End of the West: The Closing of the U.S. Western Frontier in Images and Narrative

In 1893, Historian Fredrick Jackson Turner declared "the closing of the American frontier," touching off an argument among historians about the meaning and significance of European expansion and settlement in the area west of the Mississippi River. Historians, filmmakers, television producers and photographers have continued the debate in their writings, images, and drama that will be the subject of this class. We will consider the various ways The West has "ended" in popular culture and academia, and consider how these narratives shape our present perceptions of the region and the people and cultures that inhabit and border it. Enrollment limited to 20 juniors and seniors.