Walking the line of fire : violence, society, and the war for the Kentucky and Trans-Appalachian Frontier, 1774-1795
One of the most understudied frontiers, the Kentucky frontier was also one of the most violent. For twenty years this region was affected by a bloody war that came to involve the new settler population, numerous Indian tribes, the British, and the American government. More than a border war, the battle for Kentucky and the trans-Appalachian west came to define the communities which grew up in its midst, altering world views, attitudes, and compounding prejudices. It is the purpose of this thesis to accomplish two goals: first, this work will tackle the lack of recent scholarship on this region by providing a detailed history of the Kentucky frontier during the American Revolution and its subsequent period. The second goal of this thesis is to study, analyse and understand how the violence generated by the war with the Indians helped to shape settler society. By thinking of violence not purely as the result of other, more potent social forces â racism, economic fears, competition for land â it is possible to study and understand its formative impact upon early American society. From the short term development of vendetta fuelled warfare to the long term impact this war had upon relations between white and
Reid, Darren
History ; America ; Early ; Revolution ; Frontier ; Kentucky ; Ohio ; Native ; American ; Violence ; Family
Walking the line of fire : violence, society, and the war for the Kentucky and Trans-Appalachian Frontier, 1774-1795. One of the most understudied frontiers, the Kentucky frontier was also one of the most violent. For twenty years this region was affected by a bloody war that came to involve the new settler population, numerous Indian tribes, the British, and the American government. More than a border war, the battle for Kentucky and the trans-Appalachian west came to define the communities which grew up in its midst, altering world views, attitudes, and compounding prejudices. It is the purpose of this thesis to accomplish two goals: first, this work will tackle the lack of recent scholarship on this region by providing a detailed history of the Kentucky frontier during the American Revolution and its subsequent period. The second goal of this thesis is to study, analyse and understand how the violence generated by the war with the Indians helped to shape settler society. By thinking of violence not purely as the result of other, more potent social forces â racism, economic fears, competition for land â it is possible to study and understand its formative impact upon early American society. From the short term development of vendetta fuelled warfare to the long term impact this war had upon relations between white and
walking line fire violence society war trans frontier understudied frontier frontier also violent region affect bloody war come involve new settler population numerous indian tribe british_american government border war battle trans west come define community grow midst alter world_view attitude compound prejudice purpose accomplish goal first work tackle lack recent_scholarship region provide_detailed history frontier american_revolution subsequent period second goal study analyse violence generate war indians help_shape settler society think violence purely potent social force racism economic fear competition land possible study formative impact_upon early american society short_term development fuel warfare long_term impact_war upon relation white