The American West

2005-12-13T11:26:00.000-08:00

Missing Comments

In reviewing my blog, I realized that my comments for two weeks had not been listed. I have included the following links.

Devil's Bargains
I have posted comments on Dan's Site and John's Site.

Cadillac Dessert
I have posted comments on John's Site and Carrie's Site

2005-12-05T04:58:00.000-08:00

Post #13

Tourism and Identity
Reading

Devil's Bargains: Tourism in the Twentieth-Century American West by Hal K. Rothman

In this weeks reading, Rothman deals with the realities of tourism in the American West. Just as the very real effects of tourism are often overlooked by communities, this is a cultural issue that is often overlooked by those, such as myself, who participate as the outside consumer of "imagined communities" that tourism creates.

Rothman traces the development of tourism in American society through the stages of heritage, recreational, and entertainment based tourism. By itself, this analysis of tourism was particularly interesting. Yet, the strength of this work is its depiction of the effects of tourism on the communities that embrace it as a form of economic growth. To Rothman, the embrace of tourism represents the last desperate attempts of communities in the West to hold onto economic prosperity. Inevitably, in Rothman's analysis, this attempt leads to the death of native community as tourists come seeking their self-perceived experience of the place that was once a community defined on its own terms.

Thus, this work maneuvers itself into the interpretation of the West as a "colony". In the view of Rothman, the West is succumbing to the "most colonial of colonial economies..." (Rothman 12) In Rothman's analysis, this is a colonialism that is built around re-defining the identity of a place and those who are attempting to save that place through tourism. Unlike other forms of colonialism, which seek to control resources and in the process control the society of the native people, the resource that it brought into submission with tourism is that society itself. As communities bring in the capital for the development of tourism, they inevitably bring corporate dominance, neonative residents, and eventually the tourists that they so desired. In the process, the community is re-defined and re-interpreted (imagined) by the all of these agents.

As one who has been involved in the work of museums and as a native in an unlikely community of tourism, I found Rothman's analysis to be particularly interesting and challenging. I have lived as a native in the small town of Fairmount, Indiana. A small town that once every year is "colonized" by hundreds of bikers and foreign tourists seeking to experience life in the home town of the Fairmount native and actor James Dean. As a native, the effects of tourism, though limited to a single weekend during the James Dean Festival, are very clear. Fairmount is re-imagined as numbers of people walk to streets in their red leather jackets and greased hair, an anomaly that is culminated with the annual James Dean Look Alike Contest. This is a far cry from the flannel shirts of the farmers that normally grace the streets. Countless others drive their rebuilt 1950's era automobiles to the annual car show. Again, a mode of transportation that is rather different than the fleets of pick-up trucks that normally drive the streets of Fairmount.

Furthermore, this weekend of cultural colonialism is gradually beginning to sink deeper roots as the town run Fairmount Museum is often overshadowed by the James Dean Gallery or the James Dean Museum. In fact, the newly constructed James Dean Museum has even been built outside of Fairmount, along Interstate 69 to allow for a more convenient tourist experience as it is located closer to the hotels and farther from Dean's birthplace.

As a member of the museum business I found Rothman's analysis to be challenging, and to some extent disturbing. Given that museums are, for better or for worse, to a greater or lesser extent, tied to the tourist industry, I find that Rothman's argument deserves further analysis. I have worked as, what one might call, a neonative from the future as an interpreter at living history museums. While I hope and believe that, as institutions built upon historical method, museums do not pose the same threat of re-interpretation to native communities, their link to tourism means that greater attention should be paid to this issue. Perhaps, in their most glowing sense, museum's can be viewed as institutions that stand in the gap between cultural re-imagination and the past. I have seen history used in both ways. One one end of the spectrum you can find what I would term tourist history, the historians worst nightmare, "historic" ghost tours. On the other end of the spectrum, one finds museums, such as the living history museums I have worked with, that take their role as public educators (particularly as educators for the many school groups that visit them on field trips) very seriously. With that said, the I find the idea that history, as presented by a museum not grounded in sound historical practice, can contribute to the re-imagination and eclipse of an historic community very real and very disturbing.

Rothman's work provided a very challenging analysis of the impact of tourism upon the West. His portrayal of the transformation of communities effected by tourism is a very real issue that deserves further attention. As historians, it is this type of re-imagination of history that we must be wary of as scholars and as tourists ourselves.

2005-11-28T05:38:00.000-08:00

Post #12

Water and the West
Reading

Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water by Marc Reisner

This weeks reading did an excellent job at openening up the eyes of the historian to the significance of water in the history of the American West. As Reisner takes the reader down the rivers of the West with John Wesley Powell and eventually takes the reader up to the dams that sought to control those rivers, the true significance of water upon the settlement and development of the West becomes very evident. I have to agree, in part, with the editors description of this work as "a stunning expose and dramatic, intriguing history of the creation of an Eden--and Eden that may be only a mirage." Unfortunately, the way in which the author frames his work and his use of historical method give this book a strong leaning in the expose camp.

