Throughout the late 1800’s and early 1900’s America was overwhelmed with the idea of expanding its boundaries west of the Mississippi River. Stories of the lone pioneers who traveled west without a penny to their name and were able to achieve wealth through hard work and perseverance spread far and wide. Authors such as Horatio Alger only further supported this belief by writing books that told tales of such success. Many believe that this fascination translated into the fear over the transition from an agrarian to an industrial society.
In the mid 1800’s America seemed to spread its boundaries from the Mississippi to the Pacific overnight. This expansion created an abundance of land, which was mainly acquired b
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Industrialization was looked at as something that was unnecessary and foolish. They were uneasy about the transfer from the agrarian society to an industrial one because the agrarian way of life had worked for them and many generations of Americans that had preceded them. Trying to turn excess lands into quick profits by selling it these companies used the few stories of successful pioneers in the west as a basis of creating a stir in the east by blanketing cities with leaflets that promised “health, good fortune and God’s bounty” in the areas that they owned. Through honesty, hard work, and strong determination, the American Dream was available to anyone willing to make the journey. Such ideas gave people hope and a reason to strive and keep the agrarian lifestyle alive by settling the west.
Even with the newfound promise of a lucrative life in the west, America eventually converted into an industrial nation. Such rags to riches stories gave hope to people in the east who were struggling to create a good life for themselves and their families by working in the rising American industrial economy. Writers such as Horatio Alger captured the essence, emotion, soul and especially the spirit of America. His books all had the same message: no matter who they were, poor, orphaned or powerless, that if they persevere, if they do their best, if they always try to do the right thing, they would succeed. The lone pioneer was a man who came from meager beginnings, and after establishing himself in the west, found an abundance of success and wealth.
The emotion that many Americans felt at the time was only further supported by the literature of the time. This created the American folk figure that we now know as the lone pioneer. The growth of industry created uncertainty in the minds of many Americans.
Approximate Word count =
486
Approximate Pages =
2 (250 words per page double spaced)
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