The Ideal Frontiersman in Respect to the Characters of the Last of the Mohicans.
Frontiersmen of the early 19th century played a crucial role in establishing the west and the Oregon Territory in early America. In many ways, the frontiersmen set the stage for what became the "cowboy" lifestyle of independence and individualism. In James Fenimore Cooper's Last of the Mohicans many characters capture the essence of what it means to be an early American Frontiersman. Though many carry some characteristics, Hawkeye, Magua, and Chingachook stand out above the rest. Although Hawkeye, Chingachook, and Magua possess characteristics of the 19th century frontiersman, none of them can be classified as the perfect or ideal frontiersman.
The 3 characters, when put together, form the essence of what it means to be the ideal frontiersman, through individualism and adventure. The main reason settlers started moving west was due to the offer of cheap land offered by the government to encourage westward expansion. Frontiersman also often left the security of the colonies to look for a sense of adventure and freedom in the west (MM and FT). The realm of the frontiersman also known as the mountain man stretched from the Mississippi to Texas and Montana all the way to Texas. There "kingdom" spread throughout the whole western part of the United States (MM and FT). Relationships among the settlers were relatively uncommon due to the lack of cities or towns in the west. The infrequency of meetings with other settlers led to feelings of strong individualism in the west. A lack of trading posts or stored made the settlers have to hunt, fish, gather and provide for themselves. Therefore many skills were needed to be a successful settler in the west.
In order to keep up with the active lifestyle of the Western American frontiersman many skills were needed to stay alive in the west. There are 3 essential skills needed to be successful, the ability to have a friendly relation with Indians of the territory, concealment and accuracy and skill with weapons.