The way in which the author sets up his study in the introduction makes this assessment fairly clear. From the introduction the reader very quickly gets a sense that this is more than an historical study. It is intended to provide the context for a current debate. For example, Reisner writes, "Perhaps, the despite fifty thousand major dams we have built in Merica; despite the fact that federal irrigation has, for the most part, been a horribly bad investment in free-market terms; despite the fact that the number of free-flowing rivers that remain in the West can be counted on two hands; perhaps, despite all of this, the grand adventure of playing God with our waters will go on." (Reisner 14) This statement seems to hold fairly clear message that the author is trying to find an answer to a current issue by looking at the historical record. The question the arises, is this a work of presentism or a sound historical analysis of a long running issue in the history of the West?

I should take a moment to comment on this approach. I believe that we would all agree that the use of history to enlighten our understanding of the present is clearly one of the reasons why the study of history is vitally important. The question is whether the author's purpose here is to let the past speak or to simply expose historical precedents that support his argument. There is a very fine, but significant, line here.

In this work, I believe that the author is attempting to stay within a sound historical approach. I also believe that he falls into a few historiographical pitfalls that weaken his historical foundation. First, Reisner tends to use language that leans towards the dramatic. The previous quote is one example, "the grand adventure of playing God with our waters..." (Reisner 14). He also makes comments such as, "the Apache and Comanche, soon evolved into the best horsemen who ever lived..." (Reisner 17). Such comments make for interesting reading but are slightly out of place in an historical work. Perhaps my analysis of his writing style was tainted by these early comments, but the presence of such dramatic exaggerations is made significantly more problematic when one considers Reisner's complete lack of citation.

Reisner does an acceptable job of putting together a bibliography in which he explains his general use of sources for each chapter. However, the lack of any internal citation pointing directly to the source of his supporting evidence significantly undermines the historical foundation of this work. Such a lack of clear citation should cause any historian to take a deeper look at the foundation upon which the author is building his or her argument. Unfortunately, that task is made problematic by that same lack of citation.

The combination of these factors; the slight presentist leaning, the exaggerated writing style, and the lack of internal citation should cause the historian to pause. I do not think that we should dismiss the work entirely. As I mentioned before, it does an excellent job of exposing the significance of water on the development of the West. Furthermore, the author does write an interesting narrative of that development. I do suggest that we take into account the works historical shortcoming and take a cautious look at his work.

2005-11-21T04:14:00.000-08:00

Post #11

Re-examining Roy Baker

Over the past week I have been striving to locate and identify pictoral evidence that is relevant to Fort D.A. Russell, Cheyenne, and the Roy Baker case itself. I must confess that uncovering photographs dealing with this material has been particularly challenging. But I have made some progress thus far.

I have searched the online catalogs of the National Archives (NARA) and the Library of Congress extensively in hopes of finding a relevant collection. NARA has an large collection of digital images of Fort D.A. Russell. Unfortunatly, those images are from the fort during the World War I era. The most promising find I have discovered at NARA is a collection entitled, "Personnel and Activities of Infantry Units, 1850-1941". This collection contains, "portraits and other prints of officers and enlisted men of the 10th, 15th, 17th, and 19th Infantry." Due to scheduling conflicts, I was unable to make the trip to College Park this week, but I intend to make the trip tomorrow in hopes of searching this and other collections at NARA.

I discovered a map in the Library of Congress' collection that might prove to be useful for some. This is a map entitled, "Bird's Eye View of Cheyenne, Wyo. county seat of Laramie Co. 1882" by Beck and Pauli lithographers. Even though this arial view predates our study it might still prove somewhat useful.

I also searched the Perry Casteneda Map Collection at the University of Texas Austin. This site has been very helpful for me in past research. It provides a large number of digital copies of hisotrical maps. However, in this case there were no maps that were particularly relevant. There are some very interesting historical maps on this sight, including a few maps dealing with Western expansion that may prove to be useful to some of you in the future.

I have also searched for other photographic evidence on online databases. I have made a few interesting finds. It must be noted though that I am very cautious in even listing these images. Online research for images can be a very dangerous thing for the historian so I will have to do much more backround research to confirm the accuracy of these images. The site titled Wyoming Tales and Trails has a number of images of Cheyenne and Fort D.A. Russell. Unfortunatley, the D.A. Russel images either deal with the early 20th Century or they are undated. There are a number of images of Cheyenne that are dated in the 1880's. However, given the title's inculsion of "tales", the lack of bibiographic information on the archives holding these images, and the lack of professional credentials of the individual who maintains the site, I am very hesitant to trust their accuracy.

Progress on my re-write is also coming along. I am interested to see what information in uncovered dealing with military life and discipline during this period. My paper largely focused upon this angle and the general breakdown of military order as a key factor that opened the door for the unfolding of events that led to the death of Roy Baker. It seemed as though there are a number of people delving into this information. Since this information will be so vital to my re-write (and since I do not desire to be a slug), I would be happy to assist anyone in this line of research as well if it is needed or desired.

2005-11-14T14:10:00.000-08:00

Post #10

Political Activism and Historical Agency in the Historiography of the American West
Readings

Becoming Mexican American by George Sanchez
Indians In Unexpected Places by Philip DeLoria
"Still Native: The Significance of Native Americans in the History of the 20th Century American West" by David R. Lewis
"Significant to Whom?: Mexican Americans and the History of the American West"
by David G. Gutierrez

In this weeks readings, we were once again challenged with some of the same issues that we encountered when studying gender in the historical interpretation of the West. In particular, the issue of the historical agency of the minority is an issue that the historian must constantly wrestle with. After reading David Gutierrez's article, this issue and the varying ways in which historians confront it were brought to the forefront.

