Question

Can someone help me paraphrase this?

Answer 1

Answer:

From the conditions of Old West life came intellectual characteristics of deep importance. The work of travelers along each frontier from colonial days onward, describe certain common characteristics, and these characteristics have, while softening down, still remained as survivals in the place of their origin, even when a higher social organization succeeded. The result is that to the frontier, the American great intelligence owes its impressive characteristics. That impolite manner and strength combined with intensity and greed; that practical, original turn of mind, quick to find expedients; that very skilled  understanding  of material things, lacking in the artistic but powerful to effect great ends; that restless, nervous energy; that dominant individualism, working for good and for evil, and despite that resilience and exuberance which comes with freedom—these are characteristics of the Old West, or characteristics said elsewhere because of the existence of the frontier. (Frederick Jackson Turner, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History,” The Frontier in American History (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1920), 37.)

Explanation:

As you can see, I changed words for their synonyms. This is what paraphrasing is about, changing words to your own words, in this context, you are able to understand better by paraphrasing and at the same time, you avoid plagiarism; also, you're able to achieve a greater clarity.

Answer 2

From the conditions of frontier life came intellectual traits of profound importance. The work of travelers along each frontier from colonial days onward describe certain common traits The result is that to the frontier the American intellect owes its striking characteristics. in the artistic but powerful to effect great ends; that restless, nervous energy; that dominant individualism, working for good and for evil, and withal that buoyancy and exuberance which comes with freedom

(Frederick Jackson Turner, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History,” The Frontier in American History (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1920), 37.)