WINNEROFTHEPULITZERPRIZEAnewandeye-openinginterpretationofthemeaningofthefrontier,fromearlywestwardexpansiontoTrump’sborderwall.Eversincethisnation’sinception,theideaofanopenandever-expandingfrontierhasbeencentraltoAmericanidentity.Symbolizingafutureofendlesspromise,itwasthefoundationoftheUnitedStates’beliefinitselfasanexceptionalnation-democratic,individualistic,forward-looking.Today,though,Americahasanewsymbol:theborderwall.InTheEndoftheMyth,acclaimedhistorianGregGrandinexploresthemeaningofthefrontierthroughoutthefullsweepofU.S.history-fromtheAmericanRevolutiontotheWarof1898,theNewDealtotheelectionof2016.Forcenturies,heshows,America’sconstantexpansion-fightingwarsandopeningmarkets-servedasa“gateofescape,“helpingtodeflectdomesticpoliticalandeconomicconflictsoutward.Butthisdeflectionmeantthatthecountry’sproblems,fromracismtoinequality,wereneverconfronteddirectly.Andnow,thecombinedcatastropheofthe2008financialmeltdownandourunwinnablewarsintheMiddleEasthaveslammedthisgateshut,bringingpoliticalpassionsthathadlongbeendirectedelsewherebackhome.Itisthisnewreality,Grandinsays,thatexplainstheriseofreactionarypopulismandracistnationalism,theextremeangerandpolarizationthatcatapultedTrumptothepresidency.Theborderwallmayormaynotbebuilt,butitwillsurviveasarallyingpoint,anallegoricaltombstonemarkingtheendofAmericanexceptionalism.
AMERICA FORWARD END HISTORY LOOKING