Gutierrez provides the reader with an excellent overview of the historiographical trends in Mexican American history. He argues that the real long-term legacy of conquest is not the domination of territory itself but the domination of the interpretation of the history of that conquest. He writes, "Ultimately, however, the most crucial development as a result of expansion and domination is the subsequent construction of elaborate sets of rationals which are designed to explain why one group has conquered another and to establish and perpetuate histories that help 'set...And enforce...Priorities, [repress] some subjects in the name of the greater importance of others, [naturalize] certain categories and [disqualify] others.''' (520) Clearly historical agency and the way in which the historian analyzes that agency are issues that are just as central to the historiographical debate on race as they were in the debate on gender. [In fact, Gutierrez pieces together this poorly organized quote from a work by Joan Scott, Gender and the Politics of History.]

While I agree that the agency of minorities must be incorporated into the historical debate when relevant, some of the historiographical initiatives designed to present that agency that Gutierrez highlights are questionable in my opinion. The red flag that caught my attention was the repeated connection of historian and activist. This correlation is clearly evident in his analysis of Mexican American historiography of George Sanchez (526), through the Chicano history movement (527), and into his analysis of historiography dealing with minority and gender history today(535).

The extent to which these two terms should be literally connected is a debate in and of itself. This forces the historian to wrestle with issues of objectivity and biases. I found it interesting that Gutierrez referred to Peter Novick's work, That Noble Dream: The "Objectivity Question" and the American Historical Profession. In this work, Novik likens the quest for objectivity to one attempting to "nail jelly to the wall". Thus, I hesitate to take on this daunting issue yet again here. But unfortunately the question must be asked: does the inability to write purely objective history mean that the historian should quickly fall into the dangerous ground of tieing activism to historical analysis?

It is clearly impossible to avoid biases completely, the historian is human. Furthermore, I would not advocate a history that is completely void of interest on the part of the historian. That is the recipe for poorly written history. On the other hand, if the historian begins his or her analysis with an agenda rather than a research question, the evidence can very quickly begin to speak in unintended ways. Gutierrez makes it clear that this was the intent of many scholars attempted to bring new levels of agency to Mexican American historical actors.

I did not see this bias come out strongly, myself, when reading Sanchez's book. In fact, Gutierrez acknowledges that Sanchez, as a part of the first wave of historians struggling to provide a more clear picture of Mexican American history, was very intentional in maintaining the scholarly quality of his work (526).

I believe the line between the scholarly and political is crossed when one looks at Gutierrez's analysis of the Chicano history of the 1960'S and 1970's. Gutierrez acknowledges and then attempts to downplay the fact that, "the history produced during this period helped to create a different totalizing discourse that in some ways was as distorting, essentialistic, and exclusionary as the one activists were attempting to transform." (529) At that point, no matter how well intentioned the historian is in his or her analysis, that analysis has becomed blurred.

Again, it is not my intention to downplay the necessity of providing a more complete analysis of the impact of race and gender in the history of the American West. My concern begins when the agenda, and not the evidence, begins to speak. The historian must be passionate about unraveling the mysteries of the past, but at the point that the historian becomes and activist, that analysis can very quickly be limited and blinded by a political agenda.

2005-11-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

Print the Legend Comments

I have posted comments on Ben's site and Audrey's site.

2005-11-05T07:44:00.000-08:00

Post # 9

Snapshots of the Past
Reading

Print the Legend by Martha A Sandweiss

In this work, Martha Sandweiss tracks the development of the influence of photography upon the portrayal and imagination of the West. Sandweiss begins with an analysis of Daguerreotypes of the Mexican War, which she argues were dismissed largely for their inability to portray the broader themes of the war that the public desired to be given, which were provided by other forms of graphic art such as drawings and lithographs. She goes on to trace the evolution of photography and the way in which it was adapted to attempt to tell those stories that it, by nature of its realism, was initially ill suited to tell. This was a well thought out work in which Sandweiss does an good job of providing evidence for her arguments.

However, I found the historiographical discussion on the use of photographs as primary sources to be particulalry interesting. First, Sandweiss establishes the limited ability of a photograph to go beyond a snapshot depiction of the past and establish a broader historical meaning. Secondly, she challenges historians to analyze photographs just as they would any other primary source. Sandweiss argues that photographs must be analyed IN history, not just for what they portray but also for why they portray the image presented. In that regard, the historian must not only take into account the image itself but also the intent of the photographer and any biases that might shade the view of his or her cameral lense. In other words, the historian must take his or her analysis throught the lens of the camera, through the eye of the photographer, into the mind of the photographer that was influenced by social understandings and biases. Sandweiss also calls for an examination of photographs THROUGH history (Sandweiss 9). In other words, the varying and shifting ways in which an image has been used throughout the past must also be analyzed.

