The American West by Dee Brown

A Look at One of the Most Misunderstood Areas in American History

Aug 8, 2009

Brown focuses on three areas of the western movement: Native Americans, settlers, and ranchers. He begins his first chapter with a quote from a letter written in 1838.

The book begins, "Thare is good land on the Massura for poar mans home". According to Brown the "the moving spirit of western migration" started in 1838. His descriptive details help the reader to envision what took place during the early years when pioneers moved west. He duplicates the thoughts R. Allen Billington has on the pattern of the western movement.

His many vivid description puts the reader in the middle of the story he is telling. For example when he mentions the treeless plains that lay between the western edge of settlement and the Great Divide. He further describes how the wind during a storm stirs the alkali dust and the Indians travel over the prairie in search of buffalo.

Knowledge in United States History Helpful

Brown’s expertise in American history is obvious throughout the book. Again, he gave vivid descriptions of the fur traders that crossed the plains in 1830 and found such an abundance of grass that the buffalo will not go without food.

The “Cattle, Horses, and Cowboys” chapter was written in simple and understandable terms, where the reader could imagine the thunderstorms that caused the cattle to stampede and the towns that became wild and chaotic when the cowboys and their herds would arrive in town.

The author used a series of pictures and maps that gives the reader an idea of what it looked like during the westward movement. The maps show the places of settlement, borders, and Indian Reservations. The visuals are especially good if the reader is a visual learner.

Brown writes about the Indian wars, noting that “twenty-five years of bloody conflict has begun”. The tension between the Indians and the whites were apparent through his words, which gives the reader the sense they are standing back away from the conflict and watching it unfold.

Promises Not Kept Causes War

One particular Indian battle he points out is the one that takes place in 1865 at the Powder River. Here Red Cloud instructed his warriors to harass the soldiers. The soldiers fight back and the Indian wars worsen. This battle as most of the battles fought against the Indians had to do with the taking of land from the Indians.

Brown specifies that the Indians were promised land by the Federal Government, but since gold was found it was necessary to burn a trail through Indian land in order to get to the mines.

The author is objective in bringing the facts to light and has good references, which shows he was thorough in his research.

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The copyright of the article The American West by Dee Brown in History Books is owned by Christine Musser. Permission to republish The American West by Dee Brown in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.