Mastodon – U.S. to 1877

October 23, 2013

Mastodon: Myth or Symbol?

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The making of a Jeffersonian democracy was a big deal and had an immense impact on American history and the development and advancement of American politics. Jefferson was considered an anti-federalist and his views sided with those of the Republicans, which favored states rights and a decentralized federal government. Ideally for Jefferson, states would have the biggest impact on its’ citizens while the federal government would have very little impact. In fact, Jefferson was one of the major proponents in forming the Democratic-Republican Party. When faced against John Adams in the election of 1800, Jefferson came away with the victory and became the third president of the United States in what is known as the revolution of 1800.

Jefferson had some major events occur in his presidency from his infamous inauguration speech to the Louisiana Purchase as well as the Embargo Act of 1807. These are events that we hear of most when defining Jefferson’s presidency, yet one that tends to get neglected, even from an impartial Wilentz, is Jefferson’s interest in the Mastodon. As CATHOMSON mentions in their blog post, Jefferson among others are often criticized for their unscientific-like behavior. Yet this high interest that Jefferson displays for the Mastodon is a direct opposition to this criticism. In fact, Jefferson goes as far as to send Lewis and Clark on an expedition in the newly purchased Louisiana territory to explore and search for one of these beastly creatures. This creature is often neglected from many history writings when analyzing the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The question that arises with this is why is the Mastodon often left out of our history?

One possible theory or argument that one could make is that history is trying to wipe away the remnants of this beast. Or the negligence simply alludes to the failure of a symbol that the Mastodon was. When the bones of the Mastodon were first discovered many including Jefferson used it as a symbol of the great American spirit. This big and powerful creature that was thought to be carnivorous and ferocious was used to symbolize America’s newly found independence and resemble their dominance and power of the Americas. Yet, one thing piled on top of another and with more information it was concluded that the original depictions of the carnivorous beast were biologically inaccurate and the creature was actually extinct. Therefore, the Mastodon went from and American symbol to nothing more than a myth as it disappeared from American history for some time. The disappearance and relative unimportance of the Mastodon are why it was unable to outlast and become America’s symbol like the bald eagle. The Mastodon captured many including Jefferson for some time but later proved quite irrelevant and symbolized an America that many could argue in the wrong light.

October 22, 2013

A Mastodon America

Prominent early Americans, such as Peale and Jefferson, have been criticized for their unscientific –like behavior regarding the discovery of and research on the mastodon. Peale overlooked some fact and aspects of scientific process in his excitement over his specimen and Jefferson certainly abandoned some practicality as he wholeheartedly embraced the creature as a “monarch of the past.” It seems to me, however, that their grasp on the reality of the extinct animal is not important at all. Neither are the true facts about the mastodon. The importance of the mastodon comes in the meaning it was able to take on and its role as a symbol of the new American republic. Semonin touches on this concept when he discusses the founding fathers’ emphasis on the fact that the mastodon could certainly beat the British lion in a fight. The mastodon was at the height of its infamy at a time when the nation needed a powerful symbol. The country was in political turmoil and the world did not seem sure if America could make it on its own. The mastodon served as a symbol of strength and power that was unique to North America.

It is interesting, however, that the mastodon has not survived as a symbol of America. Semonin admits that the extinct animal never surpassed the bald eagle in terms of symbolic value but the mastodon fell from such a place of prominence to relative obscurity. Perhaps the fact that the animal is extinct played a role in this but this is also where scientific accuracy does play a role. The symbolism of the mastodon was built on incorrect information and as the country matured and developed this first try at national pride and unity was left behind for more concrete symbols such as the eagle. Just because the mastodon did not last, however, does not make it irrelevant to our nation’s history despite its anonymity today.

This search for an American identity separate from that of Europe, personified by the mastodon, carries on past the era of Peale and Jefferson into the following century. Both Calhoun and Clay worked to separate America both politically and economically from England. They sought to remove barriers imposed by Britain on American trade in order to increase economic growth as well as overcome the sentiment in some American politicians that America depended upon connections to Great Britain for its prosperity. This increasing tension and American desire to separate from Great Britain led to the War of 1812 in which, metaphorically, the American mastodon did in fact defeat the British lion.

October 22, 2013

The Expansion of the American Frontier

With the independence of the United States, the frontier states looked to expand the countries borders west. This expansion was no small feat and required the full attention of the government to deal with native tribes over land disputes. According to Turner, the frontier was, ” the outer edge of the wave — the meeting point between savagery and civilization” (Turner). This belief that they were the tamers of this savage land allowed them to feel no qualms when they infringed on native land. It is important to note that Turner does point out that, “the environment is at first too strong for the man” (Turner). This shows that they acknowledged that expansion into the frontier would not be an easy job but with time that, “little by little he [can] transform the wilderness” (Turner). Also Turner mentions the, “European germs developing in an American environment” which shows that the American people were trying to create their own identity (Turner). The American people did not want to be known for, “German germs” but as, “a new product that is America” (Turner). As America’s frontier expanded, “it meant a steady movement from the influence of Europe” (Turner).

As the movement from Europe increased, President Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their historic expedition. When they were gone the bones of a Mastodon were excavated and put on display at the Philadelphia Museum. This is important because they wished to associate this creature with the new image of America. With the then still recent defeat of Britain, America needed to prove its ability to survive as an independent country. Jefferson thought that a good step forward would be an animal that was thought to hunt many other predators such as lions. This is symbolic because the national animal of Britain was a lion which signifies that the Americas were able to defeat them. While the Mastodon did not become a national symbol the concept of it shows how prideful that America felt at the time which it needed to survive the early years of being a new country.