| Show t WO ia chapter 1 I THE BIRTH OF americanism our distinctive americanism was born boin boi n and nurtured on the frontier this belief has been ably presented by frederick jackson turner the sage of western american brigham young was a typical frontiersman and a typical american born and reared in a puritan atmosphere charged with the new spirit and ch hal allange lange of the western wilderness he be became an outstanding leader in one of the great adventures of the western migration if as convincingly maintained by turner and his distinguished successors the westward movement r our great american epic alien the mormon migration is by common agreement a unique ahas of that movement from tile the atlantic ea loard to the pacific coast Wore moreover over brigham young and his h s followers underwent the transforming process which other frontiersmen underwent this process consisted ot of repeal rig again and again as the frontier receded certain experiences made american institutions and ideals dis tin type from those carried over from the old world what then is the fronti frontier or and what Is this distinctive America pir about which we boast no fixed or final definition can be given for either in fact this very difficulty may be a basic charac characteristic of each no fundamentalist no hundred per center can set up a standard by which to measure accurately and truly ili the patriotism of his fellow countrymen it may be said with considerable surety that flexibility no digity ri gity that adaptation to new geographical economic and social environment not conformity to an old order out of harmony with present demands that originality and versatility not uniformity and traditionalism are basic characteristics of the frontier thus out of these qualities of frontier life an americanism was born which demanded economic equality religion 3 liberty and political privilege for all the cornerstone of this demo democracy racy was S a deep and abiding respect for ra the common man individualism an initiative that met every challenge with courage faith and hope and mastered difficulties seemingly seeming ay insurmountable W was qs of course manifested to an extreme I 1 degree and quite naturally in this wilderness life this pioneer man channeled his own course felled the forests grubbed the brush drained the swamps protected his home hom from savages whose rights he wa was prone to disregard and lands land lie he often illegally appropriated in ill fact rugged individualism sometimes then as now became rampant individualism lawless and defiant of 0 all authority there were bo however vever in this rough wil wilderness wilberne derne ss life a deep spiritual idealism a respect for women a love of liberty a spirit of independence which eventuated in what we call americanism one more comment seems necessary the necessity of col collectivism or cooperative action was not lost sight ot of corn huskings barn rais ings collective action against the indians were common at all stages of development in such an environment brigham young was reared it will be the purpose in future articles to reveal the qualities tim of his leadership and show ills his relationship to the whole westward movement another A article artl cle of this series by dr wm win J snow will appear next wee week k |