After working extensively with photographic evidence in the development of a multimedia tour presentation for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Sandweiss' argument raises many issues that I had encountered personally. In that position, I quickly encountered the pitfall of the use of images as editors afterthoughts. In a museum, it is the artifact itself that is the primary story teller. My photograph research was intended to supplement the lessons and significance portrayed in the artifact itself and the curator's description. While I do not think this is as inherantly wrong as Sandweiss attemts to make it, it did raise a bigger problem. When images are looked upon as afterthoughts, they can quickly be taken out of context in order to portray the broader story a curator, producer, or historian is trying to tell. I believe this becomes particulalry challenging once a video producer, with more lax hisoriographical standards is introduced into the process. Sandweiss gives an excellent example of this when she discusses Ken Burns use of images in his series on the West (Snadweiss 329). I have also been challenged with this issue. In preparing the presentation on the museum's F-4 Phantom II, I encountered an image of a formation of F-4's flying in the foreground as an unseen bomber was dropping its payload in the background. Had this image been included in the presentation, as the producer desired, one would have come away with impression that the F-4, a fighter aircraft, was carrying a large bomb load. Though this may seem like an insignificant issue, it does point to the small factors that can quickly lead to historical mis-interpretation.

Thus, I believe Sandweiss gives us all an excellent reminder about the importance of taking into account the entire context of any primary source, whether it be an image or a diary. Her historiographical challenges can go a long way in guiding the historian away from the pitfalls of misinterpretation and misrepresentation.

2005-11-02T05:30:00.000-08:00

Women and Gender in the American West: Comments

I have posted comments on Brian's Site and Carrie's Site.

2005-11-01T08:20:00.000-08:00

Post # 8

Grand Theories in Western History

Reading
Women and Gender in the American West, edited by Mary Ann Irwin and James F. Brooks

In this weeks reading, we were once again confronted with another analytical framework from which to analyze the history of the West. As this week’s blog is late once again, and we have already looked at many issues in class, I would like to take some of the comments that were made and weave them into a larger analysis of western historiography.

Over the past few weeks we have been encountered with a number of books that have tried to present us with a uniform, and from the authors’ point of view unquestionable, theory as to how we should view Western history. Turner gave us the grand theory that has been the battleground over which western historiography has been fought ever since he published his thesis, the West as the frontier. Elliot West gave us the West as the land and the interactions that took place between this land and those abiding there. Last week, in Colony and Empire, Robbins gave us the West as the victim of capitalism. This week we were again confronted with a framework that attempts to re-define Western historiography in an overarching way. We were presented with the argument that the West was a land of complete diversity where gender and race collide and must be examined to have any understanding of the true nature of the West.

I believe that this week’s reading did raise very important questions about race and gender that must be tackled in the study of the West. However, as Dr. Petrik pointed out, the West is not as diverse as some of these writers attempt to portray it. It was mentioned in passing that this issue had been dealt with very briefly in one of the articles. Jensen and Miller took on this demographic issue in their article, “The Gentle Tamers Revisited”. After pointing to the gender disparity that persisted in states such as Wyoming (6 men to 1 woman) and even greater disparity in Idaho and Montana (8 to1), they write, “This great disparity by state indicates that a tendency still common in discussion of women in the West is to make a generalization based on an area or a time when males did predominate and then to exclude other areas and times as not typical of the West.” (cited in Irwin and Brooks 19) While Jensen and Miller are calling for a greater attention to those areas where women were more represented in society, it is vital that historians not take this step too far in the opposite direction. Many of the articles in this reading seemed to go too far.

Antonia Castaneda took this extreme stance in her article, “Women of Color and the Rewriting of Western History”. She calls for, “rewriting the nineteenth-century west.” Anytime an author calls for “rewriting” the history of any age, area, or field that should cause one to pause, not to dismiss entirely, but to turn up the analytical warning level one notch. It becomes clear that Castaneda is calling for a focus not just solely upon gender but upon racial gender as well. This is clearly an area of study that would open many historical insights into the history of the West. However, to take the extreme stance, which Castaneda seems to take, that history must be deconstructed so that the true history of women of color may reconstruct it, places undue significance upon a single, yet still vital, aspect of analysis in Western historiography (Irwin and Brooks 87).

Thus, we again come back to the question with which we began our journey into the west. What is the west and what analytical framework should the historian use to study it? As Dr. Petrik has pointed out, we must each eventually come to terms with this question. We must each define the west so that we may analyze it. However, I would suggest that the grand theories that we have encountered of the course of our study of the West cannot fully define the West. They each have contributions and each have shortcomings. Therefore, as historians, it is vital that we process these theories of the West into a more inclusive definition that allows is still defined enough to allow for meaningful analysis.

Sounds simple right? I know I am still trying to wrap my head around this. However, as I encounter the strengths and weaknesses of the grand theories, the puzzle is slowly starting to come together.

2005-10-31T04:59:00.000-08:00

Colony and Empire Comments

I have posted comments on Brian's page and John's page.

2005-10-31T04:50:00.000-08:00

Post #7

Capitalism and the West
Reading
Colony and Empire: The Capitalist Transformation of the American West by William G. Robbins

In this reading, William Robbins presents yet another analytical framework through which one can view and analyze the development of the American West. Robbins presents the development of the West, past and present, upon a foundation of Capitalism. Though this was a particularly challenging read, I found that Robbins puts forward a view of the West as the colony of capital that is necessary, at some level, to completely understand the development of the West.

