Greg's Blog: Daniel Boone American Hero

Daniel Boone American Hero Myth

The Daniel Boone Song

Daniel Boone was a man. Yes a big man.

With an eye like an eagle and as tall as a mountain was he. Daniel Boone was a man. Yes a big man.

He was brave, he was fearless and as tough as a mighty oak tree. From the coonskin cap on the top of ol Dan to the heel of his rawhide shoes. The rippin'est roarin'est fightin'est man the frontier ever knew. Daniel Boone was a man. Yes a big man. And he fought for America to make all Americans free. What a Boone. What a wonder. What a dream comer truer was he.

(http://www.stlyrics.com)

Abstract

Daniel Boone is known as a tamer of the wild frontier ; a fearless man who’s only desire was to fight battles so other would not need to. Daniel went on to the Kentucky, battling the Shawnee, while losing loved ones (sons). If Daniel Boone would tame the land then there would be land; land for everyone. Upon Daniels building of civilization he and becomes a Statesman, then must return to the wild to kill Indians, then returns to be a Statesman.

Tamer of the Wild Frontier

Daniel Boone is known as a tamer of the wild frontier ; a fearless man who’s only desire was to fight battles so other would not need to. The song above is from a television series which ran for 6 seasons starting in 1964(www.danielboonetv.com). Born October 22, 1734 was called to action in 1755(Encarta) to fight the blood thirsty French and Indians. 200 years later America is making movies about the myth of Daniel Boone and his legendary fighting of Indians. The call to action in 1755 would match up with Joseph Campbell’s call to action as the first part of recognizing a myth, Boone has poor uneducated upbringing, yet is called upon to carry the burden of a nation. I can almost here the Battle Hymn of the Republic playing in the background

Helpers and More Helpers

Daniel went on to the Kentucky, battling the Shawnee, while losing loved ones. To complete step two of Campbell’s Monomyth theory, Boone must have helpers with him; and true to form he takes five men to the Kentucky wilderness in 1769(Rose). While in Kentucky he is captured by the Shawnee and befriends the chief, escapes and spends the winter in a cave, he then returns to his wife and family in the autumn. Now with talk of the bounty of Kentucky, Boone spread the word and eventually finds someone to fund his excursion back to the promise land. His son was killed in a Shawnee Indian attack during this period. In 1775 Boone is hired with thirty others to blaze a trail to the new frontier.

Land Land, for Everyone, Land

If Daniel Boone would tame the land then there would be land; land for everyone. In 1775 The Transylvania Company hires Boone and thirty others to blaze a trail into the wilderness and establish Boonesborough, Kentucky (Rose). Having blazed a trail to the new world of freedom Boone moves his family to the new found paradise where they are constantly under attack by the blood thirsty Shawnee who wish to take the land from Gods settlers. Boone and company begin a 20 year war with the savage Shawnee. Boone being the hero he is leads his fellow man to a new world and new beginning.

The Legend becomes a Statesman of the People

Upon Daniels building of civilization he becomes a Statesman, then must return to the wild to kill Indians, then returns to be a Statesman. For the 20 year from 1775 to 1795 Boone becomes a Statesman for Kentucky then is recalled to fight the savages and the returns as the conquering hero to become a Statesman again. Thus fulfilling his destiny Boone lives out his life in harmony, one with nature, ruler over the happy people of Kentucky. The End

Analysis

Whoa, hold on, hold the heck on, wait a minute, hold the phone; there never was a new world, the promise land or a new beginning. What actually happened is Boone was born in the midst of Amish Country, to the ultra conservative class and his family was ejected from the sect for long forgotten reasons (Silverman). The family moved from the area in shame and Daniel spent the rest of his life with an axe to grind against those who would force him to do anything. Boone and his toadies loved killing Indians because they wanted the land the Indians occupied; it was not a new world it was the Shawnee’s world and Boone wanted it. When Boone finally stole the land he wanted he became the largest, wealthiest, businessman in the frontier. But hold on, the new government of the United States decided he did not own the land after all and disputed his claim, took the land away and left Boone broke, penniless, destitute. Some Spanish cronies took pity on him and offered oodles of land in Missouri which he gladly accepted and he ruled over that for a few years until the United States once again disputed his ownership right and took the land from him one more time(Rose). Boone died broke while living at his sons’ home in Missouri (Silverman).

Conclusion

One television series, two songs and three books have been written about the great pioneer of the frontier Daniel Boone. He is a Great American Hero whom was a creation of great story tellers, who wanted the people of a young America to feel free to get out and explore their new world, a world which seemed to have unlimited borders and a few savages to be slaughtered. If the new Americans would/could be persuaded to kill the savages and spread out across the land then there would be vast wealth for all. So, the new ignorant people of America felt empowered to venture and kill their fellow man in the name of God and country. Daniel Boone was a man just like any other but the country needed a hero so he became one.

Reference

Drake, Francis. "Sir Francis Drake on the California Coast" in Burrage, Henry S. (editor). Early English and French Voyages, Chiefly from Hakluyt, 1534-1608. (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1906); online facsimile edition at www.americanjourneys.org/aj-032/. Accessed September 28, 2003.

Rose, Julie, http://xroads.virginia.edu/~Hyper/HNS/Boone/chronology.html , Referenced 1-17-2008

Silverman, Sharon Hernes. Pennsylvania Trail of History Guide: Daniel Boone Homestead (Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2000), http://www.danielboonehomestead.org/history.htm, Referenced 1-17-2008

www.danielboonetv.com, Referenced 1-17-2008

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761574826/Daniel_Boone.html, Referenced 1-17-2008

http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/televisiontvthemelyrics-sciencefictionwesterns/danielboone.htm. Referenced 1-17-2008