ABSTRACT
For one hundred years American historians have been writing under the influence of Frederick Jackson Turner's frontier thesis, and if the force and character of Turner's legacy has changed over time, these centennial essays demonstrate Turner's enduring capacity to engage serious writers who dare to interpret American history. Turner acquired such enduring influence—and attracted such violent criticism—precisely because he attempted to say in bold, clear terms what he believed made America great, progressive, unique. An ardent professional, one of the first generation to elevate historical scholarship in America to the status of a learned profession, Turner nevertheless published sweeping, poetic "verses" that captured the imagination of amateur readers and dazzled incautious popular commentators on the American story. Turner's critics, however, proved less successful at capturing public attention and establishing the significance of their revisions, so that reinterpretations of the frontier tradition have not purged Turner's errors from the popular imagination.