I believe that Robbins strength is his ability to present Capitalist exploitation of the West as a broad theme working throughout its history. In fact, as Dr. Petrik has pointed out, this is a theme that has largely been overlooked by Western historiography. Therefore on some level, I do agree with his statement that, “In essence, history written ‘from the bottom up’ is limited when it ignores larger constellations of power.” (Robbins 8) Social history can easily fall into the trap of focusing upon the minutia. However, I do not believe that it can be abandoned completely for simply a more grandiose vision that in turn focuses on the forest, or maybe more specifically the workings of nature that produce that forest, while forgetting there are individual trees.

That said, I believe that Robbins work is absolutely vital to understanding the development of the West. While I would hate to be labeled the resident Marxist historian, Robbins argument does present invaluable insight into the Capitalist system that clearly played a major role in the development of the West. To dismiss that based upon a bias against Marxist historiography would be a mistake. I doubt that many would argue that the economic and subsequent political systems of mercantilism and colonialism played an overarching role in the development of the American colonies and the resulting revolution. One clearly must understand the systems that those in power are using to interact, control, and govern those with less power. It seems to be a very similar situation with Capitalism in the development of the West. It clearly played a large role as Robbins demonstrates. This role should not be undermined just as it should not be imposed as the sole factor in Western development.

The West is not a simply defined subject, as we have learned throughout this class. Capitalist development is a major theme in defining the West, but it cannot stand alone. Robbins provides invaluable insights, but most importantly he reminds the reader to look at themes that run throughout the history of the West. He reminds us of the unquestionable influence of Capitalism as one of those themes.

2005-10-18T10:49:00.000-07:00

Post # 6

Voices of the West
Reading

The Way to the West by Elliot West

In The Way to the West by Elliot West, the reader is once again challenged with the elusive subject of what exactly is the “West”. Thus far we have analyzed the “West” from various angles such as Turner’s frontier and Limerick’s distinct place. In this work, the reader is challenged to look at the “West” as a place that is made up of the inextricable players land, animals, humans, and the stories that portray those human understandings of the place.

I found West’s look at what the stories say about the West to be particularly challenging. One of the themes that came up throughout the book, the desire to view the West as the empty land of “there”, while at the very same time trying to change the land so that it conforms to the comforts and understandings of “here”, is one of the issues that comes out in this debate. West argues that the “West” of the American mindset is more of an idea from the outside that his been imposed upon the “West”. He calls this a “narrative colonialism” and argues that it is, “one of America’s pre-eminent examples of stories as power.” (West 165) This power of the myth is clearly an aspect that colors the picture of the “West” for many.

West looks to another direction, one that caused me to cautiously pause as a historian, in hopes of finding the true “West”. He looks to Walter Prescott Webb for this example. He summarizes Webb's viewpoint into this statement; “everything genuinely important he had to say had come, not from received scholarly truth, but from looking inside his own experience as a westerner.” (West160-161) I agree strongly with West’s argument that one must have an understanding of the real place within one’s study. However, through Webb, Worster, and the many narratives coming from those from the “West”, it would be very easy to take one more step and say that only the subject can truly understand itself based on lived experience. There is a very real danger in such an approach. I know that as an individual, others around me, with a little distance and insight, can often understand me better than I understand myself. On the other hand, every historian does hold vital insights based upon experience that do truly strengthen his or her work. Though West is correct in trying to find the real “West”, a place of connections between the land and the various human and animal inhabitants, we must be careful in limiting the voices that we listen to for the historical record. In short, just as we must be wary of the biases inherent in a vision of the “West” imposed from the outside, we must also be cautious of the biases unintentionally carried within.

I do not believe that West actually goes this far in his analysis, but it did cause me to pause. However, on the whole, I found his analysis to be very insightful. His look at the often overlooked connections and realities of relationship between the land, animals, and human inhabitants provides a much needed insight into unperceived factors that play into western history. In particular, his confrontation of the imposed idea that the “West” was an empty space untouched by human influence is very challenging and necessary.

2005-10-11T07:45:00.000-07:00

Post # 5

Cross Examining Roy Baker
Reading

The Coroner’s Inquest Into the Death of Roy Baker

Last week we dealt with the general challenges that a historian faces when using trial deliberations in his or her analysis, with Lubet’s analysis of the trial of the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday. This week’s look at the coroner’s inquest into the death of Roy Baker revealed a number of the more specific issues that a historian must take into account when using such sources. By analyzing these specific challenges, one can gain an even more foundational understanding into methods and means of analysis utilized in the art of history.

The first challenge that becomes painfully obvious is the simple issue of “translating” the written record. Though this document was written relatively legibly, it becomes clear that a foundational aspect of analysis is first accurately deciphering the information available. Without an accurate understanding of the information, historical analysis and interpretation are impossible.

A second issue is simply organizing the information that is available. In any legal case, it is vital to establish a timetable of events. Not surprisingly, this is one of the primary concerns of this coroner’s inquest. However, the historian must also re-create the timetable as an investigator removed from the actual setting, events, and time. This is one of the great challenges in analyzing the Roy Baker case. The reader is encountered with numerous times, which vary greatly based upon the individual being interviewed. This problem is magnified by the lack of accurate time keeping. With the majority of witnesses relying upon the word of others who had access to clocks, it becomes increasingly difficult to even establish the necessary timetable.

