"With a Gun and a Rope and a Handful of Hope" - Facts and Fictions of the American West - Einzelansicht

For centuries the American West has been a place of myths and legends. Land purchases, wars and plain robbery pushed the Frontier further and further to the West until the territory of the United States spanned the whole continent from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific Ocean. The steady stream of settlers coming from the East with the aid of legendary trappers such as Davy Crockett or Daniel Boone were hoping to find land, freedom and personal happiness. The gold-diggers of California sought riches, as did the Chinese railroad workers who helped build the first trans-continental railway. From these historical facts arose fanciful stories of cowboys, gunslingers, the majestic buffalos and Native Americans, set against a backdrop of impressive landscapes like the Grand Canyon or Monument Valley. In this course we will examine tall tales and truthful events centered in and around the American West. Concentrating on the 19^th and 20^th century we will look at cultural and literary traditions, historical events and images in order to gain a better understanding of how both facts and fictions of the West shaped the American character and influenced the perception of the United States around the world.