Frontier

:This article is about the Frontier term. For the computer game, see Frontier (computer game). For the games developer see Frontier Developments.

Related Topics:
Frontier (computer game) - Frontier Developments

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In the United States and Canada, the frontier was the term applied until the end of the 19th century to the zone of unsettled land outside the region of existing settlements of European immigrants and their descendants. In a broad sense, the notion of the frontier was the edge of the settled country where unlimited cheap land was available to anyone willing to live the hard but independent life of the pioneer farmer.

Related Topics:
United States - Canada - 19th century - Europe

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Throughout the history of both countries, the expansion of settlement was largely from the east to the west, and thus the frontier is often identified with western areas of both countries. Many areas along the Pacific coast were, however, settled long before areas in the interior of North America, and thus in the later half of the 19th century, the frontier existed largely in the continental interior.

Related Topics:
Pacific - North America

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Frontier and front are both derived from the Latin "frons," (forehead, front, facade). 'Frontier' was borrowed into English from French in the 15th century with the meaning "borderland," the region of a country that fronts on another country (see also marches). The use of frontier to mean "a region at the edge of a settled area" is a special North American development. (Compare the Australian "outback".)

Related Topics:
Latin - English - French - Marches - Outback

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