In addition to the difficulty in establishing the timetable, it becomes very clear that there is the very real challenge of inconsistent testimony. This challenge is magnified even more by the simple fact that, in legal proceedings, certain parties are deliberately attempting to hide facts from the historical record. This is not a new challenge to historians. By necessity we act as judges of the facts in testimony. However, in this case, we must act as the judges of the judged. We are presented with testimony that varies dramatically: I know nothing about the theft of any guns or I discussed the theft of guns with a certain individual; I never had any problem with Baker, or I witnessed a argument between Baker and Miller and Wise; Parkison was drunk, or Parkinson was not drunk. All of these arguments must be weighed when developing an analysis, interpretation, and narrative describing and explaining the events surrounding the death of Roy Baker.

These issues make the analysis of the Roy Baker case particularly challenging. However, they point to vital aspects of historical analysis that must be dealt with. Therefore, the exercise of deciphering, organizing, and interpreting the case of Roy Baker acts as an excellent case study in the historical method.

2005-10-05T12:41:00.000-07:00

I have posted comments on Rick's Site and Audrey's Site

2005-10-04T09:11:00.000-07:00

Post # 4

Interpreting History Through The Trial
Reading

Murder in Tombstone: The Forgotten Trial of Wyatt Earp by Steven Lubet

Over the past week I have been confronted with the trial of interpreting history through the trial on a number of occasions. In this weeks reading Murder in Tombstone by Steven Lubet and a reading for my research seminar, He Shall Go Out Free: The Lives of Denmark Vesey by Douglas Egerton, the specific challenges that a historian faces when analyzing history through a trial deliberation have become very evident to me. It is vital that these challenges are analyzed from a historiographical standpoint.

In He Shall Go Out Free, the historian is presented with a much more daunting challenge than Lubet was faced with. Egerton analyzed the life of Denmark Vesey and the circumstances surrounding the uprising that he was executed for conspiring. The historian is confronted with a clear lack of documentation when looking at the life of Denmark Vesey’s. Furthermore, when looking at the events surrounding the suspected uprising in 1822, the historian if forced to rely almost entirely upon the court records. In this case it proves to be particularly troublesome given the fact that the suspects in this case are free blacks and slaves living in Charleston, South Carolina. One must ask the question, can you rely upon testimonies that were likely coerced under harsh circumstances by a master class? Though this problem does not apply directly to this weeks reading, it does raise questions concerning the interpretation of courtroom testimony in history. How can a historian use an obviously and intentionally biased source?

In Murder in Tombstone, Lubet does a respectable job of analyzing the trial and events surrounding the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Though Lubet is not confronted with the same challenge as Egerton, as he has a number of sources outside of the trail deliberations themselves, his work does cause one to stop and think about the challenges of using courtroom testimony in historical analysis. Lubet writes, “In fact, a trial (or in this case, and extended hearing) is a contest of ideas in which each side tries to present a comprehensive reconstruction of past events, combining facts and law in a way that leads to a logical result.” (Lubet 189). Given this statement, how must a historian proceed with his or her analysis? If a trial is contest in which the defense and the prosecution are trying to present a “reconstruction of past event” that is logically feasible, a few issues with these sources arise. First, legal deliberations are not only filled with the natural biases that historical sources are inevitably influenced by. By this definition, a historian is analyzing information that is by its nature intended to present a biased argument. A second issue that must be dealt with is that of contradicting testimonies. This is not an uncommon issue for a historian to deal with. However, in a trial, the presence of contradicting accounts is intensified.

I believe that Lubet handles these challenges very appropriately and provides the historian with useful reminders of tools with which to analyze history through the lens of a trial. First, it is very important that Lubet utilizes other sources that are available to him. These sources include a number of print media sources (reports from the Tombstone Epitaph and the Tombstone Nugget) and other personal accounts. Secondly, using these sources, Lubet does an excellent job of providing the political and social context within which the gunfight and the trial took place. This contextual understanding is vital in identifying potential biases and inconsistencies that emerge in courtroom testimony. Finally, Lubet does a very good job of breaking down the trial testimony. The reader gets a sense of the overall argument that both the defense and prosecution are making, however, he is careful to analyze the individual testimonies. In other words, he does not get lost in the story that the lawyers are attempting to weave together, he analyses every strand of testimony.

The historiographical trials of analyzing trials have been challenging me over the past week. Furthermore, with the discussion on the Roy Baker affair coming in the next few weeks, I believe that it is very important to step back and look at how the historian should handle his or her analysis of legal deliberations. These challenges are not new to the historian; however, they are intensified when one is analyzing the intentionally biased information presented in a trial. In Murder in Tombstone, Steven Lubet provides an excellent example of some of the steps that a historian must take in his or her analysis.

2005-09-27T16:11:00.000-07:00

Post # 3

The Significance of The Journey of Lewis and Clark
Readings

One Vast Winter Count: The Native American West before Lewis and Clark by Colin G. Calloway

The Journals of Lewis and Clark Edited by Bernard DeVoto

After reading The Journals of Lewis and Clark one is forced to wrestle with the question, what is the significance of this journey? What was this journey really about? There are a wide variety of interpretations of the true significance of this expedition and a number of different vantage points from which to view the journey. So what is the significance of this journey and what was its focus?

