preview

Borders Are One Of The Most Pervasive Topics In Contemporary

Better Essays

Borders are one of the most pervasive topics in contemporary politics, and whether people are aware of it or not, borderlands history has greatly influenced the perceptions and attitudes that are held towards borders today. Rhetoric today is focused on keeping immigrants out, winning the war on drugs, and bringing the United States back to its original glory (which in fact, was not glorious, but rather put white men on a pedestal). Borderlands history reminds us that immigrants are going to cross the border, regardless of the challenges put in front of them by United States laws or border patrol. This has been exemplified throughout history by many different groups of people, such at the Métis, Comanche, slaves, and Chinese laborers. The …show more content…

Additionally, Adelman and Aron argue that borders brought about “exclusivist” feelings, further separating “us” from the “other.”
European colonialists, along with bringing disease, devastation, and an attitude of entitlement, were among the first to bring fixed, geographical borders to the United States. The myth that is prevalent within United States History states that the European settlers came to the United States and conquered the wild land that was inhabited by savages. The Europeans went on to tame the land, impose borders on it, and ultimately civilize it. However, Barr notes that “North America was a political and economic landscape already mapped and surveyed,” even though this was in a different manner than Europeans were used to. The Comanche, and other indigenous groups, continued to regard the borders they had always used, until they were no longer able to do so due to European implementation of fixed borders. The Métis were a nomadic group that resided in the northern Montana region-- the 49th parallel cut directly through their residence. The Métis were forced to choose a side of the border on which to reside, but generally ignored the border until it began to be enforced. The border became heavily militarized, because

Get Access