Fate, predestination, kismet, and karma are all synonyms for the word destiny. Destiny is the word we use in the English language to describe something that will happen in the future, no matter the circumstances of what happened in the past. Palpable, unmistakable, evident, and clear»cut are all synonyms for the word manifest. Manifest can pertain to either the psyche and its conscious ideals or a readily perceived understanding of events. When these two words are used in combination they carry a slightly different meanings and function almost as idealistic nouns. It is from this noun that Turnerian theory was born, and in opposition to Limerick’s radical vision of the West. This idealism, Manifest Destiny, is the sole creator of two distinct views that even in present-day clash to determine which is correct Manifest Destiny is the belief that “Anglo“ American settlers were fated to expand across the continent taking control over the land and the resources.
Manifest Destiny holds true with the belief that to the West lies “free” or “unoccupied” land and that it is there for the taking. The newly arrived “Anglo” Americans (new to the West) held onto this idea, that where they were was a land free of inhabitants and owners. A land created for their purposes and their settlement alone, Coupled with this yearning for expansion was the idea of an ever-shrinking frontier. This frontier as described by Turner began where civilization ended and savagery began. He also formally described it as any area not containing two or more people per square mile, as stated in the yearly census. It is at this frontier that a man must accept the harsh circumstances he finds himself in and become what he must in order to survive.
Turner believes that the frontier takes European men, “germs,” (European in mind, clothing, and habit) and turns them into true Americans. He thinks that the place, nature, in all its might and glory determines how we respond or adapt to it. Turner is an advocate for the place over process view of how the West was formed. Limerick’s View is that of process over place. Patricia Limerick is one of the founders of a new movement called the “New Western History.” She along with Richard White, William Cronon, and Donald Worster all oppose Frederick Jackson Turner’s theory/vision of the American West. They believe that the West was formed in a process over a place manner; that the American West was slowly invaded by the “Anglo” Americans, taken from the Native Americans in a brutal and cruel manner. “New Western History” is characterized by looking at the expansion westward as a conquest instead of adventure and by looking at the frontier without the “illusion of vacancy, of triumphal conclusions, or of simplicity.”
These scholars believe that the frontier is not as elementary as Turner puts it; they think that the frontier is a blurry muddled thing that has yet to fully come to a close, “The adventure of frontiers is our fantasy still; the struggle of borders is still our reality.” Our nation is in continuing conflict and Limerick thinks that once it realizes that, a shift will occur, marking a great change in the understanding of true American history. To further her attack on Turner’s thesis, Limerick brings up the comparison of how children would play cowboys and Indians but would stop short of masters and slaves. Two legacies of equal regret, and yet one is looked at differently in the eyes of the common public. Before Limerick and her colleagues most of American history was looked at and taught as though it were an emprise. Now many are beginning to look at the other side of the picture.
The side where innocent Native Americans were forcibly removed from their lands, converted to Christianity, and murdered if they did not consent. The Indians however did not just roll over and let the “Anglo” Americans take their land, many of them fought back; most notably, the Comanches, The Comanches were a proud nomadic tribe of Native Americans that until the arrival of the horse played no significant part in ownership of North America. It was when the horses arrived that the Comanches were able to turn the tide on their enemies and take control of a considerable portion of land,6 It is this rapid procession of land changing hands that one begins to think the Comanches had a sort of Manifest Destiny of their own. Between the time of 1836 and 1875 the Comanches had managed to take over possession of land ranging all the way from the southern tip of Texas to Northern Colorado and beyond. They also owned land from New Mexico to Missouri; all of this was possible because of the newly introduced technology, the horse, The Comanches were nomadic in nature and with the addition of the horse they were able to control large areas of land.
It was said that the Comanches could launch an attack from 450 miles away, inflicting unimaginable damage and then retreating without any hopes of finding them amongst the plains for a retribution strike.7 I think that the Comanches had an agenda that functioned like a Manifest Destiny, in that they wanted to get revenge on their enemies for wrong doings inflicted to them in the past. Their goal was similar to that of the “Anglo” Americans in that they wanted expansion of their territory, but the expansion was wanted for entirely different reasons. The “Anglo” Americans believed they were ordained by God and destined to own all of the uncivilized or savage lands to the West. Whereas the Comanches simply wanted to get even with their rivals and defend the territory held by their ancestors In summation, the two Visions of the Americans.
West are characterized by Limerick’s view of process over place (which came about as a response to Turner’s thoughts about Manifest Destiny) and Turner’s view of place over process, Turner felt that the West was a place that took European adventurers and turned them into Americans; whereas Limerick felt that American’s have always been Americans and that they took over the land because of what they were (conquerors). As for Manifest Destiny, Turner felt the Americans expanded to the West because it was predestined by God; whereas Limerick felt the Americans expanded to the West because that was their nature, they were conquerors at heart. The Comanches shared this idealistic noun, Manifest Destiny, but put their own sort of spin on it. They used it as a way to get back at their enemies and leave a lasting impression on history. As for my own thoughts on which of these two views are correct, I tend to agree more with Limerick despite being taught Turnerian theory as a child.