One needs to look no farther than Thomas Jefferson’s instructions to Meriwether Lewis to see one interpretation of what this journey was intended to be. Jefferson writes, “The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri river, and such principle stream of it, as, by it’s course and communication with the waters of the Pacific Ocean, may offer the most direct and practicable water communication across this continent, for the purposes of commerce.” (cited in DeVoto 482) We see the theme of the economic significance of the journey re-appear throughout Jefferson’s instructions. He goes on to encourage Lewis to make a favorable impression on the Native population for the purpose of future commerce. (cited in DeVoto 482, 484). Other themes such as mapping and scientific discovery are mentioned. However, the predominant focus that can be gleaned from Jefferson’s instructions is the need to assert American power amongst the native population and prepare the area for its commercial future as a part of the United States. This interpretation would seem to fit in well into the framework of those who would interpret the “West” as an area of commercial exploitation by the East.

However, even though this is clearly one of the primary focuses of the expedition, there are a number of other interpretations of the focus and significance of this journey. If one is looking at this journey through the lens of the majority of Americans today, I fear there may be a gross misinterpretation of the true significance of the journey. After watching “Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery”, produced for PBS by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan, one is left with the impression that this journey was about two larger than life heroes, whose triumphant journey through the rough and unexplored wilderness, was the epitome of what it is to be an American. I want to be clear not to undermine the true heroism required and the very real accomplishment that this journey was. However, this interpretation seems to overshadow many of the truly significant aspects of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

For example, if one looks at the Lewis and Clark expedition through the eyes of the Native American, or the eyes of Colin Calloway, he or she would get a very different view of the significance of the journey. Calloway makes it very clear in his book that the history of the land that Lewis and Clark explored goes back far beyond 1803. He writes that, “Like their European predecessors, Lewis and Clark depended on Indians to point the way across the continent. Armed with the information Indian maps conveyed, they began the process of rethinking, renaming, and remaking the West. But the knowledge of the West was already there. It was extensive in scope and deep in history.” (Calloway 11) Calloway acknowledges that the move of the United States into the West had a transforming impact, but the history of the West did not begin with the footsteps of the two captains.

However, when one is looking at the Lewis and Clark expedition through the eyes of the Native Americans, he or she would find a variety of different views based upon tribe from which those eyes were gazing. For example, if one were looking through the eyes of the Mandan, they would see the expedition as possibly opening up the avenue for a new trade network. Or if one were looking through the eyes of the Blackfeet, they would see a new empire entering the West that was allying with its enemies for trade and was a new threat to them (cf DeVoto May 12 1806: p383, May 28 1806: p395, July 17 1806: p427, July 27 1806: p439).

So what are we to make of the significance of the Lewis and Clark expedition? First, it clearly was a great achievement to have survived such an expedition with only one fatality. Lewis and Clark added to the scientific and geographic understanding that the United States had of the west through their accomplishment. This can clearly not be ignored, but the historian cannot stop here. For the long-term significance we must look deeper. The expedition established the groundwork for a clear assertion of United States power in the west. Furthermore, it opened up a path and established relationships that would benefit commercial gains for the United States.

2005-09-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

Post #2 Comments

I have posted comments on David's Entry and Kent's Entry

2005-09-19T07:52:00.000-07:00

Post #2
Turner, The Frontier, and the Significance of the West
Readings
The Frontier in American History by Frederick Jackson Turner
“Claims and Prospects” by Virginia Scharf et. Al
“Fighting Words: The Significance of the Frontier in American History” by William Deverall
“Constructed Province: History and the Making of the Last American West” David Emmons

In the field of western history, the debate over how exactly to view the “west” in a historical framework has obviously been hotly debated. The conflicting interpretive frameworks that define this field of study seem to play a particularly important role, as there seems to be a struggle to define the identity of the field and in turn defend its legitimacy and significance. As Turner wrote on the Significance of the Frontier in American History, western historians now seem to be in a debate over the significance of the west in American history. Furthermore, this significance largely rests upon the interpretive framework by which one defines and analyses the idea of the “west”.

When one is looking at analytical frameworks that define western history, he or she must of coarse, begin with Frederick Jackson Turner’s Frontier thesis. In his essay, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History”, Turner establishes the view of the frontier which has largely defined western history for some time. In this essay, Turner argues that, “The existence of an area of free land, its continuous recession, and the advance of American settlement westward, explain American development.” (Turner 1) Thus, for Turner, the West, as defined by the idea of the continually advancing frontier, not only defines Western history but American history as well. He sees the frontier as the “meeting point between savagery and civilization” where a “composite national identity” emerged through the common trials that all immigrants to the frontier faced. (Turner 3, 22). In Turner’s framework, it is the idea of the westward frontier that laid the foundation for American nationalism and political development (Turner 24). The problem then emerges as Turner attempts to close the frontier with the 1890 census. Where is the defining framework of American and more specifically Western history left following the close of the frontier?

This problem opens up the debate over the analytical framework that should define Western history. The recent class discussion makes the importance of this debate quite clear. After look at The American West by Robert Hine and John Faragher and The Legacy of Conquest by Patricia Limerick a broad variety of alternate interpretations of Western history have already been presented. Hine and Faragher’s approach of attempting to temper Turner’s thesis while maintaining the concept of the frontier contrasts greatly with Limerick’s attempt to define the West as a set region. This weeks additional readings provide further insights into a variety of historical viewpoints of the West.

