Question

What did Frederick Jackson Turner mean by a safety valve of social discontent? What information from the text helps you understand the importance of migration to western territories in American society during this period?

A) The safety valve theory suggests that migration to the western territories provided an outlet for social dissatisfaction, preventing potential social unrest in the East.

B) The safety valve theory proposes that discontented individuals sought refuge in the western territories, easing tensions in crowded urban areas.

C) Turner's safety valve concept argues that the availability of land in the West allowed individuals facing economic hardships or social discontent to move and start anew.

D) All of the above.

Answer 1

Turner's safety-valve theory posits that western expansion served as a critical outlet for economic and social pressures in the East, providing opportunities for new beginnings and alleviating urban congestion.

Step-by-step explanation:

Frederick Jackson Turner's safety-valve theory implied that the migration to western territories provided a release for societal pressures in the East. With the availability of land in the West, individuals encountering economic hardships or social discontent could migrate, pursue new opportunities, and relieve the congested urban areas in the East. Turner believed that this westward movement served as a critical outlet, preventing the escalation of social tensions by offering an alternative to wage labor and scarce farmland, thus benefiting both those who moved and those who stayed behind.

Option D) All of the above, captures the essence of Turner's safety-valve theory which encompasses the potential prevention of social unrest, as an outlet for discontented individuals, and the opportunity to start anew for those facing hardships.