WORD HISTORY: 'frontier' and 'front' are both derived from Layin "frons," (forehead, front, facade). 'Frontier' was borrowed into English from French in the 15th century with the meaninng "borderland," the region of a country that fronts on another country. The use of frontier to mean "a region at the edge of a settled are" is a special American development. During most of American history the edge of the settled country was the place where unlimited cheap land was available to anyone willing to live the hard but independent life of the pioneer farmer. It has long been recognized that the experiance of frontier life had an important part in shaping American society and character. This sense of 'frontier' has also been extended to other areas of achievement and conquest.
frontier: noun. 1. an international border, the area bordering on a frontier 2. the region just beyond or at the edge of a settled area 3. An undeveloped field for research or discovery
The American frontier was generally the most western edge of settling and typically more democratic in nature. In contrast to the more eastern lands, the issue of slavery was "settled" before the civil war with the Missouri Compromise.
Scott Feb. 11, 2004