In “Claims and Prospects of Western History: A Roundtable”, the reader is presented with a number of vantage points from which to view western history. For example, James Ronda argues that one should view the west both from the harsh reality of those who lived there, such as Guymon, and from the vantage point of those who found inspiration and idealism in the idea of the frontier, such as Jefferson(Scharf et.al 29). On the other hand, John Faragher argues that, “I am a western historian because it because it offered me a way of telling particular and local stories in a global perspective.” (Scharf et al. 33). David Gutierrez attempts to dispel the idea that the West can fall into a single hegemonic interpretation that neglects the histories of the various cultures it attempts to overshadow. (Scharf et.al 35). These varying interpretations demonstrate the varying lenses that historians try to look through when studying the history of the West.

In his article, “Fighting Words: The Significance of the American West in the History of the United States”, William Deverall confronts this issue specifically. He writes, “Competing visions of the western past assume different western significances. Newer versions of western history and understanding explicitly claim that the significance of particular, formerly unfamiliar western histories need now be scrutinized, even emphasized. Not the least of these concerns is the necessity of stretching Western American history beyond the raw limits of last century’s imperial westward expansion, a period that super narrative adores as much as it misinterprets. Similarly, much of the work challenging older notions expresses a wariness and exasperation over supposed western distinctiveness and exceptionalism, a tendency that invites marginalization on all sorts of political, cultural, and academic fronts.” (Deverall 189). Though I do not support all of the author’s arguments, this statement brings the question over the significance of western history into the forefront.

When analyzing the history of the West, I believe the historian must walk a fine line. You can clearly not throw out all of Turner’s thesis. The history of the frontier is a vital history that holds broader implication in American history. However, as the historical analysis of the west unfolds it does not have to be confined by the frontier or by the areas of frontier history that were defined by Turner. Historians should seek to study localized and regional issues in western history. However, to focus so narrowly on these regional issues without trying to tie western history into the broader framework of American history swings the pendulum of historical analysis too far in the opposite direction. Just as it would be wrong to assume that the expansion of the frontier and the west is the sole driving force behind the development of a homogeneous American outlook and the nation, it is also an error to assume that the history of the west has no broader implications in the history of the nation.

2005-09-12T04:41:00.000-07:00

Post #1
The Legacy of the American West
Readings

The American West: A New Interpretive History by Robert V. Hine and John Mack Faragher
The Legacy of Conquest: The Unbroken Past of the American West by Patricia Nelson Limerick

In this weeks readings we were presented with two different interpretive frameworks for the history of the American West. Each reading revealed a unique lens through which one can study and analyze this field of United States History.

In The American West, Hine and Faragher view the concept of the American West as the concept of the frontier. They write, “The history of the frontier is a unifying American theme, for every part of the country was once a frontier, every region was once a West.” (Hine and Faragher 11) By looking at Western history through this lens, they necessarily begin their analysis with a study of the initial clash of Native Americans and European settlers in the New World. However, given their analytical framework, Hine and Faragher trace the history of the nation as the West on the fringe of the frontier. Thus, they include a study of Europeans gradual march west and the conflicts and interactions that that westward movement sparked. They go on to analyze how issues such as the fur trade, mining, roads, and urbanization impacted the history of the American West.

Patricia Nelson Limerick looks at the history of the American West through a very different lens in her study, The Legacy of Conquest. Limerick begins by taking a look at the myriad of different frameworks that have been used to analyze Western history. In particular, she analyzes the legacy of the Turner thesis as an analytical framework and attempts to present an alternative. Limerick downplays the idea of the frontier as the rallying point for historical analysis and instead focuses on the West as a defined area. She writes, “In rethinking Western history, we gain the freedom to think of the West as a place—as many complicated environments occupied by natives who considered their homelands to be the center, not the edge.” (Limerick 26) Furthermore, in addition to establishing the West as a distinct area of study, Limerick also argues that in this area, economic reality spawned many of the confrontations and continues to be a key aspect of understanding the history of the West.

With this interpretive framework, Limerick goes on to stress the conflict between groups such as European settlers, Native Americans, and Mexicans in the region of the American West. Furthermore, the author stresses the fact that the history of this conflict and the issues involved did not end with the closing of the frontier in 1890. Conflicts over land and land use between Native Americans and non-native settlers did not end in 1890, they continue today over issues such as casinos and fishing rights. The conflict on the borderland with Mexico did not end with the closing of the frontier, the line could not be drawn and we still live with a borderland in which we struggle with issues of immigration and control.

In final analysis, Limerick’s analytical framework is particularly challenging. She establishes the West as an area of study that is not limited by the closing of the frontier in 1890. She sets it apart as a distinct region of the nation and historical study that can bring out national themes such as the ideas of conquest, common ground, the fight for recognition and legitimacy, the struggle for cultural dominance, and the American belief in progress. In her framework, the West is a distinct area in which these historical themes and others continue to be fought over in the struggle for conquest and resistance.

The Beginning of The Journey West

2005-08-31T13:16:00.000-07:00

Today I begin my journey through the history of the American West. I embark on this journey with a great anticipation of analyzing the myths, the mysteries, and the milestones of United States History that are deeply rooted in history of westward movement and the West itself.