", whose ideas formed the Frontier Thesis. He argued that the moving western frontier shaped American democracy and the American character from the colonial era until 1890. He is also known for his theories of geographical sectionalism. In recent years, historians and academics have argued strenuously over Turner's work; all agree that the Frontier Thesis has had an enormous impact on historical scholarship and the American mind.The Significance of the Frontier in American History:Isohyets: a line on a map connecting points having the same amount of rainfall in a givenperiod98th Meridian: marker line of the American WestRain Shadow Effect: A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems and cast a "shadow" of dryness behind themRegional Characteristics:Great Plains: a vast prairie region extending from Alberta and Saskatchewan and Manitoba in Canada south through the west central United States into Texas; formerly inhabited by Native AmericansGreat Basin: is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America. It is noted for both its arid climate and the Basin and range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than 100 miles (160 km) away at the summit of Mount Whitney. The region spans several physiographic divisions, biomes/Eco regions, and deserts.Pacific Northwest and California: was used at first for fur trading by Russia and Spain. After the US took over this land, they used it for fur trading and expanding of the US.Beringia: was the land bridge used to travel over to American from the nomadic tribes that came from Europe.Anasazi: a member of an ancient American Indian peoples of the southwestern US, who flourished between c. 200 BC and AD 1500. The earliest phase of their culture, typified by pit dwellings, is known as the Basket Maker period; the present day Pueblo culture developed from a later stage.Great Plains Tribes (Characteristics): Apache: a member of a North American Indian people living chiefly in New Mexico and Arizona. The Apache put up fierce resistance tothe European settlers and were, under the leadership of Geronimo, the last American Indian people to be conquered, Sioux (Lakota): an indigenous people of the Great Plainsof Canada and the United States. They are one of the three main subcultures of the Sioux people, and are usually divided into the Eastern Dakota and the Western Dakota.Comanche: a member of an American Indian peoples of the southwestern US. The Comanche were among the first to acquire horses (from the Spanish) and resisted white settlers fiercely.The horse and its effects on American Indian tribes: before the horse the Indians did not hunt on the plains that much because the prey was too fast for them. After the horse was introduced to, the Indian almost hunted and used it to extinction. They used the horseto travel on and hunt buffalo with, this led to the decline of the Indian tribes because they moved away from farming and relied solely on horses to hunt with.Cabeza de Vaca: was a Spanish explorer of the New World, one of four survivors of the 1527 Narváez expedition. During eight years of traveling across the US Southwest, he became a slave trader and shaman to various Native American tribes before reconnecting with Spanish colonial forces in Mexico in 1536. After returning to Spain in 1537, he wrote an account, first published in 1542 as La Relación, which in later editions was retitled Naufragios ("Shipwrecks"). Was told about the Seven Cities of Cibola and told everyone he knew where these cite were.Seven Cities of Cibola: were lost cities of vast amounts of gold hidden in an area by an Indian tribe long ago, no one knows where these cities are but it was said that Cabeza de Vaca new the location of them.Coronado: was a Spanish conquistador, who visited New Mexico and other parts of whatare now the southwestern United States between 1540 and 1542. Coronado had hoped to conquer the mythical Seven Cities of Gold. His name is often Anglicized as Vasquez de Coronado.Juan de Oñate: (1550–1626) was a Spanish Conquistador, explorer, and colonial


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FSU AMH 3444 - American West Key Terms

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