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Gender and Vigilantism on the Minnesota Frontier,

 

            The essay "Gender and Vigilantism on the Minnesota Frontier," by Sylvia D. Hoffert, describes how Jane Grey Swisshelm changes from a sympathetic supporter of civilizing the Native Americans of the Minnesota region, the Dakotas, to a supporter of the eradication of the Dakotas. Swisshelm was an editor of the paper, the St. Cloud Visiter, which was rare for a woman before the Civil War. Being the editor of the local paper put Swisshelm in a position of power, which she used to try to create public opinion instead of reflect it. Before moving to Minnesota, Swisshelm was an abolitionist whose idea's of sympathy towards the weak reflects her early opinions about the Dakotas. The thesis of the essay states that Swisshelm's change from sympathizer to eradicator is due to her inability to civilize the Dakotas herself, her misunderstanding of the Dakota culture, and the Dakota's actions which began the US-Dakota Conflict of 1862. More reasons which contributed to Swisshelm's change was her idea that some laws needed to be disregarded to protect the weak, her longing for the economic advancement of farmers in Minnesota and her community, St Cloud, and her participation as an abolitionist. Swisshelm's gender was a large part of her using vigilantism to try and eradicate the Dakotas. Ideas of what a woman's place in society should be also influenced her change. This thesis shows that many different ideas affected the thinking of Swisshelm. Hoffert uses this essay to add existing knowledge about Swisshelm and the US-Dakota conflict. By going into Swisshelm's life, Hoffert is able to show how the frontier affected her view of the Dakotas.
             Swisshelm's desire for economic advancement in Minnesota was a large factor towards the sudden change in opinion towards the Dakotas. The main purpose of her paper was to sell real estate in Stearns County to the mass of people moving west. She also had the job of convincing investors that the land in Stearns County was safe and a good investment.


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