What did the 'frontier' mean to the Americans?
The frontier was a shifting western boundary of the USA that represented opportunity and expansion. It pulled European settlers westward for many decades, drawing them toward new lands and possibilities.
As the frontier moved, natives were forced to move back, showing how expansion came at the cost of indigenous displacement. The frontier was not a fixed line but constantly shifted as Americans extended their control over more territory.
By 1892, when the USA's continental expansion was complete and the area between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans was divided into states, the frontier no longer remained. This marked the end of westward expansion that had defined American growth.
Explanation
The textbook context explicitly defines the frontier as 'a shifting one' that 'pulled European settlers west for many decades.' The context also explains that as the frontier moved, natives were forced to move back. The frontier ceased to exist after 1892 when continental expansion was complete. Students should capture these three key aspects: the shifting nature of the frontier, its role in pulling settlers westward, and its connection to native displacement.