Question

What was the romantic image of the West, and what was the reality?

Answer 1

After the Civil War Americans began considering expanding into the west of the nation. They were inspired by the vast land and excited by its opportunities. This excitement of Manifest Destiny helped to create the American Dream. The Great expanse of the American Midwest was idealized as a vast picturesque, open expanse with the limitless possibility in store for those willing and able to tame the land. The problem was that were was no wood on the plains, Mountains made building the railroad more difficult and the barren, dry landscape made settling a challenge.

Families went to the West excited to create a life of their own out of nothing. The idea of farming brought them a great opportunity. But farming in the Plains revealed to be very challenging. The landscape was incredibly dry and there was a minimal rainfall. Families struggled to keep their crops growing and producing, and when they succeeded, storms often destroyed their harvests.

There was also a myth regarding the Native Americans that pictured them as uncivilized savages. However the Native culture was an advanced and sophisticated one, and the term uncivilized depends on one’s viewpoint. They were always depicted as the villain of the story, often the one-dimensional character that is bent on theft in fictional stories.